Running and promoting a club
Running your club
- Sport Australia’s Game Plan helps you improve operations and performance for your organisation or club. Visit the club development section of the Sport Australia website to get started with Game Plan.
- Visit the Sport Governance Principles for resources to help you understand the roles and responsibilities of committee members and what duties and legal responsibilities you have.
- Visit community door for key information to help you manage your organisation.
- Check with your local council for information to help you manage your club.
Legal obligations and insurance
- Read about compliance for not-for-profit organisations and what laws you need to follow.
- Discover the benefits of incorporating your club or association, what it means in the eyes of the law and where to get legal advice.
- Find out about protecting your volunteers.
- Read about insurance for clubs as part of your club’s risk management.
- Get advice from the relevant state sport or recreation organisation about insurance and other legal obligations.
Starting a club?
- Decide what legal structure would suit your not-for-profit organisation (each structure has different legal obligations and liabilities).
- Read about tax obligations for not-for-profit organisations.
- Read about how to operate your club safely.
Serving healthy food
- Good Sports Healthy Eating helps you make gradual changes to the management of alcohol and provision of food within the club, building more healthy, safe and family-friendly environments.
- Read the food for sport guide—it talks about healthy food and drinks for sporting clubs.
- Find information on food and nutrition programs for infants, young children, school-aged children, adults and communities.
- Read about national programs that promote healthy eating.
Promoting your club
Sponsorship and marketing
A successful marketer doesn't mean spending thousands of dollars on glossy brochures, corporate videos and a fancy letterhead. Here are a few tips to help you better market your organisation without going broke in the process.
Have a system that records inquiries, allowing you to measure the success of your promotional efforts. When you get an enquiry, ask the caller how or where they found out about your club and if they have seen any of your advertising.
Always write from your customers' perspective, offering them benefits and incentives. For example, instead of writing: "Come along to our next fun run on 26 July, it leaves Simmons Park at 7am and ends down by the river at 10am. Lots of people will be there to raise money for the Thomas Foundation - a good day to be had by all".
Write: "Where can you get fit, feel energised and show your support for the Thomas Foundation, all at the same time? At the next Fun Run on 26 July (starts at an invigorating 7am at Simmons Park and finishes down by the river at 10am). Show you care, see you there."
Concentrate on building relationships with your local media. Make sure you provide them with interesting newsworthy stories and photos. A paper is more likely to run a story if it is accompanied by an interesting visual.
Increase people's ability to recall your clubs name by using something short and catchy. For example, the Redcliffe Junior Ice-skating Association Limited could easily be shortened to Redcliffe Junior Ice-skating. The shorter name is easier to recall and use on printed material.
Think of your brochures, flyers and promotional material and ask yourself this question - would this impress the people I'm trying to attract?
How to promote your events
- Develop a good relationship with your local councils and local media (TV, radio, newspapers).
- Contact the relevant state sport and recreation organisation for your activity. If they have a club directory, ask if they can list your club and promote your club’s events.
- Find out if you can add your event to Clubs Queensland's event calendar.
- Plan your promotional and marketing activities using Australian Sports Commission's club resources.
- View 25 ways to promote your event for free.
- Read about the basics of marketing your business—you can apply the same principles to your club.
Junior sport
- Read about junior sport and how to introduce children to sport.
- Consider promoting junior sport:
- in your local schools
- to your local council
- with the relevant state sport and recreation organisation
- in your local media (TV, radio, newspapers, community news)
- in the community—through other community organisations, at your local library or a shopping centre noticeboards
- through your club’s newsletter, website or social media.