The truth of the matter is, a youth sports organization won’t function if it’s doesn’t make money. There are so many costs—from uniforms to referees to staff to technology to equipment and beyond. And you, of course, would like to be able to put some money in your own pocket. 

We spoke with Tyler Kreitz, LeagueApps partner and Founder of Focus on the Field—an administrative service provider focused on youth sports organizations—to get his insight on ways to make money for your youth sports organization.

1. Communicate effectively

Communication is everything, especially when your customers are parents. Developing a strong communication plan— including technologies that can help strengthen your organization’s communication—and setting clear expectations, allows you to mitigate any issues before they arise (or worsen). This is one of the ways to make money that doesn’t cost your youth sports organization anything extra.

“I often say, where there is a void in communication, it can be filled with negativity. So, fill the voids,” says Kreitz.

2. Provide a “Rolls Royce experience” to your clients

In any industry, your primary focus should be your customers, but this is especially important in youth sports. 

“Your product is your client—which is the kids and families you serve,” explains Kreitz. “If they have a good experience, your product is more valuable and you can raise prices. If they feel as if they are being squeezed for revenue, they will sense it and your product becomes less desirable.”

When you focus on delivering the best possible experience (and product) to the families you’re serving, you’ll see parents spread the word about your organization. One way you can use technology to provide an exceptional experience to your customers and diversify revenue streams is by integrating with other platforms.

“The integrations through LeagueApps can make a huge difference when running your club because they allow you to make the experience better for families,” says Kreitz.

3. Create a very clear website

Your website is your organization’s home base and where your prospective (and current) customers get to know exactly what you’re about. Make sure your website clearly conveys what families can expect when they pay you, and then go above and beyond when delivering that promise. Pro tip: Configure your website so that registration is easy to find. That way, customers can start transacting quickly once they decide to join your organization. 

At LeagueApps, we build hundreds of websites every day through our Design Shop, helping our partners speak to their target audience and grow their businesses. To learn more about how that works, read this. 

4. Sweat the details

“When I was the Enrollment Director at a Catholic prep school I used to stress the ‘Lemon Bar’ effect. That referred to the plates of refreshments and cookies that would be placed out when the school hosted an informational tour or visit,” Kreitz tells us. “If the plate of lemon bars were put out but the cellophane wasn’t removed before the guests arrived, that could leave a bad impression with a potential enrollee. Everything else that they experienced could be great, but it would be competing with this one small negative issue. So make sure the cellophane is pulled off and sweat the details.”

5. Attach a cause to your program

In Kreitz’s experience, he has found that attaching a cause to your program—such as a charity your club believes in—can have a fantastic impact on your revenue.

Dedicate a tournament to a charity and build a campaign to rally the whole club behind it, he suggests. This will bring the community together, facilitate camaraderie, potentially generate good press—ultimately making customers more likely to spend money with your organization. t’s a great opportunity to sell merchandise!

“People like spending money on things they feel good about or make them feel good,” says Kreitz. 

The FundPlay Foundation—which provides technology, training, and support to sports-based youth development organizations across the country—helps prospective employees and investors feel connected to our values in a tangible way, making them more likely to engage with our company. 

6. Increase your margins

Organizations have a lot of costs and Kreitz emphasizes the importance of finding your organization’s biggest cost—for example, travel—and trying to reduce it so you have the ability to make more money. 

RELATED: How to Keep Revenue Flowing in the Off-Season

Happy Customers will Help You Make Money

Making money should never be your sole focus as a sports organizer, it should be making your customers happy. By following these steps, however, you can ensure that your customers are happy and satisfied by your service which will ultimately lead to making more money. 

Want to talk more about how to keep your customers happy? Let’s set up a call.