In this interview, we spoke with experienced German club expert Daniel Weiß. You can expect a very diverse interview, covering everything from sponsoring to digitalization.
For a slightly different blog format than usual, this post features an interview with a club expert for you. Daniel Weiß from DW Sport Consulting is an expert in the field of club services. He describes his work as providing support, primarily to make sports clubs future-proof. He addresses topics such as change management, sponsor acquisition, and digitalization. Always in combination with the club itself, to bring know-how into the volunteer organization.
We at Vereinsplaner greatly appreciate working with Daniel because we believe many clubs need help with process management. That is, beyond just a tool, in the form of a service that few can offer based on their experience. A club should receive support where it needs it.
In this interview, we asked Daniel practical questions about finding sponsors, the future of club management and digitalization as an opportunity for clubs. We're excited to share his answers with you.
I myself served as chairman for 8 years of one of the largest sports clubs in Allgäu, and unfortunately had to step down from my position due to professional reasons. However, club management remained a passion of mine, so I undertook further training to share these experiences with other clubs through DW Sport Consulting.
Sports play a crucial role in society, and many sports clubs are facing increasing challenges (e.g., finding volunteer officials, implementing digitalization, and securing suitable sponsorships). I am the right contact person to collaboratively lead these clubs into a secure and successful future.
The foundation is having a good strategy with measurable goals and a concept built upon it. With the sheer volume of sponsorship requests companies receive, it's becoming increasingly important to be well-prepared and make a professional impression. You must offer the "funders" something of value in return.
The days of companies distributing money purely for the love of sport are over. Ultimately, courage and innovation are also essential. This is how you can stand out from other sponsorship seekers. In short, that's what it comes down to.
Unfortunately, there isn't a single best-practice solution here. You should approach this professionally with a strategy and a concept built upon it. This means defining your sponsorship goals and the type of partners you want for your club (e.g., do you want sponsors advertising tobacco, alcohol, or adult entertainment?). You should also clearly define the cost of each sponsorship package, as arbitrary sponsorship will likely fail in the long run.
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Clubs absolutely must engage with digital transformation. This is the only way to achieve long-term success. The nature of collaboration is changing, with more video calls, collaboration tools like JIRA, and digital solutions that support club administration and training. These tools help conserve valuable staff resources, provide clubs with new opportunities for development, and help save costs. Another fundamental advantage is the increased effectiveness of training sessions.
Another key issue is sustainability; clubs should increasingly embrace this topic, as it could become a unique selling proposition (USP). Clubs should also monitor megatrends going forward, as these profoundly change society. Clubs must react flexibly to these. For example, the megatrend of urbanization means that rural clubs may lose members and volunteers as these individuals move towards metropolitan areas. Digital solutions can at least partially address these geographical challenges.
Digitalization in a club also requires a strategy. As a club, I need to know what I want to digitalize and, most importantly, why I want to do it. The main principle is: Digitalization must create greater value than it incurs costs. Today, there's already a jungle of excellent digital solutions.
However, a club cannot implement everything simultaneously. It must proceed step by step. I am the right contact person for developing the right strategy and finding suitable solutions.
In my online course "digital transformation in sports clubs", clubs will discover numerous important modules that are essential for digitalization.
Sports clubs hold significant social relevance. However, many clubs face challenges and often struggle to resolve them due to limited resources. It's crucial for clubs to continuously analyze and review whether their strategy and goals remain sustainable for the future.
DW Sport Consulting is an important partner in supporting you. With an external perspective, we can objectively assess club development and create solutions that position clubs for a strong future. Clubs can get a good impression and arrange a free initial consultation at www.dw-sport-consulting.com.
