On the pitch, the handball players from Sainte-Maure/Troyes play in Nationale 2, the fourth division. On social networks, the club is the envy of many and would certainly deserve its place in the first division. For several years, Laurent Belair, via his company Belair Clap, has been behind the entity’s digital communication. In another life, the thirty-year-old was a sales director in different parts of France. He fell into handball by chance. “My passion sport is rugby. » Some time after settling down in Aube, he decided to make a professional change and set up his own communications company. “I no longer found myself in my old job in human terms and since I loved photography and video…”
By setting out on his own, Laurent Belair had a clear idea of the direction he wanted to take. “I wanted to work with a sports club. In my opinion, this is the field that allows you to be the most creative, regardless of the discipline. » L’Estac, the Troyes football club which oscillates between Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 depending on the season, already well equipped in the field, Laurent Belair knocked on the door of Sainte-Maure/Troyes. “I sent a message to the cheek and they replied. I met the people who were in charge of the communications unit. » His interpersonal skills and his desire to invest did the rest. Initially, Laurent Belair simply provided images and videos to the communications unit.
More than 6,000 followers on social media
When it evolved, its role grew. He was able to put his stamp on the image of the Tigresses, the team’s nickname. Present on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, the Mauraco-Trojan club has seen its number of subscribers increase considerably. Across all three networks mentioned, he now has more than 6,000 followers. Enough to make many more upscale structures pale in comparison. As a reminder, 75 women’s clubs play in the top three French divisions. Before, during and after matches and also during training, Laurent Belair uses his sense of formula to attract the favor of social media algorithms. “We can’t imagine what a powerful tool communication can be. Players from other clubs contacted us because they appreciated what we posted on the networks. »
Where Sainte-Maure/Troyes makes the difference compared to other clubs is because it has extended the Tigresses treatment to all of its teams, including the youngest. “We said to ourselves that people don’t know the under-18s who make it to the first team and so on. I found an organization that allows me to be effective in being able to talk to everyone. Everyone feels valued, including the volunteers. The club takes me between 25 and 30 hours a week but it’s just fun. I am also lucky to have good help within the club. »
Seduced by the original communication of the Mauraco-Troyennes, new partners came to join the adventure. “We managed to give a professional image to an amateur club,” says the man who is also responsible for developing these partnerships. “Even if we are not a professional club, our partners must have a return on investment. It’s my role to find solutions,” says Laurent Belair. Well placed in the race for promotion to Nationale 1 mid-championship, like their neighbors from Rosières/Saint-Julien, still in the Trojan area, the Tigresses, who regularly attract more than half a thousand supporters, are also talk about them thanks to their results.
