Just received this from the RU side.........thanks for the marketing help guys!!!!

"Welcome to the Harlequins Ezine
There may not be any action this weekend at The Stoop but the hard work doesn't stop for the Quins boys.

Danny Care and Nick Easter etc etc ..........

Don't forget to get down to The Stoop on Sunday to help Cosmopolitan break a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of men in their underwear. Hopefully the sun will be there too!"

Never mind a gathering of Y fronts.......would not have hurt them to give RL a mention

So much for the "joint initiative" when the RU season finished

I would hope that RL would distance itself from this sort of unnatural event. That sort of gathering will encourage unsavoury types-We've go enough of them

Do you ever advertise or mention the RU side in any of your publications?

Yes.

Yes. For example, programme for the game v. Wakefield on May 17th is in front of me - our chairman David Hughes writes his customary "Welcome" piece which terminates with a paragraph (about 1/4 of the whole piece) congratulating the RU club and admiring their successes on and off the field. Also a full page ad for "See the Lions take on SA at the Stoop".

Don't know if regular RU games are advertised when the seasons overlap, but they hardly need it.

Not to mention Wellsi using his column in [iRugby League World[/i magazine to congratulate Ugo Monye on his Lions call up.

Quins RU sent out a email to all their season ticket holders today stating:

"The Club does not pause for breath once the Union season has finished and the focus switches to Rugby League during the summer months.

There is a fantastic ‘Summer At The Stoop’ starting on Saturday 20th June with a visit of The Champions Leeds Rhinos who we have already beaten at their place this season. The day promises to be an absolute “Rugby Fest” starting at 2pm with The British and Irish Lions taking on South Africa in the first Test Match and this will be shown live on a big screen in the Kings Bar.

From 3.30pm, the reserves take on their counterparts and at 6pm, Harlequins RL takes on the Leeds Rhinos in, probably the biggest game of their season to date. There will be a range of entertainment on the day, and as a Quins Union Season Ticket holder, you can buy two tickets for just £10*

Simply call the ticket hotline on 020 8410 6000, quoting reference ‘RU’ and your Customer Number.

The action continues during the summer with 3 more fantastic fixtures, where you can also buy two tickets for just £10*

· Saturday 11th July: Harlequins RL v Huddersfield Giants – Kick Off 3pm*
A day dedicated to the local community and grass roots of rugby featuring a full range of family entertainment

· Saturday 25th July: Harlequins RL v St Helens – Kick Off 3pm*
Down Under Day at The Stoop with great schedule of activity all with an Antipodeans theme

· Saturday 8th August: Harlequins RL v Bradford Bulls – Kick Off 3pm*
"High School Musical" at the Stoop. Join the cast of "High School Musical". Listen to them sing, watch them dance and join them for a "sing a long"

The closing dates for these offers are 3 days before each game so call 020 8410 6000 and book now for the “Summer At The Stoop”

So, to be fair, they have tried.

Marketing Ideas by me:

* Take a game on "Tour" in London like Celtic are. I'd like to see QRL play at other London grounds to help publicity and with a good marketing push in that area then (hopefully) people will turn up. Maybe a game back at Brentford to try and get the locals interested again, QPR to try and attract the antipodeans in plus families up North can travel down (Mother/Daughter in Westfield Centre and Father/Son at the game) and into areas with developing teams e.g. Crystal Palace (can get media attention at S.London Storm, Greenwich etc) and East London maybe Leyton Orient for all the Essex fans and its closeness to transport, the shops etc.

* Flyers at the Australia v New Zealand game in October.

* Charity Days. E.g. Breast Cancer Day where the club ask fans to wear pink and there are collection buckets etc to raise cash and the QRL boys wear pink training tops to warm-up in.

* A London Rugby League Heritage Day. Cheap tickets, cheap booze, introduction of a few real ales and a cracking history of RL in the capital with old shirts, memorabilia, ex-players, Q&A sessions with ex-players/current players etc.

* A few advertisements in busy areas of the capital e.g Waterloo station.

* "Australia Day" or "Kiwi Day" where we aim the day at RL loving Aussies/Kiwis with traditional foods, drinks etc plus traditional dances for the Kiwis.

* "£2 off your next visit" scheme for first-timers.

and at which stage of the email, given the sotic IT wireframe did this information appear?
Don't bother, I will tell you...it was at the bottom.

Important lesson for all (who care)

Above the line advertising (TV. Outdoor, Radio, Press) is called that, because.......it's above the fold......
Below the line advertising is the second part of a direct marketing campaign....ie, the bit nobody looks at, below the fold.
To explain further.....
next time you get a mail shot at home, be honest and tell me how much of the info on the second half of the A4 letter you bother reading?

This is the one shot we got at hitting the ru data and yet...it was buried at the bit of an email that no bugger reads.

If Evans wants us to survive and if Hughes/Blanchard are even bothered by getting more bums on seats, a SOLUS/STAND alone email, with a pure RL offer is what is needed.

The offer for RU fans on the 27th to watch the Lions second test at the stoop is a perfect example. More Harlequins RU fans will pay £10 to watch the lions a week after than they could have paid £5 to watch the first test....because no bugger will look at an offer 3 scrolls down


It is a good job I am off soon...following this team for much longer would kill me

I might go into marketing after Uni and take over

nah.....marketing is for those who can't sell. There is far more money in sales, just ask HK Bronco

So you are saying they are paying ' lip service ' to the RL club

call it what you want....it's boll0x......

Which side of the club has these back office people, + an advertising agency and PR firm.?

Chief Executive
Company Accountant
Ticketing and IT Manager
Sales Manager
Debenture Manager
Sales/PA to Chief Executive
Community Development Manager
Community Development Officer
Community Marketing and Sales Executive
PFS Centre Manager Lisa Fenaroli
PR and Media Manager Sarah Butler
Retail and Brand Manager
Merchandise Manager
Meeting and Event Manager
Stadium Manager
Sponsorship at Harlequins Team
Quins Ladies Group
Quins Supporters' Association

and which one, less board members has
General Manager
Financial Controller
sales executive
Office Manager
Customer services and Player manager
Media manager........and a
Club Chaplain
??????
Go on........I bet you can guess.

A plague on both your 'houses'........now't is ever right.

Will be sorry to see Gutterfax go to the 'Land of the White Cloud' but at least he has a few ideas which is more than I can say the Club has had for many a year!!

In all fairness, which one has been going for over 140 years and in the same location for 45 years and which one has been going for 30 years and changed location numerous times?

And you've forgotten the RL Community Officers

Bit silly that - its like comparing the staff at Waitrose to your local shop. One is basically a lot more established and succesful business than the other.

Excuse after excuse and then blame the RU lot because they have been around for years.......

The real problem is lack of management continity coupled with rolling three year marketing, promotional planning and budgeting. Unless this is addressed NOW we might as well forget about our next 'franchise'......no matter how good the senior team does or how many locals we bring into the first/reserve team etc.

As for the 'community' team think you will find that the vast majority are funded and overseen by the RFL and not by QRL

Anyone wanna talk about the good football we're playing and the wonder try scored in the Celtic game?

No now go away

They stole Sarah from us.