RACING- A BIG WINNER AFTER GUINEAS DAY

Ok,so maybe this is wayout,but how about a system where anyone attending needs to register on 'The Prawn Festival'/Phumelela website.

You receive a registration number,and are served according to that number.You now know how many people could arrive.Late arrivals can register on course too,but will be served last as their number will come after those who have registered online.

The starting serving time is X hour.The countdown is displayed on the infield tote board,so everyone knows when they will be able to collect there prawns based on their number.Your number has been emailed to you,just like an eticket for a plane flight.You can print it or simply show it on your phone to the server.

No standing in hour long queues,which gives you time to bet.

If you registered and opened a telebet account you receive a betting voucher,when you collect your prawns,so you have to be on course.

What's the worst case scenario,you get 20 000 people on course,who you have to dish R2 million rand out to in R100 betting vouchers.

You already get R500 000 back when your commission comes off from the tote pool these people are forced to bet into.

You get 20 000 peoples details.

I'm no marketer,but surely the are better ways than "We'll do it better next time'.

Maybe this is ridiculous,but isn't it time a little out of the box thinking was used?

Good ideas Huchergh, but that sounds far too sensible .........local racing operators have 2 websites and a live TV channel ,yet if there is any news on a raceday morning, you have to read it on ABC ...........thats a rush!! :lol:

Further to this,if you now have a a whole lot of new clients,you can then mail them asking them if they would like a Phumelela betting brochure,which can get mailed to the email address they registered with.

One of the major barriers to entry is the complexity of bets for new customers.I've stated this previously,nobody wants to look like an idiot,especially a generation who are growing up with all sort of apps.

Does Phumelela have a 'How To Bet' video on Youtube? NO.Well not that I could find anyway.

My kid just Youtube's to find out how to navigate the maze of the next PS3/4 game he wants to play.

Why appoint brand managers for It's A Rush simply because they are well known singers/artists/magicians or whatever.What do they know about racing?

Are you going to universities to find out if the educated/being educated would like to listen to someone explain 'The Brain Game'?These are the 'monied' members of our population going forward.Hook them early.Many,many of the people that I know that are still in the game started working out as runners for bookmakers whilst still students,but there are hardly any bookmakers on course these days,so that's another loss of long term turnover because students aren't being educated by the game that way.

The Met/July/Summer Cup/Prawn Day are but a few options a year.Racing is a 365 business now,you need the next generation to come racing far more often.

There are seriously so many options.

Was it free to get in and were the prawns free?

davetheflower wrote: Was it free to get in and were the prawns free?

if it was free the track would have had ques.

More complaints than compliments. . How was this a good day?

Good for who?

Give Phumelela and The Racing, It's a Rush campaign some credit as they are managing to attract more people to the course for whatever reason. This is the necessary first step but in no way the most important part of reaching out which is to turn the crowd into customers.

Products hold the key to further involvement as the funding model requires continuous growth in numbers and active participation. The key requirement is that the product/playing experience must live up to the race day experience which it currently isn't and won't be until more entertaining products are launched.

This is a general marketing requirement in any business, get the client there and have something considered value for money or worthwhile to sell.

Step 1 now needs a further injection if it is to have a strategic impact on the business.

LSU wrote: Give Phumelela and The Racing, It's a Rush campaign some credit as they are managing to attract more people to the course for whatever reason. This is the necessary first step but in no way the most important part of reaching out which is to turn the crowd into customers.

Products hold the key to further involvement as the funding model requires continuous growth in numbers and active participation. The key requirement is that the product/playing experience must live up to the race day experience which it currently isn't and won't be until more entertaining products are launched.

This is a general marketing requirement in any business, get the client there and have something considered value for money or worthwhile to sell.

Step 1 now needs a further injection if it is to have a strategic impact on the business.

They managed to attract people to the course who will now never return.... How can you compliment them on that effort?

Mickeyblue, part of any marketing drive is to get feet through the door or to your business. Not always the easiest thing in the world so a certain amount of credit is due and I believe appropriate.

What they do with this success is the real test and as many here has alluded to is where things go horribly wrong. This part needs attention and a potential solution will need products that can support the awareness campaign.

Without a decent set of acquisition products designed for the correct purpose things will continue to slide despite every effort.

I had coffee with a young(30) year old architect and some of his slightly younger friends yesterday.

He told me he was at Kenilworth a while back,and enjoyed punting(he lost R1000).

He couldn't understand why it was called The Day Of Dreams though,as there was hardly a soul on course.

What are Phumelela doing to get this customer back?

Are there customer relations people on course asking young people like this whether they are enjoying the experience,or if they have any suggestions as to how the experience can be improved?

This guy is not a big punter,but in a few years his self-owned business is going to be a big going concern,and who knows how big he'll be then if he's been bitten by the bug.

Phumelela don't have a clue who this customer is though!They've done absolutely nothing to try and retain his patronage.

That's hardly surprising though,as we all know how that feels!

Hugh , the Cape racing industry don't like crowds and some show disgust when people are on their lawns on their big days .

H, until operators become serious about on line services these types of opportunities will forever be lost to the industry. The more sophisticated youth of today will not be seen dead in a tote so reaching out to them requires modern technology and a spirited offering that will not only offer potential reward but great and extended entertainment.

The possibilities are endless in the tech space and all the information needed for further marketing and measuring of progress are there from a management perspective. It's a no-brainer and it clearly shows the lack of interest that operators have in racing as a product.

It is plain stupid to ignore the opportunity but this is what happens when your future interests are elsewhere. I have said it before, racing's greatest challenge is not external but from within.