NEC Best Practices: Central Connecticut State Brings A Blogging AD

How accessible is your leader? And how do you share this?

Those are two questions that have the potential to impact and reshape the opinion fans (and recruits) have on your brand. And they are two questions that I'd argue will become even more important in an age where we have limited free time and lots of things we want to solve in this time.

Let's take a look at how Central Connecticut State solves this by checking out their home page, here (and below).


In the upper right hand corner (prominently above the fold and smartly right beneath their calls to social media) is your chance to connect with AD Paul Schlickmann. Let's dive in.

Clicking on that tout takes you here to the home of Ask the AD.

When you really dive into it you find not just a great forum to ask for fan questions but a great, personal approach to answering them. Check these excerpts:

"While it may be easier said than done, I like your concept of a follow-up game with the team you play in the Big Dance and will keep that in mind when we are fortunate to be in that situation again."

and

"I like your wish list Anthony!! When the current outdoor complex is complete, I believe we will have the finest outdoor facilities in the Northeast Conference. The same expectations hold true for our indoor facilities."

The questions themselves weren't critical here. It's how CCSU gets after them. It's about fan ideas addressed head on and in a way that will result in more of them. And, as you can tell, it does the critical things well: It humanizes the brand and it makes the entire program feel more approachable. Well done.

How could this be better? Frequency and positioning. I'd love to see a combination of more frequent Q&A on the blog paired with occasional flipping of the roles. What if the AD asked the questions of the fan base? That would really make a statement and offer a new level of connection. Great stuff here that we can all apply.

Come back tomorrow as we continue rolling through a week of best practices in the NEC.

Don't forget, you can follow along on Facebook (here) or on Twitter: I'm@pawlow34.

Andy

Northeast Conference and the YouTube Highlight Reel

Exclusive access. On point message.

Those are two things that I think we all strive for when it comes to videos. Give fans something they can't get elsewhere, and then deliver the right message that reinforces your brand.

The Northeast Conference accomplishes this through the powers of YouTube...

Hit the NEC Athletics on YouTube, here, shown below.

What they do well is combine both coaching staff's POV's and highlights into one package. It's the best coverage you can find short of being there yourself, which is exactly the type of content the conference should deliver.

Click to watch it here.

As you'll note below, the NEC also does a very thorough job updating videos and describing the content with a detailed description of what you'll see in each video (shown below). That's a critical and often overlooked piece. It's not just about uploading video -- let us know why we should tune in!

How could this be better? Allow for embedding. I wanted to include this video in my blog but couldn't. The goal should be to allow fans to watch this, wherever they want. And to easily take it with them and spread the NEC love! Finally, I'd love to see the NEC allow fans to have a say in what videos get produced. Let fans vote or participate to determine a game of the week/month that gets even more access and coverage!

Thanks for hanging with me... Come back tomorrow as we continue rolling through a week of best practices in the NEC.

Don't forget, you can follow along on Facebook (here) or on Twitter: I'm@pawlow34.

Andy

Northeast Conference Funnels in News Coverage

There's conversation about the blurring of lines in media. What was once the turf of the newspaper industry is now the turf of the internet. And the beauty of this is that now, if you're a school or league that maybe didn't get the newspaper coverage you want (or deserve), you have the ability to deliver this to your fans in the same way newspapers can today... with real time websites.

Northeast Conference Week Starts Now.

Hit the NEC home page and you'll see it everywhere... News. The right-hand side of the page is peppered with the latest headlines on the league -- it's essentially an online newsletter of the latest and greatest home office updates. It's great to see, because you simply aren't going to find access to that info elsewhere!

Scroll down the home page and you'll find the latest updates from the 12 member institutions of the NEC. Same style, easy to browse, easy to get here....

Then, click on any of the team logos on the top of the page (like I'll do here for Mt St Mary's) and you'll get examples like the below... Of all the latest news on the athletics front for that school (across all programs)

What we have is access to info you simply won't find elsewhere, and it's architected in a way that is really easy to get your fix.

But, how could we get better? I see two things here that could take the NEC's footprint to a much more connected place. First, allow fans to sign up for updates. Let those updates come to them -- whether it's a newsletter or a customized NEC page. If they could see more of the school(s) and sport(s) they care about, it'll get even better for them.

Next I'd love to see the NEC's point of view. Rather than surfacing the news by itself, I'd love to see the editorial side of things. What makes you emotional? What are you most proud of right now? Hit us with that energy and passion and we'll come back early and often!

That's it for today...

Come back tomorrow as we continue rolling through a week of best practices in the NEC.

Don't forget, you can follow along on Facebook (here) or on Twitter: I'm @pawlow34.

Andy

MEAC Best Practices: Hampton Gives You Their Resume

When you want a job, you naturally provide a resume, right? Why? Because it's a log of your accomplishments. It's a representation of how you got where you are now and it's a representation of why you're the right person for the next gig.

Why not do this in recruiting? If you want the next job (of coaching a recruit), why not lay out your strengths. How you have evolved. And thus why you are the right person for the job.

Hampton Basketball does just this.

Let's return to the Hampton Basketball page and revisit Coach Kevin Nickelberry's site, here...

Click on Resume, which takes us here, shown below. Many things interest me here...

1. We get a great look at his values statement: Program Builder, Recruiter, Player Developer, Defensive Specialist. This is right at the top to set our mind.
2. We get a deep look at how Coach Nickelberry has succeeded, in the framework of his values.
3. We get a traditional resume look into how he has evolved as a leader of men.
4. We get a look into his personal life.

There's a lot to learn here. I love the concept of resume. It's why he's the right person for the job. It's why you should care. And it lets you evaluate if you're a good fit.

How could this be better? Personal stories. I'd love to see that same statement: Program Builder, Recruiter, Player Developer, Defensive Specialist reinforced with the stories, rather than just the facts. Give us a look from former or current players (or from his assistants) on how he lives these values. I think that personal touch could really reinforce things -- much like its that personal touch that makes the difference in bringing a resume to life. After all, we always ask people to "walk us through your resume..." Feels like here's a chance to have others help tell that story!

This wraps up MEAC week.

Come back next week as we hit up another conference!

Don't forget, you can follow along on Facebook (here) or on Twitter: I'm@pawlow34.

MEAC Best Practices: Hampton Lays Out Their Values

What do you really stand for? What are your values?

Every school has these. But not every school or coach lays them out for us to find. Hampton University does this in a very simple and intuitive way that makes an impact.

Hit the Hampton Basketball page and you'll find the callout for Coach Kevin Nickelberry's site, here...

From here, click on "Values" in the top menu. You'll come to a short and well stated list of what is important to Coach Nickelberry, with concrete examples of what he means. These include Program Builder, Philosophy, Recruiting, Academics, Marketing, Fundraising, and Community Involvement.

Here's the visual, I'll add thoughts after.

Let's look into Program Builder. Coach Nickelberry shows how he has done this not just at Hampton, but at his previous stops (Hampton, Clemson, and Holy Cross). It's a theme, not an aberration. Get ready to buy in!

Recruiting. He values the three things above all else (shooting, size, and intelligence).

Philosophy: He sets out to do one thing: win the league. All players will have a role to play, and he will work with them to make it easy for them to understand how they will help Hampton get where they strive to get.

Well said.

How can this be better? Elevate it. The philosophy of Hampton Basketball shouldn't be only found in Coach's site. Make it clear when you hit Hampton Basketball. Then find ways to reinforce it when it happens. (What are the things in season that shows how the plan is working? In the offseason, how are they remaining focused on the common goal?)

Come back tomorrow as we continue rolling through a week of best practices in the MEAC. We'll spend one more day elevating best practices from the conference's 13 member institutions.

Don't forget, you can follow along on Facebook (here) or on Twitter: I'm@pawlow34.

MEAC Best Practices: SCSU and the Parent Factor

Testimonials.

I'm a big fan of them, as they are in fact endorsements for a product (or program) from people who know best. South Carolina State hits us with a great example of this online.

Visit the South Carolina State Basketball page and you'll find a callout to Coach Tim Carter's site (here). From here, you'll note the far right callout ("They Say"), where we will turn our attention...

Clicking in takes us here, to a document of testimonials from fellow coaches but, more importantly, from parents of former student athletes to play under Coach Carter. I love this because it's a big deal - essentially coaches become the defacto parent figures for young adults as they transition from being at home to being in the real world. And to hear what they say has ridiculous potential.

Check this sample:

"Coach Carter never made a promise that he did not keep. He has proven to be a man of his words. Coach Carter has taken great care and personal concern for our son both on and off the court. He is a mentor and has been a great influence in his career decision..."

Powerful - mentor, trustable, honest, personal. Great values and it's powerful to read these!

How could this be better? These are pretty buried. You have to dive deep to find them. And, I think it's an opportunity for SCSU to take parents across all sports and bring them together about how their sons or daughters evolved as leaders and people while at school here. To tell that personal, emotional story can really become powerful if they fully leverage the opportunity in front of them!

Come back tomorrow as we continue rolling through a week of best practices in the MEAC. We'll spend the next 2 days elevating best practices from the conference's 13 member institutions.

Don't forget, you can follow along on Facebook (here) or on Twitter: I'm@pawlow34.

The Mid Eastern Athletic Conference Wants You to Help Them Scale Social

Facebook fans.

How do you encourage the growth of your social presence? There are many ways to do this and today, in the Mid Eastern Athletic Conference, we see one of them: They make it clear that's what they'd like you to do.

What do I mean by this? There's something pretty powerful when one of your friends suggest you like a page. When I get one of those Facebook messages from a close friend, I almost always agree and Like the page they suggest. (Maybe that means I'm susceptible to peer pressure?) It's an old but true adage that the most influential people in our lives are those we trust the most. And if they like something, we probably will too...

Click into the MEAC Facebook page and click on "Invite". That takes you to this tab, shown below...

What you'll see is a visual look at all your Facebook friends who have not liked MEAC Sports... (Yes, I have a lot of friends who haven't)...

And, at the bottom of that page is a box to send an invitation to those who you think might like this. It's easy for you to share your MEAC Love with your friends. Really smart, as any time you make it easy you increase the odds of participation.

How could this be better? Incentive. Why should I forward this to my friends? As you'll see in this promotion from Burger King, they rewarded fans with a free Whopper if they were to remove 10 of their Facebook friends. (It was later removed by Facebook as that's not what they want to see happen to their network) Fans were given an incentive for engaging with their friends. I'd love to see the reverse here. How could you reward fans for spreading this MEAC Love to their friends? Wouldn't it be worth something if I shared this with 10 or 20 of my friends? It grows the reach of the MEAC and it creates real social value for fans.

Come back tomorrow as we continue rolling through a week of best practices in the MEAC. We'll spend the next 3 days elevating best practices from the conference's 13 member institutions.

Don't forget, you can follow along on Facebook (here) or on Twitter: I'm@pawlow34.

Andy