Communications

Rexy · **Joined:** Fri Aug 15, 2008 6:46 am **Posts:** 28227

bluechucky wrote:

DIAMOTISM, when it comes to the website, I'm sure people are talking about content, not administration.

There is no risk if all the "free" volunteer is providing is content. You can choose to run the article or not.

Problem is, they are not even bothering to assist those who are willing to get the content to them. This is a tragedy IMHO.

All they need is one person to liaise with the comm department and the volunteers and their content will treble.

In fact, done right, the comm department might free itself up of resources.

That's right. It can't hurt to be open to ideas. An example is Port having a lot of success with their new guernsey which wasn't invented by some overpaid guru.

Carlton really is turning into a bit of a closed shop lately.

molsey · **Posted:** Sat Apr 24, 2010 7:08 pm

The volunteer point and the communications point are separate, just in my commentary / experience linked. The point for communications is that they've made the call now to not use volunteers and its just the AFL content, other than Tony's work.

As an aside if you consider where they're at, they make money with minimal overhead costs from a low quality product that most of their fans can use... in a business sense thats not bad. They've added CFC TV in a big way (I think that is slo-mos) gig so there is improvement - just the I cant run the site at work, it doesnt act as a n information source to me and its too ugly!

DIAMOTISM · **Posted:** Sat Apr 24, 2010 8:06 pm

Maybe in the past not many people were reading the content completed by volunteers which has resulted in the CFC to scrap the volunteer idea.

If there was a huge demand for it then I am sure volunteer work would still be on the site.

People would rather read something from someone popular like a celebrity than something contributed by Mr X.

DownUnderChick · **Posted:** Sat Apr 24, 2010 10:04 pm

I've always thought we should hand out the little footballs after a win.

Great interaction with supporters too.

camel · **Posted:** Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:24 pm

DIAMOTISM wrote:

Maybe in the past not many people were reading the content completed by volunteers which has resulted in the CFC to scrap the volunteer idea.

If there was a huge demand for it then I am sure volunteer work would still be on the site.

People would rather read something from someone popular like a celebrity than something contributed by Mr X.

But dannyboy is a celebrity.

DownUnderChick wrote:

I've always thought we should hand out the little footballs after a win.

Great interaction with supporters too.

+5000

molsey · **Posted:** Sun Apr 25, 2010 7:44 am

Id like to think you're right Ronny, Id say the decline in support felt more accidental than deliberate. Its all in the past and a bit of a moot point - if the Club called for help I doubt any of the volunteers would put their hands up.

The points, to me, are:

- the club honestly thinks it is doing a good job on website, supported by very good usage figures
- the club has added to the site over the year through CFC TV
- the club makes a lot of money from it, and still leverages off the AFL network that the vast majority of other clubs do to.

On this basis there isnt much impetus to change.

There is a communications thread every year on TC. We complain about lack of good info, good articles and a clunky site. The info is available - for the fanatics - here, there and everywhere and the site remains clunky. But what would you honestly have them do, given their priorities?

budzy · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 11:17 am **Posts:** 8128

molsey wrote:

Id like to think you're right Ronny, Id say the decline in support felt more accidental than deliberate. Its all in the past and a bit of a moot point - if the Club called for help I doubt any of the volunteers would put their hands up.

The points, to me, are:

- the club honestly thinks it is doing a good job on website, supported by very good usage figures
- the club has added to the site over the year through CFC TV
- the club makes a lot of money from it, and still leverages off the AFL network that the vast majority of other clubs do to.

On this basis there isnt much impetus to change.

There is a communications thread every year on TC. We complain about lack of good info, good articles and a clunky site. The info is available - for the fanatics - here, there and everywhere and the site remains clunky. But what would you honestly have them do, given their priorities?

Molsey, the CFCTV snippets (mainly from the beast) are good, but they're very limited. How about some insights into the people at our club... their hobbies ...and other interests..

From my pov it's a broader issue of not embracing the grass roots membership as well as they could or should, considering the massive level of grassroots support across the country.

Rexy hit the nail on the head. It's a closed shop now... even elections now (the democratic process) are a joke.

Have you observed or noticed the way Melbourne have made an effort over the last couple of seasons to embrace their membership?

Did you see Stynes last night? That's communication!!!

The heirachy (besides Swann) at CFC are lost up their own a***s!! ...and until they embrace their grassroots supporters and show some respect they won't get any of my hard earned.
Throwing a few peanuts to the monkeys every now and then is not good enough, IMO.

bondiblue · **Posted:** Sun Apr 25, 2010 9:43 am

DIAMOTISM wrote:

Being a business owner I wouldn't take on volunteers to work in your marketing department which is what the web is, a marketing tool. I would want it to be commercial and people are paid to implement my marketing strategy.

You get the best people available to do the job by looking at past experience/reputation, cost and ability to deliver. Having people land on your door step and asking to work for free is a risk to me (I get a lot of these emails from graduates and overseas people who just want work experience). What if the volunteers misuse company equipment on purpose or by mistake or sabatage the carltonfc website. I would think volunteers are high risk whereas using the skills of reputable businesses makes much more sense.

CarltonFC is not a junior football club or a local football club that is screaming for volunteers to run day to day operations. It is a multi-million dollar business.

ryan 2000 can be welcomed with open arms to film the new facilities, edit the take and supply for appraisal. If it is good, and it will be better than anything Telstra will do for the club, then use it and thank him for volunteering his services to the club. If not, then he will understand from the feedback as to where he needs to improve.

But I see where you are coming from Diamotism. I too am an employer and refuse voluntary work and favours. I fear the expectations thereafter, plus I don't like taking advantage of people's good will.

The club can create a process to handle the offers...at the very least.

bondiblue · **Posted:** Sun Apr 25, 2010 10:01 am

budzy wrote:

From my pov it's a broader issue of not embracing the grass roots membership as well as they could or should, considering the massive level of grassroots support across the country.

Rexy hit the nail on the head. It's a closed shop now... even elections now (the democratic process) are a joke.

Have you observed or noticed the way Melbourne have made an effort over the last couple of seasons to embrace their membership?

Did you see Stynes last night? That's communication!!!

The heirachy (besides Swann) at CFC are lost up their own a***s!! ...and until they embrace their grassroots supporters and show some respect they won't get any of my hard earned.
Throwing a few peanuts to the monkeys every now and then is not good enough, IMO.

CFC is about a football CLUB, not a group people governing a club their way, with its followers outside the sacred and secure walls of the ivory tower. We are a united CLUB. Aren't we?

I am a grassroots supporter, but just because I hark up and state what I believe is wrong doesn't mean the other grassroot supporters don't want to do that. In fact many do, once or twice, but when their voice falls on deaf ears they don't try again.

This discussion is not questioning what works for us, it's about what we do to continue to improve our Communication with the rank and file members, let alone supporters (potental members), and improve our club and the processes of governance.

I do not want to go back to the dark old days where I had to dig deep into my pockets like others to save the club, not knowing if we would succeed. Dick Pratt lives forever in our hearts, but he's not around any more to keep the bastards honest and ensure that best practise principles are in the operation at the club.

Good to have you back budzy.

Kaptain Kouta · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:41 pm **Posts:** 63509

jimmae wrote:

Wojee wrote:

Essendon* did the right thing when they went with their own website rather than the Telstra cookie-cutter crap every other club is using.

In principle, yes, because Telstra has the web development capabilities of a group of teens, but what they've churned out isn't much better.

I've just set myself up, haven't I...

Yeah, well........

Nah....too obvious, even for me..... :lol:

Kaptain Kouta · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:41 pm **Posts:** 63509

ryan2000 wrote:

I do website videos and photography for a living. The CFC website (incl YouTube / facebook & Twitter) are terrible.

I contacted the club (Ian coutts and a few in the media dept.) about doing some content for them........ FOR FREE......... And after 5 phone calls and a few emails I am yet to hear anything! Not even a return phone call!!!!!

One of my ideas was to do a video tour of the new facilities at visy park (cause I doubt many of us have seen inside it).

I have a similar story, ryan. I have also offered my services as a professional photographer, and got some waffle from Coutts about the photography being supplied free, and they weren't really that upset with it, because it was free.

Kouta · **Posted:** Mon May 03, 2010 1:55 pm

Bryce Gibbs Answers Your Questions

:beer:

verbs · **Posted:** Mon May 03, 2010 2:08 pm

Kouta wrote:

Bryce Gibbs Answers Your Questions

:beer:

moshe25 · **Joined:** Wed May 11, 2005 1:23 am **Posts:** 11671

bondiblue wrote:

DIAMOTISM wrote:

Being a business owner I wouldn't take on volunteers to work in your marketing department which is what the web is, a marketing tool. I would want it to be commercial and people are paid to implement my marketing strategy.

You get the best people available to do the job by looking at past experience/reputation, cost and ability to deliver. Having people land on your door step and asking to work for free is a risk to me (I get a lot of these emails from graduates and overseas people who just want work experience). What if the volunteers misuse company equipment on purpose or by mistake or sabatage the carltonfc website. I would think volunteers are high risk whereas using the skills of reputable businesses makes much more sense.

CarltonFC is not a junior football club or a local football club that is screaming for volunteers to run day to day operations. It is a multi-million dollar business.

ryan 2000 can be welcomed with open arms to film the new facilities, edit the take and supply for appraisal. If it is good, and it will be better than anything Telstra will do for the club, then use it and thank him for volunteering his services to the club. If not, then he will understand from the feedback as to where he needs to improve.

But I see where you are coming from Diamotism. I too am an employer and refuse voluntary work and favours. I fear the expectations thereafter, plus I don't like taking advantage of people's good will.

The club can create a process to handle the offers...at the very least.

1. This would be fair enough in a true corporate setting, but the CFC isn't one. It accepts volunteer labour from HUNDREDS of sources in HUNDREDS of ways, from people doing sausage sizzles to a myriad other typical and traditional activities. So I don't hold with that argument.
2. In any event, it's no different when you approach in a commercial setting. We've also done that a number of times and the line we keep getting is there's no money!!!!

So, I restrict myself to barracking, buying 4 top memberships a year, and reading what I can on the Internet. To paraphrase a former player.. "We're Carlton supporters, @#$%&! the pest (that is the club)!!!!"