Sometimes, college recruiting turns into a non-stop whirlwind of phone calls, letters and fighting to get commitments from recruits. That's true in D1 football or NAIA soccer.

Likewise, a lot of coaches get bogged down in the details of recruiting. Those phone calls, letters and fighting to get commitments often result in lists, contact tracking...all of the stuff that takes a toll on giving your recruits that personal touch they crave.

That toll can also result in the loss of key recruits. Especially the ones that have a number of schools pursuing them...how do they choose between the offers? More often than not, it comes down to a "personal connection" they feel with a coach at a certain school.

One great example of a coach who has the "personal connections" thing down cold is Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer. Coach Beamer has to compete with other ACC powerhouse programs like Florida State. And yet, with his school tucked away in the Appalachian mountains, Beamer is competing with other more prolific programs.

How does he do it? By making those coveted "personal connections."

An example that sticks out in my mind is when Coach Beamer recruited Victor Harris by making a personal connection. Harris, who is a starter for Virginia Tech, was being recruited by Beamer (and other coaches) in high school. Coach Beamer made a personal visit to Harris' home one night when things suddenly went wrong.

A kitchen fire had started. Harris, concerned for his mom and younger siblings, covered the pot which had caught fire on the stove with a blanket and carried it out the back door. Along the way, the fire spread to Harris' arm, burning him badly.

Suddenly, Coach Beamer went from recruiter to father figure. He helped get Harris to the hospital. He comforted him. Encouraged him. Made sure everything was OK. There was also a natural connection that was made because of the accident.

You see, Frank Beamer had also been a burn victim as a young boy, disfiguring his neck and part of his upper body. Beamer was able to use his experiences to encourage the recovering Harris, as well as make an all important "personal connection" that aided his recruiting efforts with Harris. As Harris remembers, "when I was thinking about what college to go to, it was just obvious. I had a connection with Coach Beamer...I wanted to be a part of what he had going at Virginia Tech."

I'm not saying that Coach Beamer used this horrible accident years ago as some kind of veiled recruiting tool. I really believe at that moment of crisis, Beamer was doing what came naturally for him - he just cared about a young man and his circumstances. But it's a great example of what can happen when coaches take the time to become involved in an athlete's life. Really take the time. Not being rushed, not getting to the next prospect on a list...just taking the time to make that personal connection that ends up being the deciding factor for many athletes when they're choosing a program.

I've seen lots of coaches use simple, effective personal techniques at different colleges I've had the opportunity to work with over the years.  Here are some ideas for you to think about:

• Personal letters and notes to mom and dad.
• Inviting their high school coach to practice and then out to dinner.
• Making sure to use their name a lot when they are talking to them (people love hearing their own name spoken by someone else!)
• Surveying them before they come on campus to see what they would want to do and see during their visit.
• Have athletes from other teams come up and introduce themselves during a campus visit.
• A light touch on the arm while speaking with a prospect in person.

Those are just a few random ideas I've seen work wonders for different coaches around the country when we conduct our On-Campus Workshops for athletic departments and coaches.  Do you see how some of these little things could add up to big dividends for coaches who use them? 

Think back to the last five prospects you talked to, Coach. Did you take time to really hear what they are looking for in a college? Did you shoot the breeze for a little while before you dove in to all the great things there are to list about your school? Did you really take some time to make a personal connection with your prospect?

Coach Beamer should be an inspiration to everyone out there who's school isn't located in paradise, or has a much more prestigious competitor down the street, or whose facilities aren't the best in the conference.

Frank Beamer built Virginia Tech using a personal approach to recruiting. You can, too.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 09:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It really is the “nightmare scenario” for college recruiters.

You spend months – if not years – putting time and effort into recruiting a prospect.  There has been home visits, campus visits, going to their games and generally rolling out the red carpet for them in an effort to lure them to your campus.

The nightmare happens when all of that hard work goes down the tubes after your athlete, who has been bombarded with information and sales pitches from other schools besides yours, decides to go to another school based on a less than logical reason.

These “recruiting tie-breakers”, as I have come to call them, can be something insignificant to you as a coach, but important in the eyes of your recruit.  These trivial little things are used to “break the tie” in your prospect’s mind, since everything they’ve received and heard from coaches recruiting them looks and sounds the same.  With all else being equal in their eyes, your prospect will “break the tie” in their mind by choosing something that appeals directly to them personally.

After talking with hundreds of student-athletes as a part of the research that we do for coaches when they host a SFC On-Campus Workshop, there have been a few consistent winners when it comes to things that breaks the recruiting tie in their mind.  Here are the three most popular (see how many you have working in your favor):

Cool uniforms.  I can give you a real recent example of a big-time recruit finally committing to his school because of the uniforms.  LaGarrette Blount, a new signee for the University of Oregon, was recently interviewed by ESPN.com about why he chose to go far away from the SEC and good Southern home-cooking to go play for the Ducks: 

Obviously, Blount tapped Oregon over other suitors for a variety of more substantive reasons, but listening to his detailed explanation of what he likes about the uniforms makes it clear the issue isn't a trifle for him.  "We don't wear the same thing twice -- I love that," he said. "I don't want to play for a sluggish-looking team."

As the saying goes, “If you look good, you play good”.  That applies to recruiting, as well.  Creating a feeling that your program is investing in how the athletes look is important to your prospects.

Dorms and campus food.  Nice on-campus housing is more important to female athletes, it seems, and food is a priority for the male student athletes we’ve talked to this past year.  Both are important “tie-breaking” factors for either group, however.  I’ve interviewed student-athletes who have raved about the food on their campus, and they’ve also given me great details about the wonderful living conditions on campus.  Don’t think you have great dorms or great food on your campus?  Don’t worry.  Interestingly, when dorm life and the campus food were not listed as plusses for the university, it didn’t do much harm for that athletic program in the eyes of the student-athletes.  Student-athletes will forgive you for dorms and so-so food.  However, if you can swing it the other way and make your on-campus housing and food something that gets them buzzing, you’ve got a real solid tie-breaker working in your favor (IF you make sure to let your prospects experience that great food and unbelievable campus housing).

Your athletes.  In our report, “Inside the Mind of Your College Prospect”, we go into great detail about how vital it is for your prospects to have a positive experience with your existing team when they visit your campus.  The study’s findings are supported by our personal interviews with hundreds of current student-athletes on college campuses: Overwhelmingly, one of the prime reasons they cited for their decision was how they felt around the team when they visited campus, and whether or not they felt like they were liked by the team.  Your current athletes hold the keys to a successful campus visit and, ultimately, a successful recruitment of that prospect.

By the way, if you’re a SFC Premium Member, look for some tips on how to make sure your prospects understand what your school’s “tie-breakers” are and why they should choose you over the competition.  And, I’m also going to tell you about two more tie-breakers that prospects and your current athletes think are important.  Look for that in your Inbox later this week, and if you aren’t a Member, click here.

IMPORTANT NOTE: These are tie-breakers, and doesn’t mean that location, your division level, playing time and the education you provide aren’t vital in the decision making process.  On the contrary, those are all items that you would want to use to sell your prospect on your school. 

The real challenge for you as a recruiter? To create compelling reasons for a prospect to see clearly that you are his or her top choice before it gets to the tie-breakers.  Communicating and marketing yourself and your program effectively, in a way that connects with the student-athlete, will win every time.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 08:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Let's jump straight to the point, Coach:

When you hear mom and dad say something like, "Oh, our son/our daugther is going to make the decision on his own/her own.  It's their decision.  We'll support it no matter what he/she decides."

Sound familiar?

Here's the truth, Coach: Most of the time, mom and dad (and even your prospect's coach) isn't just standing by silently, waiting on the sidelines as the student-athlete they've catered to and coddled makes the decision of their life.  Trust me, they are right in the middle of the decision-making process.

Our study on how your prospects make their final college decision resulted in several interesting findings, among them this fact: In more than 9 out of 10 instances, your prospect's parents are listed as a very important or important outside factor in the final decision your prospect makes. 

And close behind is another group, their high school and club coaches: 8 out of 10 of your prospects said that they were also very important or important outside factor in their prospect's decision.

My point?  When parents and coaches say that they are staying out of the decision making process, they are probably not being truthful.  Even if they are doing their best to stay out of the process, the athlete is going to look to them for advice and direction.  In the end, when it's cruch time, count on them asking, "Mom, dad, coach...what do you think?"

It's CRUCIAL that you understand who is in on the decision making process, Coach.  Here are some quick tips for finding out who is really in on making the final decision:

• Start with the coach.  Since he or she is the hardest to get a hold of and develop a relationship with, start with the coach.  Your goal should be two-fold: First, to get their opinion on the athlete you are recruiting and make them feel like their opinion and assessment matters as you recruit their athlete.  Second, to build a relationship with them.  You know you need to do a better job of networking with coaches who could be feeding you news and information on future prospects, And, you want them to recommend you if your prospect goes to them and asks, "What do you think, Coach?"
• Understand the parents from top to bottom.  If you aren't recruiting the parents, like we teach you in our "Building a Winning Recruiting Message" workshops, you're missing out on a big part of the decision making process.  Here's what you need to ask them:
• "What do you see as your main concerns when it comes to watching your son/daughter pick a school?"
• "What do you want to see happen as you go through the recruiting process with your son/daughter?"
• "What's your family's timeline for making a final decision?"
• Get inside the head of your prospect.  You need to try to understand how they are going to make their decision, and who is going to help them do so.  Getting their view on who they will rely upon for help in making their decision.  Are they close with their parents?  Do they want to stay close to home, or move far away?  Don't skip past their motives and feelings when it comes to their parents, and how they will look to them (or if they will look to them) for advice and direction.
• Ask the big question.  "Who are you going to rely upon most to help you make this decision?"  Simple, but powerful.  It gets straight to the point, and gets you the information you need.  Once you find out who is going to be an outside factor in their decision, you can act accordingly.

You have to understand how each of your prospects is going to use their parents and their coach to help them make the decision.  Most coaches rush past this type of understanding, and go right to the selling. 

Don't be that coach.  Be the one that slows down at the start, takes time to get to understand your prospect's parents and coaches, and formulates a strategy for getting them in your corner as you recruit their student-athlete.

Because here's the situation that most recruiting situation comes down to: Your athlete sitting at a dining room table with his or her parents, and maybe their coach, and asking them "Where do you think I should go?" 

What the parents and coaches answer back to that question is up to you, Coach.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

After just fifteen seconds talking with one of our Premium Members on the phone, I could tell she was ticked-off.

She just found out that she had lost a recruit.  A good one, too.  One that I had helped her with in developing a strategy for selling that prospect on her school.  But it had all just "blown apart", in her words, thanks to a competitor who bombarded the prospect with negative recruiting over the last two weeks.  Now, this coach's prospect had doubts and was passing on the offer to come and play for the coach.

The best way to respond?  Certainly not with negative recruiting.  And not by acting defensively in responding to what another coach has said.  So how do you compete with a tough recruiter who wants a prospect just as badly as you do - and seems to be willing to say or do anything to keep that prospect from signing with you?. 

Here are my five ways to beat other coaches for recruits...tactfully, creatively and without slandering them: 

Find out what they like about the competition, then chip away at them.  Before you can chip away at the other guys, you need to know what your prospect perceives their strengths to be.  Ask them to list the strong-points of each of the other schools that are recruiting them.  As you hear the answers, reply to each one with a phrase like, "That's interesting that you mention that, because actually we are stronger in that area than them."  Then, list why.  Even if they're a bigger program, or more presitgious, this subtle reply works well.  It's important to note that I don't consider this negative recruiting; instead, its pointing out side-by-side comparisons between you and the other guys, and doing it in a professional way that accentuates your positives.

Have the prospect create their own doubt about the competition.  A good way to do this is to ask your prospect, "As you've had the chance to get to know these other coaches that are recruiting you, what are some things that you've noticed that you don't like that much about the coach, program and school?"  You might word the question differently, and that's fine.  But the point is to get the prospect to start actively thinking about your competition's weaknesses instead of their strengths.  Is this negative recruiting?  Hardly.  You are letting your prospect develop their own questions about the other program that is recruiting them, which is something that they may not have done yet.

Spend time really, truly connecting with your prospect.  This is a big focus at the "Building a Winning Recruiting Message" workshops we're getting ready to host in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston.  Connect with your prospect through your communication with them is essential if you want to block-out a competitor.  Most coaches are too focused on just "getting the sale" than they are about really connecting on a deep level with your prospect.  Ask thought-provoking questions of the athlete, and of their parents.  Spend time talking to their coach.  Invest your time in your prospect and the people that will help them make their decision, and try to dig deep into the non-sports areas of their lives.  Coaches who do this usually beat their competition, and you always come across as more professional than their counterparts.  If you need some good strategies on how to improve this area of your career, join us at one of these upcoming workshops.

Make sure you overcome ALL your prospect's objections to what you're offering them.  This is another big topic in our training guides for recruiters, and one that we'll be focusing on with our Premium Members later this Spring.  Why?  Because its the most important part of recruiting an athlete, and it may be something that your competition isn't doing.  Find out specific objections your prospect has, and make sure they get addressed.  If you want a free article on two ways to successfully address objections that your prospect brings up, click here.

Ask your prospect how they'd like to be recruited.  Here's what I mean by that: Tell your prospect you really want to tailor a specific recruiting conversation to them personally, and then ask them how they'll be making their decision.  What information do they need?  What questions do they need answered?  What's important to them?  What aspect of your offer (you, your program, your college) means the most to them?  Most of your competition doesn't ask these kind of direct questions.  But they should...they work! 

Competition is tough, and its only getting tougher as we head into the last few months of the 2008 recruiting season and as you start to recruit your 2009 and 2010 recruits.  Try using these strategies to start to get an edge on your competition in the battle for recruits, and let us know if we can train you further on any of these techniques.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 02:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This time of year, coaches are either really happy with how their recruiting efforts are going or they're desperate for some ideas on how to re-kindle interest from some of the high target recruits they were going after earlier in the year. 

There are a few reasons I think it's smart to try and go after this group of prospects:

• They're already familiar with you as a coach, your program, and the basics of your offer.
• They're still interested in playing college sports somewhere (assuming they haven't already signed with a competitor).
• They're probably feeling a little anxious about their plans for next year as we head into the early Spring.

So, how do you go after this group, get their attention again, and re-kindle the communication and interest in your program?

Here are three ideas on how to approach this group of prospects.  These are some of the strategies we outline in detail in our two recruiting guides for college coaches and are part of the agenda for our upcoming recruiting workshops you can attend, but we'll stick with these three "basics" to get you started today:

Apologize for the lack of communication.  Sure, its probably partly (or mostly) their fault for not communicating.  But as the person who is initiating the contact, and as the "authority figure" in the relationship, you need to be the one to apologize.  It will take the pressure off of them and open the door for ongoing communication.  I have found that this simple strategy works well for coaches because they feel like they're calling for a reason, and that they are using their "neglect" as a reason for the follow-up. 

Call with lots of urgency.  Be honest with them that you're looking to wrap up your recruiting efforts by the beginning of March or April.  Tell them that you've been waiting to hear back from them, but haven't, so you wanted to be a little forward and push the process forward.  Tell them that they are a high priority recruit who can make an impact in your program, but you need a final answer as to whether they are interested in pursuing a spot on your team.  I worked with a college volleyball coach a few weeks ago and we used this approach with a great prospect that was looking at twelve different schools, including my coach's school.  Since my coach was the only one that had called her with urgency and firmly "asked for the sale", she went with him.  The coach said that his prospect has since told him that none of the other coaches went this far in urgently asking her for a commitment, and was waiting for that final "push" from a coach.  It's amazing, isn't it?  We think we might be "pushy" in asking for a commitment, yet the athlete looks at it with a feeling of relief.  It gives them a reason to finally end the process.

Call with the assumption that they've signed with someone else, and offer your congratulations.  If they have signed with another school, you'll come off as a class act.  Make sure you take the time to ask two or three questions about why your prospect choose the other school...that will come in handy the next time you're selling against them.  If they haven't signed with another school, they'll tell you...and the door will be re-opened!  You'll still look like a class act, and you can re-kindle your recruiting conversation again.  If you do have the opportunity to talk with the prospect again about scholarship possibilities, make sure you use one of the techniques I listed above to get the process rolling again quickly.  Remember, you have a second chance with this athlete...take full advantage of it.

Persistence pays off in sales, coach.  Approach it smartly...you might be pleasantly surprised at what you end up with at the end of re-contacting all of your newly rekindled prospects.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 08:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Why should college Athletic Directors and coaches be concerned with their "brand" in the minds of fans, alumni and recruits?

Simple, says Rodger Motiska of Winning Recruits, a nationally recognized college sports design firm.

"Recruiting is about marketing and selling, plain and simple", says Motiska. 

"Marketing paves the way for the selling effort, which includes getting alumni and fans to donate to your program or getting a top recruit to play for your team.  The essence of marketing is brand differentiation...being preferred as unique and desirable."

And that's where the problem comes in, says Motiska.  His firm has been the driving force in the image development of top college programs like North Carolina State football, and helps A.D.'s and coaches develop the right message to "sell" their program architecturally.

"When it comes to the marketing side of the equation  the biggest mistakes most coaches make have to do with a failure to 'brand' their athletic program", says Motiska.  "What we mean by 'brand' is a series of key messages that define the team's program and articulating what sets them apart from their competitors.  By not defining their brand coaches make a number of mistakes in developing their recruiting tools that they use to 'market' their program to prosepective athletes."

The biggest mistakes in branding that Motiska sees regularly in college athletic departments?

Ineffective Letters and Printed Materials
"Their letters not only sound like everyone else's, they look alike too," says Tim Gilland, one of the partners of DJS Design and Winning Recruits.  "We've even seen letters where the coach's signature was rubber-stamped!  I'm sure that gives recruits a warm and fuzzy feeling."

Cookie Cutter Websites
"The vast majority of athletic websites are being produced by a handful of internet providers.  The sites all pretty much have the same format, the same types of content and the colors are changed to match the school's colors", says Gilland.

"If there is a page for recruits, it generally is pretty uninformative.  The pages generally tend to be either a regurgiation of the NCAA's recruiting policies or a form for recruits to fill out expressing their interest in being recruited for a particular sport."

Athletic Facilities Decorated to Look Like Everybody Else
"Decorating athletic facilities to make a favorable impression on recruits when they visit has been a major trend for over 10 years", says Gilland.  "Guess what? Because everyone is doing the same thing the only difference between schools is how new the enhancements are."

"And, to make matters worse, the 'decorating' usually stops at the front door!  Recruits enter the athletic facilities through a spectacular lobby only to then tour facilities that look like everyone else's."

Motiska and Gilland say their job is to help a college athletic department, and their coaches, wrap up their message into one simple-to-understand, compelling message that gets through to their audience.  The results so far have been impressive, and the firm continues to get inquiries from athletic directors and coaches who are looking for ways to spice up their "brand".

For more information on the Winning Recruits process, and how they can help your school increase the positive brand experience for your fans, alumni and recruits, contact them at 704.376.0803 or visit their website at www.WinningRecruits.com.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 04:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Anticipation is building for the new season of 'American Idol', the national talent search program that dominates the TV ratings world and generates water-cooler buzz from offices to locker rooms around the country.

But 'Idol' has a challenge ahead...and this is where it relates to three valuable lessons for college coaches and recruiters.

Last season, 'American Idol' saw a decline it's viewership.  They still did great overall, but their audience didn't respond to the direction that the show's producers took the show last season.  The show's judge that everyone loves to hate, Simon Cowell, pinpoints the reason for the struggles in this recent issue of Variety (my main points for you, as coaches, are in bold):

"The show has got to look better. It's got to be more fun as a show," says Cowell. "It absolutely comes down to the content of what we provide the viewers."

Exec producer Nigel Lythgoe concedes that mistakes were made last year. For starters, Lythgoe says the show spent too much time on big-name guest mentors and performers, at the expense of investing viewers in who's who (particularly early in the show's competish).

"We need to put our hand up and take the blame," he says. "We missed out on telling the best stories. If (contestants) were uninteresting, it's because we made them uninteresting."

As a result, "Idol" is looking to shake things up this year by spending more time on those contestant backstories.

"I want to give up that time and focus on the kids," Lythgoe says. "It's the emotional hooks that sell us, and get us watching every week. I don't think last year we were necessarily an appointment to view. There wasn't a 'I want to watch Bo Bice win' or 'I want to see Justin Guarini get kicked off' feeling to the show."

Already, the marketing of "Idol" has reflected that change, Liguori says.

"We've had our promos talk a little bit more about 'I'm from Nebraska, I'm a cotton candy maker,' and 'I'm from Oklahoma, I'm a cowboy,' " he says. "We're basically trying to set it up that this is a show about people with stories. ... It's about people who think they're good (singers) and (are) not, and people who think they're good and are great."

If you have already registered for "Building a Winning Recruiting Message", a workshop we're offering for coaches around the country, this is an important theme we'll teach you how to use.  Developing and building your message, and how your prospects will respond to it.

TV producers have the same job as you do as a coach and recruiter: To attract people to their message, and drawing them in to the point that they buy-in to their story.  As a coach, that should be your goal for the athletes that you've decided you want in your program.  Here's what this story about 'American Idol' can teach you about doing that: 

• Telling the best stories will result in signing the best recruits.  When I talk about "telling stories", I'm not talking about lying or making things up.  At the workshop we held in December (and the workshops we're getting ready for in the coming weeks) I tell the story of Lucas the Boy Scout popcorn salesman.  It's a great example of story telling that drives my point home: You have to give your listener (your prospect) a story to buy into.  Your story as a coach, your story as a program, and how that story involves them.  The best recruiters in the country take the time to create a story that their prospects can visualize and understand.  'American Idol' got away from doing that last season...and it cost them.  Is it costing you and your program, as well?
• It's all about the kids.  Your offer, and the opportunity to play for you as a coach, is all about your prospect.  It's not about you.  So your message has to be centered around them, and their priorities.  The best way to do that?  Asking great questions.  If you want to connect with your prospect, get them talking, and get them excited about what you have to offer, spending the first two or three conversations you have with them doing nothing but asking effective questions (not selling your program) is the best way to achieve those results.  Take a look at your recruiting letters and brochures, or think back on the last conversation you had with a recruit: How much of your message involved asking them questions compared with the amount of the conversation that revolved around you spouting all of the great things about your program?
• It's all about how your prospects feel.  If you haven't read our survey and study of this year's top prep prospects, and how they really choose their college, you need to.  We also talk about the importance of feelings in our two recruiting training guides for coaches.  If you have read any of them, you know the extent to which your prospect's final choice comes down to the way they "feel" about a program, and what determines that feeling.  I've often said that your prospect will make their choice based on how they feel, and then justify it with the facts and data that they learn from you.  So, the important question for you is, "What kind of strategies do you employ to give your prospects the feeling you want them to have about your program?"  The execs at 'American Idol' didn't ask that question last season, and it cost them dearly.  Is it also costing you, Coach?

You have multiple chances to solidify all three of these important concepts in the way you communicate to your prospects.  Making your letters look and sound different than they do now...creating good interactions via e-mail...focusing on asking the right questions when you're talking to your prospects on the phone. 

The great thing about making these kinds of changes is that they can happen quickly and easily, and don't cost anything.  It's really just about changing the way you approach your message, and how to make that message "stick" with the prospects you really want.

If you're interested in learning how to do what I'm talking about, I suggest you join us at one of our upcoming workshops that are close to you.  Click here for more information on those workshops. 

Posted by Dan Tudor at 09:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If they were Boy Scouts, they would miss out on some pretty important merit badges.  Why?  Because many coaches aren't prepared for every single prospect.

Here’s a real life example of what I’m talking about…

This story starts out with a recruiting situation involving a really good football prospect, and two D1 college recruiters.  I happen to know the prospect in the story, and his interaction with these two coaches has fascinated me over the past few months.

The first coach has his act together: He knows about the prospect, his family, what his interests were, and how to associate the prospect's needs and wants with what they're program had to offer.
He talks regularly with the parents, and has made contact with his high school coach.  The prospect has also told me that the coach spends most of his time asking questions rather than talking himself or his program.

And then there’s the other guy. 

The second coach, also from a respected D1 program, has apparently never been as prepared: He got the prospect's father's name wrong when the family visited the campus, didn't have any idea how many other colleges were interested in him, and hasn’t been ready to seriously talk about his school and why it might be the right choice for the prospect.  When the athlete started hearing from the two schools, the athlete was actually more interested in the second school.  But that’s not the case any longer.  In fact, the prospect rarely returns phone messages or pays attention to letters and e-mails he gets (sporadically) gets from the coach.

The morale of the story: Treat EVERY prospect like they're the best last hope for your program to reach the heights that you envision.

There are several things that go into “being prepared” to really, seriously recruit your prospect:

Run a Google search on your athlete.  What kind of press and attention are they getting?  What kind of articles have been written about them that might give you insight into their work ethic, their background, or their interests?

See what they're saying on their MySpace or Facebook page.  Social networking websites like these are THE communication method of today’s teens.  What to look for?  See if there are any references to their favorite college or if they’re talking about playing at a certain school next year. (The prospect I mentioned earlier in the article?  He has the first college’s logo as one of his main images, and has talked about the coach really positively.  Hmmm…wonder where he’s going?)

You need to talk to their high school coaches.  What makes the athlete tick?  What kind of an off-season athlete are they?  Are they coachable?  What about their leadership skills?  What are their athletic (and personal) strengths and weaknesses?  And, most importantly, what questions does that coach have for you?

You need to talk to their parents.  Yes, their parents.  Not enough coaches interact with their prospect’s parents when it comes to helping to sway the athlete to your program.  Recommended question topics: What kind of school do you envision your son/daughter attending?  How will they be making their decision?  What is their biggest fear about college?  Is this a place where you can see your son/daughter coming to next year?

You need to know who else they are talking to.  I’m talking about your competition.  The easiest way to find out?  Ask your prospect: “What other programs have you talked to so far?”  They’ll usually be very honest with you.  Another question that’s good: “What programs are you hoping to talk to in the future?”

Back up for a moment to one thing I said you should ask a parent…it’s actually a great question to ask your prospect, and it will do more than almost anything else to get you inside the head of your prospect.  Ask them, “How are you going to be making your final decision about where you’re going to play sports and attend college?”  They’ll give you a short (and probably) incomplete answer.  So you would then ask, “And then what?”  They’ll tell you a little bit more.  And ask them again, “And then what?”  Every time you ask that three word question, you’ll get more and more information than you had before.

Be prepared for every prospect, in every way, every time. 

Want to get live, one-on-one training on how to prepare your recruiting message for the prospects you really, really want?  Then you need to come to one of our 2008 Unfair Advantage Tour stops, where we are featuring our workshop, “Building a Winning Recruiting Message”. 

To find the workshop nearest you, dates and details – including comments from coaches who have attended the workshop – click here.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 10:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

You've probably heard the saying, "Work smarter, not harder."

Frankly, that's tough for a lot of coaches to swallow.  In sports, we've grown-up with the idea that the harder we work, the more time we devote, the more sweat we shed, and the more sacrifices we endure, it will pay off in the end.

In athletic performance, there's no question that's true.

In recruiting?  There's nothing wrong with recruiting harder than your competition.  But I think I could convince you that it's also crucial to recruit smarter than your competition, as well.

The smarter you recruit, the better kids you will get to commit.  The more proven communication techniques you weave into your recruiting plan, the better you will be able to tell your story and connect with the athletes you really, really want.  

So as you read this as we're starting the new year, let me give you a few suggestions - or maybe even "recruiting resolutions" - on how to recruit smarter in 2008.

Develop a 12-Month Plan.  Sounds pretty basic, I know, but as we continue with our "Building a Winning Recruiting Message" workshops in the first part of 2008, we're finding that coaches haven't built a logical, consistent plan that guides them through their recruiting efforts over an entire year.  You need to do that, coach.  Having a master guide that will keep you on track for consistent recruiting throughout the year. 

If you need help with developing a plan, stay tuned for news next week on our national workshop tour that you can attend.

Go where your prospects are.  Where are they?  Online.  Where do they get information?  Online.  Where can you get your message across to them before the summer after their Junior year?  Online. 

I'm talking about having a team MySpace page.  Having yourself on social networking websites like Facebook.  Writing a blog.  Posting team videos on YouTube.  If you want to reach today's prospect, you can't just rely on them opening your mail.  If you've read our special report, you know that just doesn't cut it.  More and more smart coaches are starting to look at their online exposure, and how kids are trying to find them.  My advice to you is to do the same thing.  If you need help, call us here at SFC.

Ask for the sale.  Make a commitment to ask early, and ask often.  Most coaches aren't doing it, and if I've been on your campus or you've been to one of our workshops, you know how valuable I think this simple strategy is when it comes to "sealing the deal" with a prospect.  Ask your prospect to come to your school, and commit to your program, every chance you get.  Its the simple - and smart - thing to do.

Make your mail and e-mail look more professional.  That's something that I've committed to doing as we start the new year.  I've subscribed to the same service I recommend for college coaches, which is Front Rush.  It's going to allow me to be a better communicator, better organized, and send more eye-catching e-mails that I can track more easily and keep better organized.  I think you should take a look at your e-mail and postal mail organizational system, and if it includes too many file folders and Post-It notes, you should take a serious look at a web-based organizational system like Front Rush.

Recruiting smarter isn't rocket science, and you can do some real simple things to start off the new year more organized, and more effective, when it comes to prospecting for recruits.  Are you ready to make some simple - and smart - changes to the way you recruit in this new year?

SFC Premium Members - Be watching your Inbox later this week as we give you even more ways to recruit smarter in 2008.  If you need one-on-one help with your plan for the new year, let us help you!  It's a part of what gives you the inside edge as a Premium Member!

Posted by Dan Tudor at 02:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Football's version of "the perfect storm" swept over Ann Arbor, Michigan this past weekend.  The Wolverine football program were the casualties.

In case you didn't hear, the Wolverines - favored by many to win the Big 10 title and challenge for a national championship - lost to D1 sub-conference powerhouse Appalachian State, 34-32.  Their potentially game winning field goal was blocked to end the game, and seal the fate of Michigan.

My thoughts immediately after hearing about the big upset turned to recruiting.  Of course, for Appalachian State, it's a boon to their recruiting efforts.  David beat Goliath, and that's a wonderful theme for the Mountaineers from ASU.

But what about Michigan?  What does a crushing upset do to the recruiting prospects of a D1 power like Michigan?  And what should you do if your program is upset by a lower division program that you're supposed to beat with no problem?

Those are all important questions.  I've taught workshops and have coaches who have ordered our two recruiting books at two Big 10 schools, but haven't had the chance to talk to Michigan football before.  So let me give them some free advice on how to handle this temporary crisis, and at the same time give other coaches some insight on how to handle disasters that strike your program during competition so that you can salvage your reputation and your recruits.

Here are my tips for Michigan football:

1. Use the loss to make the case that they need new recruits.  I would advise their coaches to contact their recruits immediately, take a "can-you-believe-that-happened?" approach with their prospects, give them some inside info on what it was like afterwards in the locker room, and then make this case: "I'm calling you to let you know that what happened Saturday is the big reason I'm really excited about you coming here.  I was thinking about you during the game, and realized that a prospect like you would have made plays that some of our guys didn't make."  Prospects are selfish and focused on themselves.  They want to be wanted.  Use a major loss or defeat as the reason that they need to come to your school; make them part of the solution.
2. Highlight the positives of how the coaches reacted after the game.  Stress the fact that your coaching staff cares about its athletes, and was more concerned about picking them up and sticking together as a team instead of lambasting them for losing to someone they were supposed to beat handily.  Talk about what great people your coaches are (hopefully that's the case) and how they were rallying the team afterwards.  Your prospects are looking for coaches who care about them, and are focused on making them better athletes and better people.  Use a surprising defeat to demonstrate that your coaches are class acts even in the midst of a temporary crisis.
3. Answer any questions they have about the loss or the program.  Spend time talking about it and make sure that you ask them what they thought...what they saw...what they would have done differently.  Like we talk about in our two books for recruiters, you can take an uncomfortable situation and turn it into an insightful conversation about the athlete and their role in your program if they choose your school.  Effective, open-ended questions are the key to this, so spend time listening to their answers and gauging how much of an impact the loss had on their view of your program.

When disaster strikes, the biggest mistake coaches can make is to run away from it.  And by the way, I don't think the coaching staff at Michigan will do that.  But its times like these that can provide an opportunity to impress prospects. 

The truth is, an upset loss isn't going to sway decisions in most cases.  Why?  Because they aren't there yet...remember, its all about them.  They aren't part of your program, so they aren't connected with the loss in the same way you are, coach.  To be effective in using a loss like this to benefit your recruiting, step back and disconnect from the program for a moment.  Don't be a representative of the program, be a friend who is focusing on what your prospect thinks.

You can turn disaster into a positive when it comes to recruiting.  But to do so, you've got to act immediately, and be smart in the way you talk to your prospects following the kind of Saturday that Michigan football went through.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I had the chance to train another staff this past week during one of our popular SFC On-Campus Workshops.  It was a great session, and I think we gave the staff some great techniques to use in their upcoming recruiting season.

One of the things that one of the coaches really wanted was a recruiting "system".  Instead, what we gave them was help in developing a strategy.

So, what's the difference between a system and a strategy?

Simple.  A system is something that you plug yourself into.  Sometimes systems work, sometimes they don't.  I don't like those odds when it comes to competitve college recruiting, do you?

A strategy is completely different.  It's something that engages.  It adapts.  It treats each prospect in a unique way.  It's a game plan, not a crap shoot. 

Here are the nine components of any successful recruiting strategy that you can use to bring in the recruits you want this year:

1. Make a connection.  We talk about this principle at length in "Selling for Coaches", our guide for college sports recruiters.  Why is it so vital?  Without a connection between yourself and your prospect, nothing significant will happen.  Not a lot of interest from your prospect, not a lot of progress in getting them interested in your program...not much of anything.  You have to connect first, and then start recruiting.
2. Make appointments.  Do you set up times to talk with athletes and parents that you are pursuing?  Why not?  A pre-set appointment can not only help block out your competition from contacting your prospect, you can assure that your prospect is making time for you.  Wouldn't it be nice to not have to hunt down your prospects?  Start making appointments with your prospects and take the guesswork out of phone calls and other communication.
3. Prepare to recruit them.  Have you seen video?  Talked to their coach?  Have you "Googled" them to see if you can get any background information on their athletic career?  Have you seen what information you can find on their MySpace page if they have one?  There are lots of things you can do to prepare for your recruitment of an athlete.  The more you do to prepare for each athlete, the better your chances are for landing that athlete.
4. Engage your prospect in a way that gain's their interest.  I know that you talk to your prospects and give them information.  But is that really engaging your prospect?  Does it really gain their interest?  Today's teenagers are a tough bunch to get through to.  If you're still relying on media guides and long, boring letters to do the trick,,,well, you probably know that it doesn't work all that well.  It's time to change the way you talk to your prospect.
5. Prove the value of what you're offering.  Can't offer full ride scholarships?  Aren't located in a great setting?  Don't have the major your prospect wants?  Focus on what you can offer them instead of what you can't, and then make the case that you're the best choice.  Prospects look for lots of different things in an offer, not just money.  If you need help in determining what your program's strong-points are, e-mail me at dan@sellingforcoaches.com.  We'll get to the bottom of what you can offer your prospect, and what you should stress in your recruiting strategy.
6. Agree along the way.  Gain agreement on what comes next in the process.  Agree on when they'll make their final decision, and how.  Agree to a time for your next conversation.  Agreement along the way makes the next phone call and the next step much easier, and you stay connected with your athlete during each part of your recruiting strategy.  Plus, your prospect will actually appreciate your efforts to keep them in the loop along the way and not guessing as to what is going to happen next.
7. Deliver what they want.  You're there to be a problem solver.  You're there to give them what they want and need to make a decision.  Make good on your promises to them.  Answer all of their questions.  You gotta deliver, coach.  The more you do, the more they'll look at you as the logical choice for their college athletic career.
8. Providing great "customer service".  You need to think of yourself as a business.  And your prospects are your customers.  So, let me ask you: How is your customer service?  Are you friendly, helpful and seen as a problem solver?  Your "customers" are free to choose you, or another program that provides better "service".  Take a look at what you're doing to serve the athletes you're recruiting.  Would you be a satisfied customer of your program? 
9. Creating an environment that creates an excitement about what you're offering, and makes them see you as the only real choice.  Overall, is your approach with each athlete an exciting, informative, and compelling?  That's what its going to take to sign the best of the best.  Are you creating that kind of an environment?  You'd better be, coach.

Do you see the difference between a strategy and a system?  A strategy is unique to each prospect, and addresses their personal concerns.

As I've said a hundred times before in these weekly newsletters, its all about them, coach.  Your strategy has to address their individual wants and needs, and answer the questions that are important to them (not you).

Make sure you're developing a strategy as you approach this season, not just a "system".  There's a big difference.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)