Increasing MCT contribution

[SassenachTon]

Further to the great shout by @vikingTON in the Dundee United thread about this probably being a great time for MCT to try increasing the ownership base - an additional way to increase club revenue would be for members to try and dig a little deeper if it's affordable to them. So can anyone tell me how to increase my monthly contribution? Should I simply just amend the direct debit amount with my bank?

Thanks in advance.

[irnbru]

3 minutes ago, SassenachTon said:

Further to the great shout by @vikingTON in the Dundee United thread about this probably being a great time for MCT to try increasing the ownership base - an additional way to increase club revenue would be for members to try and dig a little deeper if it's affordable to them. So can anyone tell me how to increase my monthly contribution? Should I simply just amend the direct debit amount with my bank?

Thanks in advance.

I think they ask you just to set up a new subscription. 

[SassenachTon]

OK thanks. I'll send a mail on the contact form and get it fixed up.

Cheers

[capitanus]

I think that contacting MCT would/should be your first port of call, but why do that when you can first announce your intentions on the messageboard?

[SassenachTon]

8 hours ago, capitanus said:

I think that contacting MCT would/should be your first port of call, but why do that when you can first announce your intentions on the messageboard?

That’s a bit harsh, mate. It wasn’t a lame brownie-points ‘announcement’ - I just wanted to know if a 30-second online DD amendment would be the quickest way to do it, and if that was a way which would be acceptable to MCT. Apart from contacting them via the form, the website doesn’t show any way to do what I wanted to do. 

[capitanus]

18 hours ago, SassenachTon said:

That’s a bit harsh, mate. It wasn’t a lame brownie-points ‘announcement’ - I just wanted to know if a 30-second online DD amendment would be the quickest way to do it, and if that was a way which would be acceptable to MCT. Apart from contacting them via the form, the website doesn’t show any way to do what I wanted to do. 

Why didnt you email them directly then?

[TRVMP]

MCT are doing a good job and this thread has reminded me to up my contribution since last year was a prosperous one. Therefore it has done some good.

It was a bastard getting set up in the first place, being overseas, and there are some PayPal fees being taken from it.

Given the tiny number of us abroad I don't expect them to go to any expense for us, but I do wonder if, at times when there's a good feeling around the club, they couldn't get a few extra pennies by making it easier for us. Locals as well.

I could log into PayPal and find my recurring payment, then cancel it, then restart it with a slightly higher amount, and hope that it's still linked with my membership... or I could just sit here and watch a documentary about trains in India*, which I am doing, and not bother.

It's not a completely unreasonable question to ask. Even if there are only 50 of us "impulse" buyers a year, that's a significant percentage of a customer base of 1,000 and a potential customer base - being extremely generous - of 3,000.

*Darjeeling.

[SassenachTon]

6 hours ago, capitanus said:

Why didnt you email them directly then?

Morton supporter wants to contribute more to the club he loves.

Morton supporter visits website and sees no obvious way of doing it.

Morton supporter asks other Morton supporters with more MCT experience if there’s a quick way of doing it before he emails MCT directly. Irnbru replies quickly and kindly advises Morton supporter what to do.

Morton supporter thanks him, and does it.

I don't understand why you seem to think that there's some shan hidden agenda here.

 

 

 

Edited January 9 by SassenachTon

[irnbru]

19 hours ago, TRVMP said:

MCT are doing a good job and this thread has reminded me to up my contribution since last year was a prosperous one. Therefore it has done some good.

It was a bastard getting set up in the first place, being overseas, and there are some PayPal fees being taken from it.

Given the tiny number of us abroad I don't expect them to go to any expense for us, but I do wonder if, at times when there's a good feeling around the club, they couldn't get a few extra pennies by making it easier for us. Locals as well.

I could log into PayPal and find my recurring payment, then cancel it, then restart it with a slightly higher amount, and hope that it's still linked with my membership... or I could just sit here and watch a documentary about trains in India*, which I am doing, and not bother.

It's not a completely unreasonable question to ask. Even if there are only 50 of us "impulse" buyers a year, that's a significant percentage of a customer base of 1,000 and a potential customer base - being extremely generous - of 3,000.

*Darjeeling.

I'm not actually sure what MCT do now to be honest apart from pass the contributions through to the club. 

[TRVMP]

4 hours ago, irnbru said:

I'm not actually sure what MCT do now to be honest apart from pass the contributions through to the club. 

They need to get their website updated - not least the feedback loop thing - but they've said the aim of the MCT board is to aim with some aspects of running the club and also to provide the "bench" for MCT members who take on GMFC board membership. The day-to-day running of Morton lies and always should lie with the GMFC board, and MCT's role as owner is therefore to provide investment, volunteering, and to fill our allotted Club board member slots as and when needed and desired.

I don't think it's a huge problem that MCT isn't actively tramping about Cappielow daily, but I do think they need to make this aspect - that MCT are the custodians, their job is serious, the need for finances are ongoing, the need for club stewardship and scrutiny is constant, and the need for people to graduate from MCT member to MCT board to the GMFC board is inevitable - clearer now that ownership is fully cemented.

It seems like a fairly major deal, to me at least, perhaps naively, that the GMFC Board primarily comprises MCT members. That more than anything is what MCT are "doing" - providing the elected members to run the club's business.

Edited January 10 by TRVMP

[Toby]

6 hours ago, irnbru said:

I'm not actually sure what MCT do now to be honest apart from pass the contributions through to the club. 

Perhaps if they didn’t concentrate their social media on criticising fans for having the temerity to object to standing out in the pissing rain, credit the club who made them do that for belatedly relenting and waste their time describing that club’s fans as “wee cuties” they may have a bit more faith from their existing members.

[irnbru]

13 hours ago, TRVMP said:

They need to get their website updated - not least the feedback loop thing - but they've said the aim of the MCT board is to aim with some aspects of running the club and also to provide the "bench" for MCT members who take on GMFC board membership. The day-to-day running of Morton lies and always should lie with the GMFC board, and MCT's role as owner is therefore to provide investment, volunteering, and to fill our allotted Club board member slots as and when needed and desired.

I don't think it's a huge problem that MCT isn't actively tramping about Cappielow daily, but I do think they need to make this aspect - that MCT are the custodians, their job is serious, the need for finances are ongoing, the need for club stewardship and scrutiny is constant, and the need for people to graduate from MCT member to MCT board to the GMFC board is inevitable - clearer now that ownership is fully cemented.

It seems like a fairly major deal, to me at least, perhaps naively, that the GMFC Board primarily comprises MCT members. That more than anything is what MCT are "doing" - providing the elected members to run the club's business.

Yeah, I mostly agree and the board and ownership structure is obviously a good thing but the purely MCT work should be about holding the club to account, providing as much transparency on how the club is run as is reasonable to members (who are essentially the stakeholders) and pushing for more members as much as possible.

I don't really think any of this is being done and it's can't just be there as a pathway to the board.

[irnbru]

10 hours ago, Toby said:

Perhaps if they didn’t concentrate their social media on criticising fans for having the temerity to object to standing out in the pissing rain, credit the club who made them do that for belatedly relenting and waste their time describing that club’s fans as “wee cuties” they may have a bit more faith from their existing members.

Aye, the social media is a bit cringy and overkill with the amount of retweets. The odd link to join MCT wouldn't go amiss either - highlighting some key things the club do isn't a bad thing obviously but the aim should be promote what MCT do, are there for and to increase membership. 

[DreamOakTree]

On 1/9/2024 at 9:32 AM, SassenachTon said:

Morton supporter wants to contribute more to the club he loves.

Morton supporter visits website and sees no obvious way of doing it.

Morton supporter asks other Morton supporters with more MCT experience if there’s a quick way of doing it before he emails MCT directly. Irnbru replies quickly and kindly advises Morton supporter what to do.

Morton supporter thanks him, and does it.

I don't understand why you seem to think that there's some shan hidden agenda here.

How dare you have the temerity to come on here and ask for help whilst promoting the idea of increasing your contributions. It's the Fans' Forum FFS! Seriously though you've done nothing wrong at all. More and more people on here are taking it upon themselves to "police" what others post for their own agenda's and it's not healthy!.

[vikingTON]

1 hour ago, irnbru said:

Yeah, I mostly agree and the board and ownership structure is obviously a good thing but the purely MCT work should be about holding the club to account, providing as much transparency on how the club is run as is reasonable to members (who are essentially the stakeholders) and pushing for more members as much as possible.

I don't really think any of this is being done and it's can't just be there as a pathway to the board.

Stated without even an ounce of self-awareness about the previous Supporters/Community Trust phalanx of organisations, that did, err, nothing of value to prevent Dougie and his family building up a completely unsustainable mountain of debt - to be paid for by flogging the ground - while maneuvering at least one of its officeholders onto the GMFC board. 

It's like reading Gerry McCann's guide to baby-sitting.

[WhowouldbeaMortonfan]

Suggestion from me,

MCT could send out a email to all members, asking them to commit to increasing their month dues by say 10%, 15% or even 20%. Set it up by ticking the box and include the usual financial information and disclaimers to do so.

So a tenner per month becomes 11 or 12 quid. Hopefully no-one would miss a quid or two and MCT could be a couple of thousand pounds better off each month. 

Could it be that easy?

[capitanus]

On 1/9/2024 at 9:32 AM, SassenachTon said:

Morton supporter wants to contribute more to the club he loves.

Morton supporter visits website and sees no obvious way of doing it.

Morton supporter asks other Morton supporters with more MCT experience if there’s a quick way of doing it before he emails MCT directly. Irnbru replies quickly and kindly advises Morton supporter what to do.

Morton supporter thanks him, and does it.

I don't understand why you seem to think that there's some shan hidden agenda here.

 

 

 

 

He didn't though, did he?

On 1/7/2024 at 6:46 PM, irnbru said:

I think they ask you just to set up a new subscription. 

'I think' implies that he's not quite sure, he's just speculating.  You've read too much into it.

On 1/8/2024 at 9:02 AM, SassenachTon said:

That’s a bit harsh, mate. It wasn’t a lame brownie-points ‘announcement’ - I just wanted to know if a 30-second online DD amendment would be the quickest way to do it, and if that was a way which would be acceptable to MCT. Apart from contacting them via the form, the website doesn’t show any way to do what I wanted to do. 

I honestly have no issue if you want to increase your subscription, its your decision.  I don't quite understand why you are getting all uptight about it.  Once again you've read too much into it.

 

'Morton Supporter' did make me smile though. 

[vikingTON]

12 hours ago, WhowouldbeaMortonfan said:

Suggestion from me,

MCT could send out a email to all members, asking them to commit to increasing their month dues by say 10%, 15% or even 20%. Set it up by ticking the box and include the usual financial information and disclaimers to do so.

So a tenner per month becomes 11 or 12 quid. Hopefully no-one would miss a quid or two and MCT could be a couple of thousand pounds better off each month. 

Could it be that easy?

I don't think that would give the club meaningfully more money - we need more subscriptions for that. But it is something that needs to be considered for the near future anyway - as inflation will continue to reduce the real term value of subscriptions. 

Even since the scheme started there has probably been an increase in basic costs and wages of 15% at the club - possibly significantly more as a business paying energy rates. 

[WhowouldbeaMortonfan]

9 hours ago, vikingTON said:

I don't think that would give the club meaningfully more money - we need more subscriptions for that. But it is something that needs to be considered for the near future anyway - as inflation will continue to reduce the real term value of subscriptions. 

Even since the scheme started there has probably been an increase in basic costs and wages of 15% at the club - possibly significantly more as a business paying energy rates. 

Agreed on the subscription thoughts, but that's a longer term strategy.

Short term, surely and email to all members asking for a one, two or five pound increase in monthly dues would see an increase in revenue stream. As with all good campaigns, the message needs to be continually reinforced and that's up to MCT to put that in place.

Not to rest on that, MCT should be working on the next plan to incease revenue. As our good friend Trvmp will verify, its all the low value contributions that make a difference. Having the base (MCT members) donate additional small amounts reguarly really can make a difference. 

How about monthly draws, for an addition one pound or maybe more, everyone who is in can win it, Morton goodies abviously. This can be a side bar donation on top of the main donation. The footballing equipment and gear Morton get I assume is free and so, where is the risk of making a few more pounds for nothing. 

The member information is all in place as is the financial information, so why not have a go, what is the downside?

 

[SassenachTon]

2 hours ago, WhowouldbeaMortonfan said:

The member information is all in place as is the financial information, so why not have a go, what is the downside?

Although I’ve snipped the post - I can’t argue with any of this, especially since MCT (on one fundamental, basic level anyway) represents a revenue stream for the club which has generated comparative fortunes for a club of Morton's size.

The closest analogy I can think of is how charities operate. I donate monthly to Cancer Research and the Alzheimer’s Society. I’m sure you’ll guess why. But since day #1 of setting those DD’s up - I’ve been relentlessly bombarded with almost-weekly mailshots from other charities. They all sell their contributor names and addresses to everyone else to generate revenue - which sucks when you’re on the receiving end of it - but it’s at least understandable. And I grudgingly think ‘fair play’ because all of them are at least having a go at being the best and most successful versions of themselves.

A blanket email to every MCT member asking for another £ or ££ a month wouldn’t be a difficult thing to do - neither would an ‘increase donation’ website button. And I think that VT’s point about £10pm a couple of years ago being worth nowhere near £10pm now is an incredibly valid one. Such a mail needs to be worded professionally. It mustn’t under any circumstances come over as a ‘begging letter’ - it needs to present the harsh financial reality of Tier 2 life in 2024 and explain VT’s points regarding inflation and real-term monetary value. It needs to really appeal to the loyalty of supporters, tug at the heartstrings, all whilst providing real-world examples of where the contributor’s money is going - even if it’s on the electricity bill for the floodlights. Come on MCT - post a screenshot of Morton's quarterly bill and open people's eyes. You have to give people a reason to up their contributions, and hard evidence is your best and most effective weapon. Not unreasonable I think. And FWIW - I haven’t a fucking clue where my other monthly charity money goes (which hacks me off tbh) - but which exemplifies the resentment an uninformed giver will inevitably experience.

As an important generator of revenue - MCT really need to up their game and maximise their input for the club’s sake. Just my opinion - and admittedly based on zero knowledge of how the financial distribution between MCT and Morton FC actually works in the real world. I’m also convinced that a concerted effort to increase membership wouldn’t go amiss.

I don’t wish to come across as some kind of Neanderthal - but I’ll freely admit that both of my charitable involvements came as a direct result of being accosted in hospital corridors by good-looking young lassies with flashing eyes, warm smiles and clipboards. Given the predominantly male demographic of the Cowshed on matchdays, I can’t help but feel that a bit of effort such as this would ramp up our numbers. I’m equally sure that a half-decent marketing person/agency would whip this into shape in no time at all. How many non-MCT members even know about fan ownership? How many older-generation Ton supporters are computer- literate enough to be looking at websites or reading this forum? I’m guessing at not many. More commitment needed MCT - and more effort.  You’re a crucial revenue stream which is currently vastly under-exploited. Twitter reposts don’t put money in the club’s pockets. 

Just my 2p ….

Edited January 11 by SassenachTon