Boost Your Athlete Brand: 3 Fall Storytelling Ideas That Actually Work

Hello my loves! 💌

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As the Fall season has started, it means that new sports have also began their season. This new shift is a great opportunity for athletes to build their brand on social media and take advantage of these storytelling prompts.

Why Storytelling Matters This Fall Season

If you're here, I'm assuming that you already know the value of improving your brand, but why storytelling? The truth is that by creating a story behind your brand, you have a better outcome in connecting with your fans and your audience. With a brand new season starting, this also means that it's a great opportunity for athletes to work on their brand and start over if you haven't already. Not only that, but the Fall season is a peak season for most athletes filled with competitions, training blocks, playoffs and tournaments. What does this mean? It means content on top of content that you can use to connect with your audience and share your story.

A lot of times athletes will focus on posting highlights content, but storytelling is what helps to build connection and your brand identity. By doing this, you're boosting...

• NIL opportunities

• Fan engagement

• Recruit visibility

• Team/community connection

Ever since I began working on my brand, SightingSara, my goal has to be to help athletes and athlete organizations to tell their story in a way that authentically connects them with their fans and their audience. My goal is to also help you achieve this today with a simple list of content that you can try this month to improve your storytelling online.

So, here are three content ideas that you can start posting this fall, even if you don't know what to share.

Locker Room Moments

This is such a great way to show a more intimate and vulnerable time in your journey.

What it is...

• The atmosphere before the game

• Energy, camaraderie, focus

• Small details that create emotional connection

Why does this work?

This type of content performs really well because fans love seeing the behind-the-scenes world they rarely get access to. Through social media, athletes are now able to show this part of their life while still maintaining a "safe" distance. Furthermore, this type of content also helps to build trust and relatability with your fans because they get to see another side of you that may look different from when you're playing the game. In other words, another benefit of doing this type of video is because it showcases the human side of your performance.

What you can post...

• Pre-game fits

• Taping wrists, tying your cleats/shoes, putting on your headphones

• Team handshake rituals

• Quick 1-2 second clips of the overall energy

💡 Quick Tip: Keep your clips short and raw. Locker room footage doesn't need a whole lot of editing because authenticity wins here.

Examples of Locker Room Moments Content

Let's start with a more fun type of video with dancing that also implements some of the locker room ideas of getting ready and showcasing what it looks like inside (trust me, players that want to get to your level will be curious about what the locker room looks like!).

Another example are quick snippets of your clothing and of the space itself. Here's an example:

For this last example you may need the assistance of a team manager or team media person, but you're recording some of the moments of encouraging words from your coach. Remember that this is not a time to post sensitive information or content: you're giving your fans a snippet, a sneak peek of what that space looks like.

Game Day Rituals

Also a little bit connected to the previous idea, showcasing your game day rituals is a great way of connecting with your fans and showcasing what it takes to get you to your best performance. Let's look into it.

What it is...

We're talking about your pre-game routine, so your habits, the food and drinks you have before, comments on your mindset, your outfit pre- and during the game, as well as your playlist. These are just some examples of what this type of content can look like.

💡 Pro Tip: If you're planning on sharing a playlist that you've created, you should also post it in your Stories and embed the playlist link into it. This is a great way to gather some clicks in your Stories and connect with your fans across multiple platforms.

What you can post...

• Jersey and gear layout

• Your hair

• Taping ankles

• Warm-up stretches

• Pre-game meal

• "Here's how I lock in" montage

💡 Pro Tip: Use trending sounds and short cuts for your ritual videos. This is always a great way to perform well on social media.

Example of Game Day Rituals Content

Here's an example of what Jayson Tatum did to prep for a game. This video includes times as well, which can be helpful as well!

Post-Game Reflections

If you thought the previous ideas were vulnerable, this one will challenge you a little bit more. This basically means sharing thoughts, emotions, and insights from your time playing the game. This isn't a time to crash out and trash talk if things went badly, or even to provoke or make fun of the other team if things went well for you. This is a time to share some reflections and good vibes when talking about your experience.

Why does it work?

• It humanizes the performance

• Helps the athlete to grow a reflective, mature brand voice

• Adds depth beyond just winning or losing

What you can post...

• What you learned

• How the game felt

• A moment you're proud of

• A play you want to improve next time

• A thank-you to fans or teammates

💡 Pro Tip: Keep your reflection videos short, we're talking 15-20 seconds. Speak from emotion, not perspective. You can even have some moments of the game playing as B-Roll (learn more about b-roll footage here) and then having you speak over what was happening and how you felt during that time.

Would you benefit from a "Post-Game Reflection Prompts" as part of our Free Resources Library? Let me know in the comments.

So, what now?

Hey friends, hopefully this post was helpful to you. Don't forget to let me know if the previous idea would be helpful to you and your brand. If you take only three ideas from this entire post, here are some reminders:

• Storytelling is what will build connection

• Fall is the best season to show your process (peak athletic time)

• These ideas make content easier for athletes

So, if you found this helpful, don't forget to share it with your friends or any athletes that you think will benefit from this. Remember to follow this blog, subscribe to access our Free Resource Library, and follow me on social media for almost-daily athlete storytelling tips.

Stay creative,

Sara.