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Post by Kate Gosnold on Jul 24, 2012 21:42:27 GMT
Hi all.
As you may already know, I have recently taken the task of raising the commercial activity and revenue at SACFC! If any of you know of any potential sponsors, no matter how big or small, please do pass on the details and please also do approach me with any ideas, suggestions or concerns and I will be happy to discuss them further.
I truly value the supporters’ opinions and today I would like to discuss the Matchday programme.
As you may have recently seen at the two pre-season matches, we have changed the design to give it a more professional feel. We have had some positive feedback so far which is great.
However, the sale of programmes is still lower than we would like and seeing as it is a good source of matchday income, I would like to gather opinion on what we could do to improve it in order to increase sales.
What would you like to see in the matchday programme which would make you consider purchasing it?
Would you like a player Q&A section? More pictures? More information from the board? Etc
Corporate programme advertising provides us with much needed funding, but instead of being advert heavy, we would prefer to have a better quality of content to satisfy the supporter and in doing so, bring in that needed revenue from the increase of sales.
The matchday programme is for the fans and therefore I would like to ensure the fans get what they expect from it.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts and suggestions which I will do my best to ensure are considered for the forthcoming season.
Many thanks
Kate commercial@sacfc.co.uk
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AFF
Saints Youth Team Player
Posts: 100
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Post by AFF on Jul 25, 2012 3:45:34 GMT
Hi Kate. Good luck in the new role. How many prgrammes are usually sold per match, out of interest? 50% of the attendance? What is your mental target? The player Q & A page is a sound concept but if you go that way, please try to avoid the favourite food? favourite holiday destination? music on the MP3? line favoured by some in the past. Sooooooo 1980s. Mind you, then it was music on the car CD rather than MP3 but you get the idea. You might have the player concerned sign (personally) one programme on the matchday and the purchaser of that particular copy could win a prize, not necssarily a two week hoiday in the Bahamas but maybe something more modest. Or have that Chairman chap sign three programmes on his page and the purchasers of those receive, say, 20% off merchandise from the club shop on that match day. Or invite fans to submit the approriate number of words to fill a page/half a page and call it "From the terraces" or some such.... Or someone from here with extracts "From the message board"... (please censor any contribution with 'This is my favourite brand of football boot laces, what's your favourite?" etc. Sooooooo St Michaels Infant School) Wait! No censorship, just make sure that any contributions along those lines get lost in the post. If you take up any of these thoughts, I'll waive my intellectual property rights and my usual fee. Doin' it for the City etc. Good luck once again.
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Post by northamptonsaint on Jul 25, 2012 6:41:06 GMT
Hi Kate
Three, quick observations:
1) getting more people to come through the gates will sell more programmes 2) keep the production costs down in the first place 3) have a regular columnist from among the fans to give a view from the terraces; MidWeek Saint did this previously, I think. AFF would definitely be a contender, if he is up for it.
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Post by EFMTFTV on Jul 25, 2012 7:13:02 GMT
I'd like to see John Gibsons page return
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Post by elcartero on Jul 25, 2012 9:35:29 GMT
Hi Kate. Good luck in the new role. How many prgrammes are usually sold per match, out of interest? 50% of the attendance? What is your mental target? The player Q & A page is a sound concept but if you go that way, please try to avoid the favourite food? favourite holiday destination? music on the MP3? line favoured by some in the past. Sooooooo 1980s. Mind you, then it was music on the car CD rather than MP3 but you get the idea. You might have the player concerned sign (personally) one programme on the matchday and the purchaser of that particular copy could win a prize, not necssarily a two week hoiday in the Bahamas but maybe something more modest. Or have that Chairman chap sign three programmes on his page and the purchasers of those receive, say, 20% off merchandise from the club shop on that match day. Or invite fans to submit the approriate number of words to fill a page/half a page and call it "From the terraces" or some such.... Or someone from here with extracts "From the message board"... (please censor any contribution with 'This is my favourite brand of football boot laces, what's your favourite?" etc. Sooooooo St Michaels Infant School) Wait! No censorship, just make sure that any contributions along those lines get lost in the post. If you take up any of these thoughts, I'll waive my intellectual property rights and my usual fee. Doin' it for the City etc. Good luck once again. Excellent post, AFF with many constructive ideas...I wish I could think that clearly at 3.45 in the morning!
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Post by Aries on Jul 25, 2012 10:14:47 GMT
I'd like to see John Gibsons page return That's made me chuckle.
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Post by gazzaruse on Jul 25, 2012 11:05:53 GMT
Hi Kate ,
good luck in your new role ,
following on from previous comments , what about working out some deal in connection with the club house or the chip wagon / coffee guy voucher system , I know a lot of people go there at half time say 10% voucher something along those lines , something of 1st pint on matchday with the voucher in the programme.
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AFF
Saints Youth Team Player
Posts: 100
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Post by AFF on Jul 25, 2012 13:31:31 GMT
Just an observation..... Midweeksaint did, indeed, do a page in each programme for one season a couple of years ago, and I have no problem with that if someone wants to volunteer. Better than ten pressed men etc. However, one of the problems with using a volunteer to do the same thing every week, whether selling raffle tickets, golden goal etc. or every programme is that it can become a chore. That can be avoided, and it is also is also more 'inclusive' if several such volunteers can share the load. In the case of "a view from the terraces..." in the matchday programme, I suspect that it would be more interesting for the reader to see contributions from different sources in any event. Here's an idea! I'll volunteer to do one of the Manager's pages if you like. Give Owlseley (sp?) a break. And if I do it, there wont be any of that "take the positives" rubbish. And any time I write 'first half' or 'second half', those words will be preceded by "In the". I have a suspicion that the manager doesn't actually say "First half we did this, second half we did that etc". Rather I blame the chap who co-ordinates it all for the programme. He probably thinks that it gives the piece atmosphere or somesuch. Dave Bassett was sooooo 90's. And here's another idea while I'm warming to the subject.. At an apporopriate time in the season (Valentine's Day, say) print a voucher in the programme upon production of which for the following home game, ladies pay half price (or 25% or something) entrance. That only works if the board feel that there aren't enough ladies coming to matches, clearly. I picture "One for the ladies..." with a graphic of cupid sitting on pink heart etc. but I'll leave that to the artists among us..
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Post by Kate Gosnold on Jul 26, 2012 22:52:51 GMT
Hello
Thank you for all for your suggestions. These are definately along the lines that I had in mind and would certainly like to implement.
I think there should be some form of incentive, whether it be a numbered programme or a signed page which if chosen would result in a reward of some sort. I do like the idea of money off in the club shop. Thank you AFF!!
I would also be happy to have a fans from the terraces page, if there were enough contributors to ensure it ran in every programme. To achieve editorial consistency maybe someone could take charge of collating the editorial from the volunteers. AFF, would this be something you would be interested in doing?
Ladies day - another great idea!! (Although whether they would be chuffed to be taken for a romantic valentines burger and chips on Clarence Park terraces, even at half price, is yet to be seen!!) But I think it is a great incentive, to get more ladies (and maybe in turn families) to come down.
On top of now having happy hour in the club bar for an hour pre-match, offering a discount voucher for a post match drink would also be something we would be happy to do.
Would anyone be interested in a 'where are they now' section, catching up with old Saints legends as such?
Alas, I cant help with regards to the return of John's page, but I hope the return of Eamsie's Parklife, now titled Eamsie Pitching in, will suffice!! :-)
Kate
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AFF
Saints Youth Team Player
Posts: 100
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Post by AFF on Jul 27, 2012 9:57:09 GMT
Hi Kate. e-mail sent...
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Post by midweeksaint on Jul 27, 2012 11:57:41 GMT
Hi AFF
You are right, it can become a chore and even more so when there is no appreciation from the club (although of course that wwas in a different era). But I'm sure things have now changed and there are many willing volunteers here (and elsewhere) willing to help the club improve their programme revenues.
Good Luck
MWS
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Post by Aries on Jul 27, 2012 13:07:38 GMT
Nice avatar, Kate!
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Post by Kate Gosnold on Jul 27, 2012 20:25:58 GMT
That was my worry MWS, but we hope that we can make it a much more plesant task which will be greatly appreciated. We would all like a good quality programme to be proud of and one that brings in better revenue. :-)
Thanks Aries - one I got down on my knees and took myself!! Thought I would make the most of the recent weather and photograph Clarence Park in the beautiful sunshine!!! :-)
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Post by essexgirl on Jul 28, 2012 7:39:56 GMT
Idea. Looking elsewhere at 'priced out of the market' create a pitch grid of approximately 100 squares and get supporters/companies to sponsor each square, grid and their names are included in every programme. See Mansfield Town for something similar.
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