Building a Strong Communications Team in Your Club

To help build a strong communications team in a club, below are suggestions and ideas to help your club excel in communications and public relations. Start by recruiting members for distinct roles, establishing standardized channels, and defining a clear strategic communications framework. This ensures consistent messaging, boosts member engagement, and aligns all internal and external updates with your club’s core objectives. Depending on your club size, most roles can be doubled up successfully. Rotating roles will help members learn new skills and develop a further appreciation of the importance of communications and public relations.

Here is how to get you started:

Define Key Roles

Assign specific responsibilities to avoid duplicated effort and ensure all club functions are represented. Suggested roles are:

• Communications Director: Oversees the team, ensures brand consistency across all channels, and sets the overarching strategy.
• Content Creator / Writer: Drafts copy for the weekly email newsletter, club blogs, and event descriptions.
• Social Media Manager: Handles platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or a club app to drive member engagement and highlight events.
• Graphic Designer: Creates visually appealing flyers, digital graphics, and website banners.
• Member Liaison: Collects feedback, manages member directories, and addresses specific audience inquiries.

Set Communication Protocols

Establishing how and where the team operates is vital for execution:

• Centralized Hub: Utilize a shared project management and file-sharing tool like Google Drive to track campaign progress and store brand assets.
• Style Guide: Create a one-page document outlining your club's brand colors, fonts, voice (e.g., formal and elegant vs. casual and energetic), and posting guidelines.
• Content Calendar: Plan posts, email newsletters, and updates at least one month in advance to avoid last-minute rushes and maintain messaging consistency.

Establish Channel Strategies

Assign different platforms to specific types of communication to avoid overwhelming your audience:

• Email: Best for official club announcements, board meeting minutes, and the weekly/monthly digest.
• Social Media: Best for photo/video recaps of events, member spotlights, and informal, real-time updates.
• Club Website / App: Best for permanent information, event calendars, facility reservation forms, and member portals.

Foster Team Cohesion

Ensure the team functions efficiently by running regular check-ins:

• Hold short, synchronization meetings to review the upcoming schedule and evaluate the performance of recent communications.
• Practice why it's necessary to improve team communication techniques—like active listening and open feedback—to maintain a healthy, collaborative working environment.

Following these ideas will help strengthen your communication and public relations in your state and club.