Seriously why you good people get yourselves in the firing line of this freak show of a club I'll never know but I'm grateful you do ! I mean the agg when you're doing things with a good heart is bewildering FF I can only believe the lady in question has misunderstood things I have no idea if you have direct dealings or much contact with Lisa Squires through the Fans Forum but if you do I'd sound her out to get rid of any confusion that may have led to her mother being irate We love you Fanny
Since Fanny referred to me, let me say that in recent months Peter Varney, Sue Townsend, Wendy Perfect, Steve Clarke and I have all made various approaches to Katrien Meire offering to give up our time for any discussions that might assist in these matters, since as she acknowledges a lot of knowledge has been stripped out the club by the previous regime. It's an open offer, no strings and no cost.
I can confirm that we employed Lisa to do the admin on the group bookings from 2005 and although formally she only worked 12 hours a week for CAFC we brought in 20,000 paying group ticket holders in 2006/07, mostly by Valley Express. This meant we employed a second person (again part-time) who worked for CAFC but also shared Lisa's Valley Gold admin duties, which in turn allowed Lisa to cope with the volume of enquiries and paperwork, alongside Wendy (also part-time) and myself. So it is true to say that Lisa worked more than 12 hours a week in practice.
Subsequently, with group bookings very difficult in League One, she was the key contact for the relationship we built up about 300 local primary schools and handled the issue of "bulk" matchday comps to these, as well as to the community scheme.
For clarity, Valley Gold is not part of CAFC - it has to be legally distinct - and it employs people independently of the club, but shares facilities.
Ignore Jean, some people get over defensive. There was absolutely nothing that could be classed as inaccurate or derogatory in what you said. Forget above it.
Ignore Jean, some people get over defensive. There was absolutely nothing that could be classed as inaccurate or derogatory in what you said. Forget above it.
Lapsed st holder (family reasons), went along to the Wolves game handed over £30 for my Lower West ticket, got ticket and £15 back, was very pleased and surprised - poor marketing
Funny, when I go to the theatre, or to the Greyhounds or speedway or Moto GP or BSB or basketball I go online and check ticket prices. Clearly I'm weird.
Not weird, you just assume that everyone has access to or knowledge of computers, Art.
Lapsed st holder (family reasons), went along to the Wolves game handed over £30 for my Lower West ticket, got ticket and £15 back, was very pleased and surprised - poor marketing
Funny, when I go to the theatre, or to the Greyhounds or speedway or Moto GP or BSB or basketball I go online and check ticket prices. Clearly I'm weird.
Not weird, you just assume that everyone has access to or knowledge of computers, Art.
If I was in the miniscule minority of people attending football matches without access to a computer, guess what? I'd phone up and my second question would be 'What's the cheapest ticket?' Hope that confirms my wierdness!
(Obviously I'd give up though if it wasn't open for a couple of hours on a Thursday afternoon. I definitely wouldn't just phone up the next morning. Oh no.)
Lapsed st holder (family reasons), went along to the Wolves game handed over £30 for my Lower West ticket, got ticket and £15 back, was very pleased and surprised - poor marketing
Funny, when I go to the theatre, or to the Greyhounds or speedway or Moto GP or BSB or basketball I go online and check ticket prices. Clearly I'm weird.
Not weird, you just assume that everyone has access to or knowledge of computers, Art.
Lapsed st holder (family reasons), went along to the Wolves game handed over £30 for my Lower West ticket, got ticket and £15 back, was very pleased and surprised - poor marketing
Funny, when I go to the theatre, or to the Greyhounds or speedway or Moto GP or BSB or basketball I go online and check ticket prices. Clearly I'm weird.
Not weird, you just assume that everyone has access to or knowledge of computers, Art.
That's you and me both
Whatever way you buy tickets, you can ask the price, surely?
Lapsed st holder (family reasons), went along to the Wolves game handed over £30 for my Lower West ticket, got ticket and £15 back, was very pleased and surprised - poor marketing
Funny, when I go to the theatre, or to the Greyhounds or speedway or Moto GP or BSB or basketball I go online and check ticket prices. Clearly I'm weird.
Not weird, you just assume that everyone has access to or knowledge of computers, Art.
That's you and me both
Whatever way you buy tickets, you can ask the price, surely?
Ignore Jean, some people get over defensive. There was absolutely nothing that could be classed as inaccurate or derogatory in what you said. Forget above it.
Lapsed st holder (family reasons), went along to the Wolves game handed over £30 for my Lower West ticket, got ticket and £15 back, was very pleased and surprised - poor marketing
Funny, when I go to the theatre, or to the Greyhounds or speedway or Moto GP or BSB or basketball I go online and check ticket prices. Clearly I'm weird.
Not weird, you just assume that everyone has access to or knowledge of computers, Art.
That's you and me both
Whatever way you buy tickets, you can ask the price, surely?
Thats fine for people that have already committed to going. But if there are people out there who don't think they can get a ticket at a low price and imagine that it will be too expensive for them, they are not going to phone up and check precisely because they won't want to go through that embarrassing "it's too expensive" moment whilst on the phone. And, they are precisely the people that the club needs to get the message to about £15 tickets.
Lapsed st holder (family reasons), went along to the Wolves game handed over £30 for my Lower West ticket, got ticket and £15 back, was very pleased and surprised - poor marketing
Funny, when I go to the theatre, or to the Greyhounds or speedway or Moto GP or BSB or basketball I go online and check ticket prices. Clearly I'm weird.
Not weird, you just assume that everyone has access to or knowledge of computers, Art.
That's you and me both
Whatever way you buy tickets, you can ask the price, surely?
Thats fine for people that have already committed to going. But if there are people out there who don't think they can get a ticket at a low price and imagine that it will be too expensive for them, they are not going to phone up and check precisely because they won't want to go through that embarrassing "it's too expensive" moment whilst on the phone. And, they are precisely the people that the club needs to get the message to about £15 tickets.
Good to see the article in the programme about group bookings from Development Manager Lisa Squires.
Indeed, Henry.
However, I had a surprising visit pre kick off from Lisa's Mum ....
Her words were " If you're going to post something on Charlton Life, make sure you get your facts right !"
As I gathered my wits ( not even a "hello, Jean") she continued to say that, for my information, Lisa had previously worked P/T in the VG office but also P/T in Club Development and she added " worked more than her contracted hours !"
Still somewhat taken aback and struggling for a suitable (polite of course) response, she jabbed a finger at the page in the VR that you spoke about, telling me it was there in black & white ....at which point she flounced off back to her seat.
A gobsmacked Fanny is a rare & wonderful sight but that was the state this lady reduced me to.
First off, and in hindsight, I should have pointed out that I had been illustrating, advertising to all even, her daughter's role in advance of any pronouncement by the Club & had encouraged fans to contact her with any suggestions to assist her in her new role. In fact I note that today's VR lists Lisa as " Group Bookings" as you stated with NO mention of her being Club Development Manager (F/T of course) as the lady herself described herself at the last FF meeting.
Secondly, I do take issue with being approached by someone who is clearly not known to me on this site but who has either read or been told of my non de plume. To this lady, who used to travel to away games many season ago with Betty Hutchins, like myself, I should be just Jean and hence not approached as FF ...hope this makes sense !
And finally, it strikes me as rather pathetic that an adult member of staff should require her mother to fight her battles for her, if indeed this issue is perceived as one to be fought. Very strange indeed and I must admit to being not only puzzled but also rather angry. I cannot believe that anyone could take my previous post on the subject of putting bums on seats as anything but positive - for both the Club ( in making this appointment) and for Lisa ( informing others of the brief she now has) Seems as though you just can't help some people....
So, fellow Lifers, do I forget about this & put it down to a misunderstanding or should I make contact with Lisa directly to ask why the finger has been pointed in my direction ?
Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered of Dartford.
Well I think the first thing is probably not to post one side of it all on here...
Lapsed st holder (family reasons), went along to the Wolves game handed over £30 for my Lower West ticket, got ticket and £15 back, was very pleased and surprised - poor marketing
Funny, when I go to the theatre, or to the Greyhounds or speedway or Moto GP or BSB or basketball I go online and check ticket prices. Clearly I'm weird.
Not weird, you just assume that everyone has access to or knowledge of computers, Art.
That's you and me both
Whatever way you buy tickets, you can ask the price, surely?
Thats fine for people that have already committed to going. But if there are people out there who don't think they can get a ticket at a low price and imagine that it will be too expensive for them, they are not going to phone up and check precisely because they won't want to go through that embarrassing "it's too expensive" moment whilst on the phone. And, they are precisely the people that the club needs to get the message to about £15 tickets.
Send out flyers advertising our prices.
That's one possible strategy that the club might want to consider, but it has its drawbacks in that it has a relatively high cost ratio per person and is limited in reach to people already on the contact list. I suspect that they'd want (or at least, I'd wan't if I were managing it) to consider a mixed approach to getting the message out there.
Lapsed st holder (family reasons), went along to the Wolves game handed over £30 for my Lower West ticket, got ticket and £15 back, was very pleased and surprised - poor marketing
Funny, when I go to the theatre, or to the Greyhounds or speedway or Moto GP or BSB or basketball I go online and check ticket prices. Clearly I'm weird.
Not weird, you just assume that everyone has access to or knowledge of computers, Art.
That's you and me both
Whatever way you buy tickets, you can ask the price, surely?
Thats fine for people that have already committed to going. But if there are people out there who don't think they can get a ticket at a low price and imagine that it will be too expensive for them, they are not going to phone up and check precisely because they won't want to go through that embarrassing "it's too expensive" moment whilst on the phone. And, they are precisely the people that the club needs to get the message to about £15 tickets.
Send out flyers advertising our prices.
That's one possible strategy that the club might want to consider, but it has its drawbacks in that it has a relatively high cost ratio per person and is limited in reach to people already on the contact list. I suspect that they'd want (or at least, I'd wan't if I were managing it) to consider a mixed approach to getting the message out there.
Lapsed st holder (family reasons), went along to the Wolves game handed over £30 for my Lower West ticket, got ticket and £15 back, was very pleased and surprised - poor marketing
Funny, when I go to the theatre, or to the Greyhounds or speedway or Moto GP or BSB or basketball I go online and check ticket prices. Clearly I'm weird.
Not weird, you just assume that everyone has access to or knowledge of computers, Art.
That's you and me both
Whatever way you buy tickets, you can ask the price, surely?
Thats fine for people that have already committed to going. But if there are people out there who don't think they can get a ticket at a low price and imagine that it will be too expensive for them, they are not going to phone up and check precisely because they won't want to go through that embarrassing "it's too expensive" moment whilst on the phone. And, they are precisely the people that the club needs to get the message to about £15 tickets.
I agree that the £15 tickets need to be more widely advertised, but for example I wanted RWC tickets and on investigation found that £170 was too much to see England, so I didn't buy them. Our £15 are an absolute steal. You do agree that most potential customers check online, so the embarrassment factor doesn't come into it. I often go to local non league football teams when I find there are offers, but at that level, local papers do the job. Did I hear that our cheap tickets were in the national papers/BBC on price of football survey - may have imagined it, but either way the single best way to increase enquiries is by the product we are selling being better than it is at present. Any potential customers reading CL moans or attending one game with the bloke behind me behind them would hardly think its a great way of parting with their cash!
Lapsed st holder (family reasons), went along to the Wolves game handed over £30 for my Lower West ticket, got ticket and £15 back, was very pleased and surprised - poor marketing
Funny, when I go to the theatre, or to the Greyhounds or speedway or Moto GP or BSB or basketball I go online and check ticket prices. Clearly I'm weird.
Not weird, you just assume that everyone has access to or knowledge of computers, Art.
That's you and me both
Whatever way you buy tickets, you can ask the price, surely?
Thats fine for people that have already committed to going. But if there are people out there who don't think they can get a ticket at a low price and imagine that it will be too expensive for them, they are not going to phone up and check precisely because they won't want to go through that embarrassing "it's too expensive" moment whilst on the phone. And, they are precisely the people that the club needs to get the message to about £15 tickets.
Send out flyers advertising our prices.
Yes, that's the point Suzi made a few pages ago.
Let people know it's not as expensive or as difficult as they may think.
...You do agree that most potential customers check online, so the embarrassment factor doesn't come into it...
No I don't agree, because I don't know that for a fact. I would expect that some (possibly a majority) will check online, but there are likely be others that could afford to go but don't believe that they can. This group will tend not to check online and are more likely to reject the notion of buying tickets without checking. What we don't know, and neither will the club unless they done some research into this, is the relative size of these two groups. The fact that people here have said that they expected to pay £30 when the tickets are actually half that price suggests that this second group could potentially be quite large but, again, that's not fact that's conjecture.
I think the O2 is an area to tap into, groups of couples come down for gigs there for a weekend. The girls could off shopping to Westfield if they want and the men could spend the afternoon at The Valley, or all them coming along.
Since Fanny referred to me, let me say that in recent months Peter Varney, Sue Townsend, Wendy Perfect, Steve Clarke and I have all made various approaches to Katrien Meire offering to give up our time for any discussions that might assist in these matters, since as she acknowledges a lot of knowledge has been stripped out the club by the previous regime. It's an open offer, no strings and no cost......
I hope that offer is taken up Airman, seems both a generous and gracious offer from people who will have an excellent insight into helping the club. Yes good quality, entertaining football, will bring back the supporters, but I fear there is not a magic wand, or a quick fix, that one remedy will deliver a jackpot. My idea, or thoughts that the lapsed season ticket holders , especially families with children under 16 go free with season ticket holders , or even a five match deal for families, and a further discount for a half season ticket if you come to a couple of games may induce people to return. Be good for the club to try a sample exercise, they have the data base...... I am sure it will need refining, and perhaps adapting, and the above people will be a good sounding board for the club.
Lapsed st holder (family reasons), went along to the Wolves game handed over £30 for my Lower West ticket, got ticket and £15 back, was very pleased and surprised - poor marketing
Funny, when I go to the theatre, or to the Greyhounds or speedway or Moto GP or BSB or basketball I go online and check ticket prices. Clearly I'm weird.
Not weird, you just assume that everyone has access to or knowledge of computers, Art.
That's you and me both
Whatever way you buy tickets, you can ask the price, surely?
Thats fine for people that have already committed to going. But if there are people out there who don't think they can get a ticket at a low price and imagine that it will be too expensive for them, they are not going to phone up and check precisely because they won't want to go through that embarrassing "it's too expensive" moment whilst on the phone. And, they are precisely the people that the club needs to get the message to about £15 tickets.
Send out flyers advertising our prices.
Yes, that's the point Suzi made a few pages ago.
Let people know it's not as expensive or as difficult as they may think.
There is not a single communication channel, referral marketing (do people know that one of the leading experts of referral marketing is an esteemed Charlton fan), telephone marketing, (As Ben would say) sweating the database.
For events like football for a fiver, these have always been successful but my concern has always been that there is no follow up, so people like my mother in law and brother in law, take advantage of these but there is no incentive to come to the next game - I know there is also the fine balance of ensuring that you don't pee off ST holders, but I would like to see these promotional tickets sold with (for example) 25% off one of the next three games promotions or the like.
Lapsed st holder (family reasons), went along to the Wolves game handed over £30 for my Lower West ticket, got ticket and £15 back, was very pleased and surprised - poor marketing
Funny, when I go to the theatre, or to the Greyhounds or speedway or Moto GP or BSB or basketball I go online and check ticket prices. Clearly I'm weird.
Not weird, you just assume that everyone has access to or knowledge of computers, Art.
That's you and me both
Whatever way you buy tickets, you can ask the price, surely?
Thats fine for people that have already committed to going. But if there are people out there who don't think they can get a ticket at a low price and imagine that it will be too expensive for them, they are not going to phone up and check precisely because they won't want to go through that embarrassing "it's too expensive" moment whilst on the phone. And, they are precisely the people that the club needs to get the message to about £15 tickets.
Send out flyers advertising our prices.
Yes, that's the point Suzi made a few pages ago.
Let people know it's not as expensive or as difficult as they may think.
There is not a single communication channel, referral marketing (do people know that one of the leading experts of referral marketing is an esteemed Charlton fan), telephone marketing, (As Ben would say) sweating the database.
For events like football for a fiver, these have always been successful but my concern has always been that there is no follow up, so people like my mother in law and brother in law, take advantage of these but there is no incentive to come to the next game - I know there is also the fine balance of ensuring that you don't pee off ST holders, but I would like to see these promotional tickets sold with (for example) 25% off one of the next three games promotions or the like.
Kap,
You'll appreciate that because there is no single communication channel, it's not entirely possible for you to know what follow-up there was - only that you didn't see any.
I'd be the first to accept that the club could have always done more if it had committed more resource, but on the point you make we did follow up Football for a Fiver initiatives - but if, for example, you bought your mother in law and brother in law's ticket we wouldn't have been able to identify a new purchaser, which is how we did it.
I think we have to recognise that a second or third tier football club isn't going to be as sophisticated and professional as a major brand, but when I read people saying our marketing (and I'm only addressing tickets) has always been rubbish and then listing lots of things we have actually done as opportunities missed I am not sure I think it's an informed view.
Fact is, in things like Valley Express, Football for a Fiver, group bookings, summer events, free PL season tickets and indeed the whole PL pricing structure and going back to 1994 - or earlier, since we (CASC) were bussing in new supporters from Maidstone when we were still at Upton Park - Charlton led the way and, in many cases, other clubs followed.
Lapsed st holder (family reasons), went along to the Wolves game handed over £30 for my Lower West ticket, got ticket and £15 back, was very pleased and surprised - poor marketing
Funny, when I go to the theatre, or to the Greyhounds or speedway or Moto GP or BSB or basketball I go online and check ticket prices. Clearly I'm weird.
Not weird, you just assume that everyone has access to or knowledge of computers, Art.
That's you and me both
Whatever way you buy tickets, you can ask the price, surely?
Thats fine for people that have already committed to going. But if there are people out there who don't think they can get a ticket at a low price and imagine that it will be too expensive for them, they are not going to phone up and check precisely because they won't want to go through that embarrassing "it's too expensive" moment whilst on the phone. And, they are precisely the people that the club needs to get the message to about £15 tickets.
Send out flyers advertising our prices.
Yes, that's the point Suzi made a few pages ago.
Let people know it's not as expensive or as difficult as they may think.
There is not a single communication channel, referral marketing (do people know that one of the leading experts of referral marketing is an esteemed Charlton fan), telephone marketing, (As Ben would say) sweating the database.
For events like football for a fiver, these have always been successful but my concern has always been that there is no follow up, so people like my mother in law and brother in law, take advantage of these but there is no incentive to come to the next game - I know there is also the fine balance of ensuring that you don't pee off ST holders, but I would like to see these promotional tickets sold with (for example) 25% off one of the next three games promotions or the like.
Kap,
You'll appreciate that because there is no single communication channel, it's not entirely possible for you to know what follow-up there was - only that you didn't see any.
I'd be the first to accept that the club could have always done more if it had committed more resource, but on the point you make we did follow up Football for a Fiver initiatives - but if, for example, you bought your mother in law and brother's ticket we wouldn't have been able to identify a new purchaser, which is how we did it.
I think we have to recognise that a second or third tier football club isn't going to be as sophisticated and professional as a major brand, but when I read people saying our marketing (and I'm only address tickets) has always been rubbish and then lots of things we have actually done I am not sure I think it's an informed view.
Fact is, in things like Valley Express, Football for a Fiver, group bookings, summer events, free PL season tickets and indeed the whole PL pricing structure and going back to 1994, Charlton led the way and, in many cases, other clubs followed.
If I said that then it was the wrong words and I apologise, and despite the resources the club have done over the years, from target 10,000 onwards a sterling job, hence even after a good few years of dross with one seasons exception, we still command 12-16,000 crowds regularly.
Comments
I think....
:-)
I mean the agg when you're doing things with a good heart is bewildering
FF I can only believe the lady in question has misunderstood things
I have no idea if you have direct dealings or much contact with Lisa Squires through the Fans Forum but if you do I'd sound her out to get rid of any confusion that may have led to her mother being irate
We love you Fanny
I can confirm that we employed Lisa to do the admin on the group bookings from 2005 and although formally she only worked 12 hours a week for CAFC we brought in 20,000 paying group ticket holders in 2006/07, mostly by Valley Express. This meant we employed a second person (again part-time) who worked for CAFC but also shared Lisa's Valley Gold admin duties, which in turn allowed Lisa to cope with the volume of enquiries and paperwork, alongside Wendy (also part-time) and myself. So it is true to say that Lisa worked more than 12 hours a week in practice.
Subsequently, with group bookings very difficult in League One, she was the key contact for the relationship we built up about 300 local primary schools and handled the issue of "bulk" matchday comps to these, as well as to the community scheme.
For clarity, Valley Gold is not part of CAFC - it has to be legally distinct - and it employs people independently of the club, but shares facilities.
Hope that confirms my wierdness!
(Obviously I'd give up though if it wasn't open for a couple of hours on a Thursday afternoon. I definitely wouldn't just phone up the next morning. Oh no.)
You do agree that most potential customers check online, so the embarrassment factor doesn't come into it.
I often go to local non league football teams when I find there are offers, but at that level, local papers do the job.
Did I hear that our cheap tickets were in the national papers/BBC on price of football survey - may have imagined it, but either way the single best way to increase enquiries is by the product we are selling being better than it is at present.
Any potential customers reading CL moans or attending one game with the bloke behind me behind them would hardly think its a great way of parting with their cash!
Let people know it's not as expensive or as difficult as they may think.
I hope that offer is taken up Airman, seems both a generous and gracious offer from people who will have an excellent insight into helping the club. Yes good quality, entertaining football, will bring back the supporters, but I fear there is not a magic wand, or a quick fix, that one remedy will deliver a jackpot. My idea, or thoughts that the lapsed season ticket holders , especially families with children under 16 go free with season ticket holders , or even a five match deal for families, and a further discount for a half season ticket if you come to a couple of games may induce people to return. Be good for the club to try a sample exercise, they have the data base...... I am sure it will need refining, and perhaps adapting, and the above people will be a good sounding board for the club.
For events like football for a fiver, these have always been successful but my concern has always been that there is no follow up, so people like my mother in law and brother in law, take advantage of these but there is no incentive to come to the next game - I know there is also the fine balance of ensuring that you don't pee off ST holders, but I would like to see these promotional tickets sold with (for example) 25% off one of the next three games promotions or the like.
You'll appreciate that because there is no single communication channel, it's not entirely possible for you to know what follow-up there was - only that you didn't see any.
I'd be the first to accept that the club could have always done more if it had committed more resource, but on the point you make we did follow up Football for a Fiver initiatives - but if, for example, you bought your mother in law and brother in law's ticket we wouldn't have been able to identify a new purchaser, which is how we did it.
I think we have to recognise that a second or third tier football club isn't going to be as sophisticated and professional as a major brand, but when I read people saying our marketing (and I'm only addressing tickets) has always been rubbish and then listing lots of things we have actually done as opportunities missed I am not sure I think it's an informed view.
Fact is, in things like Valley Express, Football for a Fiver, group bookings, summer events, free PL season tickets and indeed the whole PL pricing structure and going back to 1994 - or earlier, since we (CASC) were bussing in new supporters from Maidstone when we were still at Upton Park - Charlton led the way and, in many cases, other clubs followed.
Re my original point, fair enough.