Whether it's on your campus, or in their home, a personal visit is number one on your prospect's list for determining if your program is the right one for them.  Our national study rates the face-to-face communication you have with a prospect will determine what kind of chances you have at signing them to play at your school.

So, once you get in front of them, what's next?

What do you need to do to prepare for the visit, and make sure that its successful in leading to the athlete committing to your school?

Here's a list of seven things you need to make sure you have as you head to your face-to-face meeting with the prospect you really want to sign:

1. Print out their personal and athletic information that you can impact. Type their name into a Google search and see what comes up (you might be surprised!).  Get all of his or her information in one place - what you've printed from the web, the questionnaire that they filled-out, his transcript...everything.  Go in prepared with everything you can find on them.  These are the pages that frame your ideas for how your your program are best for your prospect.  Use this info to create an individual approach for each prospect. 

2. Be prepared to find out, and talk to, the real decision makers. Just because you're talking to the prospect doesn't mean you are talking to the primary decision maker.  Are you a Division III coach?  I can guarantee you that in most cases, the parents are heavily involved in making the final decision (after all, they are paying for it!).  Are you a Division I coach?  Guess what: The parents are heavily involved in that decision, too.  It might be their dream to have all those travel teams and club practices pay off with a big D1 scholarship.  My point is this: Make sure you get a personal meeting with EVERY decision maker involved.

3. Come up with at least five questions that you don't understand about your prospect.  Be curious, and show them that you're really interested in digging in to what makes them tick.  For example, you might ask "What kind of schedule do you have to keep focused on to earn a 4.2 grade point average?"  Or, "How in the world did you shave five seconds off of your time in just a few months?"  Be amazed in front of them, and make it all about them. This will give you an opportunity to create meaningful dialog with the prospect. This will give you conversation ideas and questions that relate directly to the prospect.

4. Have three killer questions you are CERTAIN your competition is not asking. This will create "buyer engagement" and respect.  Good questions are key to connecting with your prospect and setting you a part of every other coach that is recruiting them. 

5. Have two ideas that the prospect will benefit from. Something that they'll get that's meaningful for them by signing with your program.  If you bring an idea to your meeting, it shows you’ve prepared, and it shows you have genuine interest in helping them.

6. Bring your laptop computer with wireless Internet capability. This gives you the ability to access any information you need in seconds.  Sounds basic, I know, but a laptop computer should be part of your aresenal for any visit.  "But my school doesn't provide me with a free laptop, Dan."  Then plan on purchasing your own.  This is your coaching and recruiting career, and it's your responsibility to give yourself the tools you need to be successful.  If you don't have one already, get a laptop and start using it to help you be a dominant recruiter.

7. Have written or video testimonials to support EVERY claim you make about your program.  Keep those testimonials handy on your laptop, and on a separate DVD if possible. This will enable you to show and PROVE, not just show and tell. And it will enable you to leave a copy of your testimonials with your prospect.  Having other people back-up your claims in their own words.  It's powerful, Coach.

Can I wrap-up this list by telling you what your overall goal should be for a personal visit with your prospect?  Here it is, Coach:  Show them the value in your program, not the sales pitch. Be prepared to show the recruit how they gain and succeed from signing with your school.

For our Premium Members, I'm going to expand on this list later in the week.  But for right now, focus on the goal of the visit: Connecting with your prospect, showing them the value in what your program has to offer, and demonstrating how you will help them achieve their goals at the college level as their coach.

The only that's left is the campus visit.  A mere formality, right?  After all, they've basically been sold on your school through all of the stuff that you've sent them, right?

Think again, Coach.

In the vast majority of cases, the decision on whether to attend a school or not comes down to the campus visit.  We go into that in detail in our special report, "Inside the Mind of Your College Prospect", which details the decision making process of today's student-athlete that you are recruiting.

The topic was discussed in detail by Mandy Brettingen, a longtime college soccer coach and the resident sports psychology here at Selling for Coaches.  She helped us put together a list of eight key ingredients to planning and executing a successful campus visit at this past weekend's SFC Recruiting Kick-Off Conference.

1. The Atmosphere: Are You Thriving or Surviving?  In other words, when your prospect gets on to campus, are they going to see a program that is hanging on by a thread in terms of the team interpersonal relationships?  Or, is it a healthy, thriving team that has great team chemistry.  If the answer is anything other than "thriving", you need to begin building team relationships and doing things internally that will improve the atmosphere.
2. Get the Team's Insights.  Many coaches use their team for hosting and interacting with a recruit, but then don't use the team to help assess how well the recruit will mesh with the existing team.  Listening to your team in this way can help you avoid a bad mix of personalities that can damage team chemistry.  Remember...your team's opinion counts when it comes to adding the right new members to the team.
3. Going on the Campus Tour.  How long will the tour be?  Who will host it?  What's the schedule going to look like?  Coach, you need to plan out a campus visit in excrutiating detail.  Leave nothing to chance.  Since it all comes down to a great visit, you need to do whatever you can to ensure that they have a great experience.  And it all starts with a master plan that helps manage the experience your prospect has on campus.
4. Be Careful About the Class They Attend.  Part of a campus visit usually includes having your prospect attend a class at your college.  Here's an important tip: Make sure they go to a class that is discussion based, rather than lecture based.  Why?  Because discussion based classes are usually full of lively talk and opinion, which is something that they don't usually see in their high school.  Most come away with a positive impression with that kind of class, instead of sitting in something that looks and feels just like high school.
5. Let Other Athletes Know You Have a Visitor!  One thing that we discuss in our recruiting guides for coaches is how important it is to have your team, and the other athletes in the department, treat your prospect well.  That's the number one way they determine whether they get a good "feel" about the college.  Here's a suggestion: E-mail your athletes, and others in the department, that you will have a recruit on campus and if they see them with you or their host, that they should come up and say hello.  Sounds simple, i know, but the schools that do it report a really great response from their on-campus visits.
6. Make Sure There's Time to Just Hang Out.  When we interview student-athletes as a part of our On-Campus Workshops, they tell us that sometimes they feel really over-scheduled during trips to visit a campus.  Meeting after meeting, activity after activity...sometimes recruits report that they feel exhausted by the end, and still haven't had a chance to get a "feel" for the campus they are visiting.  What should you do?  Focus more time on just relaxing.  Let them hang out in your host's room.  Let them play games, watch movies, and just be a kid.  That's what they want.

There are actually three or four more tips for hosting incredible campus visits, but we'll save those for a future discussion (and if you're on the list of upcoming On-Campus Workshops we have, we'll go over them in detail with you).

Campus visits are vitally important to a great recruiting plan, and it takes planning and precise execution to pull off a really great experience for the prospects.  If you need help with planning your on-campus visit, just let us know. 

Coaches from D1 to D3, ranging from programs like Duke basketball to College of St. Mary cross country, learned about the latest recruiting strategies and shared ideas with their fellow coaches.

"I think the one thing that surprised me about coming here was how many good ideas I got not only from Selling for Coaches, but also from the other coaches who came here," commented one coach.

Several coaches made this their second or third conference they had attended.

Dan Tudor, President of Selling for Coaches, leads a session on overcoming objections that taught coaches how to convert objections into selling points, and to re-direct an objection into a selling point.

David Pickle, the NCAA Director of Publishing, spoke about the challenge that he faced in getting news and information to his audience - college coaches and athletic directors - in a new and different way.

Pickle gave his insights on how today's college coach can change they way they communicate, and why adapting your message to the changing times is essential if you want to keep your audience's attention.

Mandy Brettingen passed along her expertise in recruiting and sports psychology to the coaches gathered for the Conference.  Brettingen laid out some great ideas for coaches to use in team development and relationship management between players and coaches.  She drew from her successes, and struggles, as a college coach. She gave the audience some fascinating insights into what works, and what doesn't, when it comes to successful team building. 

Charlie Adams got the coaches pumped-up for a new season as we started day two of the Conference by asking coaches "What's Your Vinny?" (you had to be there).  Later, Adams gave his seven tips for using local media to help you recruit and build your program's reputation with fans, alumni and prospects.

Lots of notes, lots of sharing, lots of good ideas.  And, this year, all conference attendees get a post-conference eBook with all the notes, and all the new ideas to put together with their notes from the two days of learning.

College coaches collectively scratch their heads at what happened, and when it happened: When did their athletes change?  When did it get so hard to relate to them?  When did it get so hard to recruit them?  What's the secret to understand how today's athlete actually makes their final decision on where to play and go to school?

Those questions will be answered at this weekend's SFC Recruiting Kick-Off Conference.  Mandy Brettingen, a women's soccer coach with ten years of coaching and recruiting at the Division I and II levels, is tackling the subject that she has become an expert in over the years.

"Based on the interviews I've listened to and books that I have read about successful coaches (Mike Krzyzewski, Pat Summit, and others), there is a new shift in focus for coaches that is getting the most out of their athletes," says Brettingen.  "Traditionally, coaches used fear and intimidation to motivate athletes, coaches now seem to be focusing on developing strong relationships with athletes based on trust and respect.    I have found that when players feel like they are cared for, being listened to, know what is expected of them, and have a role in accomplishing the team goals, they will go to war for you and for the team."

Brettingen, now a part-time assistant women's soccer coach at Loyola Marymount University and a workshop presenter for Selling for Coaches, will be focusing on several key strategies for creating a cohesive team atmosphere:

• How players are changing, and what coaches can do to cope
• The importance of building solid relationships with your players
• 10 things you need to know about today's players that you are coaching
• How to make your players your #1 recruiters

"Working to develop relationships is most definately a challenging task," says Brettingen.  "However, the rewards for the coach who is committed to building relationships are more motivated, loyal, disciplined, and committed players."

I want to help coaches become more aware how important the coach/player relationship really is this weekend," says Brettingen.  "I also want coaches to able to walk away from this presentation with practical ideas that they can take back and apply immediatly with their athletes.  Then, better coach-player relationships should equal better recruiting becasue bottom line is that the players on your team are going to be your best salespeople.  They will be the ones who make or break you in your recruiting efforts."

Mandy Brettingen is a veteran college soccer coach and a Recruiting Solutions Consultant for Selling for Coaches.  Brettingen has a BA in Psychology from Macalester College and a MS in Sports Psychology from the University of Utah.  

Pickle is set to talk about the challenging task of completely overhauling the way the NCAA gets its information out to their readers at this weekend's Recruiting Kick-Off Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana (last chance to register!)

"We serve several important functions," says Pickle. "First, we facilitate the delivery of information that the membership needs to do its business – items like the NCAA Manual, playing rules books, statistical records and the like."

"Second, we deliver the news of the day. This includes material that the membership either needs or might want to be aware of. Third, we play a promotional role. In particular, our magazine is designed to enhance the overall image of college sports."

But a short time ago, Pickle recognized the shift in how information was being delivered and read thanks to the rapid advances in the way his readers were using the Internet.  "We began to examine the matter seriously in early 2006 when I became concerned that we might be generating too much paper and not getting enough results," says Pickle.

So the NCAA, lead by Pickle and his department, undertook the daunting task of changing the way thier message was delivered.  He will be talking to coaches attending the SFC conference this weekend on how they did it, and give them lessons on what they can do to adjust their messages to one of their most important audiences: Their recruits. 

"We chose apply various media based on their strengths and liabilities," explains Pickle.  "Paper, for example, permitted us the opportunity to create dramatic presentations and permanence, but it was a poor medium for speed – hence the magazine. The Web, on the other hand, provided us with the potential for immediate delivery. That made more sense for the timely, regulatory type content that might be hard to display attractively."

Just how hard of a task was it?  That's the question that's going to be on coaches mind this weekend, and Pickle is ready to tell them that while the task was difficult, the results were well worth the blood, sweat and tears.

"It took a lot of work, and there were times when I wanted to put myself in a time capsule and be transported past our January 2008 launch date," remembers Pickle.  "But we had the luxury of time and were able to go about things in an ordered way that achieved great results and acceptance. Some of  what we’re doing is still a work in progress, but I feel better about where we are now than where we were two years ago."

Pickle will be going into detail on the transition, how it happened, and how coaches can duplicate the NCAA's success in the way they adapt their message to their audience.

Simplicity. 

With today’s technology, that is what we have grown accustomed to (and, it is what we look for!). 

However, come August 1st, Division II and Division III will be joining D1 in banning text messaging, making it more difficult to communicate quickly (and conveniently) with recruits.

Or does it?

“With the ban on text messaging, coaches will be looking for alternate ways to communicate,” says Leidy Smith, President and CEO of Front Rush, a leading web-based recruiting contact manager.  “Fully-branded emails can send a dynamic and strong message to their recruits.”

There are some loopholes in the new rule for D2 and D3 coaches, which is the same ban that went into effect for their Division I counterparts last year.  Coaches will still be permitted to use email even though the messages are often accessible on cell phones.  The ban, however, does not stop athletes from texting coaches, but coaches are not allowed to text back.

According to the NCAA, the President’s Council agreed to support the ban after the D3 SAAC said coaches’ use of those technologies is an intrusion on recruits’ personal time.  The SAAC also believes that text messaging and other similar communications are intended for social interaction among friends, and that colleges should use more formal ways of recruiting.

“Now that the ban has been approved, coaches will just go back to emailing and probably do it more frequently,” says Smith.  “Front Rush gives them a way to manage that process and track their messages and replies.”  And, of course, there is no limit to the number of e-mails that a coach can send a prospect, or that a prospect can send a coach.

In addition, it also eliminates instant messaging, communicating through social networking websites, video phones, and video conferencing, forcing coaches to limit electronic correspondence with recruits to emails and faxes only.

According to a recent article on Scout.com, Kerry Kenny, vice chairman of the D1 SAAC said, “We believe that text messaging and instant messaging are both highly unprofessional in the recruiting process.  You wouldn’t use text messaging to contact an employer when searching for a job, and it’s unlikely that an employer would contact you with a text message to offer you the job.”

So, as you communicate more "formally" with those athletes moving forward, you can give your program an edge by using great looking, easy-to-use web-based contact management systems like Front Rush to put your best message forward.

“…so you want to extend your arms more and follow through with the ball.  I wish I had a way to show you.  Wait a second, let me go get my video camera  and we can download this to the computer and review it step by step.  I think I'm also going to send it to Coach Adams and get his feedback on it.”

 It's one of the most difficult aspects of your job as a coach: Training an athlete by trying to communicate what they need to change. 

If you struggle with this during your coaching, Dartfish can help with their ground-breaking video software designed specifically for coaches at all levels. They even have their own web sharing platform, Dartfish TV, so you can upload your videos and include tags, thumbnails, comments, annotations, analysis and keywords for everyone - you, your staff and the athlete - to review until they understand the change that is needed.  Dartfish has been proven to be helpful in coaching by showing the athlete what they are doing correctly when it comes to their individual mechanics, and what areas they can improve.

Dartfish TV is helping college sports programs in several ways:

• Save time and gain efficiency - your video content is accessible anytime and anywhere just by logging into your Dartfish TV platform and downloading the video you would like to view.  Whether you are in your lockerroom, or on the road, you can coach on the fly and teach through visual aids.

• You decide who sees what – whether commenting on a performance one-on-one, or sharing analysis with thousands, you decide who sees what by selecting who has access and sending them the link and password to your platform.

• Hit your target audience – create your customized channel on Dartfish TV and invite your audience to an unprecedented video experience so they can see what your athletic program is all about, and get the inside view on how you use technology to make your athletes better.  (Click here for an example of what USA Volleyball has put together using Dartfish TV!)

“We wanted to create a place where the athlete can experience the analysis”, says Ron Imbriale, Dartfish Senior Vice President, “Not only have we done that, now it can also be shared with others.” 

Depending on what type of sport you coach, Dartfish and Dartfish TV can help you.

Team Sports

With Dartfish software, you can capture and tag entire games to your computer live or after the action.  If you want to show a specific play, you can quickly retrieve that situation by categorizing the video to create an index of events.  It also includes user-friendly tools to help you make tactical analyses of specific game situations or technical analyses of players.  College coaches can also create effective motivational movies or prepare playlists of relevant events to show your team and other coaches using the Dartfish TV platform.  (Lots of college coaches use Dartfish's patented Stromotion technology to compare the mechanics of two different athletes). 

Individual Sports

With the visual support you get from this easy to use technology, you can improve communication with athletes by bringing them face-to-face with their own performances.  Dartfish allows you to easily integrate video during your training and give athletes instant visual feedback.  This helps make it easier for them to understand the adjustments they need to make according to your comments.  With Dartfish, you can make technical analysis of movement and performance by selecting key moments on the video, comparing them with reference clips and using drawing and measurement tools. 

“The Dartfish products have been designed for every kind of sport,” says Imbriale, “Whether you coach a team or individual sport, it will help you to reinforce your athlete’s understanding of your training.”

“Coach Adams responded with his feedback on the Dartfish video we showed him yesterday.  Let’s take a look.  He made annotations throughout the video so we can actually know which areas he is referring to.  I think this will help you understand a what I'm talking about a little better now.”

Distribute your videos.  Analysis. Multimedia presentations to other coaching staff. Showcasing your program and cutting-edge coaching abilitiesnew recruits, athlete’s families, fans, and alumni.  The Dartish TV platform can deliver it to college coaches.

Picture this, Coach...

You have your eye on that star athlete whom you would really like to see wearing your team's uniform next year.  You have written letters, made a couple of calls, but are looking for that extra edge to put your school on top as their number one choice. 

You decide to give the new Dartfish TV program a try.  You find some great footage of several key moments on your team last year, your big comback to win the conference title, and even add some images of life at your school.  You upload it to the Dartfish TV website and ask your targeted athlete to go and view it.  And whatta-ya know...after they see it, they get a great feeling about your school and decide to sign on.

Sound like something like that is too good to be true?  Think again.

That’s exactly why coaches in a variety of sports are raving about the Dartfish software and their new web-sharing platform, Dartfish TV.  This platform will allow coaches to upload videos of their sports performances and include tags like thumbnails, comments, annotations, analyses and keywords.

Even more impressive is the fact that some of sport's leading coaches and trainers have signed on to use the technology.  For example, the national governing bodies at the Olympic level will be using it this summer in Beijing. 

“When competing at the Olympics, every second counts,” says Ron Imbriale, Dartfish Senior Vice President, “and by using the Dartfish software and Dartfish TV platform, coaches can review recorded performances for training purposes, as well as share the videos with other coaches back home.”

With this new web sharing platform, college coaches can:

1.  Communicate with your current athletes in a private, closed group by showing specific game situations and analyzing their performances.  That helps coach through better visual feedback, improving their performance sooner.

2.  Show videos to recruits you are targeting to attend your school by posting them on your website or blog.  Giving your recruits a visual "inside" look at your program can make them feel more connected to you and your athletes. 

3.  Create an added service to parents, alumni, and fans by allowing them to view videos you want to share to the public by offering a subscription-type service. 

Dartfish contends that coaches need to approach their program in the same way that a new corporate venture might approach their potential customers.  “We have created Dartfish TV to help coaches build more of a business and a service”, says Imbriale.

With the new Dartfish technology, college coaches can allow their recruits to truly “experience” their athletic program by sharing memorable moments which will make them feel like they are experiencing it live.  And, once they are a part of a program that uses Dartfish, they will learn faster, train better and have access to the same technology that Olympians have.

To see a free demo of how Dartfish works, and how college coaches use it, click here.

You see, Chinese officials have been preparing for next month's Olympic games well in advance of the competitions. That includes encouraging restaurateurs to change the way certain foods are listed on restaurant menus.

You see, the name of a dish in Chinese (which usually has something to do with its appearance or origin) doesn't always translate well into English.

For example, one of the traditional Chinese names for a popular dish literally means "Chicken without sexual life" in English.  Sounds appetizing, doesn't it?  The alternate name that the government in China has suggested is "steamed pullet" (A pullet is a young chicken that has not produced eggs.)

Here are some others:

Traditional Chinese name: "Husband and wife's lung slice".  Alternate proposed by the government: "Beef and ox tripe in chili sauce"

Traditional Chinese name: "Bean curd made by a pock-marked woman".  Alternate proposed by the government: "Mapo tofu".

What restaurant owners in China have learned is that words mean things.  And what is acceptable to one culture, is foreign - even weird! - to another. 

For you, as a college coach, the way you communicate with your prospects all comes down to words.  Like I just said, they mean things.  They are important.  They can be the key to getting your recruit's attention, and painting a picture for them as you carry them through the recruiting process.

For you, Coach, your prospects are that "other culture".  Those teenagers you are recruiting are the foreigners who don't easily understand your native tongue.  It's such a huge problem that it's going to be one of the big topics we're going to teach coaches about at the upcoming SFC Recruiting Kick-Off Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana (haven't signed-up yet???  Come on, Coach!  Do it now!)

Here are some examples of words and phrases that might confuse your prospects that I see quite often when we are asked to review recruiting letters and other messages that coaches send out to prospects:

• "You have been recommended to us an a prospect..."  Huh?  Who recommended them?  How did you find out about them?  You are trying to be complimentary to them, but you know what they think?  Two words, Coach:  Mailing. List.  You need to spell out how you found them, or risk having them assume that they are one of thousands that is reading the letter.
• "Prospect Questionnaire"  Your prospect puts that phrase right up there with "History Test" and "Yard Work".  You are thinking "lots of good prospect information I need", while your recruits are thinking "15 minutes of filling-out little lines of information".  Wonder why you don't get a huge percentage of those back?  It's because they aren't presented in an attractive way.  How should you dress them up?  Change the name.  Make them shorter.  Ask different questions.  Frankly, anything other than what goes out to them right now would probably be fine.  It's time to re-translate that one into their native tongue, Coach.
• "If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me."  Really, Coach?  Do you think most 17 year old kids are going to feel confident enough to pick up the phone in between video games and talk about the scholarship possibilities?  Not likely.  That's why you don't have one prospect on the line and three more on hold waiting to talk to you.  You will have to approach them differently: Tell them what you want them to do, tell them when to call, and tell them why you want to talk to them.  This generation wants specifics.  That phrase gets lost in translation.

I only touched on three common phrases that don't register real well with your prospects.  Are there more?  Certainly.  And they are throughout the recruiting messages that you send out every week.

What I recommend you do is look at your messages through the prism of today's teenage culture.  Could you re-phrase something to connect with them in a better way?  Can you be professional, and still re-word some of your messages so that they prompt a better response from your prospects?

That's your challenge this week, Coach.  Before you start sending out the bulk of your recruiting letters, make sure they are "translated" correctly for your audience.  If you don't, you might be serving your recruits "pock marked lung slice chicken" and not even know it! 

The wrong words matter.  The right words can be your secret weapon to signing more recruits.

In fact, you could learn from it.  Here's what they do, and the lesson that's in it for you as a college coach.

When you go to Zappos.com, one of the most popular websites on the Internet to buy shoes, you have a choice for shipping options.  You can choose to have your order delivered via regular 6 to 7 day ground service for about $7, or you can choose next day delivery for $25. 

Most people, as you would expect, choose regular ground delivery.  But you know what happens in most instances?  They get an e-mail telling them that they've been upgraded to the next day delivery at no extra charge.

That's right, you get your shoes the next day even though you didn't pay for the premium shipping.  And they tell you, step by step, what they are going to do next.

Why is that important?  Here's why:

• They are telling their customers what they are doing for them.  No guessing, no wondering.  Zappos does a great job of keeping their customers updated.  That creates loyalty.  And, in cases where an unexpected delay occurs, there is patience and forgivness from those customers.
• They are providing their customers a clear, concise message.  They keep their customers informed, and do so with simple messages that are easily and quickly understood.
• They are giving their customers a pleasant surprise.  It's cool to get some unexpected good news.  That's what Zappos is giving their customers.  But it's not by accident...it's part of their marketing strategy, and a critical part of their aim to create fanatical, passionate buyers.
• They are giving their customers a reason to talk about them.  Those fanatical, passionate buyers I just told you about?  They tell other people about Zappos.  All the time.  Why?  Because they're different.  And different gets talked about.

Now, imagine yourself as running that business.  Do you see why you're successful?  Do you see why your customers are loyal, why people are talking about you, and why your business is growing?

Of course you do!  You have a marketing plan that focuses on surprising your customers with a great surprise, and doing it with a clear, concise message.

So why don't you take those principles and apply them to the way your program recruits? 

If you're on board with that concept, here's what I suggest you do next:

• Tell your recruits what you are doing for them.  Even the simple stuff.  Keep them updated.  They want that, and their parents want that.  No detail is too small, and it's best to do it with a hand-written card.
• Don't sell!  This is about you communicating with them regarding something that is happening for them behind the scenes: You're reviewing their video, you are talking with your assistant coaches about them, you are meeting with the financial aid office about their application...anything that's going on behind the scenes.  No selling, just informing.  That's the goal.
• Give them a surprise.  This one's the toughest.  it involves pre-planning a surprise...that little something extra...that your prospects aren't expecting.  Of course, I'm not talking about free shipping (unless you're shipping something to your prospect, which the NCAA would probably like to know more about).  It has to be something unique to your school, your program, or your plan as a coach.  Be creative.  And, make sure it is something good enough to get talked about.

If you want ideas on how to create recruiting plans that get talked about, I hope you can come to our Recruiting Kick-Off Conference this coming August 9th and 10th to Indianapolis, Indiana.  We'll be highlighting a lot of new strategies that will focus on setting yourself apart from the competition, overcoming objections, and closing the deal.

If you haven't regsitered yet, click here for more information.  If you're going to come to one SFC conference this year, make it this one!

"Most coaches don't do a good job of differentiating themselves from other programs," says Rodger Motiska of DJS Design, the premier college sports architecture firms in the U.S.

Here's what he means:

• Most coaches aim to get even with the "other guys".  They are so focused on the "we have that too" and "we're just like they are" speeches, they achieve their goal and end up the same.  The problem is, "same" is not a good thing when it comes to your recruits. 
• Most coaches don't pay attention to what's surrounding their prospects.  The environment that your recruit experiences when they visit your campus will go a long way towards determine the lasting impression you create for them.
• Most coaches don't plan their program's recruiting experience.  Programs that have brought DJS Design to their campus have used these experts to create a total recruiting experience for their prospects.  The surroundings, the architecture, the visuals, the storyline...most coaches leave a lot of it to chance, and end up paying the price.

There are a select group of college programs that have done amazing things by making sure that their recruits see, hear and feel something different when they step on their campus for their visit.

If you look at what they've done with their surroundings, you'll see the difference that great design can make. 

Click here to see what we're talking about...

I'm leaving a college in the Boston area on my way to catch a flight.  I'm running late, which was fine with me because many of our On-Campus Workshops do run over (there are a lot of you laughing right now as you read this...you know why I'm late, how it's actually your fault, and how close I usually cut it when it comes to getting to the airport on time).

I'm stressing out a little, but love the challenge of beating the odds for some strange reason.  Then, it happens.  The printed map I have doesn't account for a road closure I just discovered at the on-ramp I'm supposed to be taking to Logan International.  How do I find the right road to take, and also make sure it's not packed with traffic on a weekday afternoon?

I turn to Google. 

Don't we all?  Admit it...what don't you look up on Google these days?  But did you know that Google actually has a lot of great, free tools that you can use to make you a better recruiter?  Even when you are in your car?  It's true.  I know, because I use a lot of those same tools to serve all of you on a daily basis (and to save myself from missing flights thanks to unexpected road closures).

So today, I wanted to share some of these great tools, tips and tricks with you as you gear-up for a new year of recruiting.  These are good, and will help make your life as a recruiter much easier:

1. Google Maps for your mobile phone.  Back to my Boston mis-adventure for a minute: When we last left our poor Californian facing the closed on-ramp, he was reaching for his cell phone.  How did Google save me that day?  I had downloaded Google Maps for my mobile phone .  Let me tell you that Google Maps for my phone has saved me time and money over and over and over again when I'm traveling.  It's one of the best tools I've ever seen.  When I was stuck in Boston, I went to my Google Maps program, and typed in "LGA" for the Boston airport code that was my destination.  Google Maps for your mobile phone also comes with free GPS tracking, so it automatically knows where I am.  It then routed the best way for me to access the same freeway.  As I'm driving, a little blue dot (my car) moves along the highlighted route that it has saved for me.  It also gives me turn by turn instructions on screen.  I made it to the airport on time (O.K., just barely) and I have Google Maps to thank for it.  It's free, comes with everything I just mentioned, and is just plain wonderful.  You can get a link for downloading the tool to your phone, as well as watching a quick demo of the product, by clicking here.  I can't recommend it enough. 
2. Google Maps for printing directions and maps.  Google, in my opinion, provides more tools than other map programs like Mapquest.  It provides clearer maps, is easier to print larger maps, and even lets you re-route your path after it comes up with your suggested route just by clicking and dragging the highlighted road with your mouse.  Getting maps to a recruit's house or high school is easy when you use this tool, combined with the mobile version.  Click here to go to Google Maps.  If you like Mapquest, you'll love Google Maps.
3. Google Maps to track your competition's recruiting.  Want to see a national map view of where the University of Texas recruits are coming from?  Click here.  Or, how about tracking the entire ACC when it comes to football recruits, and where they are coming from?  Click here.  I could go on and on, but you can try searching for maps that meet your specific needs.  Since these are largely created by obsessed fans, there is no shortage of interesting data on your competition.
4. Use Google for free directory information when you are driving.  Never call 411 on your cell phone or from your office line.  The charges for this service are outrageous ($1.50 or more on cell phones).  Instead, get better information for free by using Goog411, the free directory service from Google.  Dial 800-GOOG-411 (800-466-4411) and use their voice-activated menu to quickly get the information you need, and connected to the number.  All for free.  You can see how it works and get more information on it by clicking here.  
5. Get visual landmarks for your next recruiting road trip.  I do this a lot, especially if I have to drive a long distance from the airport to a college.  You can get 3D satellite imagery from Google and "drive" the route from the air using Google Earth.  You download it to your computer, and then zoom in on any area on earth for a really detailed view of the area.  Again, this is a tool that has helped me a lot in looking for landmarks when driving in new areas.  Find out more by clicking here.  Gotta tell you, this one is just out-and-out fun to have on your computer.  Amazing, also.  Take a look.
6. Get free e-mail updates on prospects you are recruiting.  Many of you have asked about services that you can subscribe to that will send you news about the prospects you are recruiting.  If you want to pay someone to do that for you, be my guest.  Or, you can do the exact same thing yourself - for free - with Google Alerts.  You just type in the name of the prospect you are recruiting (or anything else you want to keep track of) and every time new information or news about that person or topic appears in a newspaper or on the Internet, you are sent an e-mail alert that gives you the link to the information about that person.  This one is a no-brainer for any college coach, and you can't beat the price.  See how it works by clicking here. 
7. Create a blog.  I've discussed blogging at length before here in this forum, and will also be spending a lot of time going over new tips and training on blogging for coaches at the upcoming Recruiting Kick-Off Conference this August in Indianapolis.  Every coach should have a blog.  Period.  I won't get into all of the many reasons why it makes sense, since I don't want to give away our new information that we'll be discussing at the Conference (have you registered yet, Coach?) but if you already know why it's going to be essential for recruiting in the near future, go to Google to create your free blog.  Click here to get started.

There are a lot of other Google tools that you might find useful in your coaching and personal life.  You can take a look at a list of them by clicking here (I also recommend Picasa and the Calendar programs, so take a look...they are great!). 

Using Google for recruiting can make your recruiting life easier, and more efficient.  And, these are tools that fit into any budget and are easy to use. 

So get familiar with them now, and get a jump start on learning to use these helpful tools as we start another year of recruiting!   

Even if you've been talking to athletes for a while now because of what your division level allows you to do, you might be feeling some extra tension as some of your competition revs-up into full gear to compete with you for the athletes you really, really want for your program.

So, whether you are a coach that's reading this just getting ready to hit the phones with your new prospects today, or you are a coach that has been talking to recruits for a while now, we wanted to give you some advice on what to say, how to say it, and when to say it.  SFC Premium Members got some inside tips and special instruction yesterday, but we wanted to continue the conversation with everyone today.

And, the advice you are going to get is going to be straight from your former recruits.  This is phone call and recruiting advice that we've gathered from this year's tour of different programs that have brought Selling for Coaches to their school for our On-Campus Workshop.  Part of preparing for a SFC On-Campus Workshop is interviewing groups of student-athletes on that campus, asking them what their coaches did well when it came to recruiting them, and what areas need improvement.

When it comes to recruiting over the phone, they have a lot of advice for you:

1. Be direct and to the point.  Don't beat around the bush.  Tell them why you are calling, what you think about them, and what you need them to do next.  Be very specific with them.  As a group, that's something that they all seem to be in agreement on when it comes to having coaches call them.
2. Keep it short unless they want to go long.  Most of your calls should probably be about 10 minutes long.  After that, you'll probably sense that you are doing all the talking.  If you get that feeling, assume your prospect has it as well and end the call.  On the other hand, if they are driving the conversation, feel free to go as long as you'd like.  Just make sure that they are doing most of the talking.  Which leads me to this...
3. Remember the 80/20 rule on your phone call.  You should aim to do about 20% of the talking, and have your prospect do 80% of the talking.  If that's happening, it means you are probably asking a lot of great questions and getting them to do most of the talking, which is always a good thing.  On the other hand, if you are doing 80% of the talking, you are probably busy selling your program to someone you have just met over the phone.  That's tough to do, my friend, and doesn't usually work.  The call needs to be all about them, not about you.  The best way to do that is to ask great questions and get them to do most of the talking.
4. Make your questions original.  Make them think.  That, in fact, should be the goal of the questions you come up with to ask: Make them pause and think.  If you do, you'll stand out from most of the other coaches who are calling them.  Are your questions different?  Are they going to make your prospect take a minute and think about their answer?
5. Ask "negative questions".  Here's what I mean by that: Instead of asking a prospect, "What do you like most about the team you play on?", ask them, "What is one thing you would change about the team you play on?"  Or, instead of asking them, "What kind of college do you think would like to go to?", ask them, "What are some things that would make you cross a school off your list?"  Sometimes, this generation finds it easier to tell you what they don't want more so than what they do want in a college.  Try it the next time you call. 
6. If you get an opportunity to talk to the parents, do it.  Our study on how prospects make their final decision offered a lot of surprising insights.  One of them was how much parents are a part of the decision making process, and how much their opinion is counted upon by their sons and daughters faced with making a really difficult, life-altering decision.  With that in mind, take the chance to connect with them if you happen to talk to them on the phone.  A positive impression with mom and dad could go a long way towards cementing your relationship with the prospect you are starting to recruit.

Later this week, we'll tell our Premium Members what to do in terms of follow-up after the phone call, and how to make sure they'll remember you from the rest of the pack of coaches that are hoping on the phone to talk to the same prospect you want on your roster.  If you aren't a Member yet, click here.  We'll make sure you get the additional training this week.

Phone calls are the recruiting tool that means the most when it comes to really connecting with a prospect.  Mail and e-mail provide some good background information on who you are, but your prospects put a lot of weight on what you say - and how you say it - over the telephone.  Make sure you go a good job from the start when it comes to making the right impressions with your prospects.  

A whole new batch of prospects are out there just waiting for you to write them or call them.  And you can't wait: Sure it's a mixture of pleasure and pain ("I wish I didn't have to spend all that time calling them" + "oh boy! I can't wait to call them!").  But all in all, July 1st is kind of exciting for college coaches.

But here's the question I'll ask you that you need to have a great answer for, Coach: What is it about your college, your program, and what you have to offer that is going to set you apart from the other 47 coaches that have the same prospects on their list?

That's a big question.  In fact, most of the time, it's THE question that has to be answered by YOU if that prospect is going to stay on your radar for more than a few days.  Coming up with ways to give prospects compelling reasons to seriously consider what you have to offer is a big focus of our upcoming Summer conference, "The 2008 Recruiting Kick-Off Conference" in Indianapolis this coming August.  We want you to start the new recruiting year off right by giving you new, innovative strategies to use.

But for now, I want to give you 9 questions to answer about what you're offering so that we can get you ready for July 1st and talking about your program with all of those new prospects.  It is crucial for you to have good answers for all of these questions, Coach.  Here we go... 

1. What is it that we're offering the prospect? A description. A list.  Bullet points, much of the time.  Take a look at your basic recruiting letter that you're getting ready to send out to new prospects.  It's got way too much stuff in it, Coach.  They don't care about most of it yet.  It's totally boring because the prospect already knows what it is: A chance to play their sport in college.  Why isn't that enough?  Read on, Coach... 

2. What will your opportunity do for the prospect? Another monolog. Another list. Totally boring because the prospect already knows what it does: It gives them a chance to play their sport in college.  There might be more to it, but in your prospect's mind they already know.  Strike two, Coach... 

3. How is the opportunity to play at your school something that is personal to them? Getting warmer, but still a little boring.  Notice how these first three questions are more centered on you than them?  That's the problem.  That's why you're boring them, and it's only July 2nd!

4. What’s the value of the chance to play for you? Hey, now we're getting somewhere! Now you’re getting the attention of the recruit. Does it increase their chance of being successful in life? Is it a chance to play as a Freshman rather than sitting the bench?  Is there something that your program can offer them that will give them something unique compared to other schools?

5. How will your prospect "profit" from coming to play for you? This is one of the most important nuances in the selling/buying process. The prospect does NOT want to “play it safe.” The customer wants to make a LIVE THE DREAM. They want the big pay-off that they've been working hard for all these years.  And wants to profit from whatever it is you’re offering.  Are you starting to see the difference, Coach?  It's all about them.

6. What’s the expected outcome of them coming to play for you? BIG one, Coach. Get them to visualize what the experience of coming to play for you will do for them after they make the commitment to come to your program.  Painting a picture of what their experience will be at your school requires planning and creativity, but if you can pull it off you're going to be tough to beat when it comes to recruiting great athletes.

7. What’s the prospect's opinion of it? You should want to know and understand your recruit's point of view as much as you want him or her to understand yours.  More so, actually.  Once you understand your prospect's opinion of what you're offering them, you'll be able to craft a customized message out to your new recruit that will speak directly to them in a personal, relevant way.

8. What do your current athletes on your team think of their experience at your school? If you know the history and what they think, you can more readily know what will resonate with new prospects (or what you need to correct).  You can find out more about how today's prospects choose a school by clicking here.

9. What’s the prospect's perceived value of what your program offers? This takes dialog. And, great questions.  Create it, and you will have a huge competitive advantage over your competition. Value in the mind of your prospect creates a "buying" atmosphere. Their perception of your program's value will result in your reality of signing the prospect.

Read through that list again, Coach.  Make sure you know the answers to each one of those questions before you get on the phone - or in front of your keyboard - to start recruiting that new batch of prospects.

If you can come up with pretty good really good GREAT answers to those questions, you're going to have a great new year of recruiting for your program. 

The 2008 SFC Recruiting Kick-Off Conference is slated to take place this coming August 9th & 10th in Indianapolis, Indiana at the beautiful Omni Severin Hotel.

This two day conference will focus on getting you ready for an incredibly successful year of recruiting by giving you tools, techniques and strategies for getting the edge on the competition.  We're focusing specifically on strategies to start the year off successfully, and ways to keep it going throughout the 2008-2009 campaign.

This conference will feature all new content, new speakers and new ideas.  Even if you've attended a SFC workshop in the past, this one will give you new information that you just can't get anywhere else.

Space is limited, and we've already started the early registration process, so if you want to be a part of this exciting and informative event we suggest you sign-up early.  Here are the details you need to know:

• The 2008 Recruiting Kick-Off Conference will take place on Saturday, August 9th and Sunday, August 10th in Indianapolis, Indiana.
• We will have a full day of information and training on Saturday from 9am to 4pm, and then again on Sunday morning from 8am to 12noon.  Those off you traveling by air will have plenty of time to arrange convenient travel based on this itinerary.
• We will hold the event at the beautiful Omni Severin Hotel in Indianapolis, near the RCA Dome and the NCAA headquarters.
• Registration is only $279.  PLUS, if you register before June 30th, we are offering a $50 discount off of the normal registration price.  REGISTER BY JULY 10, 2008 TO SAVE!
• The event will be hosted by author and noted recruiting consultant Dan Tudor, President of Selling for Coaches.  Dan will also be personally leading several of the new workshop training segments at the conference.
• The conference will also be featuring some exciting recruiting and collegiate sports experts, including speakers from the NCAA, motivational experts, and others.
• Workshop topics include:  "Overcoming the Objections You Hate the Most", "Learning to Sell What You DON'T Have", guest speakers from the NCAA talking about the future of recruiting, how to plan your recruiting year, how to use blogs and other "new media" tools to recruit, and much, much more.
• Travel costs, meals and hotel are not included in the cost of the conference.  Several economical hotel options are available in the area, including great rates at the Omni Severin Hotel.

Registering is easy.  CLICK HERE!

We look forward to seeing you in August at the great SFC 2008 Recruiting Kick-Off Conference!