5 Ways For MMA Fighters Interact with Fans
The world of mixed martial arts is one where participants are dedicated to honing their minds and bodies into skilled, efficient fighting machines. The training that they endure and the disciplines that they practice contribute to their successes in the octagon. Part of the sense of fearlessness that these spartan men and women possess is due to their total preparedness and mastery of their craft.Â
Engaging other fighters is certainly different than engaging fans. A fighter would not, for instance, stare down a fan asking for an autograph the way they stare down their opponent at a weigh-in. There are strategies that MMA fighters can employ, though, to raise their stock in fans’ eyes.
1. Create a Social Media Profile
These days, you’re only as big as your online presence. If somebody’s going to fork over their money to watch their favorite fighter engage in the cage, they likely want to be able to type that fighter’s name into a search engine and see an official page pop up, or an Instagram or Twitter account.
Once basic data is put up and the work of establishing a presence has been accomplished, posts can be added in seconds or minutes. Online sites are also a great way to share pictures and videos, and the beautiful thing is that they can be about so many different things. A good rule of thumb might be to not alienate any part of your fanbase, but then, schtick being what it is, perhaps alienation is part of the draw. At any rate, joining and exploiting the online fan market is easy enough to do and could earn big dividends.
2. Deploy Personality
Not all MMA fighters are devoid of humor, and some are actually pretty doggone funny. Maybe some would employ caller ID spoofing for a laugh if, say, they got hold of your list of contacts. You’d expect to hear mom’s voice, but it would actually be your favorite fighter’s.
Whether or not they have a bountiful sense of humor, displaying personality is a plus when it comes to garnering fans. People want to see behind the curtain, as it were, and learn little details that show how MMA fighters tick.
3. Make Public Appearances
When they aren’t training or fighting, MMA fighters should be setting time aside to be seen engaging with the public. This could look like many different things, from sitting in for television, radio or interviews on other platforms, going to movie premieres, awards shows or fashion shows or just popping into a bistro or bar to chat with some regular folks.
4. Give To Charity
Showing fans that they’re more than just paid fighters is called dimensionalizing, and giving publically to charity is a great way to add dimension. It shows people that they believe in something at least as much as their fighting careers and more than their money. It’s always refreshing when a well-off celebrity gives something back. Fighters might choose a topical issue to give to, like cancer or poverty, or they might give back to the neighborhoods where they come from, putting money into local businesses or youth programs.
5. Play the Part With Gusto
They train hard and fight with ferocity, and engaging fans should be done with some of that fire. Not that the planner needs to be filled to the hour with social fan-related obligations, but engaging should happen often. A plan that involves public appearances every so often, mixed with daily uploads to social media can put an MMA fighter’s name out there, ready to be passed o’er the lips of new fans everywhere.
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