The key to a successful relationship between player and agent is trust. But in an industry where rumour and misinformation can run wild, it is easy for that trust to break down. And if you don’t communicate openly and effectively with your clients, you risk losing them.

Sometimes it’s hard for players to separate fantasy from reality. Rival agents contact them and say they can provide better opportunities than you can. Or players just see media gossip about clubs being interested in them. Or they are simply unrealistic about where they think they should be playing and therefore about the work you should be doing, and how well you are doing it. 

But if you’re not giving them reliable, up-to-date information about where they stand, it is easy for them to doubt you. And the more they doubt you, the more tempted they are to work with other agents who are making big promises.

Here are five tactics for sharing information and boosting player loyalty:

• Communicate openly. Instead of letting other agents or the rumour mill influence your players, take the initiative. Don’t ignore gossip, tackle it head on by telling players which opportunities are genuine and which are unrealistic. And show them that your information is based on real interaction with clubs and the market.
  
  

• Offer real options. It is your job to source and evaluate what opportunities are really out there for your players. But if they aren’t kept up to date with that process, they think you are not pitching them at the right level. Instead of letting that resentment grow, share information about which clubs you have approached and what their feedback has been. Then you both know where you stand and can jointly move forward to find the right deal.
  
  

• Prove your efforts. The process of arranging transfers can be tricky and stop-start. But if players are unaware of how talks are progressing, they start to question your ability to make the deal. Instead of leaving an information gap, keep them in the loop about which clubs are interested - and which are not. Keeping the channels of communication open and providing real evidence of what you are doing helps to prevent misunderstandings and manage expectations.
  
  

• Make players feel important. If players see your other clients or team-mates making good moves, they start to think they are not a priority to you and to look for someone who will put them first. Instead of letting them doubt your commitment, be just as open and transparent with them as any other player. Share information about pitches to clubs and feedback so that they know you are doing your best to make things happen.
  
  

• Stand out from the crowd. There are thousands of agents and intermediaries all competing for business and making promises to do the best for players. Instead of just talking the talk, make sharing reliable, up-to-date information part of how you do business. Build a reputation for openness and honesty. If your players know you are being transparent with them, they will trust you more and feel more loyal to you. And they will tell other players who could want to work with you.  
  
  

Trust and loyalty between agents and players are fragile things. All too often, problems stem from lack of communication or misunderstanding. If only players knew the true state of affairs, they would be able to make a much fairer assessment of what you are doing to earn your commission. 

But that also means there is a straightforward solution: sharing clear, up-to-date information with players that shows them the work you are doing on their behalf and provides clear evidence of what opportunities are really open to them. 

Being open and transparent about what is going on can build (or rebuild) trust with existing players and at the same time improve your reputation in a way that attracts new clients.

Happy players know where they stand, have a realistic picture of where they can go, and  believe you are the right person to take them there.

TransferRoom's Player Loyalty Booster feature helps you provide transparent feedback to your players and build trust, ultimately helping you retain more players and attract more new clients. Find out more here.