I have been saying for a long time now that I need to write this blog to help fighters, fans, suppliers and promoters use social media like FB.
I joined FB about 8 months ago to help connect people in MMA. Up to that point I had been using MMA specific sites like MMAMELEE.com and several others and it was cool but I was having to cut and past my articles onto all these different sites and that was getting to be a lot of work.
Then I started to realize I might be better off if I focused on one site for my blogs and then used FB to meet MMA folk and use that for general updates about local events. The ability to link my MMAMELEE.com articles to FB was also a cool feature.
I have to add here that I always liked the TapouT crew and watched their show all the time when it was on. When Mask was killed it really hit me. I am not one for celebrity fan crap but that guy just seemed so genuine and was so willing to stick with fighters win or lose I really took his death hard. Now the founder of MMAMELEE, Mike Malast was also inspired by Mask and he started MMAMELEE for the same reason I blog about MMA; all of us in the sport are ignored by the mainstream sport news (even ESPN only puts focus on MMA via web casts not their main shows) and someone needs to help these fighters, fans, promoters and suppliers get connected and learn about shows and events and issues.
Now I have been blown away by the success I have had getting people connected here in So Cal and in several instnaces all over the country. I get a lot of FB messages thanking me for posting up an event link, fighter info, new shows and clothing makers. I also have helped people who needed donations to get the word out so they can help trainers or fighters who have cancer (all too common in recent years) or who have been killed in accidents and left behind children.
It has been very rewarding and thanks to those of you who have allowed me into the cool world of MMA fighters and events.
All that said..................I love you guys, but most.................well, almost------- all of you suck at promoting yourselves and I want you to read this and use what I have learned here to help you get fans, sell tix, get bouts, sponsors and build a base of supporters that will make promoters want you on their cards so we can all grow the sport and eventually make money.
Fighters here are the key things you can do to help yourselves and the sport grow on any social site:
1. Don't post up vague info such as:
"I am fighting next week" or "I am fighting on the 21st"
When I see these posts and I then have to ask a host of questions that get answered one at a time
- Where
- When
- What promotion
- What city or state (remember not everyone lives in your town or region)
- Use those official looking web sites that do "Press Releases" those get attention for you and the show!
So to avoid this please:
- Put up all the details like date, time, location and city and state
- Add the event web site
- If you can add the link to the tix page of the event so people don't have to hunt for it. While lots of people see your post only the few that know you will follow up to get all the missing details
- Think beyond your friends when you are posting I did not know any fighters when I started liking MMA and I would go to smokers if I could find them
- If you reach out to people beyond your friends and you can build fans. I still follow fighters I saw a few years back at ammy shows who are now pros or still working at the ammy level. Seeing them at the start of their careers made me a fan and I go to see them now not just the show
- Post of your fight pics in specific albums with the name of the event
- Tag the pix so ppl know who you were fighting and who is in your crew
- Tag your sponsors so people will know who they were
2. If you are lucky enough to have sponsors make sure to mention them in your post about your up coming bout and after in your pix:
- Also make sure to get their clothing or logo in your pix
- If you have more than one sponsor give them props in seperate postings
- Make sure to comment on their sites if they have comment pages leave other postings that mention them
- Use those official looking web sites that do "Press Releases" those get attention for you and the show!
- Start a fan page and make sure you call out your sponsors
- Even AMMY's should have a fan page
- Post of your fight pics in specific albums and tag your sponsors were
3. Set up your event on the FB events page or any social site your on:
- Make sure to link the event web site to it and mention if you got tix
- If the promoter has a tix site like Long Beach Fight Night does where people can use your name as the promo code mention that it is easier for you to sell tix if you do not have to see people in person and the people need to know that including people who don't know you but use your name at the site
- Bringing in ticket sales impresses promoters!
- Use those official looking web sites that do "Press Releases" those get attention for you and the show!
4. PROMOTERS:
- List your show under the name of the show or the promotion (for me I prefer the show name since that is what most people lock on) consistantly in your posts and web page listings. It is hard to find a show that is posted under three different names
- Make sure if you have a link on your poster that it goes to a working web site. People post up your poster with no other info and at least if there is a website clearly spelled out on it people will be able to find it
- Same with the location get it on the poster so if that is all that people post they can find the event without having to look for it. Remember people are generally lazy so you gotta make it easy to find your show or they move on. Only the most hungry fans will do the leg work.
- Make it clear if the show is AMMY or Pro. I know you don't like to do that but it is a pain in the ass to have to look around for that and call a number and for anyone new to MMA shows they may go looking to see pros and the show is AMMY
- Man always have bout cards with the fighters names, pix, weights, gyms names and records I hate when I go to a show and have to make my own notes and write all that shit down
- Get the results up that night or by the next AM those dudes and their fans deserve to be able to see the results quickly!
- Make sure you have a ticket system that allows the fighters to get credit without having to sell tix in person (I have a guy who has a low cost system launching in Feb so hit me up if you need a tix system)
- Post up your shows in the events pages and list the fighters in the bouts as you lock them in place. People see names they recognize and buy tix and spread the word
- Hit up dudes like me who post often and give us details about the show
- Use those official looking web sites that do "Press Releases" those get attention for you and the show!
5. SPONSORS:
- While the local shows feed the big shows the ammy fighters feed the local shows
- Save some of your promotional $$ for the AMMY's
- Since most fighters can't afford managers help to mentor them don't just get your name on them
- Don't forget about the female fighters they need some sponsor lovin too!!!
- Use those official looking web sites that do "Press Releases" those get attention for you and the show!
- Post up your fighters results ASAP win or lose. No shame is losing and they need to see you are still behind them!
Here is an example of a services you may want to look at. Both came from people I met on FB:
Sites to get noticed:
FirstFightSD.com
We are a free service...we are ready when they are...in addition to their own page, we outsource them within the industry and also have a text line for events, announcements and record updates and pages are easy to share on social sites: http://www.firstfightsd.com/Kevin-Corrigan.html
Sites for Tix Softwear:
From Boh DuPree of Eztixnow.com
Also if you need a ticket system Boh DuPree is launching Eztixnow.com in February and he can be reached at 918-504-4499 Boh's website should be up later in February so you can see how it works and he is willing to travel if he can get enough interested promoters in one general area like So Cal!!!!
As I see more examples of how to better market yourself I will update this blog from time to time.
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