Good Post GF and it is amazing how close our ideas are, but tbh all we are suggesting is stuff that is proven to work!

I'd still go with a mailshot to all local homes. In fac, the ones who are very close by and get affected by our crowds should be given free tickets so they can see what all the fuss is about.

The local schools who QRL Coach should all get free tickets.

The local rags should be able to give out free tickets.

Why am I going on about free tickets?

The reason is simple, this works. The biggest barrier is the initial spend. Once someone is over that hurdle they are more likely to try something out.

My first game way back in the 90's I turned up with Mrs M (who say hi to Al!) bought a ticket saw loads of people in Broncos shirts, bought a shirt, programme, a few beers, London Calling (those were the days) and the club had me for years after.

If Quins truely believe that they have a good product then they must support this. I know restuarants who have done with and they all made money as people came back, the food was free on an opening night and they made money on booze and rebookings.

If people like your product, they will come back.

I think the true problem is, and I hate to say this, Quins don't believe in themselves. They lack ambition and courage. It has nothing to do with a markteing man, poop I do all the marketing for my firm and we're a company with a fee income of over £2m!

Quins need to do all the things that have been suggested, they cost buttons and returns are huge.

Rant Over.

Believe me....the rant never ends

A while back i mentioned the power of "social networks" and how for no cash outlay, but with a bit of planning and hard work, it would be possible for the club to build a "group" with thousands of members. This could be done by starting off with as little as 500 fans in the group, who are encoutraged to get "their friends" involved. Then, with the use of clever offers (free booze is always popular and can be arranged with a brewer such as Fullers...) we can attract the bring a friend fans AGAIN. We have all brought friends in the past, but let's face it, for the club to survive, we need to look at lowering the average age of our fans.
so, let's say, that by contacting our existing email data NOW...not in January/February next year, we get them to join the group on facebook.bebo.myspace...etc.etc...Facebook being the favourite. Then, the Group administrator not the club, but ourselves) update this group and its members on a weekly basis on things like training reports, places to watch RL on SKY, other RL related events such as schools tournaments, results from the many clubs in the capital etc etc.....
Then, as the season draws nearer, we post downloadable posters and vouchers for the forthcoming games. IF the club buy into this, then I believe they should offer prizes every week for a/ the person who brings the most NEW fans to a game and b/ a drawn prize from the membership of the group. The prize?? A free box for the person who brings the most NEW fans and 5 Free premium Tickets for the drawn prize, both for either...the next game, of for 1 target game later in the season.
The results may be minimal......but they would be positive, encourage repeat attendance from the newbies and cost 2 10th of SFA.
Little things like this, combined with other marketing and PR can only help.
On the thorny subject of Away fans.....I believe that although we shouldn't rely on them, we should do more to help them. The Social group should have an up to date and comprehensive guide of where to stay, special offers from local hotels and B&B's, pubs, bars, Restaurants, train timetables, taxi numbers. Wwe have Edinburgh, Wales and France to compete with for the away day £ and as much as we should not rely on it, we should do everything we can to encourage it.
Lastly, I noticed that London Lite had a full page ad on Wwednesday for the american bore fest at wembley later this month. Now, I am no expert, but I bet you £1 to £5 they didn't pay anything near full rate for the ad. London Lite ran at 21 x 8th pages on Wednesday.....about 30% of where they need to break even. Why don't the club pre-book some stuff now for next season....in the current climate, the newspaper industry is suffering and they will accept offers for future deals, pre-paid..........

summarised
COULD WE USE FACEBOOK TO GET MORE FANS?
HTH
as an aside....the web doesn't seem to be big on the Quins RL fans agenda

Regarding all of the suggestions made.........rather than reinvent the wheel......it seems that a similar fans group have already got together to support Quins RU. Link is www.Quinssa.org.uk. At first glance it looks as though this `Quins Supporters Association` are talking/working with the club on some similar issues to our own.......would have thought it worth discussing issues, ideas, and collaboration etc before setting off on a different path?

Regarding all of the suggestions made.........rather than reinvent the wheel......it seems that a similar fans group have already got together to support Quins RU. Link is www.Quinssa.org.uk. At first glance it looks as though this `Quins Supporters Association` are talking/working with the club on some similar issues to our own.......would have thought it worth discussing issues, ideas, and collaboration etc before setting off on a different path?

Under the sticks wrote:Regarding all of the suggestions made.........rather than reinvent the wheel......it seems that a similar fans group have already got together to support Quins RU. Link is www.Quinssa.org.uk. At first glance it looks as though this `Quins Supporters Association` are talking/working with the club on some similar issues to our own.......would have thought it worth discussing issues, ideas, and collaboration etc before setting off on a different path? ah....but the Quins SA are there for the benefit of the Union supporters who: Turn up in numbers to home games Turn up in numbers to away games Sell Blazers for £120 (MENTAL NOTE TO SELF...DON'T SHOW PADDOCK PUNTER THE LINK) and have this constitution Whilst I applaud them, we need something slighly more in the way of a QuinsRL Fighting Fund, not an away day organisational committee.

Under the sticks wrote:Regarding all of the suggestions made.........rather than reinvent the wheel......it seems that a similar fans group have already got together to support Quins RU. Link is www.Quinssa.org.uk. At first glance it looks as though this `Quins Supporters Association` are talking/working with the club on some similar issues to our own.......would have thought it worth discussing issues, ideas, and collaboration etc before setting off on a different path? ah....but the Quins SA are there for the benefit of the Union supporters who: Turn up in numbers to home games Turn up in numbers to away games Sell Blazers for £120 (MENTAL NOTE TO SELF...DON'T SHOW PADDOCK PUNTER THE LINK) and have this constitution Whilst I applaud them, we need something slighly more in the way of a QuinsRL Fighting Fund, not an away day organisational committee.

Marketing Fund is a great idea, you can have my money for sure. Happy to help with campaign development if that's any use to you - and if you need someone to edit your copy so that sells stuff then you should use my magic red pen...

For what it's worth for me the strategy should have 2 layers: One is ongoing background activity, mainly cheap stuff, whether PR, promo using in-house people, or all the social/viral/guerilla stuff GF's been dropping in this thread. That can start yesterday. The other layer is where you spend most of any actual cash rather than time: Focused promotion of a limited number of games. Target game criteria include (a) being in first half of season so you have more time to get LCV from new converts repeat buys pluis can offer more choice of dates to come; (b) a game we can win or at least lose valiantly (the biggest factor in sports attendance growth is the entertainment ratio, normally aligned to the gap between teams' scores in a game)

PS: Nah, nothing to add really, just thought I'd add a PS... see, you read it didn't you? So why don't the club always use a PS to repeat the key sell in letters?

Not read all of the thread but saw a figure that said 750 people contributing £60 would generate £45k to spend on marketing.

Not knocking it but agains ta background of bitter complaints about ticket price I just wonder if the same could be achieved by 750 people upgrading to the next level of ticket? What I mean is will 750 people be up for it when they weren't up for season ticket renewals?

I posted the "briali" volunteer request to the 370 face bookers who are members of the Group Harlequins Rugby League.
My favourite reply was:
hello,
i would be willing to help out when possible, its sounds like you have a lot of work to do and if i could assist in anyway let me know.
xxxxxxxxxxx, i think thats my number but when im back in the uk next week ill let you know or you can contact me on facebook.
cheers matt gafa

Now, if you were umming and aring about offering to help I think that Matt's offer should help you make your minds up.

PM briali with your details....it is for the good of the club!

put it up in your staff room/office/local pub etc.... THANKS

put it up in your staff room/office/local pub etc.... THANKS

There are some interesting ideas here, from people who know a lot more about marketing than me.

My point is more about the organisation of this whoel thing. With money being involved it becomes vital that everything is done properly and above board so that everyone involved can see where the money is going and who is accountable.

To that end maybe it would be better to form a supporters trust, not perhaps with the aim of taking control of the club like many of them do, but with stated aims of providing marketing support, etc. Supporters Direct wold be able to help, as would some of the ST's at rugby league clubs (Bramley, Swinton,??) and I believe that The Co-op might also be able to help in some way. Might even convince them to sponsor some things.