Dec. 17, 2013

Submitted by: Morris White, Director of Marketing and Promotions, Murray State University

It didn't take me long to realize what had just happened. In a matter of 72 hours, we wrapped up our final home football game, tipped off for our third home basketball game, submitted photos for baseball & softball posters, and began fine tuning the marketing plans for other spring sports.

We've all been there. Heck, we're all experiencing it right now! The inevitable time of year of when we work in the present and think towards the future. As marketers, it's important for us to stay as far ahead as we can, especially when it comes to our marketing plans. That's why Wednesday's NACMAYP Live Chat: Writing and Executing Marketing Plans: How to Keep Up with the Calendar was right on time.

Here are some of my take-aways from the Live Chat hosted by moderators Jason Malay, Assistant Director of Marketing & Game Operations (Wichita State), Danielle Mayeaux, Director of Marketing & Ticketing (McNeese State), Elvis Moya, Director of Promotions & Fan Engagement (Texas Tech), Elaine Russell, Senior Director of Marketing (University of Buffalo):

During the Brainstorming Stage:

• Sometimes coaches play a key role in the brainstorming stages of writing a marketing plan. Communicate with them early and often. Ask them for feedback to help gain support for their programs. Listen to them!

• Inform your ticketing, sales team, and external team of what your plans are. Although you may be the sole "writer" of the plan, there are others whose involvement is crucial to its success.

• To help generate great ideas during the brainstorming stage, have an off-site staff retreat. Have each person bring 3 new 'outside the box' ideas and maybe one of them will prove to be very successful!

• The most common time frame that we begin our marketing plans is during the spring or early summer months.

During the 'Feel For It' State:

• As we mentioned, it's important to have input from others in your department. Teamwork Online is a good resource to share your marketing plan with others on your staff or department. Google Docs is also an option.

• Microsoft Word is the most common template that Live Chat readers said they used when writing a marketing plan. Does this include you? If not, what do you use?

• Ideas will always come to you. And when they do, you don't want to let them slip away. File away your best ideas in binders, electronic folders, Evernote or even Pintrest

• Social media marketing plans are done at different times. Some write them after their primary sports plans are done. Some are done in real time. Tagboard is a good resource to capture pictures and messages using a specific hashtag. Here's an example by Texas Tech

During the Implementation Stage:

• Your marketing plans will change and you'll need to adjust on the fly

• What works well one year may not work the following year. Look to preserve the tradition, but challenge yourself to create something different…don't be a robot.

• Utilize the predetermined budget.

• Check out what Danielle Mayeaux did at McNeese State to activate a sponsorship and get fans involved. (2013 Coca Cola Football Promotion)

During the Post-Evaluation Stage:

• Once the season is over, make an effort to meet with key constituents for feedback on how next year can be even better

If you missed this Live Chat, you can relive it by visiting this link: http://nacmaonlinelibrary.com/chat-session/nacmayp-live-chat-writing-and-executing-marketing-plans-how-keep-calendar