Inside USANA: Communications | What's Up, USANA?

?The more information, the better.?

After spending some time with three of the commanders behind USANA?s award-winning Communications Department, this was the resonating message delivered by Amy Haran, USANA?s director of communications.

Though it?s a general statement, it helps summarize how the department receives, digests, writes, and distributes the mountain of information necessary to keep USANA?s varied audiences ? Associates, Preferred Customers, and employees, among others ? in the loop.

The small but efficient team is constantly collecting USANA-related information from within the Home Office walls and outside from our international markets. They then ensure key messages are relayed to our trusty Associates and USANA employees all over the world.

How They Came to Be

Communications has always been a part of USANA, but it wasn?t until 2010 that Chief Communications Officer Dan Macuga decided there was a need to separate specific parts of the creative team in order to tackle the more time-sensitive communications.

And thus, the communications department came to be, and there was now a group purely dedicated to creating and coordinating all online content and electronic communications.

Who They Are

You might need a little clarification on exactly what ?online content and electronic communications? means. (As in, what are these guys working on all day?)

It?s a lot easier to explain if you split the department into two halves, both of which report to Amy.

First, we have Doug Giddings, USANA?s online editor and communications coordinator, and his team of online writers, David Baker, Katie Roundy, and Sarah Tomoser.

If you were to swing by their desks at any given time, you?ll most likely find them punching away at their keyboards, staring thoughtfully at a Word document.

They could be writing any number of things, depending on the assignment. From the weekly USANA e-newsletters to USANAtoday.com stories and Associate-specific e-mails, the department is responsible for getting information out quickly and accurately to a worldwide audience.

But the speedy process doesn?t end with the writers.

Someone has to upload all the information to its intended destination, usually USANA.com, USANAtoday.com, or an e-mail message.

This is where USANA?s Online Content Manager, Alisa Hunsaker, and her team of online content coordinators?Heather Romney, Kathy Trinh, and Nicholas Weight?come in.

The content coordinators work day in and day out on what they describe as all the ?back-end stuff? ? meaning, they?re taking all the content provided to them and making it compatible and functional for all USANA websites.

If you?re confused, think of it like this: the online writers provide all the pieces to the puzzle, while the online coordinators actually put the puzzle together and provide the finished product, which is seen by thousands upon thousands of Associates and USANA employees.

Why They?re Awesome

?I?m very proud of what this department has been able to accomplish in the past two years,? Amy says. ?Doug and Alisa have become masters at taking all the information that?s given to their teams and transforming it into concise, quality messages that benefit our entire field of Associates.?

Amy?s right about her team ? they?ve gotten pretty good at what they do, often under pressure and frequently with last-minute changes or additions.

As an example, they were behind the scenes of the entire launch of USANA?s new Lifetime Matching Bonus program, making sure all old information was replaced with new and then relayed to Associates immediately following Dave Wentz? live, global presentation.

But what they (and the rest of us) are most proud of is that they?re constantly improving upon the ways in which their department receives information and assigns projects.

Doug oversees weekly cross-functional communications meetings, where a member from each USANA department is invited to attend. This way, Doug can review all current and future projects the team is working on ahead of their actual launch dates, allowing other departments to catch any incorrect, dated, or confusing information that might make its way out.

These meetings have helped improve communications throughout all of USANA and have also kept the department running as efficiently as possible.

So, as you can see, Amy wasn?t just spouting out nonsense. Seriously ? the more information, the better! It?s key to the work they do, which is highly appreciated by every member of the USANA family.

We wouldn?t be nearly as effective in our interactions and communications with Associates and employees if it weren?t for this incredible department.

Inside USANA is a monthly series?in which we check in with various departments to help you get to know them a little better.

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Source: http://whatsupusana.com/2012/08/inside-usana-communications/

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