From your community to your own membership card

Visa is the example throughout this journey, not a mandatory provider. Credit, debit and virtual cards differ in capabilities and requirements; the appropriate card model is agreed together.

1. 01

   Decision and agreements

   Review community and potential

   The organisation has fans, members, customers or followers and wants to develop an active card community from this audience.

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   Tasks

   • Review reach and addressable target groups together.
   • Assess communication channels and expected demand.
   • Do not assume that followers will automatically become paying members.

   Responsibilities / participants

   Organisation and MGD Mediengruppe Deutschland

   Prerequisites for the next step

   • Reachable community
   • Relevant communication channels
2. 02

   Decision and agreements

   Complete project documentation

   The organisation provides all information needed to prepare the project.

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   Tasks

   • Capture company or association details.
   • Name contacts and target groups.
   • Compile brand materials and the preferred card model.

   Responsibilities / participants

   Organisation

   Prerequisites for the next step

   • Named contacts
   • Available brand materials
3. 03

   Decision and agreements

   Agree collaboration with MGD

   The agreement with MGD Mediengruppe Deutschland governs the rollout and the collaboration.

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   Tasks

   • Define the minimum order quantity and allocation of tasks.
   • Align the communication plan, marketing scope and approvals.
   • Record rollout and development requirements; the organisation actively promotes through relevant channels.

   Responsibilities / participants

   Organisation and MGD Mediengruppe Deutschland

   Prerequisites for the next step

   • Project documentation
   • Aligned rollout framework
4. 04

   Decision and agreements

   Agree the financial framework with Beyond by RS2 FS

   A second agreement governs the financial and card-related services.

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   Tasks

   • Agree the card model and payment terms.
   • Set out billing, disbursements and card terms.
   • Account for required checks and regulatory requirements.

   Responsibilities / participants

   Organisation and Beyond by RS2 FS

   Prerequisites for the next step

   • Aligned card model
   • Information required for checks
5. 05

   Decision and agreements

   Jointly approve the project start

   The rollout begins once both agreements are signed and the agreed start requirements have been met.

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   Tasks

   • Check the signed agreements.
   • Confirm the agreed start requirements.
   • Reflect contractual dependencies only as agreed.

   Responsibilities / participants

   Organisation, MGD Mediengruppe Deutschland and Beyond by RS2 FS

   Prerequisites for the next step

   • Both agreements are signed.
   • Agreed start requirements are met.
6. 06

   Brand, app and preparation

   Define the card model and provider

   The card type, scope of services and card provider are defined together—Visa in the example used here.

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   Tasks

   • Define card type, scope of services and card provider for the project.
   • Determine whether the card is physical or virtual and its intended use cases.
   • Do not treat credit, debit and virtual cards as technically or contractually identical.

   Responsibilities / participants

   Organisation, MGD Mediengruppe Deutschland and the respective card partner

   Prerequisites for the next step

   • Approved project start
   • Preferred card model
7. 07

   Brand, app and preparation

   Develop the card design

   The card takes on the organisation’s name and corporate design.

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   Tasks

   • Align the logo, colours and required card information.
   • Design the card solely in the organisation’s name and corporate design.
   • Obtain all required design approvals before production.

   Responsibilities / participants

   Organisation and MGD Mediengruppe Deutschland

   Prerequisites for the next step

   • Logo and corporate-design guidelines
   • Defined card model
8. 08

   Brand, app and preparation

   Prepare the pre-order page

   A landing page presents the offer and enables demand to be captured.

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   Tasks

   • Present services, prices, terms and order status clearly.
   • Clearly distinguish non-binding expressions of interest from binding pre-orders.
   • Present the page in the organisation’s name and design.

   Responsibilities / participants

   Organisation and MGD Mediengruppe Deutschland

   Prerequisites for the next step

   • Aligned offer
   • Approved content and brand materials
9. 09

   Brand, app and preparation

   Set up the app in the corporate design

   The existing app is configured with the organisation’s name, logo and colours.

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   Tasks

   • Implement the organisation’s name, logo and colours in the app.
   • Use the defined functional standard.
   • Address bespoke functions, additional interfaces or integration into an existing app only after review and a separate offer.

   Responsibilities / participants

   Organisation and MGD Mediengruppe Deutschland

   Prerequisites for the next step

   • The organisation’s logo and colour palette
   • Approved app content
10. 10

    Brand, app and preparation

    Name two responsible contacts

    The organisation establishes a dedicated team for communication and ongoing development.

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    Tasks

    • Name a marketing and delivery lead for rollout, campaigns, dates and internal coordination.
    • Name a content and business-development lead for content, benefits, partners and fan-shop integration.
    • Fill the roles early and retain them during ongoing operations.

    Responsibilities / participants

    Organisation

    Prerequisites for the next step

    • Named internal contacts
    • Aligned responsibilities
11. 11

    Brand, app and preparation

    Build benefits and a partner ecosystem

    The organisation defines the value members will receive.

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    Tasks

    • Select partner offers, discounts, fan merchandise, exclusive content and other benefits.
    • Clearly define the terms and redemption process for every offer.
    • Integrate existing shops appropriately, without promising an automatic new shop build.

    Responsibilities / participants

    Organisation

    Prerequisites for the next step

    • Content and business-development lead
    • Defined member benefits
12. 12

    Brand, app and preparation

    Approve design and content

    The card, app, landing page and welcome letter are finalised together.

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    Tasks

    • Provide and confirm the required content.
    • Finalise the card, app, landing page and welcome letter in the organisation’s design.
    • Allow approximately six to eight weeks as a guide for concept development, coordination and approvals.

    Responsibilities / participants

    Organisation and MGD Mediengruppe Deutschland

    Prerequisites for the next step

    • Complete documentation
    • Timely decisions and approvals
13. 13

    Pre-orders and production release

    Activate the community

    The organisation promotes its card through the agreed communication channels.

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    Tasks

    • Use the website, newsletter and social media.
    • Include events, matchdays and other owned touchpoints.
    • Continue communications after launch.

    Responsibilities / participants

    Organisation

    Prerequisites for the next step

    • Agreed communication channels
    • Approved communication content
14. 14

    Pre-orders and production release

    Capture pre-orders

    Demand becomes visible and forms the basis for production planning.

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    Tasks

    • Track the status of qualified pre-orders.
    • Capture demand for production planning.
    • Do not count every registration as a binding card order.

    Responsibilities / participants

    Organisation and MGD Mediengruppe Deutschland

    Prerequisites for the next step

    • Available pre-order page
    • Ongoing community communication
15. 15

    Pre-orders and production release

    Reach the minimum quantity

    Initial production requires a minimum order of 2,500 cards.

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    Tasks

    • Reach the minimum order of 2,500 cards for initial production.
    • Plan further orders in batches of 2,500 cards each.
    • Limit the offer to Germany, Austria and France.

    Responsibilities / participants

    Organisation and MGD Mediengruppe Deutschland

    Prerequisites for the next step

    • Qualified pre-orders
    • Minimum order of 2,500 cards
16. 16

    Pre-orders and production release

    Release production

    Once the minimum quantity, documentation and approvals are complete, production is commissioned.

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    Tasks

    • Review the order quantity together.
    • Review the approved card design and shipping materials.
    • Confirm the required project conditions.

    Responsibilities / participants

    Organisation, MGD Mediengruppe Deutschland and the respective card partner

    Prerequisites for the next step

    • Minimum quantity of 2,500 cards
    • Complete documentation and approvals
17. 17

    Publication and delivery

    Produce the cards

    The individually designed cards are produced and prepared for dispatch.

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    Tasks

    • Produce the individually designed cards.
    • Prepare cards for dispatch.
    • Carry out personalisation and technical preparation in line with the agreed card programme.

    Responsibilities / participants

    Respective card partner

    Prerequisites for the next step

    • Released production
    • Agreed card programme
18. 18

    Publication and delivery

    Publish the app

    The app is submitted for publication on iOS and Android under the organisation’s name.

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    Tasks

    • Submit the app for iOS and Android under the organisation’s name.
    • Await approval by Apple and Google.
    • Coordinate production and app publication in parallel where appropriate.

    Responsibilities / participants

    Organisation and MGD Mediengruppe Deutschland

    Prerequisites for the next step

    • Finalised app
    • Required submission materials
19. 19

    Publication and delivery

    Approve the start of dispatch

    Card dispatch, app availability and customer information are coordinated with one another.

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    Tasks

    • Coordinate card dispatch, app availability and customer information.
    • Provide the organisation’s welcome letter.
    • Include clear guidance on registration, activation and support.

    Responsibilities / participants

    Organisation, MGD Mediengruppe Deutschland and the respective card partner

    Prerequisites for the next step

    • Cards ready for dispatch
    • Coordinated app availability and customer information
20. 20

    Publication and delivery

    Receive the card by post

    The member receives their card together with the welcome letter.

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    Tasks

    • Deliver the card together with the welcome letter.
    • Provide the card and letter in the same organisation design.
    • Make registration, activation and support guidance available.

    Responsibilities / participants

    Respective card partner and member

    Prerequisites for the next step

    • Approved dispatch start
    • Card and welcome letter ready for dispatch

    NORDSTERN

    NORDSTERN

    Welcome to your community.

    Registration · Activation · Support

    NORDSTERNGreat to have you with us.Your community. Your benefits.

    FOR MEMBERSExclusive offers

    News

    HomeBenefitsProfile

    NORDSTERNMEMBERSHIP CARDYOUR NAME

21. 21

    Activation, use and disbursement

    Register and complete required checks

    The member downloads the app and completes the intended registration process.

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    Tasks

    • Download the app and complete the intended registration process.
    • Depending on the card model, complete identity verification, contract acceptance and other required steps.
    • Treat required identity verification as a condition for card activation; its exact position follows the confirmed card programme.

    Responsibilities / participants

    Member and respective card partner

    Prerequisites for the next step

    • Access to the registration process defined by the card programme
    • Intended registration process
22. 22

    Activation, use and disbursement

    Activate the card

    After all requirements have been successfully completed, the card is linked to the app and activated.

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    Tasks

    • Successfully complete all required conditions.
    • Link the card to the app.
    • Activate the card only afterwards; registration alone is not a guarantee of successful activation.

    Responsibilities / participants

    Member and respective card partner

    Prerequisites for the next step

    • Successfully completed required steps
    • Card-to-app link
23. 23

    Activation, use and disbursement

    Pay and use benefits

    The member uses the card within the selected card model and makes use of the available community benefits.

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    Tasks

    • Use the card within the selected card model.
    • Use available community benefits in accordance with the respective offer terms.
    • For debit or prepaid models, ensure the intended funds are available; not every payment automatically triggers a bonus.

    Responsibilities / participants

    Member and organisation

    Prerequisites for the next step

    • Activated card
    • Valid offer terms

    NORDSTERNMEMBERSHIP CARDYOUR NAME

    PAYMENT TERMINALPresent your card

24. 24

    Activation, use and disbursement

    Bill and make regular disbursements

    Billing takes place in line with the agreed terms. The organisation receives the disbursements provided for in its agreement.

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    Tasks

    • Explain revenues from memberships, agreed participation in qualified payment revenues and partner offers separately.
    • Do not present participation in the full payment volume or state unconfirmed percentages, revenues or guaranteed returns.
    • Communicate that monthly disbursements are planned following the first billing cycle.

    Responsibilities / participants

    Organisation, MGD Mediengruppe Deutschland and the respective card partner

    Prerequisites for the next step

    • Agreed card model and respective contractual terms
    • Completed first billing cycle for planned monthly disbursements