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Note: This story appeared in the Fall 2019 November edition of CoSIDA 360 Magazine. To view the full magazine, click here.
Discovery Meetings
UCF brings coaches, administrators and support staff together to develop, prioritize and attack agreed-upon goals.
by Andy Seeley – Mountain West Conference, Associate Commissioner/External Communications Strategy
One of the smartest things we did as an external team while I was at UCF was what we called “Discovery Meetings.” The end result was a clear set of expectations for those promoting each program.
I cannot take credit for implementing these meetings. They were the brainchild of Associate AD for Brand Advancement Jimmy Skiles.
Each year, before the season starts, the external staff members who work with each program sit down with the head coach and other members of the coaching staff to discuss what the coach’s external priorities are for the coming year. The brand advancement (marketing), #Content (social/digital media), Strategic Communications and Creative/Video Services staff member assigned to that particular sport are all expected to be in the meeting.
However, just as important as having the boots-on-the-ground folks in the room is making sure key administrators are involved as well. Deputy Athletics Director for Brand Advancement Scott Carr, who oversees all the external units at UCF, is an important piece to the puzzle. In addition, the sport administrator is also invited.
“The key is making sure everyone is on the same page,” Carr said.
Carr also mentioned that having open, honest dialogue beforehand with everyone involved created a sense of transparency and made sure the expectations and priorities were clear.
The meetings are an open forum for anyone involved to share ideas on how best to get the word out about the program. But at the end of the day, what is most important is what the leader of the program wants to see. Seeking feedback and input from coaches is extremely important.
None of us can read minds. While we all have an idea of how we can help the coach, the student-athletes and their program, hearing directly from the leader of that program truly helps narrow the focus.
The list of priorities might range from “more social content” and “video content showcasing our personalities” to “promotions to increase student attendance.”
Once a manageable list of goals is developed, coaches are asked to rank them in order. This exercise often spawns conversation about how best to reach those goals. Having so many creative minds in the room all focused on each particular item usually results in solid ideas and plans.
Perhaps the most important result of “Discovery Meetings” is accountability. Following the meeting, a member of the Brand Advancement team creates an infographic with all the agreed-upon strategies for the coming season. This infographic is shared with and signed-off on by all involved.
The strategic communications contact knows what is expected of him/her for the content they are generating and the stories they may be pitching. The brand advancement group is fully aware of the sorts of promotions the coach would like to see and what the goals for those activities are.
But accountability is a two-way street.
It’s made very clear in the meeting that if the external staff is focused on those items — that is where they will spend their energy. On occasion, coaches will ask for something that isn’t on the list. It may seem like the most important thing in the world to the coach making the request of the external staff member. However, a quick reference to the infographic will often lead the coach to realize they may be asking too much of the staff, or they can be asked which of their priorities has changed and is no longer on the list.
At the end of the day, Discovery Meetings are a great way to communicate and an invaluable tool to refer back to, so there is no question about the external strategy for each program.
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