The Club/Member Connection

[DownFanatic]

Im just looking at ways in which clubs contact their members. Do most clubs do it through club notes, Facebook, Twitter, text, email, website or newsletter? Or are there any other forms of communication?

Also, how do clubs get people to support club led events? Im from a small club that would generally get poor attendances at Club BBQ's etc. Is there a certain way of persuading people to get off their asses and support things?

[theticklemister]

go to www.teamer.net a lot of the coaches in our club use that. I prefer the oul text messages.

You could lay it on them that it is your club and we need everyone of ye to take part to maintain it.
What about a club 'appreciation' day. Have it on a Saturday and make sure all club members turn up and clean the changing room area, line pitch, cut grass etc, and have refreshments available for them. Then later on that day have a band into the clubhouse and a few jars and get the craic going. By having a day of hard work followed by a social outlet later that night you could see a sense of bonding happening. (ps, make sure ye have no club game the next day )

[Zulu]

I think a lot of clubs have problems getting their members to engage in fundraising events and the like. To be fair, it's not easy for people to go to these events with work, family and other commitments but I think you need to give people something worthwhile and well run if you want them out. I find clubs tend to do things a bit half assed and as a result get half assed levels of success.

Unfortunately going the extra mile is no guarantee of success either and I know I've been driven mad with the poor response of our members to many of our social/fundraising efforts but i think you're far more likely to be successful if you deliver quality events. Have you ever canvassed your members and local community for opinons on what they'd like from the club socially?

Oh and we use facebook to update members in the main, though twitter is used too afaik. I rarely use either myself so I'm not sure how effective they are. For more specific information, I.e committeemeeting dates or availability for matches, text and email are most common.

[DownFanatic]

I think a lot of clubs have problems getting their members to engage in fundraising events and the like. To be fair, it's not easy for people to go to these events with work, family and other commitments but I think you need to give people something worthwhile and well run if you want them out. I find clubs tend to do things a bit half assed and as a result get half assed levels of success.

Unfortunately going the extra mile is no guarantee of success either and I know I've been driven mad with the poor response of our members to many of our social/fundraising efforts but i think you're far more likely to be successful if you deliver quality events. Have you ever canvassed your members and local community for opinons on what they'd like from the club socially?

Oh and we use facebook to update members in the main, though twitter is used too afaik. I rarely use either myself so I'm not sure how effective they are. For more specific information, I.e committeemeeting dates or availability for matches, text and email are most common.

We have done recently. The response to the questionnaire was near non-existent.

[onefaircounty]

Twitter is a necessity for informing the younger club members.

[Hound]

Personally not a big fan of clubs using facebook or twitter as their main way of communicating on the internet. Would much prefer if the club website was just kept up to date.

[onefaircounty]

Personally not a big fan of clubs using facebook or twitter as their main way of communicating on the internet. Would much prefer if the club website was just kept up to date.

Both is the way, because i can guarantee you that younger members will see more on FB/Twitter than on the club website.

[LeoMc]

Personally not a big fan of clubs using facebook or twitter as their main way of communicating on the internet. Would much prefer if the club website was just kept up to date.

With the web-site people have to go looking for the info. With texts / twitter / facebook you are sending it to them so it is more pro-active, this is a must if you are sending out info like last minute changes of venue or throw in's.

[LeoMc]

Im just looking at ways in which clubs contact their members. Do most clubs do it through club notes, Facebook, Twitter, text, email, website or newsletter? Or are there any other forms of communication?

Also, how do clubs get people to support club led events? Im from a small club that would generally get poor attendances at Club BBQ's etc. Is there a certain way of persuading people to get off their asses and support things?

Look to who the fund-raising is for. If it is for kit for the Senior team make them go out and sell 10 tickets each. If is for an u-14 Feile team same thing but get the parents involved. The message is if you want something out you put something in.

[screenexile]

We use Twitter and Facebook. I would do updates from all our Football League and Championship games on Twitter and Club notices would be on Facebook while there would be weekly Club noted submitted to the papers and Hoganstand every week. I'm trying to get someone to do the Hurling so hopefully that will be happening shortly as well.

It's a good enough system especially the Twitter feed. Our club is so vast though that I have no idea what the best method is of updating everyone. We have football, hurling camogie and ladies football and there is so much going on that one or 2 people couldn't possibly do it. The website especially it would be a full time job to try and keep something like that up to date.

[Hound]

Personally not a big fan of clubs using facebook or twitter as their main way of communicating on the internet. Would much prefer if the club website was just kept up to date.

With the web-site people have to go looking for the info. With texts / twitter / facebook you are sending it to them so it is more pro-active, this is a must if you are sending out info like last minute changes of venue or throw in's.

I think text is clearly a must for players/mentors for last minutes changes, etc.

Despite what some people think, not everyone wants to be on twitter or facebook. I'm not sure its a great idea saying that if you want all the latest updates on the club, you must have an account with one or both.

But even aside for that, most clubs have a multititude of teams, so there could be a stream of information on the twitter/facebook feeds with no relevance to the individual reader. Whereas on a (regulalry updated) website, you go to the area that's of interest to you.

Of course twitter/facebook is a good added extra, but I still believe the primary point of information on the web should be a regularly updated website.

[Declan]

Of course twitter/facebook is a good added extra, but I still believe the primary point of information on the web should be a regularly updated website.

We use twitter mostly for updating scores during games alright rather than a messaging tool

[onefaircounty]

Personally not a big fan of clubs using facebook or twitter as their main way of communicating on the internet. Would much prefer if the club website was just kept up to date.

With the web-site people have to go looking for the info. With texts / twitter / facebook you are sending it to them so it is more pro-active, this is a must if you are sending out info like last minute changes of venue or throw in's.

I think text is clearly a must for players/mentors for last minutes changes, etc.

Despite what some people think, not everyone wants to be on twitter or facebook. I'm not sure its a great idea saying that if you want all the latest updates on the club, you must have an account with one or both.

But even aside for that, most clubs have a multititude of teams, so there could be a stream of information on the twitter/facebook feeds with no relevance to the individual reader. Whereas on a (regulalry updated) website, you go to the area that's of interest to you.

Of course twitter/facebook is a good added extra, but I still believe the primary point of information on the web should be a regularly updated website.

Wouldn't disagree per se, but if you have youth members in the club they WILL see more on FB and Twitter, so it's important to have as much going through it as possible. I agree that a solid website is a necessity, but most young people have an iPhone or smart phone, they be on these two constantly, it's the way of things these days, they are unlikely to miss things.