Revised title: How can the Saints retain members better?

[evertonfc]

I'm so disappointed by some of the replies in this thread.

It's a club. It should service its members. It should find ways to make those members feel valued and included.

(By the way - when did St Kilda become a corporate entity? Why are we talking about it like that? Isn't it a collective of like-minded individuals who share a common interest?)

If it's all about paying money just to watch the game, you're admitting it's purely entertainment and you don't give a damn how they money is spent, so long as the team is successful and you're entertained for a few hours each week (...why the hell would you then take more time post on SS?).

Don't get me wrong, nobody wants success more than me, but if that's the limit of your engagement - paying your hard-earned money which enables the system to spit out endless u/18 players who become very rich - then you should probably consider going to the movies instead.

And PS - if you don't care, why the hell would you even write in this thread? You're exactly what the suits want - people who pay up without thinking.

[parkeysainter]

God...its a very slow off season on saintsational.net

People are looking into, discussing and creating non-existent problems in all different areas at the Saints.

[skeptic]

God...its a very slow off season on saintsational.net

People are looking into, discussing and creating non-existent problems in all different areas at the Saints.

You’re a tough man Parkey.

Confronted with the notion of evolving / modernising the oldest element of club survival... an area we lag in behind 13 other clubs, your response is: not broken, it can’t be better, don’t try, why even talk about it?

[parkeysainter]

Don't mess with the Parkey. You will always come off second best. Just ask Con G.

But seriously, I'm all for the Saints improving and being innovative in all areas, including membership. I just think people are bored and looking for problems that aren't really existant at the club.

Anyway, good to see Paddy run a PB in the 3km time trial today!

[The Fireman]

win flags ?

[Drake Huggins]

win flags ?

So right, TF. What escapes everyone on here is that premierships are all that matter.We have forgiven all sort of incompetence by our club in the vain belief that we'll land the prize, grow membership, and suddenly become a power. We're not doing any of those things until we pinch a flag, very much against the odds, dogs and tiger style. The tigers are now looking at 90,000 members. They already have high 70's. How on earth? They have been the worst club in the competition for 35 years. How did they retain and get so many to return? The history of premierships is how. They now have 11. We have 1. We will never have traction in the market until we jag a couple. That looks unlikely in the current circumstances. It is our lot, I'm afraid.

[WellardSaint]

win flags ?

So right, TF. What escapes everyone on here is that premierships are all that matter.We have forgiven all sort of incompetence by our club in the vain belief that we'll land the prize, grow membership, and suddenly become a power. We're not doing any of those things until we pinch a flag, very much against the odds, dogs and tiger style. The tigers are now looking at 90,000 members. They already have high 70's. How on earth? They have been the worst club in the competition for 35 years. How did they retain and get so many to return? The history of premierships is how. They now have 11. We have 1. We will never have traction in the market until we jag a couple. That looks unlikely in the current circumstances. It is our lot, I'm afraid.

But another of your posts says Sloane/Gaff/Kelly will bring us 3 flags on the trot, 3-Peat Lions style.
Talk about hedging the bets, old son

[Drake Huggins]

Never said they'd bring us three. And we'll only salute if we get a couple of those. One will do, WS. Just one. I'm sure you and many others on here feel the same way. We can only dream, my friend. We can only dream. As I stated, hope is a fine servant, but a cruel master.

[David-Lee]

Had a Hawks membership because one of my children (formerly known as my daughter lol) is a Hawks fan. These bastards ring me at LEAST 10 times a fecking year trying to upgrade upsell or invite me to blah blah blah...last one was a dinner with coaches for $250 a plate and it had an exclusive coaches forum afterward.

[freely]

The idea of this thread was to think about ways to make a membership package more enticing to new members / ambivalent members.

It seems that many have been put off by the title and really felt the need to emphasise their loyalty which really wasn't the point

Thing is, skeptic, people find their club by accident - because they were born into it or it was the first team they saw or they like the colours or the look of some player. Then once you're in, you're in. End of.

We're never going to tempt supporters of some other club to be supporters of ours (or vice versa) so what you're asking is - how can we be the team people see first, like the colours of or like the look of some player in!

Those questions are answerable though: we need to get to play (and hopefully win) as many 'marquee' games as possible - e.g., the good friday game, get up front and centre in initiatives like the Pride Game, design the strip to look a bit sharper (we could do better with this) and obviously, recruit better looking players (one good reason for keeping Weller in the leadership group

There's no kind of membership gimmick that will work (IMHO) - but publicity might (reason why we have to try and play an attractive brand - you can sell 'speed' or some style of play, or 'never give up', or 'strength through loyalty' dammit!! - even if you're not winning). And getting behind lots of social justice-type initiatives: supporting kids with disabilities, getting people off gambling - getting rid of our pokies. Those are the sorts of things that could make a difference, I reckon.

Giving away keyrings or getting a nice seat, not so much.

[Drake Huggins]

It's all about flags, isn't it? How else would a cripple of a club like Richmond have 80K members? The rusted ons from the golden years of 67-80 have infected their progeny with the tiger virus. Imagine how many members we'd have now if we'd saluted in 1971, 1997, 2009-10? It would be standing room only in the social club.

[dals_da_bomb]

Its obviously reliant on success. Most of us are 'born' into our club.

In the industry i work there is a high turn over of Expats.
I BEG every single one of them to give footy ago (to embrace the aussie style)
Almost all love the game.
I BEG they love stkilda with me - they give it ago - we lose on the same weekend and then i lose them.

They generally pick who ever has won by the biggest margin that weekend or who evers game they were able to go to at MCG and who won.

If that hasnt happened and its a conversation about the clubs success never had i lured a new supporter.

Its just how things work.

So to lure new members we need success - solid success.
To rapidly grow numbers - long term/life time members - we need to breed them - ideally with a fellow supporter. (my own experience has proved so - My 5yr old has just been able to compare essendon vs saints history. His now a bombers supporter)

I Respect this conversation has been touchy.
But what a great topic.

[asiu]

i had a choice fostered by my family of origin emotional chicanery

was i a good boy or a bad boy
now choose

a little time later
i heard Our Name

and that was me ... smitten

born into it

and capable of doin the journey

.Go Us.

[supersaints]

I'm so disappointed by some of the replies in this thread.

It's a club. It should service its members. It should find ways to make those members feel valued and included.

(By the way - when did St Kilda become a corporate entity? Why are we talking about it like that? Isn't it a collective of like-minded individuals who share a common interest?)

If it's all about paying money just to watch the game, you're admitting it's purely entertainment and you don't give a damn how they money is spent, so long as the team is successful and you're entertained for a few hours each week (...why the hell would you then take more time post on SS?).

Don't get me wrong, nobody wants success more than me, but if that's the limit of your engagement - paying your hard-earned money which enables the system to spit out endless u/18 players who become very rich - then you should probably consider going to the movies instead.

And PS - if you don't care, why the hell would you even write in this thread? You're exactly what the suits want - people who pay up without thinking.

Not shure when the Saints became a limited Corporation, but it would be a long time ago. I believe The limited means that the members particularly board members are limited in liability, for example should the Saints go insolvent or a grandstand fall on everyone's head then the lard could not be sue personally , only the corporation. (a corporation being a legal entity that is effectively recognized as a person under the law).

Was a scam brought abut in the USA back in the days of the railway magnates that basically gives the company the same powers as a person is the company could sue you personally but you can only sue the company not the persons running it

I would guess every sports club regardless of size or location profit or non profit would be ltd

[magnifisaint]

How can the Saints retain members better?
How about winning premierships?

[outside66]

How can the Saints retain and recruit new members?

- Piss off the useless bumper stickers. My one from 2006 looks almost brand new whereas this years one didn't even last until round 1.

- If you are going to be 'Pride' ambassadors then that shouldn't only occur when it's our home game against the Swans i.e. The Swans held the Pride Match this year yet when we hosted them earlier in the year, there was little to no noise there. I felt that this was an opportunity missed to continue that momentum and it smelt abit like tokenism (I know the club feels strongly about this matter but what would it have cost to have had Pride Matches whenever we play Sydney?)

- Be more flexible with the Sign-a-saint program re rewards. For example, if you recruited 5 or more new members you got the good prize (2 x B&F tickets). I recruited 10 new members but I could only get the reward for having signed 5. Sick of the club's tight ass attitude when it comes to things that cost them nothing.

- Don't have Roo's final training session in Seaford, especially on a Thursday afternoon. No one wants to go there period and I'm sure we could have found an alternative venue i.e. TBO, Junction Oval, Ormond Football Ground FFS! This was a missed opportunity to contribute towards attracting the next wave of young fans.

- Be proud about being in Moorabbin! The corner of Linton St and South Road is an absolute disgrace! How much would it cost to re-paint that sign-thing? That said, it's probably deliberate in that they want it to look like the bumper stickers. Also, that crappy st kilda sheet/sign on the fence looks like it belongs at the Laverton Trash and Treasure. I would also like to see a massive St Kilda flag at Moorabbin whilst I'm at it. I have sent an email about this and got a 'thanks for the feedback'.

- Get rid of the pokies. Our 'social club' is the most pathetic area I have ever been into. There is a more livelier atmosphere at the Alfred Hospital. We can't be sending 'anti-gambling' messages whilst we continue to make profits from the disadvantaged. Get an imagination and make money elsewhere.

- They need to nail the revamped social club i.e. good food, drinks, entertainment etc. The only place you can have a beer and boogie in the area on a Saturday night is at the Sandbelt over-30s in which I'd rather pump coins at the St Kilda F.C Social Club. This would also generate plenty of cash if done well.

- One thing they could certainly do, is announce which celebrities/personalities are St Kilda Members, and call out those who arent, as they are the ones who certainly wouldn't require a payment plan. I know for a fact that Glenn Maxwell is not a member yet gets given choice seats in level 2 from the club, WTF!? I could give you the membership ad for that right now - Imagine Warnie giving Maxwell s*** about not being a member, Maxwell tries to defend himself and says well if Eric Bana isn't a member then why should I, in which Eric pops up and says that he is and for Maxwell to stop being a tightass and pay up? If they really do love the club then I'm sure they would be willing to help out for nothing.

- Another membership ad campaign that could be done would be to utilise Eric Bana in reprising his roles from Full Frontal in which they are all Saints Members calling out Saints members etc!

- The Saints should contact Melbourne Storm and asked them for tips on how they run things. They are amazing in how they treat their members.

- Have a meeting where ALL members are invited, not just social club, and actually reward members by treating them as members when it comes to decision making.

[outside66]

How can the Saints retain and recruit new members?

- Piss off the useless bumper stickers. My one from 2006 looks almost brand new whereas this years one didn't even last until round 1.

- If you are going to be 'Pride' ambassadors then that shouldn't only occur when it's our home game against the Swans i.e. The Swans held the Pride Match this year yet when we hosted them earlier in the year, there was little to no noise there. I felt that this was an opportunity missed to continue that momentum and it smelt abit like tokenism (I know the club feels strongly about this matter but what would it have cost to have had Pride Matches whenever we play Sydney?)

- Be more flexible with the Sign-a-saint program re rewards. For example, if you recruited 5 or more new members you got the good prize (2 x B&F tickets). I recruited 10 new members but I could only get the reward for having signed 5. Sick of the club's tight ass attitude when it comes to things that cost them nothing.

- Don't have Roo's final training session in Seaford, especially on a Thursday afternoon. No one wants to go there period and I'm sure we could have found an alternative venue i.e. TBO, Junction Oval, Ormond Football Ground FFS! This was a missed opportunity to contribute towards attracting the next wave of young fans.

- Be proud about being in Moorabbin! The corner of Linton St and South Road is an absolute disgrace! How much would it cost to re-paint that sign-thing? That said, it's probably deliberate in that they want it to look like the bumper stickers. Also, that crappy st kilda sheet/sign on the fence looks like it belongs at the Laverton Trash and Treasure. I would also like to see a massive St Kilda flag at Moorabbin whilst I'm at it. I have sent an email about this and got a 'thanks for the feedback'.

- Get rid of the pokies. Our 'social club' is the most pathetic area I have ever been into. There is a more livelier atmosphere at the Alfred Hospital. We can't be sending 'anti-gambling' messages whilst we continue to make profits from the disadvantaged. Get an imagination and make money elsewhere.

- They need to nail the revamped social club i.e. good food, drinks, entertainment etc. The only place you can have a beer and boogie in the area on a Saturday night is at the Sandbelt over-30s in which I'd rather pump coins at the St Kilda F.C Social Club. This would also generate plenty of cash if done well.

- One thing they could certainly do, is announce which celebrities/personalities are St Kilda Members, and call out those who arent, as they are the ones who certainly wouldn't require a payment plan. I know for a fact that Glenn Maxwell is not a member yet gets given choice seats in level 2 from the club, WTF!? I could give you the membership ad for that right now - Imagine Warnie giving Maxwell s*** about not being a member, Maxwell tries to defend himself and says well if Eric Bana isn't a member then why should I, in which Eric pops up and says that he is and for Maxwell to stop being a tightass and pay up? If they really do love the club then I'm sure they would be willing to help out for nothing.

- Another membership ad campaign that could be done would be to utilise Eric Bana in reprising his roles from Full Frontal in which they are all Saints Members calling out Saints members etc!

- The Saints should contact Melbourne Storm and asked them for tips on how they run things. They are amazing in how they treat their members.

- Have a meeting where ALL members are invited, not just social club, and actually reward members by treating them as members when it comes to decision making.

[skeptic]

How can the Saints retain and recruit new members?

- Piss off the useless bumper stickers. My one from 2006 looks almost brand new whereas this years one didn't even last until round 1.

- If you are going to be 'Pride' ambassadors then that shouldn't only occur when it's our home game against the Swans i.e. The Swans held the Pride Match this year yet when we hosted them earlier in the year, there was little to no noise there. I felt that this was an opportunity missed to continue that momentum and it smelt abit like tokenism (I know the club feels strongly about this matter but what would it have cost to have had Pride Matches whenever we play Sydney?)

- Be more flexible with the Sign-a-saint program re rewards. For example, if you recruited 5 or more new members you got the good prize (2 x B&F tickets). I recruited 10 new members but I could only get the reward for having signed 5. Sick of the club's tight ass attitude when it comes to things that cost them nothing.

- Don't have Roo's final training session in Seaford, especially on a Thursday afternoon. No one wants to go there period and I'm sure we could have found an alternative venue i.e. TBO, Junction Oval, Ormond Football Ground FFS! This was a missed opportunity to contribute towards attracting the next wave of young fans.

- Be proud about being in Moorabbin! The corner of Linton St and South Road is an absolute disgrace! How much would it cost to re-paint that sign-thing? That said, it's probably deliberate in that they want it to look like the bumper stickers. Also, that crappy st kilda sheet/sign on the fence looks like it belongs at the Laverton Trash and Treasure. I would also like to see a massive St Kilda flag at Moorabbin whilst I'm at it. I have sent an email about this and got a 'thanks for the feedback'.

- Get rid of the pokies. Our 'social club' is the most pathetic area I have ever been into. There is a more livelier atmosphere at the Alfred Hospital. We can't be sending 'anti-gambling' messages whilst we continue to make profits from the disadvantaged. Get an imagination and make money elsewhere.

- They need to nail the revamped social club i.e. good food, drinks, entertainment etc. The only place you can have a beer and boogie in the area on a Saturday night is at the Sandbelt over-30s in which I'd rather pump coins at the St Kilda F.C Social Club. This would also generate plenty of cash if done well.

- One thing they could certainly do, is announce which celebrities/personalities are St Kilda Members, and call out those who arent, as they are the ones who certainly wouldn't require a payment plan. I know for a fact that Glenn Maxwell is not a member yet gets given choice seats in level 2 from the club, WTF!? I could give you the membership ad for that right now - Imagine Warnie giving Maxwell s*** about not being a member, Maxwell tries to defend himself and says well if Eric Bana isn't a member then why should I, in which Eric pops up and says that he is and for Maxwell to stop being a tightass and pay up? If they really do love the club then I'm sure they would be willing to help out for nothing.

- Another membership ad campaign that could be done would be to utilise Eric Bana in reprising his roles from Full Frontal in which they are all Saints Members calling out Saints members etc!

- The Saints should contact Melbourne Storm and asked them for tips on how they run things. They are amazing in how they treat their members.

- Have a meeting where ALL members are invited, not just social club, and actually reward members by treating them as members when it comes to decision making.

WOWEE!!!

Here are some ideas. Post of the thread so far

[parkeysainter]

The Saints need to convince Etihad to fix the quality of the beer and drop the prices. This would help members. Just one point that needs to be rectified.