An update from Steve Miles on the Bums on Seats Squad scheme...
DISCOUNT VOUCHERS
Usage
I have been keeping a record of users and sources of vouchers for each game. Vouchers have been used at 9 games but our records are for 8 games (I haven’t sorted the Kettering vouchers yet).
There have been 317 different users – 155 have email addresses - 162 postal addresses only.
22 users have used vouchers for 5 games or more
1 fan has used a voucher for all games
88 were used at the Altrincham game including 33 new users.
All 317 users have been added to the fans database.
All first time users are emailed/mailed promoting mini season tickets and sending a further voucher
Sources
I haven’t done a full analysis of sources yet but as an example this is where the vouchers came from for the Altrincham game.
The Ground – 36
Follow up emails/letters – 10
Reporter – 22
Club website – 3
MyFC mailer – 1
Businesses – 16 (Traders Club – 1, Railway Inn – 2, Six Bells – 1, Ascot Arms – 3, Earl Grey – 1, Cock Inn – 7, Valley Fish Bar – 1)
What has surprised me is that the usage isn’t declining and we are still getting a significant number of new users at each game. I presume fans are getting used to the idea. The peak at the Boxing Day promotion has been maintained into the Altrincham game.
Thought – it would be great if we can harness this link with the pubs.
LOCAL FANS DATABASE
A fans database has been created from users of vouchers, season ticket holders and locals who attended Wembley.
We currently have 479 fans on an “email” database and 1400 households on a “postal address only” database. The fans on the email database now receive regular information bulletins – “Fleet News”.
No contact has yet been made to the 1400 on the postal address only database.
FLEET NEWS
Fleet News is a regular club update emailed to fans who attend games. The first mail was sent 2 weeks ago and 8 have been sent since. The mail includes current news such as matchday information, team news, rearranged fixture dates, bad weather pitch updates, new signings, promotions (Kids for a Quid) etc.
This is now emailed to 479 fans on the fans database.
I am getting an occasional positive response to the Newsletter e.g. “thanks to the ladies who sorted the curry” – “excellent news” on signing of Moses – “is the match on” on the morning of the Altrincham game – “a volunteer snow shoveller”. No negatives yet but 2 people unsubscribed.
These are all dealt with and acknowledged.
Fleet News is targeted specifically to the local fans who attend games or are potential attendees. To keep it manageable within the BOSS capabilities it is not intended to make it more widely available. However the information is there to be used/circulated by MyFC as thought appropriate. Obviously much of the information is already circulated by MyFC or posted on the MyFC website.
COST
The £2 discount given to voucher users was factored in as part of the original proposal increasing the gate price from £13 to £15 agreed by members of MyFC at the beginning of the season. All costs e.g. printing, distribution of vouchers etc. has been found by individual members of BOSS. So far there has been no cost to either the club or MyFC.
We now have a further opportunity to develop these initiatives by marketing to the 1400 postal address only database - getting as many email addresses as possible. There will be a cost in doing this of approximately £600 (postage, printing, envelopes etc.). There are no funds allocated to do this in either the club or MyFC budgets and alternative ways to fund this are currently being sought.
