Getting a "yes" from your prospect is the number one goal of college recruiters.  Many coaches use the month of July to scout new prospects, and strengthen the communication between themselves and existing recruits.

All in an effort to get the "yes".

Last week, I outlined three strategies for bettering your chances for hearing "yes" after all of your hard recruiting work is said and done.  Today, I want to give you another two tips for communicating effectively with your prospects.  Try these techniques as you outline your future recruiting strategies for your team this coming year:

YES STRATEGY #4: Build a bridge with your prospect 

Most communication experts from the business world urge negotiators NOT to push against resistance that you might be facing. Rather, they say, involve your prospect by incorporating his or her ideas into your solution that you are offering.

You want to avoid, at all costs, "winning" a recruiting negotiation by making the other side feel like they're making a concession. In fact, you want to avoid "winning" the negotiation in a recruiting situation.

Instead, let the other side feel like they own the victory, to share only if they are willing. In short, let them "save face" and retain control over the decision to go along with whatever it is you've suggested during your recruiting efforts.

What it means to your recruiting conversation: This is a no-brainer. You can never force-feed a recruiting commitment. The moment your prospect feels he or she is losing control over the decision, you've lost them.  And, the same rule holds true for their parents.

Remember, you're asking your recruit to take a risk when they commit to coming to campus or even when they answer your phone call and agree to have a conversation with you. Give them reasons to feel good - and safe - by taking that chance. Generous assurances, instant gratification or benefits and a straight-forward honest discussion right from the start can all help make this happen.

YES STRATEGY #5: Make it really hard for them to say no.

"Bring your opponent to his senses, not to his knees."  That's sound advice, and college coaches should remember it every time they start communicating with a new prospect.

In many ways, your recruit is your "opponent", at least at the start.  You are starting from two different ends of the recruiting spectrum, and one of you is going to have to move in the other one's direction.  If you want to sign your prospect, it's going to be essential that you get them to feel comfortable moving towards your direction. Remember, you're not looking to punish them for saying no. You're looking to show him the "cost" of not saying yes.

What it means to your recruiting conversation: Try this tactic elsewhere in your recruiting approach, but especially as you get ready to move your prospect towards the close. Think of it as an inversion of the classic problem-solution lead.

That is, you open by stating a big problem (they are searching for the right place to play college sports).  You offer a big solution (a place where they're wanted and an attractive offer).  And then, when it comes time to seal the deal, you back off in the middle of the close and restate the problem again. But this time, as a contrasting backdrop for the solutions you've presented.

By restating the dangers or risks of not saying "yes", you reinforce the logic and benefits of what you are offering them.  This strategy is one of the primary themes that we help college coaches develop when they bring us in to develop a winning recruiting message in order to get those "next level" athletes that might be the difference between middle-of-the-pack or a conference title.

Remember, when you do this you are not doing it as a threat. Rather, as a way to make the positives of your offer stand out, sharpened by the comparison.

Coupled with the previous three "yes" strategies, you now have five unique ways to move your prospect towards a positive outcome in your recruiting situation.

So the question for you, Coach, is simple: Which one of these strategies can you start using immediately to better position your prospect to say "yes" at the end of all of your hard work?  Only you can answer that one!

These five "yes" strategies will be one of the primary focuses of our upcoming 2009 Recruiting Kick-Off Conference in Dallas, Texas on August 1st and 2nd.  Lots of coaches have reserved their seats...have you?  If not, get all the details by clicking here.  The deadline for the early registration $50 discount is July 10th...just a few days away!