To add to the rather eclectic mix of articles on this blog I want to pay tribute to the Fulham Football Club’s 4-1 win against Juventus last night. The result now sees them go through to the quarter finals of the Europa League.
I was there with my four year old son to see history being made. It was a great evening for us, as neutrals-supporting-the-cause, as well of course for the club’s die-hard supporters.
After the game, Clint Dempsey, who scored Fulham’s fourth and winning goal said that it was the loudest he had heard the supporters in the three seasons he had played at the club. I agree with him. On a richter scale of support I judge support at Fulham normally around the 4 level. Last night it was a ground shaking, rafters raising 10 at many times during the game. A great team effort that delivered the desired result which included the fan base playing its raucous part. An absolutely win-win situation.
The corollary to the business environment you and I face is very similar.
We marshall our staff and associates with a game plan to deliver against a desired outcome. Our plan, just like a team’s formation needs to be flexible to adapt to changes in the environment we face. But just like last night I bet it feels a whole lot easier to score the winning goal or get that strategic sale when you can count on your customers or fan base to support you in your endeavours. Last night there had to be 22,000 fans and neutrals alike urging the team in white to go that extra mile and as Clint implied in his BBC interview, that support had an impact on the players on the pitch.
Likewise, utilising a social media campaign to listen, react to and augment your marketing and sales activities can significantly leverage the finite resources you have to deliver against your corporate goals.
Anyone following my personal tweets last night during the game will have seen me reference the atmosphere in the ground. Inadvertently, I became part of Fulham’s unofficial marketing team not just for two hours last night but for a good deal longer. Those tweets are locked into orbit in cyberspace for all time. They add to the groundswell of opinion from match day attendees, across a whole range of different communication media about the great customer experience you can get at Fulham Football Club.
Good luck in the quarter finals Fulham !!
