When I was talking to a client the other day he mentioned how coaches (of any sport) tend to "pee on the fire closest to their feet." Besides the fact that this is a funny analogy, its true. The problem is there is a forest fire raging up in front of us in wrestling land.

As coaches we tend to plan practice, prepare for the upcoming trip, tie up loose ends from the last trip, order gear, watch Flo Wrestling, or scout next weeks opponent. If we ever actually had the chance to put out all of those isolated fires at our feet (we won't) we would look up and see the forest fire. Duquesne University wrestling just looked up and saw it. Their house is on fire today. Without help from the fire fighters, smoke jumpers, and aerial firefighting helicopters (alumni, student-body, wrestling community, fans, NWCA, etc...) its too late.

When you look up what do you see? Budget cuts? Title IX? Indifferent administrators? It may not be too late to cut a fire road. Your strength to fight will come from a strong community of people and businesses and student body and alumni around your program. They are out there but they're far from the heat and the smoke. They have lives they are living with jobs and bills and families and meetings taking up their attention. And when they have free time they turn on TV or go on Facebook or check their email or read the sports page or send a text message.

That is precisely where you need to be. To tell them about your goals. To tell them about your athletes. To tell them about your successes. And to tell them about the forest fire. Do it now before your house catches fire.

sfadI'm not talking about selling cookies or coupon books. I'm talking about raising real cash to make real progress.

1. Get emotional: The frustrating part about raising money is that logic doesn't work. Appeal to donors' emotional side and they'll open their wallets.
2. Say Thank you: If you want them back and to donate more next time, you had better say thank you.
3. Communicate: Make it easy for your donor base to receive communication from you. Let them know the human interest stories from within your program.
4. Build personal relationships: In addition to #3, contact large donors and prospects personally to build the relationship.
5. Immortalize donors: Put their name on a brick, a locker, a plaque or just your website.
6. Get over it and make the ask: You heard me.

Even if you have not, masses and masses of people have flocked to Twitter to communicate, share, connect and converse. Contrary to popular belief it's not all posts about what people had for dinner or how they got poison ivy from wiping with the wrong leaves on last weekend's camping trip.

Here's an example- I recently had an issue with an online printing company that I have used for a long time. They partnered with an outside company that somehow got my credit card information and made me a "subscriber"- to what, I don't know. But I was paying for it. I was charged $14.95 seven times over the course of a few months for a total of almost $90! I tweeted my frustration and hoped to spread the word about my poor treatment. Smart social media users themselves, they found my tweet, replied to me and offered to help me not only cancel the subscription but get my money back! Pretty cool! Good customer service and smart brand protection. And now I love them again. And I tweeted that too.

What are people saying about you? Your organization? Your favorite team, athlete or enemy? Do a quick Twitter search here:

Find out what's being tweeted about (fill in the blank)

I want you to start a blog. Forget about the preconceived notions that you have about a blog being for political junkies, small businesses or sports marketing consultants that provide an awesome service. Blogs are for everyone nowadays.  Granted, most are full of the kind of people who like to hear themselves talk.  The good ones are written by people with something to say.  And, if you have a vision for your sports team, club or athletics department, then you have something to say.  And we, your fans, alumni, community and prospective supporters, want to listen. What would you post?

1. Your mission- this cannot be done in one post
2. Interviews with athletes, coaches, administrators, alumni, parents and members
3. Links to organizations that are like-minded
4. Links to articles and resources that your followers would want to see
5. History of your team or club
6. Outcomes you expect
7. Video
   
8. Your schedule
9. Personal musings
   
10. Fund raising messages

See... it's not hard.  Brainstorm a bit here... what am I missing?

Everyone is talking about the death of traditional media and the rise of social media. (Especially us consultants... I'm aware of the irony).  Their are 100 ways to leverage social media but what is right for your team, department or organization?  Too many, and you spread yourself thin.  Not enough, and you are practically non-existent.

Things to consider:

• Outcomes- what are the outcomes that you want?  Stronger donor relationships, better attendance, more media coverage, a closer knit community of supporters?  ("Who is Your Target Market")

• Budget- do you have someone who can dedicate themselves to this full-time? Part-time? Can you outsource this? Will this be something that you will be doing? If so, how often will you set aside time?

• Competition- what is your competition doing? Is this a way for you to get ahead or just catch up? What are they doing that is effective? 

Set aside time for strategic, high-level planning. Then attack!