Business

Seven things every sports club should be doing to guarantee success on and off the pitch

FED UP up of running the same old fundraisers or devoting too much time to paperwork instead of play, there’s now a new way for sports clubs across Britain and Ireland be as successful off the field as on it.

MyClubFinances.com, a leading online sports club management system, is revolutionising the way sports clubs can organise themselves, their data and their members.

Currently working with almost 1,000 sports clubs across Ireland and beyond, including current London County Champions Tir Chonaill Gaels, their research has shown just what it takes to b a successful club.

Whether it's sporting giants like Kerry GAA, League of Ireland champions Dundalk FC or rugby institutions like Blackrock and St Marys College RFC, getting a number of key elements right off the field means they can devote more time to on-field success.

Not limited to just the bigger clubs, smaller rural clubs and new teams with limited numbers are starting to change how they operate with considerable results.

Here are seven things your sports club in Britain should already be doing...and if not then make sure it’s part of your to-do list in 2016:

1. Communicate with your club members

My ClubFinances.com carried out a survey of supporters and sports club members across Ireland and the outcomes were revealing. Supporters claimed their clubs rarely communicated with them or only reached out when they wanted hard cash.

The solution: A clear communication strategy is necessary to build and strengthen a relationship with your fanbase – see MyClubFinances.com for how this can easily be achieved

2. Centralise your database

Have all the data on lotto players, members, those who attend fundraising events, and all reports and accounts in one place. It makes life much easier for administrators especially when there are changes made at committee level.

The solution: Use MyClubFinances.com to store all your club data so there’s no more rooting through filing-cabinets or searching through a documents library on a PC. Just give the new man or woman the log-in details to the centralised database and off they go.

London's Tir Chonaill Gaels are signed up to MyClubFinances.com successful managment system. Picture: Malcolm McNally

3. Improve time management

A lack of organisation equals a lack of time. Do committee members have too many things to do and too little time to do it? Are club officials devoting too much time to paperwork and filling out forms? If the answer is yes, then you need a sports management system.

The solution: MyClubFinances.com can do the bulk of the administration and all the off-field work so you can get on with supporting the players and helping the club win matches on the field of play.

4. Comply with data protection

Based on years of experience working with hundreds of sports clubs we have heard horror stories about lottery ticket sellers losing ticket stubs, resulting in the club being liable to a claim for the jackpot, or members’ data being mislaid, stolen or just not looked after properly. This makes it incredibly difficult for club secretaries to track who has paid and who hasn't.

The solution: MyClubFinances.com can store all your data for you - the system tracks and records all data and allows you to access it and print off reports or accounts at a moment's notice. There is a clear audit trail there of all transactions that have been carried out and everything is neatly accounted for if anyone ever needs to see the books.

5. Host innovative fundraisers

Don't do the same old fundraiser again and again - the pub quiz and the 5k race are all well and good but they won't necessarily grab the attention. MyClubFinances.com has set up online fundraising pages for all kinds of events from ‘The Cube’ to ‘Cow dung bingo’ to ‘Build a club wall’ - they've all raised a lot of revenue simply because they are something different.

The solution: Think outside the box and launch some innovative fundraising events that will create a stir and even get local media interest.

6. Use your resources

Every club in the country has members with a specific skill-set be they electricians, plumbers, construction workers, nurses, lawyers or whatever it may. Use these skills wherever necessary instead of paying unnecessary bills. Clubs should be all about community and people are usually delighted to help.

The solution: Ask people on the online membership form if they'd be willing to volunteer their help and in what area, and then you'll have immediate access to a report with all your volunteers along with their contact details - an invaluable asset to any club.

7. Target the wider community

Clubs have to think bigger when it comes to online fundraising - they can no longer rely on the same old reliables in the local community. Using a newsletter service or publishing to social media will help target those who have moved away, particularly if there is a strong emphasis at local level to get the message out.

The solution: Make appeals to current members to get the word out to their circle of friends (on Facebook, at work, at home) that the club has online services available which enable anyone around the world to support the club at any time.