Collaborating in Academics & Athletics: Events, Donors, and Development Professionals

Collaborating in Academics & Athletics: Events, Donors, and Development Professionals
Shane Crawford, Senior AVP of Leadership Gifts
Shane Crawford
by Bryce Killingsworth – August 2015

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”350px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]In true collaborative spirit, this article was co-authored by Bryce Killingsworth, Development Associate in the School of Arts & Sciences, & Shane Crawford, Senior AVP of Leadership Gifts at Oklahoma State University.

[/dropshadowbox]There’s a reason it’s cliche to say college athletics is the front porch of nearly every university —  it’s true, especially for the power five conferences.

Game days are a special piece to the puzzle of donor and fan engagement, but only when utilized strategically. Athletic events overflow with thousands of students, faculty, alumni (young and old), and donors who identify as fans. You would be wise to take advantage of the opportunity. After all, it’s much easier to get a key donor on campus for a game rather than a campus visit in the middle of summer. Athletic teams brand the institution locally, nationally, and for some, even globally because of consistent viewings of logos, nicknames, and media attention a university receives. It is crucial that we, on the academic side of the university, utilize these attractive events to engage prospects. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on football games, as Boone Pickens Stadium is a big draw for donors to Oklahoma State University.

Strategy

Boone Pickens Stadium Suite Level
Boone Pickens Stadium Suite Level

There must be a strategy and purpose behind every engagement opportunity with a prospect — for development professionals in both athletics and academics. But first things first. Let’s not invite our top 100 donors simply because they are top donors. We need a specific strategy in place. Why are we inviting them? Is it a step within their stewardship plan? Are we cultivating them toward their next large gift? How are we bringing them closer to the University, the Dean, or relevant faculty members? The point is: have a purpose.

Purpose. At Oklahoma State, the academic units or colleges share suite tickets with a limited number of games and tickets per game for each college. With a limited ticket supply, we rely solely on strategic moves to move the donor down the continuum. Each college may have the respective Dean present or a key faculty member to connect with the invited donors. Be specific and purposeful about the interaction in order to maximize the experience for prospective donors:

  • Has the donor been solicited within a few months of the event or are we planning to ask them soon?
  • Are there high-capacity prospects that you have not met face to face?
  • Are there donors whose relationship could be moved forward by meeting the Dean and returning to campus?
  • Has a donor recently made a major gift and you need to thank them?
  • Are there high-capacity donors who would not otherwise travel the distance to come back to campus?

Referrals. We also consider asking a key donor who is an advocate of our mission to invite a friend to the game in an effort to cultivate new relationships. Alternatively, we might ask donors with suites of their own to invite key prospects on our behalf. The objective is to use stadium and club level tickets to provide a chance for key supporters to sit with the Dean, Provost, or other key people.

You can develop other creative approaches. Let’s not get content on the money we raise, but think about the possibilities that could become reality if our strategy is meaningful. We can achieve so much more if we engage our donors, our most precious assets of the university, and strengthen those relationships.

Several Teams, Same Mission

 Collaboration between academic and athletic development officers (DOs) is a necessity to maximize donor engagement and support. The majority of top university donors financially support both academics and athletics. Take into account the collective interests of each donor. If we embrace this concept, we show donors a united team that values their interests above our own.

Are you an academic DO? Embrace the fact that many donors are passionate about sports and want to ensure their university has a competitive athletics program. The more engaged donors are with an athletic program, the more engaged they will be with the university. For many donors, their initial support to their alma mater begins by first becoming involved as a season ticket holder.

Are you an athletic DO? Embrace the fact that the majority of alumni did not attend a university simply to go to athletic events, but rather to get a degree that led to their present-day success. If the athletic department is the front porch to a university, the various academic units are the foundation for the entire house. Universities do not exist for athletic programs. They exist to further educational pursuits. Successful athletic DOs will fully embrace and understand this concept.

Strategies must be inclusive rather than exclusive to maximize donor support. Academics and athletics should embrace what the other side brings to the table. Always put donor needs in the forefront with a collaborative spirit when developing strategies and solicitation plans. Do more joint calls. Think outside the box. Create an amazing donor experience. Celebrate when one side of the house receives a major gift. Recognize each gift further connects and commits donors to the university. Our individual donor strategies should never be mutually exclusive from one another.

The collaboration concept is simple in theory. But institutions struggle to create and maintain academic-athletics partnerships. Each party must assume positive intent to communicate and ultimately to trust. Reach out to your counterparts on a consistent basis to understand needs and objectives. The more educated we are about each area the better we can provide a better experience for donors. Communication is the key pillar. Communication takes time. Commit to spending this time to develop trust that results in better collaboration. We will not reach our full potential as fundraisers without embracing the roles each of us play in advancing a donor’s relationship with the university. We have more to gain by working together and more to lose if we do not have a collaborative spirit.

Next month we’ll continue with this topic and share stories of how to put the collaboration concept into practice.

Selling Collegiate Sports: Happy Customers = Sales

Selling Collegiate Sports: Happy Customers = Sales
by Bryce Killingsworth – May 2014

Collegiate ticket sales departments continue to expand. Some hired into these new sales positions have training in professional selling, while others may have worked their ways through college internships into the first open position that suits their aptitudes and attitudes. So, whether we are trained to sell or are just thrown into the fire, it’s always good to examine the fundamentals of adaptive selling–particularly in the collegiate setting. It all starts with creating connections.

Creating connections (prospecting)

sales funnelConsistently creating connections prevents sales slumps. Prospecting fills the funnel to prepare for the future.

In college sports, this aspect seems to be overlooked or at minimum on the bottom of the priority list. Hopefully you have a priority list.

Investing time and energy generating prospects reap the benefits of new business as you build relationships. A few primary ways we prospect at Oklahoma State include: Warm calls (not really cold calls with the data we have), asking for referrals, and networking at our athletic events.

 Analyzing needs (understanding customers)

Understanding customer behavior and preferences will improve customer satisfaction which in turn will increase retention rates. To sell, up-sell and cross-sell to multiple sports, use data to:

  1. identify when a customer places an order,
  2. how they pay,
  3. where they like to sit,
  4. where they are traveling from (residence), and
  5. other data collected that influences ticket purchases.

Consistent–systematic–contact helps inform them of packages and offers and to receive valuable feedback.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”350px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Mike Wendling“The more information we have about our consumers the more ‘Surprise and Delight’ opportunities we can orchestrate. These unique touch points show our fans that we care more about them than their check book.” – Mike Wendling, Director of Ticketing Analytics, @WendlingMike[/dropshadowbox]A simple tool our Director of Analytics utilizes to help understand customer needs is by asking a couple of questions when the customer creates an online account with us. For example: Which sports are you interested in? Are you interested in Suite, Club, or Stadium seating? Being creative is imperative at a university as you may be operating with limited funds.

 Addressing customer needs (proposing solutions)

How you address needs can make or break a sale. Remember, you are a problem-solver, there to help make their lives better.

Briefly describe one or more solutions of product, service, or combination of both to offer the customer. Proposing an unknown or unsought, but valuable, solution creates loyal followers. Examples include:

  • [dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”350px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]jess martin“Customer service is not just a skill set; it’s a culture that is contagious when you hire the right type of people. In today’s competitive world, fans desire to do repeat business with organizations that they trust and are comfortable with. Having a great customer service culture in place gives you a definite competitive advantage at earning and keeping their business.” — Jesse Martin, Senior Associate Athletic Director, Oklahoma State University, @JesseMartinOSU[/dropshadowbox]payment plans for a young family,
  • aisle seats for a tall person,
  • top row of the section below the concourse for an elder with knee problems,
  • suite for a company who now realizes the benefits of entertaining clients, and
  • placing customers in a seating section (e.g., West end zone area) to avoid the sun.

Discussing benefits

One of the primary benefits of a season ticket holder is social distinction. Season ticket holders enjoy feeling that sense of a community among fans, but also enjoy recognition as a member of an exclusive group. Creating limited discounts and perks among only the season ticket holder community is vital in order to prove it’s more beneficial to pony up for the entire season.

Utilizing data to identify specific types of benefits to engage season ticket holders may be the deciding factor in closing a sale. It could be exclusive access, memorable experiences, or valuable savings that enhance the value of season tickets. If you have the data to know that Bob buys 4 hot-dogs for his family per game, Bob will most likely appreciate a 30% off concessions discount compared to 10% off apparel at the stadium store.

Overcoming objections

real time sales tracking food & beverage merchandise
Real time sales tracking

In overcoming an objection focus on:

  1. empathizing,
  2. transparency, and
  3. appreciation.

Most customer problems can be readily handled if we actively listening and identify the customers concern. Remaining honest, transparent and open goes a long way.

If you think about it, objections come from customers who want your product. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t waste time explaining. If you’re honest about the best you can do with seating, pricing, etc., more times than not the customer will accept your best option–if they trust you.

To retain customers and gain referrals, show appreciation to customers and even former customers. By responding to the drop in business with nothing but respect and understanding, you create a pleasant experience resulting in valued word-of-mouth. Even without the expected ROI, appreciate them because you’re a professional.

Establishing & maintaining relationships

One of the primary reasons a customer intentionally desires a relationship with you is because you have become a treasured resource.

Maintaining a relationship and becoming a resource begins with consistency and reliability:

  1. Return phone calls,
  2. Follow up on a deadline,
  3. Be available at times the customer needs you,
  4. Ask customers for feedback, and
  5. Picking up the phone.

Asking for feedback with a purpose speaks volumes about your commitment to the service you provide, and how you can better the customer experience.

Pick up the phone. Not just to answer an incoming call. Pick up the phone and call your customers.  You’re a robot to them until you provide some personal connection. And it’s difficult to become loyal to a robot…unless your name is Siri.

 

 

 

 

 

Outbound ticket sales: How to create a sales playbook to maximize sales

Outbound ticket sales: How to create a sales playbook to maximize sales
by Mark Washo – April 2014

As NCAA programs continue to adopt more revenue-generating practices, activating an outbound ticket sales program appears simple.  Hire entry level sports management grads, provide a desk, phone, and email address, pull past buyer lists and watch the ticket sales role in. While most understand ticket sales is more complex, how many take ALL key aspects of successful sales into consideration? [dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”250px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Jamie Leavitt“Game day name capture initiatives are one of the best ways for us to connect with fans that have formed a habit of waiting to make a ‘game time decision’ and show them the benefits of reserving their seats in advance as opposed to walking up and buying a ticket at the game. We also find that database collection efforts at community events and local sports bars are a key component in creating new relationships with local businesses and organizations.” – Jamie Levitt, Manager of Ticket Sales at Western Kentucky University[/dropshadowbox]

The first step to a successful program is commitment

To maximize revenue, the organization must commit to outbound sales over a full calendar year, not month to month or short term (3 to 5 months). After committing to a 12 months sales staffing plan, with a year round sales focus, you are ready to make your ticket sales plan,  your playbook for success.

Create a sales plan or “Playbook” that includes:

  1. The past: Review past season ticket sales reports to look for strengths to build on and opportunities to improve.
  2. The future: Goals setting; annual, monthly, sales rep goals and quotas. Set realistic yet aggressive minimum expectations for your sales professionals, including minimum sales activity expectations and sales targets. Continually track progress towards the goals.
  3. Develop a 12 month ticket sales timeline:  The timeline should include “early bird new and renewal campaigns” while existing playing seasons are happening to capitalize on fan excitement and interest while they are still engaged.  Waiting until after the playing seasons are over to begin new sales & renewals for that sport is not as effective at maximizing ticket sales revenue as renewing and selling new tickets during the season.
  4. Recruit top talent: Don’t cut corners during the recruiting process.  Activate a multiple step process, including a sales role-play interview step to help recruit the strongest candidates.
  5. Hire enough talent: Hire the appropriate number of sales staff based on revenue goals; creating realistic revenue expectations will help you draw conclusions on appropriate # of ticket sales executives to hire.
  6. Create motivating compensation plans with commission and bonus opportunities: Compensation models should provide incentives to sell, which aid in recruiting and retaining top talent.[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”250px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]tom phelpsFailure to prepare is preparing to fail ~John Wooden          “It is vital to have a game plan for your sales approach just like a coach has a game plan to execute on the field. The key is to have an attack plan for sales prepared once a schedule is made available. Often certain groups dictate the time of year they can attend an outing. For example school base programs, scouts, and ROTC’s need a two month leeway into a school year to plan an activity. An outline will help a sales person know exactly where they stand and what needs to be accomplished at any point of the year. Also, it is a quick and easy way to keep superiors up to date on what a sales representative is currently working on and how they are planning to make the next event a success. — Tom Phelps, Naval Academy[/dropshadowbox]
  7. Commit to data base building: Invest in CRM to cultivate leads and grow your data base.  Newer web based models provide 24 hour remote access.
  8. Analyze your pricing strategy:  Based on analytics that consider situational factors, increase the average ticket price with price integrity for single game pricing. Add incentives to encourage season ticket and advance purchase.  Analyze your ticket sales customers buying habits and patterns to guide pricing.
  9. Create season ticket benefits: Find creative low cost ways to provide season ticket benefits (e.g., with corporate partners) to provide added value beyond discounts (i.e., experiences).
  10. Create flexible ticketing packages: Explore options such as vouchers or “pick me plans.”
  11. Develop a group sales pricing strategy: Reward groups with appropriate benefits that include group leader incentives to motivate purchase.
  12. Commit to consistent ticket sales training:  Just like in well-run corporations, sales training must be consistent and on-going.
  13. Promote the promotion: Encourage cross-departmental integration that support ticket sales initiatives with “buy in” from other departments; gain support from marketing/PR/social media and operations.
  14. Create a positive sales culture: Create visible team-wide goals where everyone is committed to revenue generation.  Include motivating reps through sales incentives and contests.
  15. Develop a renewal and retention strategy: Explore ways to activate proactive retention efforts and develop strong customer service, with multiple “touch points” throughout the season.
  16. Ticket Operations: Don’t forget to recruit professional and dedicated ticket operations talent.  Sound ticket operations is needed to support any proactive sales effort. 

It’s important to take as comprehensive as an approach as possible to selling tickets.  Find ways to activate all of the key elements, you will be in a great position to maximize ticket sales revenue! [dropshadowbox align=”left” effect=”lifted-both” width=”550px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]

Brett Zalaski
Brett Zalaski

“It’s always interesting to me, that all of us who work in professional or collegiate sports are exposed to elite athletes who we see practice & train every day, in order to stay at the top of their game. Therefore, it’s surprising that most ticket sales teams don’t commit to consistent sales and role play training. The most successful sales teams in sports (pro or college), have a dedicated commitment to consistent sales training, which includes sales role play, bringing in outside sales trainers and taking advantage of free sales content on social media such as this Baylor sportsbiz article.” ~ Brett Zalaski[/dropshadowbox]

Ball State Full House
Ball State Full House

Why Sponsors Flock to The Olympics and Super Bowl: 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Their Fans & Brands

Why Sponsors Flock to The Olympics and Super Bowl: 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Their Fans & Brands
by Anne Rivers – February 2014

Why do brands line up to sponsor The Olympics & the Super Bowl? Below are five truths you might have suspected, but didn’t have the evidence or the details that explain why brands do what they do.

1. The Super Bowl and The Olympics are the two most powerful sports brands in the United States.

Top Sports Brands, U.S.

2. Across all leagues the final game is always more powerful in terms of brand strength and stature.

Screen Shot 2014-01-31 at 9.20.15 AM

3. The Super Bowl and The Olympics have the most avid fans.

 When broken down into percentages of dedication from respective fan bases, the NFL & Olympics have more avid fans than the other leagues, providing tremendous brand rub for sponsors.

Screen Shot 2014-01-31 at 9.20.18 AM

4. The Super Bowl and the Olympics Match up with Unique Brand Images

The dedication of each fan base, especially when describing The Super Bowl or The Olympics, originates from what each sporting event stands for. The Super Bowl stands for iconic performance and fun and can be compared to similar brands as the image below indicates. The Olympics, on the other hand, are usually characterized by originality, authenticity, and grace.

Screen Shot 2014-01-31 at 9.20.22 AMScreen Shot 2014-01-31 at 9.20.22 AM 2

5. The Seahawks’ image stands for fan passion, but the Broncos stand taller for perceived skill.

In anticipation of the upcoming Super Bowl this weekend, we, and avid NFL fans, see the Denver Broncos taking home the Lombardi trophy.

Screen Shot 2014-01-31 at 9.20.25 AM


Special thanks to Emily Buratowski for helping with this article.

Six Differences Between Working in College versus Pro Sports (and why they may change)

Six Differences Between Working in College versus Pro Sports (and why they may change)
by Rocky Harris – January 2014

The first 12 years of my career were spent working in professional sports and corporate America. I made the move to collegiate athletics two years ago because I was given an opportunity to work for my alma mater, Arizona State University.

Before shifting over to collegiate athletics, I assumed working in sports, regardless of whether it is pro or college, would be the same. However, that has proven not to be the case. There are distinct benefits and drawbacks of either career path. I have spoken with other industry experts who have experience working in both collegiate and pro sports to develop what I see as six primary differences.

Difference #1 – Opportunity

Because of the low supply of opportunities working directly for professional sports franchises, it can be difficult to land a full-time job. The NFL only has 32 teams, NBA has 30, MLB has 30, NHL has 30 and MLS now has 20, so that if someone wants to be a PR director for a pro sports team, you only have 142 job opportunities. Whereas there are 1,066 NCAA member institutions, including 340 Division 1 schools. If you want to be the sports information director at a collegiate institution, you have 1,066 job opportunities.

Difference # 2 – The Athletes

The biggest difference between collegiate and pro sports is the role of the athlete. Professional athletes are employees. In college, they are students first and athletes second. Because of this, we are able to impact collegiate student-athletes’ lives in a more meaningful way.

Many times, student-athletes never dreamed of graduating from college or completing internships, but we provide that opportunity and are able to shape their futures and impact the trajectory of their families for generations. A select few are able to continue their careers at the professional level. We are able to impact a much larger population and build the leaders of the future.

Difference # 3 – Sexy Factor

The majority of people entering the sports industry want jobs in professional sports. Unless you are working for a top-10 collegiate sports brand, working in pro sports is more attractive. But, this will change significantly over the next 10 years because college athletics departments are beginning to be run like businesses where they build strong local, regional and national brands.

Difference #4 – Clutter

At ASU, we have 400,000 alumni, 70,000 students, 40,000 season ticket holders, more than 15,000 faculty and staff, 550 student-athletes and 22 sports with overlapping schedules that we have to promote and monetize. When I worked in pro sports, we had one team to focus on year-round, while occasionally hosting other events like soccer matches or concerts.

The biggest challenge working within the university system is making sure your messaging is coordinated and in-sync with the university’s priorities and goals. In pro sports, you have one message that is consistent because you are only marketing one product and one team.

Kate Brandt
Kate Brandt

“Although our priority is revenue-generating sports, we still have to service the other sports with the same intensity, with fewer resources than pro teams,” said Kate Brandt who worked for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals and now oversees digital media for Arizona State University

Difference #5 – Layers

In pro sports, the approval process is simple. If your team owner approves, you can move forward. The hardest part about working in collegiate sports is the multiple layers of constituents and approvals that need to be accounted for before a decision can be made. This includes the board of directors, administration, and compliance, among others.

Oliver Luck
Oliver Luck

“In college, we have more constituency groups (i.e. faculty, faculty senate, parents, student-athletes, state legislators/government, alumni, boosters, etc.) In the pro leagues, you deal with fans and your owner and everybody else really doesn’t matter in the same way,” said West Virginia Athletics Director Oliver Luck, who spent the majority of his career working in pro sports.

Difference #6 – Business Structure

Twenty years ago pro sports owners decided to change the business structure to focus on generating revenue and improving the fan experience.

Before they made the change, former coaches became general managers and they were responsible for running the team and the business. It was a flawed model.Once the forward thinking owners started hiring experienced business executives to run the organization, the revenue grew exponentially.

Collegiate athletics is about 15 years behind the curve. School presidents and leaders are beginning to understand the value of hiring business executives rather than former coaches to run their multimillion-dollar businesses. Because of this change in the college space, look for significant growth in both revenue and job opportunities.

What’s your conclusion?

Take your pick.

The biggest benefits of working in collegiate athletics are the enormous business potential, the professional opportunities that will be available over the next 20 years and the ability to impact student-athletes in a profound way. In pro sports, the biggest benefits are the speedy approval process that allows you to accomplish your goals faster, the esteem that comes with working in pro sports, and the proven business model.


Cover photo courtesy of ASU Enrollment Management.

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