Shooting for Success: BEEFing Up Your Marketing Reporting Calls
Growing up in the Hoosier State, basketball was an inevitable force in my life. Summer after summer I attended Cager Camp—a youth basketball camp that taught the fundamentals. Week upon week we ran, we dribbled, we defended, and we shot.
We shot, and we shot, and we shot.
Free throws for a young kid were the spotlight on the court and a highlight of camp. It was our chance to truly have all eyes on us and become a true basketball star.
You find the nail on the free throw line, align your toe, focus, and release that round pimpled ball towards the rim and pray for the swish. Or you just step up to the line and toss that sucker. At our age either seemed to be just fine.
That is until you missed by a margin and heard your peers yell “BRICK!”
To offset the chances of missing those important in-game opportunities after a foul (and to offset the embarrassing taunts of the seemingly prodigal players) the coaches taught us BEEF. It’s a silly acronym that resonated deeply and helped me improve my chances of adding points for the team under the pressure of watchful eyes.
Balance, eyes, elbows, follow-through.
Line up your feet, and distance them appropriately to set the foundation for a successful shot. Keep your eyes on the target—know exactly where you want to place the ball and do not lose focus, not even for a second because distraction is devastation.
Keep your arm aligned and your elbow tucked in, finger pointer directly under its same-side eye. And follow through. You aren’t done until the ball is either back in play or you score.
As I’ve grown, I’ve noticed how BEEF can be applied to so many areas of life, especially work and reporting calls by a marketing team. Let me tell you how.
Balance
Balance is important in a reporting call to ensure the team presents a well-rounded view of their marketing efforts and clearly lays the foundation. This balanced approach will help the team learn from their mistakes and capitalize on their successes.
Eyes
In a reporting call, the team should keep their eyes focused on the key performance indicators (KPIs) that are most important to their partners and clients.
They should present data supporting their conclusions and make recommendations based on that data. By keeping their eyes on the KPIs and goals, the team can stay focused on what matters most to the business and not get distracted by the outside noise of day-to-day engagement.
Elbows
“Elbows” in a reporting call can refer to the proper positioning of the team’s approach and staying strong on the best practices of the industry.
The team should ensure their report is structured in an easy-to-understand way and highlights the most important information. It’s important to find your own identity at the line, but posture, positioning, and making sure your ducks are in a row are vital to success.
Don’t stray too far from the path.
Follow-through
Finally, “follow-through” is essential in a reporting call to ensure the team takes action based on their findings.
After presenting their report, the team should follow up with action items and next steps to ensure their recommendations are implemented. By following through, the team can demonstrate their value to the business and improve their marketing efforts.
Final thoughts
The lessons learned from shooting free throws and applying the BEEF principles have transcended the basketball court as they’re relevant to many things in life, like reporting calls.
By embracing balance, keeping focused on the goals, maintaining proper positioning, and following through with action—individuals and teams can achieve success and make a lasting impact.
I may no longer play basketball, I may not even watch the sport much these days, but like many key phrases of my childhood. BEEF will always have a place in my life and make an impact. Hopefully sharing this helps you make the easy shot.
Contact us to learn more about our reporting calls and how our team prepares you for nothing but net.
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Born and raised in Indiana, Andrew Frey geeks out over comic books, music, and film. His ideal dinner feast would include an old fashioned, his dad’s meatloaf, and coffee ice cream.