How can newsletters be used to sell more tickets? Tromsø IL, a top-tier Norwegian football club, has mastered this art and William Johan Frantzen is eager to share their recipe with other clubs looking to fill their available seats.
According to William Johan Frantzen, "At our club, we have been working strategically with our newsletters since the autumn of 2022, and gradually we have found a form and frequency that gives very good results."
Here is his recipe:
- Send two newsletters a week on fixed days and at fixed times.
- Include extra match day newsletters.
- Keep messages short, with a maximum of four in each newsletter. Ensure that the most important message is at the top.
- Use illustrations with club graphics.
- Create well-thought-out topic titles, preferably only 4-5 words long.
- Write short and thoughtful introductions that convey the main messages.
- Place the call to action as high as possible in the newsletter, and make it short and concise.
Inspired by James Bond
"We use the same recipe as the James Bond movies. They don't gradually build up the mood. It's action from the first second, and it's very recognisable as a James Bond movie," said William.
William's history at Tromsø IL (TIL) dates back to 2011 when he joined as a professional football player. After a serious injury in 2015, he combined his training with helping in the administration. In 2017, he retired from football due to the injury and transitioned into a full administrative position as an event coordinator.
From 2018 to 2022, he served as the event and venue manager, also responsible for the club’s external communication. Since 2022, he has been associated with the club as a consultant, assisting them in digital commercialisation. He also co-hosts the podcast Vonheim with Christopher Vonheim.
Newsletters must deliver value
"In TIL, we have a strong and loyal fan base that has been built up over many years. It is important for our success, and at the same time something we must take good care of. Our newsletters are easy to sign up for and unsubscribe from. We are very conscious of who we communicate with and what we communicate," he says.
"As a football club, we have an advantage compared to regular businesses because supporters are closely linked to their club. However, we must not abuse this loyalty. We need to deliver value to our supporters in the form of exciting news, not just pushing tickets. We do that, and as a result, our ticket sales are very good."
Hourly pay of £2,000
William estimates that each newsletter during the season generates ticket sales worth between £4,000 and £6,000, depending on the match. Considering the club's investment of 2-3 hours in each newsletter, this translates to an exceptionally good hourly pay.
"In addition to the pure monetary value, our newsletters also strengthen our ties with each individual supporter. It's a win-win for all parties," he said.
The opening rate of TIL's newsletters is about 50 percent, which is remarkable in digital marketing. The conversion rate is also very good, and William believes this is partly due to clear and concise communication.
"We have a clear message. For example, 'Buy tickets' communicates much better with people than 'Do you want to come to a game?'"
"We are very conscious of how we build our newsletter. The topic title is extremely important and should make people want to click. By the time they've read the introduction in a graphical layout that intuitively represents the club speaking to them, we've hopefully caught their attention."
"Every club and brand must find its own tone of voice, but it's important to be consistent. The visuals, language, layout, everything must be recognisable and communicate effectively and purposefully. And no matter how possession-oriented the club is on the pitch, it's right on target in this area."
Tracking links
Finally, William highlights tracking links as an effective tool for monitoring the shopping patterns of each recipient and measuring the success of different messages.
"In this area, we still have a lot to gain. As we gather data, we'll see who's buying scarves or kiosk merchandise as part of their buying journey, and who's taking advantage of the offers from our sponsors and match sponsors."
"Eventually, we can automatically tailor packages that match each ticket buyer and deliver even more targeted newsletters that convert even better," he concludes.
About TicketCo and newsletters
- Through Zapier, TicketCo supports most major newsletter solutions, such as Mailchimp.
- Tags in TicketCo make it easy to segment your newsletter audience.
- TicketCo's APIs can build their own solutions for importing data into CRM and newsletter tools, as Tromsø IL does.
If you'd like to discuss email options within our solution, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Contact us here for more information.
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