Case study

Over £40,000 Raised in a Year: Silhillians Rugby Union Football Club’s Success Story

Silhillians Rugby Union Football Club is a popular local club based in the West Midlands. With a lot of potential for growth but a disorganised approach, chairman Lee Jones knew they needed a better strategy to attract sponsors and unite the local community through rugby.

300% increase in sponsors
From 15 to 60
£4,000in additional revenue
From player sponsorships
Over £38,000
Raised in 12 months

“Prior to SNAP, the challenges faced when approaching sponsors was not really having a defined package. We were unsure as to exactly what we could give them or how we delivered that. Now via SNAP, it's just a lot clearer.”

Lee Jones Chairman at Silhillians Rugby Union Football Club

The challenge

Before joining SNAP, Silhillians RUFC had between 10 and 15 sponsors, and no straightforward system for managing sponsorships, invoices, or any other important details.

Nobody at the club knew the exact ins and outs of who was sponsoring them, or what they could offer potential sponsors and their local community. Not only that, but they needed more financial support than ever before to grow the club and keep it going strong.

How SNAP’s expert
advice shaped the
club’s future

Silhillians RUFC saw enormous success once they partnered with SNAP and got the guidance and insights they needed to forge a clear roadmap to growth.

Clarifying what sponsorship could include

The club wasn’t sure what a sponsorship package could include, what they could offer businesses, and the best way to get more sponsors on board. Their previous method was word of mouth, which was time-consuming and didn’t give businesses a clear picture of what they could gain by sponsoring the club. SNAP’s platform helped the club define their packages and allowed them to tailor each one to what each sponsor wanted most. They could even combine packages and introduce their sponsors to benefits they didn’t know were possible like free membership to the club’s facilities.
Taking advantage of social media

Between X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, the club has over 4,000 online followers. Social media presented the perfect opportunity to further showcase their sponsors to a whole new audience. In exchange for their sponsors’ support, Silhillians kept track of any special offers, deals, or promotions they were running and advertised them on their social media platforms. This was a huge draw for these businesses, as they got more than their branding on display around the pitch—they got thousands more eyes on their products and services online, too.

Lee Jones, Chairman at Silhillians Rugby Union Football Club

“Keeping a track of exactly who's sponsoring what — and when those contract durations start and end — is just way easier. We know where we stand. We know when we need to renegotiate.”

The key results

The success that Silhillians Rugby Union Football Club has had with SNAP is undeniable. Their sponsorship numbers have quadrupled from 15 to 60, earning £38,000 from assets alone with an additional £4,000 in player sponsorships.

Lee Jones, Chairman at Silhillians Rugby Union Football Club

“We've got a really good social media presence now. Once (sponsors) know we can interact together, it tends to bring more people in, more interest. We've had great football.”

Looking after the players

Although Silhillians RUFC is an amateur club, with their newfound support, they’ve been able to keep up with the pros. Through their work with SNAP, the club has been able to almost completely cover the cost of the senior men’s and women’s squad memberships.

They’ve also been able to invest in their pitch, upgrade their gym equipment, and provide their teams with free training gear. Now their players enjoy kits and training facilities that would rival any professional club on the scene.

Lee Jones, Chairman at Silhillians Rugby Union Football Club

“Before SNAP, sponsorship was really unclear at our club. We had circa 10 to 15 sponsors. Nobody really knew what they were sponsoring or if they were going to carry on each year.”

New opportunities
to grow

Thanks to SNAP, the club has secured digital partnerships to develop digital media strategies and content to raise their profile, and their sponsors’ brand awareness, even further.

Lee Jones, Chairman at Silhillians Rugby Union Football Club

“Prior to joining SNAP, we had a limited number of opportunities that we thought we could get. SNAP opens your eyes as to what the possibilities are. And now it feels like we can add sponsorship to anything that we do.”

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