Business and sales professionals recognize the importance of nonverbal communication in the selling process and have learned to "listen with their eyes." They understand that one of the easiest and most effective ways to close sales is to be aware of their prospect's "buy signals."  Not surprisingly, the same holds true for the college recruiter who wants to be more effective in their recruitment of athletic prospects.  If you've read our special recruiting guide for college coaches, you know how important every aspect of communication with your athlete is in getting them to feel connected with you. 

Coach, are you aware that your body language reveals your deepest feelings and hidden thoughts to total strangers, including the athletes and parents you are recruiting?  It's true. Why is that important? It might surprise you to know that research indicates over 70 percent of our communication is done nonverbally. In fact, studies show that nonverbal communication has a much greater impact and reliability than the spoken word. Therefore, if your prospect's words don't match with his or her body language, you would be wise to rely on body language as a more accurate reflection of their true feelings.

Here's a fact that should be a good wake-up call for every coach:  Research shows that we decide in the first few moments whether we like someone or not. There is absolutely no substitute for a positive first impression. You can create a favorable first impression and build rapport quickly by using "open" body language:

In addition to smiling and making good eye contact, show the palms of your hands, keep your arms unfolded and your legs uncrossed.

Create harmony by "matching and mirroring" your prospect's body language gestures. Matching and mirroring is unconscious mimicry. It subconsciously tells prospects that you like them and agree with them.

The next time you are at a social or team event, observe how many people are subconsciously matching one another. Likewise, when people disagree, you'll notice they subconsciously mismatch their body language gestures.

You can build trust and rapport by deliberately, but subtly, matching your prospect's body language in the first ten to fifteen minutes of a personal visit with your prospect and their family. For example, if you notice that your prospect has crossed his or her arms, subtly cross your arms to match. After you believe you have developed trust and rapport, verify it by uncrossing your arms and see if your prospect will match and mirror you as you move into a more open posture.

If you notice your prospect subconsciously matching your body language gestures, that's an indication that things are going well, because this indicates you have developed trust and rapport. Conversely, if you notice your prospect mismatching your body language gestures, you know trust and rapport has not been established and you need to continue matching and mirroring.

There are many interesting "body language basics" that go along with some of these general rules for communicating with body language.  I'll be giving our SFC Premium Members that list of 15 body gestures and signals that will give coaches a special insight as to what's really going on inside their head during a recruiting visit, as well as an action plan to implement good body language style into your recruiting visits.  That special report will come via a special e-mail later today. 

If you're not a SFC Premium Member, but want to receive the list, sign-up for a free 30 day trial of our Premium Membership.  Register anytime between now and Friday to receive the expanded report of body gestures to be on the look-out for during a recruiting visit.

Body language is a great way to gauge how your prospect is responding to what you're telling them, but you have to be very aware of what to look for - and, what you're communicating to them.