Fan ideas for 16/17 season?

What ideas do WE have for continuing to grow our club? Not everyone can or will come down to the Supporters Forum so why not put your ideas down here semi anonymously! They can then be taken forward!

Doesn't matter if the ideas are being done or unworkable, idea is to get a discussion going and adapt ideas to make them work or more successful?

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With the ongoing issues with the Matchday programmes could a unique number be printed in each one. This could be used as a type of 'raffle' at half time with monies raised by new sales being halved so £50, £25 is for winning number and £25 goes to the club/charity?

A massive new banner that the fans can move around prior to kick off? Always wanted to play with one of them. Seriously though, its about kicking on and developing a welcoming unified fanbase?

Can the fans own a charity for the season and develop links/ host individuals from the charity? Fundraising can draw people in, raise money and get the fans in the paper, developing a feelgood factor and creating further unity.

Someone to be a contact point for new fans, bit of social, show them the ropes make them feel wanted and encourage new fans or individuals.

Better use of social media. Developing a strategy ie youtube channel/emails/FB?

All good ideas surplus, like the programme idea. Sorry to sound like a.broken record, but the programme needs a proper professional makeover. And,no disrespect to the current web editor, but the website is a mere shadow of Peter Arnett's excellent effort. Needs attention.

I have put myself forward this season to try and get the word out there about the fantastic club we support. I am currently doing the Twitter on match days, creating the images for Twitter also during match days. Hopefully it is starting to take shape and stand out as something worth following when people can't make games.

I put my name forward earlier this season about doing match highlights for home games if someone could provide me with the videos I could go about editing them and uploading onto the Town YouTube channel. I wouldn't want to record the game myself as I couldn't bare not being in the kop chanting! haha

The idea about the match day programme sounds fantastic and I could definitely see more being purchased due to this! Get that idea forward.

We can take those ideas forward to the forum, but do we have anyone who can take fan ideas forward to the current programme team. Can we get more involvement from fans in the programme? Someone is putting in the effort and doing there best but how can we help them! Any web designers out there so ideas can be put forward in that department?

24ft x 12 ft football flag! Give us something to do in the closed season, bit of crowdfunding, have it in no time! £500 notes. Flag design ideas- I'm up for nicking Carefree's 'We go again' against a backdrop of Town colours and Ellis in the bottom left and Clayt's in the bottom right! Thoughts.......

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Ps Chips, its a top effort mate as I can't get radio so lifeline on awayday matches. Just wish you had more positives to tweet at the moment but that will change.

I think I mentioned this before, but the club should invest in a highlights reel, showing some of the best goals of the season, some shots of the fans in full voice etc, then host on youtube and promote (paid) on Facebook and Twitter. It's so easy to target football supporters in the area with this method, but you HAVE to pay. Facebook, despite what people think, is not free if you want to actually reach relevant people (and even your own followers).

The club needs to show people that there is good quality football to watch, and it's not like watching Railway or the the lads on the stray on a sunday!

Agreed sagalout. What sort of costs are we looking at ? and could a YouTube channel be embedded in a revamped Town site?

It wouldn't be massively expensive as you're not targeting a competetive or wide sector. You'd get decent results with £10 per day for a couple of months on Facebook. Getting a quality video edited is the hard part.

Chips- how could it work and what would the costs be? Could the match day sponsors be brought on board to off put some of the start up costs?

The next Supporters Club meeting is to be held on Thursday 14th April.

If anyone would like me to raise any suggestions, feel free to message me.

Thanks

Jordan

This would need a lot of work but how could a loyalty scheme work. I get 10 flat ameriflappuchino from Costa in 1 hr and then I get my 11th free stamped on a bit of card. We want fans through the turnstiles so some sort of scheme were you get points/credits towards 'things'. We've got a number of sponsors plus 3 million food outlets in Harrogate so linking the 2 up, fan merchandise, reductions on soccer camps, end of season meal out with Ryan Fallowfield but you get the idea. Why couldn't you get a'corporate' package when you hit a certain number of credits? Get to be a ground amen for the day and fork the pitch for 8 hrs.

For me, it's just got to be simple. For example, I don't see any HTFC fliers, posters in shop windows or anything to do with getting the clubs name out there in the Town. Surely fliers and posters wouldn't be hard to get printed and pay a few trustworthy souls to get some posters up and get some fliers out?

Facebook advertising is cheaper than print and a lot more effective

Be interesting to see the cost breakdown of kids in for free. Whether it's a loss leader that gets covered by additional adult tickets to parents plus food etc.

Why can't we look at leaflets/small pamphlets going out to all the schools in the area similar to the council one about swimming. Fold out affair detailing all the upcoming fixtures, free ins for kids and the soccer camps at the start of the season. This would also allow the club to target advertising by getting contact details on a return slip for an email/FB mailing list. Then start a junior Supporters pack for nominal cost, gets a small programme/stickers/posters + interviews with players.
All this can be used to advertise away game travel, merchandise, upcoming events at the 1919 and fixtures. All about building a fan base and making people feel involved and wanted.
There's no reason the club couldn't host a summer football gala involving different kids teams in the area playing at the CNG over a weekend. Remark the pitch to get 2 pitches and play different age ranges through the day. Enough clubs such as Killinghall Nomads, Beckwithshaw, Pannals,Railway,Scotton ,New Park Bulldogs etc to make a go of it. Club gets an email list and can target footballing families more effectively, increases the soccer camps and gets more kids plus parents through the door whilst showcasing 1919 etc.
Whilst we are at it, other clubs have sited businesses in their grounds. Maybe not a runner yet but if we continue to develop the ground then doubling up on space by creating office type facilities will allow the ground to be used through the week when the CNG is as dead as disco. Good phone links and Internet required.

Thinking of merchandise, why are we limited to football strips as that's all I could get onto on the website. How's about a calendar to kick off the new season, mugs, drinking bottles, flags and some other t-shirts? Depending what happens and which league were are in could really use the closed season to get things going off the pitch!

Just wanted to try and consolidate some of the ideas and work them through a little bit for discussion at the fan's forum. (14/4/16 @1919)

* Explore viability of direct debit scheme for season ticket holders- aim is to reduce upfront costs for fans and increase season ticket holder fanbase.

*Programme- work to improve current design and also explore viability of 'raffle' with each programme given a unique code or number and this being called out at halftime with cash reward for winner. Would require publicity to increase uptake with more prominent stands (as opposed to cardboard boxes) around the ground selling programmes. Possibly get youth players to market programmes to fans with feedback section asking what fans want to see in the programme.

*Charity- fans to choose a charity to support for the season and publicise heavily with fundraising iniatives and also collection points at the ground.

*Over arching PR strategy that encompasses Facebook/Website/Twitter/paper based literature. Aim is to consolidate the various mediums so they link in together and also improve the fan experience increasing involvement.
Website should be central to this with embedded Town TV highlighting games or goals. (Strawpoll implemented on best website in league with ideas taken from this).

*Calender/poster distributed to schools/local junior soccer teams outlining fixtures, soccer camps and events. Can be utilised to advertise sponsors and also develop loyalty card with reductions for stamped cards offered by sponsors. Local shops to advertise 'Town friendly' poster or sticker with reductions for shopping in these premises (cinemas,restaurants,independant traders, corporates etc).

*Junior supporters pack, stickers,calender, reduction on soccer camp, free drink etc plus special newsletter and programmes.

*Rather than waiting for people to 'come' to the Town website for soccer camps,merchandise, fixtures, free ins develop FB list/database or mailing list of local football clubs/sports clubs where events can be advertised.

*Access funding streams to develop 3g football pitch iniative working with community based soccer clubs in the area. Develop 3g to run +12yrs friendly 5 a side league where friends can enter teams. Also hire out to teams for training and matches. Would need reffing/organising but allow Town to identify talent and access potential fans.

*Summer football gala. To work in with existing galas during the summer period showcasing junior football in the area. Aim- to further involve youth football in Town, and to reach parents of children. Would allow us to showcase 1919 venue and build up database of interested families to target matchday offerings.

*Merchandise-expand merchandise range via website and club shop. Items for kids, giveaways in junior pack etc.

*Fundraising via club- agree with club on fundraising drive for overhaul of changing rooms for instance. Fans encouraged to become involved in fundraising drive similar to FC Utd. Buy a brick schemes,donations, sponsored events. Aim- to give fans a renewed sense of ownership/partnership in developing the identity of the club.

* Christmas free in with emphasis on additional food stalls ie hog roast/chestnut stall etc. Aim- to create a buzz, reward loyal fans and and increase advertising.

*link in with academy programme to give apprenticeships to individuals in PR/advertising/web design/programme editing to pick up increasing workload. Aim- to improve Town profile whilst giving real world experience to students. Would need appropriate oversight.

Please feel free to add to/critique/pull apart ideas as this is how we are going to get workable ideas that can go onto be discussed.

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This would seem to do the trick!

Why can't we do a prize draw. You enter your details onto the Harrogate Town database, automatically entered into the draw with a cash prize for 3 random people. This would kick start the database allowing Town to understand and target their fan base. Could gather information such as age, location, interests and get feedback on key issues such as importance of services offered by Town allowing for a more tailored approach. This would then feed into the overarching PR policy, improving and expanding the website, FB and Twitter and allowing Town to communicate directly with individuals, schools and sporting clubs. Initially, feedback sheet and questionnaire on website and also undertaken at Corby game with academy players and directors garnering feedback.

Why can't we explore putting vouchers into the match day programme? Try to get the council on board so for instance council could offer reduced swim rate voucher, or free drink in a pub or restaurant or reduced entry into a cinema etc. This could tie in with a closed season revamp of programme after getting feedback from fans on what they want in it including unique raffle number. Big sales push and advertising on new website and through social media ready for start of 16/17 season.

Youth and academy members to be rostered to be ball boys, mobile programme sellers and involved in getting feedback from town fans on improvements they'd like to see via a regular questionnaire.

There is a supporters Club meeting tonight at 7pm for anyone who is interested.

Sorry - 7.15

Any feedback from meeting?

Good to see the 50/50 raffle being pushed. How did it go? Did it raise much money? How can we improve it? Can we advertise it on the new website? or Facebook?

Why can't we develop a group of match day volunteers to assist the excellent group of hardworking individuals who already help. Could be called gate ultras or something, advertised and recruited to via regular Facebook postings/Twitter and NEW website postings plus use of the NEW database. Ultras would nominate themselves for roles or be delegated roles on match day for reduced entry to game or just do it for sheer love of the Town. Roles to be considered could be ball boys, programme sellers, 50/50 raffle sellers, meet and greet at main turn stiles or other jobs that need doing identified by club. If there are more ultras than jobs then a roster of roles and names down at home games to ensure fair distribution. Would need club oversight.

What about producing flyers to hand out at Corby game outlining various ways of interacting with Town so adding to database. Could publicise fans forum and give specific contact address, FB and Twitter as getting immediate answers and could be a good way of generating conversation and interest. An example of this is the positive spin we could put on the amount raised for charity by the 50/50 tickets? Can't find anything on it at all. All about building the brand!

Why not create an official forum on the NEW website to run alongside embedded highlights reel, Twitter feed and revamped information. This would allow real time feedback to questions and conversations and would work much like the various ' assist' message boards that you can go onto when you ask a question on say Apples website. This would not be used to replace this fans forum as it's important fans have an independent space to discuss issues but would be used to disseminate information and act as responsive area where the club can answer fans questions be they away fans or our own. An example of this would be the clubs reasoning behind having 1 turnstile in operation so away fans are aware quickly of why it happened and rumours don't generate.

Facebook new page likes up 152.2%. Really need to find a way to harness this on pitch excitement and turn it into fans through the gate for next season. Should be a busy closed season organising and trying to maintain this momentum both on and off the pitch.
Any other ideas for the supporters meeting 3/5/16 @1900 @1919 venue?