Whether you’re running a college football program or a company, the principle is defining communications success with financial outcomes. Likes and shares don’t pay the bills. Dollars do. If you want expansion, start your strategic communications plan with the revenue goal at the top.
Arizona State’s Coach Kenny Dillingham isn’t winning the local NIL support he expected. NIL is short for Name, Image, and Likeness and is the ability for college athletes to earn money through endorsements, sponsorships, and partnerships using their personal brand. This isn’t simply a college-football story. It’s a communications lesson for every business. Dillingham’s request for support from companies reiterates the importance of partnerships, sponsorships, and influencers and how they drive business outcomes.
Strategic communications often focuses on media hits, social media engagement, or the number of impressions from a campaign. ASU football’s visibility isn’t translating into sufficient NIL commitments for players. For businesses, many impressions don’t always translate into conversions.
Strategic Communications Success in Dollars
Money is a metric everyone understands. Companies should ask if measuring marketing and communications success is tied to revenue? Or are they reporting numbers that sound impressive but don’t tie back to sales?
For example, a client may ask for more earned media, a newsletter, or stronger social media presence. Those tactics matter. However, are those tactics to acquire more customers, expand into a new market, or expand revenue? Unless communications connect to those financial outcomes, it risks being activity without impact.
Financial Transparency
ASU is asking businesses to be transparent about their commitments. Strategic communicators should ask clients to share the financial data displaying whether communications is truly working. It can feel awkward to request financial statements or revenue projections as a communicator, but without them, you’re guessing at impact. With them, you track whether campaigns are increasing leads, conversions, and revenue.
Broader Lesson for Business
The NIL story at ASU demonstrates success stories, visibility, and goodwill don’t automatically work unless they’re backed by steady, measurable financial commitments. For businesses, this means moving communications strategy from “raising awareness” to “building revenue.” Awareness is the start, but revenue is the goal.