Treating Everybody Like They’re the Most Important Person

Join host Jeremy Tiers in the premier episode as he chats with Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx’ Vice President of Fan Experience, Jeff Munneke. The two discuss creating positive experiences, the importance and ROI of consistently engaging and building personalized relationships, analyzing real time data from different audiences, effectively collaborating with multiple groups or departments, as well as hiring and training new staff, and ways to make everyone feel valued.

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Key Takeaways

• The Power of Personalization: Understanding the unique motivations and needs of each individual helps build trust and loyalty, whether with fans or prospective students.
• Scaling Engagement Through Strategy: From pre-event communication to post-event feedback, scalable systems are essential for creating consistent, high-quality interactions.
• Continuous Feedback Loops: Regularly survey and analyze customer (or student) feedback to identify areas of improvement and implement actionable solutions.
• Train and Empower Staff: Ongoing training and recognition foster a culture of care and enthusiasm, critical to building positive experiences.
• Invest in Relationships: Building authentic connections with individuals creates long-term engagement and loyalty.

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Episode Summary

What Drives Exceptional Experiences in Sports and Higher Education?

Jeff Munneke explains that in both sports and higher education, creating exceptional experiences comes down to understanding your audience. For the Timberwolves, this means tailoring fan experiences to their motivations—whether they’re basketball enthusiasts, corporate clients, or families. In higher education, this translates to identifying what prospective students and families value and creating personalized touchpoints throughout their journey.

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How Can Personalization Enhance the Student Recruitment Process?

Personalization is the cornerstone of both fan engagement and student recruitment. Jeff advises:

1. Know Your Audience: Gather key details about your prospective students or fans, such as their interests and reasons for engagement. Use this to guide interactions.
2. Tailor Messaging: Whether through emails, texts, or face-to-face communication, ensure your outreach feels relevant and intentional.
3. Focus on Relationship Building: Consistent, personalized engagement builds trust and sets the foundation for long-term relationships.

Higher education teams can adopt similar approaches, ensuring prospective students feel valued throughout the admissions process.

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What Role Does Data Play in Creating Memorable Experiences?

Jeff highlights how real-time feedback and analytics shape the Timberwolves’ fan experiences:

• Surveys After Every Game: Simple, concise surveys allow the organization to capture insights about concessions, parking, seating, and overall enjoyment.
• Data-Driven Improvements: Results are shared with relevant teams to address pain points and reinforce positive aspects.
• Dashboards for Transparency: Visualizing feedback helps everyone stay aligned on improvement goals.

For colleges and universities, regular surveys of prospective and current students can uncover hidden frustrations and opportunities for enhancement.

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How Do You Scale Personalized Engagement Across Large Audiences?

Scaling engagement for thousands of fans—or prospective students—requires intentional systems and empowered teams. Jeff’s approach includes:

1. Pre-Event Communication: Share tailored information and set expectations to ensure attendees feel prepared and valued.
2. Team Training: Equip staff with tools and knowledge to handle diverse scenarios and deliver exceptional service.
3. Regular Check-Ins: Frequent, brief updates with staff help reinforce priorities and address emerging challenges.

These strategies can be adapted to manage large student populations while maintaining a personal touch.

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What Lessons Can Higher Ed Learn from the Timberwolves’ Approach to Staff Empowerment?

Jeff emphasizes the importance of recognizing and celebrating staff efforts. Highlights include:

• Regular Recognition: Honoring employees in front of their peers and fans strengthens morale and commitment.
• Accessible Leadership: Jeff personally engages with staff regularly, fostering a culture of openness and support.
• Listening to Feedback: Encouraging staff input leads to practical improvements, such as simplifying parking or distributing promotional items.

By empowering admissions teams and other staff, universities can create environments where employees feel invested in their work, resulting in better outcomes for prospective students.

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This episode is brought to you by Gecko - a student engagement platform offering multiple modules to help institutions better engage with students and lighten the load for their staffs.

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