Top 20 Marketing Lessons We Can Learn from the NBA
While the NFL may still have the upper hand in the numbers for general season income and attendance, with the growth trends in the last decade, it is little wonder that the NBA has the NFL looking over its shoulders as explained at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. Currently, the NBA is one of the fastest-rising sports leagues in the United States as well as being among the most watched globally, with people waking up extremely early or staying up very late to catch games in all corners around the world. It has positioned itself for global dominance and this article will look to list the top 20 marketing lessons we can learn from the NBA.
Develop line extensions for your brand
As per RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com, the creation of the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) in 1996 was a savvy marketing move that kick-started the explosion in women’s support for the NBA in general. The NBA has since created other extensions like the NWBA (National Wheelchair Basketball Association) among others. Your business may not have the resources to go to this length, but a simple creation of different social media handles and pages that create a niche within your brand that addresses a specific desired market is a step in the right direction.
Content generation
When you visit NBA.com or any of the NBA teams’ websites you will find out how seriously the NBA takes content marketing. The steady flow of videos, articles and blog posts has proven to be its major driver in getting visitors, creating engagement, and getting subscriptions to its email lists.
Personality
One reason why the NBA seems to always be able to create engaging content is personality according to RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. Content devoid of personality will find it difficult to fly in the present-day market. Infusing fun into the game off the pitch has made watching the game itself more enticing to fans, a lesson worth learning.
External visibility
The NBA has created a brand that is not easy to forget simply because it is seen everywhere you look, from jerseys to billboards and social media in particular. The official NBA Facebook page shares videos of old games, replies to users directly, and creates surveys and other interactive content. You should try to also build external visibility as well.
Sponsored content
Sponsored content is also a great way to get your brand’s story on major online platforms, and one that the NBA is a master at leveraging. Sponsored content has risen to be a major driver of digital marketing in the last 5 years, and this has seen companies create amazing campaigns.
Find ways to stay in the limelight
Over the last 10 years, the NBA has managed to stay firmly in the spotlight as articulated at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. The NBA has done this by engraving itself in Pop culture. This has led to ex-stars like Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Dennis Rodman going on to become movie stars. The idea is to closely associate your brand with whatever is popular to always remain in the conversation.
Build on your brand consciousness
To assert your brand in a hugely fragmented market is one of the greatest challenges of 21st-century business. The NBA seems to have done fine amidst competition from other sports associations. More than a quarter of the players in the NBA are foreign-born, and its NBA Cares philanthropic arm has also gone a long way in increasing the consciousness perception around its brand.
Get involved in social causes
As already mentioned, the NBA’s NBA Cares arm has been involved in lots of social causes as captured at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. Any brand that is not yet somewhat involved in social causes is a fading brand.
Inclusivity and diversity
The NBA is among the most inclusive and diverse sports associations out there, which has helped its reputation no end. Similarly, you should aim to tailor your marketing images to show diversity or consciousness.
Engage with consumers on all levels
The NBA is incredibly active on social media, resulting in fans constantly reposting and responding to popular content – many popular social media accounts such as House of Highlights have sprung up with the sole purpose of resharing the best videos, and this is a lesson worth learning.
Internal branding
The NBA constantly finds methods to be of interest as covered at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. It finds ways to remain prominent and pertinent, even if it means doing so through its players such as LeBron James, and many others.
Know your audience
For you to be successful with your marketing campaigns, you need to first know your right audience and the right content to reach out to viewers. The NBA knows its audience and knows exactly the type of content to offer them.
Don’t ignore paid advertising
The NBA departments have decided to start online media advertising to maintain their active fans through NBC, Netflix, Hulu, and many other platforms as described at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. Likewise, don’t ignore advertising as a means of promoting brand awareness.
Use influencers
Drake and the Toronto Raptors have become synonymous with each other. Drake has tremendous social power, and the Toronto Raptors saw an opportunity to draw more attention to its brand by nominating him as a global brand ambassador.
Get social
The NBA encourages its athletes to market their personal brands. Social media is the primary communication medium for players to connect with fans and vice-versa. The NBA has realized that its success hinges on its employees and how they create engagement with the audience.
Leverage your employees
Additionally, the NBA gets more attention when the players market their personal brands. Similarly, your employees should be representing and promoting your brand on social media in their own unique way as discussed at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com.
Embrace innovation
The NBA consistently looks to leading-edge technology to push its brand forward. Whether it is adopting a new social media platform or experimenting with 3D video technology, the league embraces innovation, and so should you.
Tell stories
At its core, marketing is all about storytelling as revealed at RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com. The NBA creates and promotes storylines to build word-of-mouth buzz. With the spotlight on the stars, the league can benefit from all the drama that naturally ensues.
Have a plan
On March 11 of 2020, the NBA was canceled because of the Covid-19 pandemic. It was, however, back on July 30th of 2020, albeit in a very modified format. For almost five months in between, the NBA was hard at work developing a plan to safely finish the season, and so should you when it comes to your marketing efforts.
Be ready to adapt
The NBA Bubble also taught us the importance of being ready to adapt to any situations that may arise. Time and time again, we are reminded of the need to adapt as far as marketing is concerned, which is another lesson worth learning.
These are some of the marketing lessons we can learn from the NBA, with the excellent RunRex.com, guttulus.com, and mtglion.com having you covered when looking for more on this and other topics.