DATA IS A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME!

HENRY Ford once said, “if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got.”

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This could easily be applied to how Non-League football clubs go about generating commercial income.

Times are hard and corporate generosity is in short supply. Some clubs are really good at commerce, but others less so. Many clubs fish almost exclusively in a pool of local businesses.

CHALLENGE OR OPPORTUNITY

Rarely do national brands now pay purely to put their logo on something. They demand meaningful engagement with fans, players, local communities and further afield. NLS clubs’ place at the heart of their local communities make them an ideal fit, providing you offer them the right opportunities and can get to the decision makers.

Attendances are generally healthy in the NLS but the big numbers that sponsors need to prove their Return on Investment (ROI) come from websites, social media and thinking outside the box. In other words, digital.

Data is incredibly important. Clubs are starting to realise the value of maintaining a database of fans and their club-related purchasing habits. However there's a long way to go; across the Trident leagues, 60% of clubs have no database at all.

Of course, many clubs will say they don’t have volunteers (with or without the right skills) or can’t afford to embrace digitalisation. However, thanks to the growing ranks of club volunteers au fait with digital marketing, several clubs have blazed a trail and generated impressive financial returns.

DIGITAL PIONEERS