Geoff Wilson Head of Marketing Communications Irish

Geoff Wilson Head of Marketing & Communications, Irish FA

Our WOW moment!

It is well documented that brands that increase advertising during a recession, when competitors are cutting back, can improve market share and return on investment at lower cost than during good economic times. John Quelch that appeared in The Financial Times (2008) SMEs see direct mail as offering the best return on investment of all their marketing spend. New Brand Vision Group 2008 Survey

• Head of Marketing and Communications – Irish FA • Various Marketing Posts in BT Northern Ireland – (Market research, Market Intelligence, Market propositions, Database Marketing, Business Marketing and Consumer Marketing – TV production, Billboards, Press Ads, Online (emails, web), 3 rd Party Channels, Telesales/Sales Channels, Direct Mail, Magazines, PR, viral campaigns, event management) • 2008 Marketing Director of the Year CIM (All Ireland) • Re-branding work for the Ulster Grand Prix • Columnist with a Daily Newspaper in NI • Currently ‘Marketing Consultant’ with UEFA

Background pre 2005 • Paper Based System • One Stand alone PC for ticketing • Dependence on Operator Expertise • High staff resource demands especially ticketing • Manual data processing was time consuming • No communication with our customers or sponsors • Image of the Association

The Challenge • Introduce a new database that will be able to touch all areas of the Association from – 1. ) Administration to – 2. ) Revenue Generation/Marketing • Introduce the new system in a short period of time – 6 months to 1 year • Able to use the data generated in the new database for specific IFA requirements ie Marketing Campaigns

The Overview; System Scope Coaching Player One main Database Club Web sites NIBFA International Management Email/Letter/SMS Women’s Data Email/Letter/SMS Media Accreditation E-Marketing High Performance E-Learning FSI Data Discipline Email/Letter/SMS Data Comp/Fixture Management Email/SMS/Letter Referee’s Membership Loyalty Caps Loyalty Points Ticketing Event Management

Main CRM System

Admin: Competition & Fixture Management

Admin: Player Registration

Admin: Discipline

Admin: Coaching

Admin: Refereeing

Admin: International Management

Revenue: E-Ticketing – Loyalty Caps

Revenue: Fans Membership (inc Loyalty caps and points)

Marketing: Event Management

Marketing: E-Marketing – Email

Marketing: E-Marketing – Texting

The IFA today • • Integrated Solution Increased revenue Single Record for each Individual Audit trails and accountability – ticket sales Reduced Human Error – due to applied rules in the software Increased accessibility to data – real time Future proof expansion – able to additional modules to the main CRM system • Reduced demand on IFA staff ie ticketing • Able to market and communicate to our fan base

Users of the System • Competition Services • Ticketing Department – Finance review ticketing reports • Marketing Department • League Secretary’s • Referee’s • Coaching Department (including grassroots, excellence) • Women’s and boy’s FA’s • International Department

Advantages v Disadvantages • Advantages – One database, one record per individual – Plug and play system with a company with previous history in the sports sector – Transformed our processes – Modular based system so the database can be expanded in the future – Access to the system is via an internet browser – Database for Marketing (Revenue generation and keeping fans informed) and administration (cost saving/more efficient in the way we work) • Disadvantage – Guinea Pig – it has been hard work! First users in some of the modules – Culture Change – getting staff to change the way they are working – Cost for change requests – Issues if the internet goes down

Learning's • This is not an easy project!! • It is good to have one project manager in your business who has previous experience and knowledge in database and data cleansing. • Scope all areas first (be specific as possible and try to cover all areas) – change request are costly!! • Hold monthly conference calls and develop a work stack report

Learning's • Agree maintenance fee up front • Agree a change request fee up front – push them down on price! • Bring on board a partner who has previous CRM knowledge

Basic Tips • Be clear on the business objectives for implementing a database • Prepare a scoping document and involve all the key staff • Implementing CRM solution can be expensive but if you don’t have the funding start with collecting contact information and product history on Excel/Access. Or you can rent a CRM system! • Identify departments and internal processes that will benefit from introducing a CRM system ie Customer Service, Sales, Marketing, Engineering • Ensure you have captured the main decision maker in your database

Basic Tips • Think about where you can generate data on your customers – competitions, online, events etc • Start building a picture on your current customers, where they live, what they have bought from you, buying patters, contact information • Think about using geo-demographic data • When your customers contact you, reconfirm their contact details – keep the database up to date • Don’t just send on Direct Mail – sequential DM strategies should be employed • Introducing a CRM system will mean a cultural change and will require staff training – be warned!

Basic Tips • Pin Point those customers who buy from you and get them to spend more (high valued and most profitable) – this is one of the ways to tough out the recession! • Introduce a loyalty scheme to reward your customers • Target new customers with the same profile as your current profitable customers • Make sure your DM has the right message to the right customers, a call to action, may be lead with an offer • Data Protection Act – make sure you comply with this Act • Make sure your database is flexible ie able to expand, add more fields etc.

Basic Tips • If you are using telesales on the back of a DM campaign, make sure you have fully trained sales advisors in place • If you can personalise your DM or telesales ie Dear Mr Wilson, then this would be preferred

Campaigns • BT • Direct Mail campaigns – acquisition and retention and loyalty campaigns • Irish FA: • Renewal of our block booking ticket sales • Identification of new Sponsors – telesales

Campaigns: BT – take BB during Christmas – DM and call

Campaigns: Members promoting 10% discount and Summer offers – Letter and email only Dear Official Supporters’ Scheme Member, The summer is now approaching and I am sure you are thinking about your holidays. So why not visit our online shop or our shop at 20 Windsor Avenue for a range of Northern Ireland merchandise - from shorts and t-shirts to baseball hats and the all important beach towel. As a member of the Official Supporters’ Scheme you automatically receive 10 per cent off Irish FA merchandise (excluding sale items) in store and online and in addition you are awarded loyalty points every time you make a purchase. So why not visit us today at www. irishfa. com/shop or call in our shop at Windsor Avenue. Regards Geoff Wilson Head of Marketing and Communications

Campaigns: Referee’s Joining the OSS – email and call

Campaigns: members to our legends evenings

Campaigns: Members IFA Magazine