For the last 10 months or so, with the help of several people on TC there has been an idea floating around various corners and corridors of the Carlton Football Club.

It is a pretty simple idea which I thought might help raise some revenue for the club.

So far, even though it has been seen by several people at the club, no-one has taken the idea and run with it. It still might happen, you never know.

Basically the idea was to expand the club's email database by using the resources of the Carlton Forums.

What would happen in a nutshell is that people on the Carlton forums would be asked to think of every Carlton supporter they knew and to point them towards a website such as:

http://www.navybluearmy.org
(please do not sign up, this is only a rough mock-up version of what the site may look like, it is not operational and no email addresses will be kept)

Once there people can (if they wish) give their email address to the club, in return that person would receive the Thurday update which currently goes out to about 20,000 people (the database of emails CFC already has).

The idea is to build the club's database of emails up as much as possible. There are supposedly 600,000 odd supporters around the country, most of which would have email address now.

Given that at least 5000 die-hard supporters regularly visit the Carlton forums the reach of these people would extend into the tens of thousands.

A realistic target could have seen the project most likely gain thousands of extra email addresses for the club.

This would mean that the club would be regularly communicating with many more supporters which meand, better informed supporters and possibly more memberships, merchandise sales etc.

The offer I put would mean that the Club owned the website and all the email addresses collected. All it would have to do is pay cost for the domain name (around $20 a year). I offered to host and administer the site free of charge for the club to cut down on costs as much as possible.

There would have been quite a bit of work to do with the club with regards to vetting the wording and procedures but nothing too complicated.

Was it such a crazy idea?

_________________
|♥♥♥♥♥♥| http://www.blueseum.org |♥♥♥♥♥♥|

Too out there for this board....



bring it up in another 10 years or so...

_________________
Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Sounds all good to me Jarusa.

I like the concept, Jarusa - worth discussing with Malouf & Co. The worst thing they can say is 'No'.

_________________
For some silly reason, you people want to assassinate him, and it's just rubbish. You people. All of you, ALL of you!

You can already sign up for the newsletter through carltonfc.com.au.

That's right.

What I am talking about is actively pursuing a larger database.

Next to nobody signs up from the CFC website, if they are on the website they are already getting information.

We need to reach the people that never visit the website.

_________________
|♥♥♥♥♥♥| http://www.blueseum.org |♥♥♥♥♥♥|

A great idea, especially if the email database could increase to by 20000 (thus making 40000), any potential sponsors would have access each week to a large client base. Could even be made self sufficent/or even generate income cost wise by incorparating per email cost to the sponsors (ie. similar to the club recieving money for every click on the website). Hell, it is at least worth a try. Is a defacto list able to be started on this site and then presented to them in a few weeks ? Prizes ( ie Signed jumpers etc ) could be used as an incentive to join up or continue as monthly reward.

I think this idea, along with all others collated together, should be presented to our CEO Michael Malouf.

We would have to articulate the value proposition of each idea and the potential exposure it presents to the club.

Of course the ideas would have to be little or of no cost to the club given the perilous state of our finances.

Interested in thoughts?

_________________
For some silly reason, you people want to assassinate him, and it's just rubbish. You people. All of you, ALL of you!

It's a bloody fantastic idea Jarusa, why the club has not given it a go is beynd me.

_________________
Click here to follow TalkingCarlton on twitter
TalkingCarlton Posting Rules

Because there are unfortunately, some very blinkered and narrow-thinkers at Princes Park, who need to step out of the 80s and into the world which includes the internet.

I think it's a great idea, however there are some pretty hefty privacy issues with the recent changes in privacy laws. I think that should be looked into.

Get it going, Jars! Well done!

_________________
And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

I signed up for that bloody newsletter 3 different ways/times and have never received it once. Given up. Really like the idea though Jarusa, hope they give it some thought

I also tried to sign up for her and it didn't work, twice.

On the flipside, I get two

_________________
Time to go: Smorgon, Pagan

Talk to one of the board challengers about it, and I guarantee it gets up!

_________________
Oompa loompa doompety dee
If you are wise you'll listen to me

Great idea Donald boy.

Data is king these days.

_________________
This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...

Hey Jarr...........

why isn't the "Bluesarmy" thing working.........it's nice
and yellow......?

if your going to float these ideas around buddy......your
going to have to make sure these things work properly.....i think
that's very important........!


kindest regards tommi

_________________
that'siti'mnotchangingthistagain......!

Jarusa your despair isunderstood but you & I both know that the Club is not ready for initiatives such as this in its current form. There will come a day when new ideas such as this will not only be embraced but fully resourced, but there are bigger issues to resolve at the moment. Blueseum is caught up in the same malaise - I think they'd like to do something but the focus isnt there yet. We have to believe it will one day. Until then, its up to you & I and others to keep running with it in our spare time, if any.

If the idea dies because the Club never embraces it then it's their loss. That's frustrating but there's nothing else volunteers / Contributors can do.

Molesy, thats exactly the point.. the focus isnt on initiative its on depression.
Thats why were lagging behind..!!!

Surely you can have Jarusas initiative and make inroads into whatever else you wanna do???

its just lame!!!!

thats the thing that shits me the most!!!.... there is no focus on the positive.

_________________
Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Hey Jarr...........

seriously.....the "send an e-mail to a Carlton friend"........
and so on....and so on.........great idea..........!

i have four words for you.........."BUILDIT and they WILLCOME".......!


kindest regards tommi







i've already sent out 26 e-mails.............!









(don't lie idiot............everyone knows you haven't sent
out any..........)










(shhhhh............it's all about momentum........)

_________________
that'siti'mnotchangingthistagain......!

No argument at all. I do a lot of this stuff with Jarusa and share his pain, hell I live it with articles and trying to arrange interviews....

In terms of "There will come a day" When will that be? 2015? When others are already doing other things? To say that shows a distinct lack of understanding inside the club of the marketing and communications horizon in 2006.

And as far as "there's nothing else volunteers can do", I know you're just the messenger, and we've talked about this between you and me, but FFS, smack someone around the chops inside the club. Make them see that the Australia-wide Blues Army WANTS to help, and get them to be accepting of input, and not necessarily try and be so autocratic. That's part of what got us in the shit to begin with!

_________________
And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.