So it's mid-year for our rewards program at FGCU and I'm starting to evaluate if we should continue to invest in the platform.
Upside:
1. It's a good looking app-it gives FGCU a professional presence in the eyes of our fans that may be looking for this type of fan engagement utility.
2. We've invested about 5% of our marketing budget this year in desirable and affordable reward prizes and have created experiences that should be attractive too.
3. Our fans have adopted the app fairly well. We have just over 3,000 members in our student fan group and about 2200 fans registered on our app. It's not necessarily the exact same membership, but for comparison sake, it represents a 73% adoption rate, which is pretty good. The app is promoted at every home game and we get about 10 new members a week. It's growing.
4. It gives us a way to reach younger fans and therefore may help admissions (a nice soft benefit)
5. It rewards season-ticket holder super fans that use it (Are there any of these? not sure)
Downside:
1. A lot of fans that use it say that it's hard to check in. Both at our indoor and outdoor venues. It could be these are just a few that are vocal, but what if a lot of folks just can't check in and we don't know it. Maybe our University Wi-Fi isn't strong enough to support us investing in this strategy. Not sure how to make this analysis reasonably-Maybe do a survey?
2. Not that many of the students that check in are enthusiastic about our prizes. I have a hunch that we need to better devote time to the app to market our prizes and opportunities. Mostly students comment on the app. Not many of our adult fans or season ticket holders currently utilize this tool. We may promote via email to our season ticket holders soon.
3. I think in game giveaways are effective-our students love T-shirts and rally towels and things like this. I may be able to do two or three big pushes rather than the reward program.
4. Which leads me to my final point. If we devote time to making the app work wonderfully, are we using our time most wisely with just two full-time staffers and our intern staff-or are we better off spending this time on campus doing street-team game day promoting and in game giveaways, and more digital advertising?
Before we make a final decision, we will do a survey with our fans and I'll update you on what we learn. Stay tuned, and in the meantime email me at denised@fgcu.edu if you are at a mid-major school with a strong student group, that also runs a successful reward program. I'd like your point of view.
Happy Holidays!