Getting Back to Grassroots Marketing

OUTdrive Episode 132 with Brad Loos

There are no less than a million things you can be doing digitally to reach your audience, and it’s easy to fall into the idea that you need to have a presence on every new media channel out there. Sometimes, you just need to get back to grassroots marketing. Politicians refer to it as “shaking hands and kissing babies,” but we like to think of it as staying connected to your fan base. In this episode, I visit with Mizzou Associate Athletic Director Brad Loos on the ways the Tiger Scholarship Fund is speaking to its stakeholders.

Brad is the Associate Athletic Director for the University of Missouri Tiger Scholarship Fund. Prior to that, Brad logged 15 years as a college basketball coach, including three with the Tigers. Originally from Clarksville, Tennessee, Brad played college basketball for Austin Peay University under his father, Dave Loos, the most successful coach in Austin Peay and Ohio Valley Conference history. Brad then moved to Missouri to start his coaching career at the University of Central Missouri, where he helped lead the Mules to a 2014 NCAA Division II National Championship. Outside of basketball, Brad’s family has a special connection to Mizzou, as his daughter’s journey through cancer treatments launched Mizzou Athletics’ annual #RallyForRhyan Game, which raises funds in support of pediatric cancer research.

Our podcast typically highlights industry trends, new technologies, and improved communication tools. Join us as we dive back into the basics of face-to-face and personalized marketing.

SHOW NOTES

• 2:30 – The “Cliff Notes” version of Brad’s background, career journey through coaching college basketball, and takeaways from growing up as a “gym rat”
• 5:45 – Brad’s perspective on the road to winning a National Championship at the University of Central Missouri in 2014
• 8:20 – Cliff and Brad talk about Dennis Gates as the new Mizzou Head Basketball coach
• 10:00 – Brad shares what the transition from athletics to administration was like and some of the things he learned in the process
• 13:00 – Marketing strategies that Brad and the Tiger Scholarship Fund and the University are using to reach local donors and supporters
• 17:00 – Brad explains how the NIL impacts the fundraising efforts of the college athletics programs
• 22:45 – Brad explains how schools like UCM and Mizzou really sell themselves when recruits come to visit
• 25:30 – Brad talks about the importance of social media in athletics and how it fits into a bigger communications plan
• 28:15 – Brad shares an update on his daughter Rhyan, how the annual #RallyforRhyan game came to fruition, and information on this year’s fundraising game
• 34:45 – Brad’s closing thoughts on what makes Mizzou and the state of Missouri special