I had just completed an On-Campus Workshop at a D1 college, and was starting to pack up and get ready for the drive back to the airport.

After most of the coaches had left the room, one coach came up with a question that I thought was pretty unique.  I don't know if I've ever been asked this before, although it's a great question that most coaches are probably thinking. 

She asked me, "Dan, how do I know when I should stop selling them on my program?  In other words, how do I know when enough is enough?"

I kind of stood there with my mouth half open and (I imagine) kind of a blank, clueless stare on my face.  I just didn't know how to answer her, because each situation is so different from the next.  But I penciled out some good principles to follow if you find yourself wondering if you've reached the point in your recruitment of an athlete when it's time stop selling, and ask for their commitment. 

There are some good examples from the business world that coaches can use to help form this part of their recruiting strategy.  In their textbook "Hospitality Sales: Selling Smarter", Judy A. Siguaw and David C. Bojanic said:

"If you have made a good presentation and the prospects are satisfied that the benefits offered will improve their situation, and are believable, any further presentation is overselling. Overselling can create, in the mind of the prospects, a feeling of disbelief as to the validity of the owner benefits. It can also result in the loss of favorable attention because excessive repetition of benefits and use of other motivational tools can lead to boredom or confusion, which, in turn, causes an unfavorable emotional reaction. "

In other words, "overselling" will kill a sale.  Just like "overselling" can kill your chances at signing certain athletes that you have spent a long, long time recruiting.

You can prevent this from happening by learning how to recognize the moment your recruit is ready to "buy" from you. If you continue to sell beyond this point, his enthusiasm for the product is going to wane. Not only that, but you risk saying something that will quash your prospect's interest in an instant.

Example:  You've got them convinced that your university is best, even though it's far from the prospect's home.  They're ready to commit.  But then you mention that the only thing you hate about working at the school is the 90 minute drive to the closest airport.  All of a sudden, the parents family's excitement about sending their daughter away to school turn to concern...they hadn't thought about that drive.  When they come to watch their daughter play, will they get tired of that drive?  Will it be inconvenient?  They start getting second thoughts...and you may have just killed your chances of converting all of that hard work into a new recruit.

In this regard, coaches who do their recruiting face to face have an advantage over those who do their selling via mail or by phone. By paying close attention to the effect their words are having on their customers, they can custom tailor each recruiting presentation. If the prospect looks doubtful, they can pile on proof of their claims. If the customer looks confused, they can clarify the point they're trying to make by restating it - over and over again, if need be.

And when a recruit begins giving signals that he is ready to buy, savvy coaches know the time is right to swoop in and close the deal.

These are the clues they look for in the prospect:

A relaxed position - arms open, facing the salesperson
Excitement in the eyes
Nodding the head
Oral affirmations - saying "yes," "right," "uh huh"

When you are writing recruiting copy for your letters and emails, you don't have signals like these to guide you. The same holds true for us here at SFC when we produce their recruiting campaigns through our Total Recruiting Solution program.  So, you have to find another way to keep your sales message on track. Here's what I recommend you do:

Put your recruiting copy through a peer review. Here's how it works:

You put together a group of five or six fellow coaches - ideally, experienced coaches and recruiters. Ask them to rate the various parts of your copy - the opening, lead, body, and close - and give specific suggestions for improving them. You also ask your reviewers to indicate any sections that are boring, unbelievable, or confusing. And you ask them to highlight the point in the copy where they feel ready to buy.

That point should be about two-thirds to three-quarters of the way through the copy. If it comes much earlier, you know you have to delete some of the "overselling" you do after that point and move directly to the close. (If it doesn't happen at all, you know you have to completely revamp the recruiting letter text and make it stronger.) 

Try this the next time you're working on a recruiting letter and see if it helps. (Or, ask us for help with developing your next recruiting campaign!)  Don't make the mistake that a lot of coaches make and "talk" yourself out of landing a great recruit. You'll be blowing a perfectly good opportunity...and you'll never know why.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 09:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

At our big Recruiting Kick-Off Conference later in August, we're going to spend some time talking to coaches about a great sales technique called "feel, felt, found."  Lots of you have told me that you've used this line of reasoning with your prospects, with good results.

For those of you who haven't heard us talk about that strategy at an On-Campus Workshop or other training event, the concept of "feel, felt, found" is simple: Let's say that your prospect is raising an objection about the location of your school...it's too cold for them, and they aren't looking to play at a place where it snows frequently.  You might answer them, using this technique, by saying, "I understand how you feel, Susan.  In fact, a lot of prospects that I talk to have felt the same way when they were first looking into playing at our program.  But what they found when they looked more closely was that it only snows here about a month out of the year, and its actually kind of fun to go skiing, snowboarding, and all of the winter sports you can do with snow on the ground."  That's the technique, and when its used properly it works wonderfully. 

But I'm also starting to hear back from some of you that while you love the concept, the exact wording of the "feel, felt, found" technique can sound repetitive if it's used too frequently.  So, here's another strategy that keeps with the spirit of the "feel, felt, found" technique while making it sound completely different.

Restate your prospect's objection as a question.  This is a great strategy that can get you out of "defending" a negative about your program, and get you into being a "problem solver" instead.

Here's how it might work, using the same example as I outlined above.  Turn the objection into a question:  "So really, Susan, your question is what are the advantages of playing at a school that get's some snow for about a month out of the year?"  Or, "So what you're asking, Susan, is why would you want to come play for us when it snows most of December?"  As you ask this question, it's important to nod your head.  That may sound like a stupid detail, but its important.  It gets your prospect to subconsciously agree with the premise you are re-stating, and helps to transition their objection into a question.

Once you've asked the question, you can use the same principles of "feel, felt, found" to lead your prospect through your answer and line of reasoning:

"That's a great question because a lot of prospects I talk to initially ask the same question about the cold weather during December and the fact that we get some snow."

"And you know how our players would answer you right now if they were here right now?  They'd say that its a blast and a great time of the year because they go skiing, snowboarding and do all the cool stuff that goes along with having some snow on the ground for a while.  In fact, most of them wish it would last longer...because the warm weather comes back pretty quickly."

That's just one example of how to use the technique.  You may already know that you can combine that strategy with a lot of other techniques to ensure that you don't sound like a broken "feel, felt, found" record in front of your prospect.  If not, make sure you attend the great recruiting workshop for coaches we have planned for August.  Add this technique of turning an objection into a question to your mix.  You will probably like the results!

Posted by Dan Tudor at 11:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One of the greatest skills that a college coach can learn to use when recruiting is a little talked about technique called "deductive reasoning."

Put simply, deductive reasoning is where you lead your prospect through a series of simple questions or suggestions that prompts them to come to the conclusion that you want them to arrive at, and they do it on their own without feeling "pressured" by you.

Coaches that attend our special recruiting kick-off conference later in August are going to learn more about this effective technique, and how to properly use it to reason with their recruits.  It's one of the skills that I reallly feel can benefit a coach in their relationships with their prospects.  

To use the deductive reasoning technique, take the following steps:

1. Identify your goal, Coach.

You must know precisely what you want to achieve in your interaction with your recruit. Your goal may be to get your prospect to admit that he or she shouldn't choose another school strictly based on a better conference that they are a part of.  Or, you may want to get them to verbalize their agreement that they should probably tell you what their final decision is within the next week.  The most important thing is to get them to identify a goal. 

2. Make a statement that leads your recruit to the conclusion you want them to come to.

The leading statement might be something like, "I'm sure you won't mind if we come up with a plan on when you'll make your final decision."  Or, in dealing with a prospect that's dragging their feet on giving you their decision, you might make a statement like "I'm going to try and give you all the time you need to reach your decision.  Then again, in a week or two we have a couple of prospects coming on campus that are interested in playing for us.  That's going to be tough to keep your spot open once they get here, because I know they're really interested."

That statement might lead your prospect to the realization that not giving you an answer might be a bad idea.  Their lack of a decision, in this scenario, ends up costing them.  But instead of you "pressuring" them directly, you can get them to come to that conclusion on their own.  Speaking of which, the final step to this process is to... 

3. Reinforce the logical conclusion your prospect comes to "on his own."

When the person you're using the deductive reasoning technique on comes to the conclusion you were hoping for, agree with him that he made a wise decision. You might even admit that you were thinking the same thing... and he convinced you it was the right thing to do.

This is a fairly easy-to-master technique, and I wanted to review it with you today because in the On-Campus Workshops we've been doing at colleges so far this Summer, it's a technique that would really be helpful to the coaches we're working with to become better recruiters.  If you want to learn more about this technique in detail, and other new training topics that we're going to be teaching in Indianapolis this coming August.  Join us!

Posted by Dan Tudor at 07:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I just returned from a great trip to Texas where I had the chance to work with twenty-one coaches who were a part of our latest workshop, "Building a Winning Recruiting Message".  It was a fantastic weekend, and I think the group picked-up some interesting strategies that they can start using immediately as they wind-up their 2008 class and look ahead to 2009 and beyond.

One of the concepts we talked about at the workshop was the importance of developing your own program's "story" - that history, as well as your vision for where the program is going, that will help your prospects understand who you are and what you're all about.

When I talk about your "story", maybe its easier to explain it this way: The best recruiters always find a way to give their prospects the equal sign in everything they communicate to them.

What do I mean by "the equal sign"? 

Expert marketer and best-selling author Seth Godin has a good example of the concept:

"A hundred years ago, food wasn't much of an industry. Today, packaged, profitable, processed food has transformed every element of our culture.

The Super Bowl is a food holiday. Visit (if you must) the local supermarket on a Sunday morning before the big game. That's the primary function of the event... to eat processed foods and beverages while hanging out with a group of people. Bonding via shared junk.

Same with a typical birthday party. Kids get validation from their friends (you came) and from their parents (yay, we get to eat junk.)

Marketing, when it works, transcends any discussion of the benefits of the product or the service.

Marketing, instead, is about the equal sign.

Many of us want fun and respect and love and success and kindness and hope. What brilliant marketers do is add the =."

O.K., so here's what all that means for a coach who wants to get great athletes wearing his or her school's uniform:

• That "story" I was talking about a minute ago?  It's important.  It's what makes the equal sign possible, actually.  The equal sign comes at the end of the story.  No story, no equal sign, and probably no recruit.
• Your impressive statistics, your great graduation rates, the new dorms...they all need the equal sign.  You have to help connect the dots for your prospect.  You have to make all of that great stuff about them.  To do that, you'll need the equal sign tying what you have to what they want.
• When you are developing your recruiting letters and e-mails, focus more on how your prospect is probably feeling when they read about your new dorms.  Focus your words and images on what those new dorms "equal" for your prospect once they sign with your prospect.

Here's what I want you to do: Take ten minutes and look over one of your recruiting letters or e-mails that you send out to prospects.  Do you do a good job of giving your prospect the equal sign when it comes to laying out your benefits, and what they mean, for your recruits?

The transfer of emotion from what you're offering to an athlete, and what they perceive you're offering that will give them what they want, is one of the toughest tasks in recruiting.  That's why it's easier to just dust off an old letter and send it out again.

Sure, it's easier.  But is it an effective way to beat your competition going after the same prospect?

Want to learn more techniques to develop killer recruiting messages?  Some of your competition already has...they've attended "Building a Winning Recruiting Message", our workshop for coaches who want to change the way they recruit (and they rave about the weekend!).

We have several workshops scheduled in the next few weeks, and want to see you there!  If you'd like to get information on attending our next workshop, click here or e-mail Dan Tudor directly at dan@sellingforcoaches.com.  

Posted by Dan Tudor at 10:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I was at the Rose Bowl this past Saturday for a football prospect combine put on my a well known recruiting magazine.  

There were two bits of good news that came out of my time there with 250 of the top football prospects in the country:  First, I avoided my usual third degree sunburn thanks to coating myself with SPF 50 sunscreen.  Second, I got a chance to chat with several top prospects during their breaks at the combine and camp.

My prime question for them: "How are you going to be deciding where you'll play in college?" 

The most common answer I heard:  "It's going to come down to the place or the coach that I feel a connection with."  If you've been in one of my On-Campus Seminars at your college, you know that how your prospect "feels" is THE key ingredient in how they make their final decision.     

Not surprisingly, lot of coaches ask us for help in relating and "connecting" with their prospects that they are recruiting.

A key technique to use in that effort is what I call "demonstrated understanding".  What is it exactly?  How can you use it to connect with more prospects?  Here is an excerpt from our best selling recruiting training guide, "Selling for Coaches", written specifically for college coaches on the subject:

Demonstrated understanding is a difficult technique because it involves true interest in your prospect and an empathy for his or her life situation, fears, motivations and dreams.  Its easy to forget, as a college coach, that you’re in the business of making dreams come true – and I don’t think that’s over-dramatizing it.  You may be sitting in front of an athlete who has worked hard and sacrificed to get where they are athletically.  In addition, their parents may have sacrificed to help get their son or daughter to this point.  And that “point” is sitting in front of you, hoping that you might fulfill a goal held for years – the goal of playing college sports, and perhaps a scholarship that will enable that athlete to get a college education.

In my past professional life as the founder and President of one of the nation’s largest athletic recruiting services, I saw first hand what a sports scholarship meant to most athletes.  Likewise, I saw some college coaches treat that dream with the respect and mutual excitement that it deserved.  I also witnessed other coaches who not only didn’t appear to care, but seemed to go out of their way to make the athlete feel like they were lucky just to be granted an audience with them.  Guess which type of coach usually got the commitment from the athlete?

My point here is simple.  It goes back to “connecting” with your prospect, and one of the best ways to make a connection is to really try to understand your prospect – their needs, their family’s needs, their struggles, their hopes, their dreams.  Not what you need from them, but what they want from you.  Let them know that you understand their “want” and have a solution to satisfy that “want” and you’ve created a very strong barrier for any other coach to try and breach.  Conversely, if you don’t take the time to understand that “want” you leave the door open for another coach to come in and do so.  If that happens, who’s going to get the athlete?  You, or your competition?  You know the answer.

"Demonstrated understanding" is just one of three components we talk about in Selling for Coaches as being keys to connecting with your athlete, and being "genuine" in a way that helps you recruit the athlete more effectively. 

As you prepare for another year of recruiting, make sure you establish some good ways to show your prospects that you're connecting with them and understanding where they're coming from when they speak to you.  It can make the difference between recruiting frustration and recruiting success.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 08:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

What is "SPIN Selling"? Only one of the most effective sales techniques developed over the past decade or so. It's one of the most popular sales strategies developed for corporate sales teams, and is taught in most Fortune 500 sales training programs. Why? It works.

"SPIN" is an acronym for Situation, Problem, Implication and Need-Payoff. Incorporating those four aspects into your daily recruiting efforts can pay off the same big dividends enjoyed by some of the nation's most successful sales professionals.

In a one-on-one training session with one of our SFC Premium Members, we worked to implement this line of communication prior to a very, very, very important in-home visit with a top recruit. The meeting went great, and the coach is waiting to hear from this highly regarded soccer recruit. He has a good feeling about his program's chances, and loves the way he was able to direct the conversation during his meeeting.

Here's how to do it. Whenever you're talking to a prospective athlete, incorporate the components of SPIN Selling into your conversations. Just follow the acronym step-by-step:

Situation - Ask a question related to your prospect's situation. Good example questions might include, "How many other schools are recruiting you? How much money do you have saved for college? What is your biggest goal when it comes to playing sports in college? What's your vision for your athletic career in college?" These types of questions are usually easy for a college coach to come up with during a recruiting conversation. You may have some good questions that you always ask. The key is not stopping with a situation-based questions, but building on your prospect's answer to this first stage question.

Problem - These questions are designed to uncover the pain experienced by your prospect regarding the situation question you just asked. To be a successful recruiter, you need to successfully link the problem or "pain" that your prospect is experiencing with the solution that you're offering in the form of a scholarship or opportunity to play at your school. Let's assume that your prospect's answer to our first situation question ("How many other schools are recruiting you?") is, "There's only one other school I've heard from other than you, coach." Your response to that might be, "What concerns you about the lack of interest from other schools?" Or, "What would your plan be if no other schools showed interest in you?" Again, you're trying to underscore a problem in the mind of your prospect. Getting them to verbalize that problem is an important step in the process of connecting with your prospect.

Implication - As the title suggests, this question will imply a result of the problem and situation that your prospect face. Some college coaches I've worked with this past year have had a tendency to try and combine their "problem" and "implication" questions, or skip one in the process. Don't do it! Make sure you ask each question separately. Sticking with our example, a good implication question would be, "Would you be able to go to college if you didn't get some athletic scholarship money from a college?" or, "What would you feel like if you couldn't play your sport again after you graduate from high school?" Emphasizing the implications of a potential problem begins to help your prospect connect the dots in their mind, and will put you in a position of strength as you head into the final part of the SPIN Selling equation.

Need-Pay Off - The key here is to make your solution (your offer, your program, you as a coach, your college, etc.) the logical choice of your prospect to solve the problem that they've just verbalized to you. A good example Need-Pay Off question or statement might be, "Would you feel relieved if we were able to put together a package for you that would ensure you could play college sports after high school?" Or, you could simply ask "How could I show you that our program would be the best solution for that problem?" One more: "What would you need to hear from me to cause you to commit to our program so that you wouldn't have to worry about money for college?"

Finished with one particular question? Go back and ask another probing, open-ended question by starting the SPIN Selling process from the start. You can use SPIN Selling with every prospect you're recruiting, and with every situation that applies to their life. The wonderful thing about this technique is the way it enhances your communication with your prospect. So much of recruiting today is laced with broken communication, misunderstanding, and lack of a logical progression in the ongoing conversations between coaches and their prospects. The SPIN technique helps fix that, and it also helps drive home the points you're trying to make to your prospects.

Does it take practice? Absolutely. Is it worth it? You bet it is. If you become comfortable asking those types of questions, you'll find that you'll be in control of the recruiting process from the start and form a deeper relationship with every prospect you talk to. For more on effective sales and communication techniques, read our recruiting guide for college coaches.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 10:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

They say they're interested.  They're acting like they're interested.  But in the end, nothing comes from weeks of recruiting effort, and the coach sits back and wonders what in the world is going on.

That's the real life scenario that I addressed with a coach this week.  He's at a very prestigious east coast university, but is having trouble with prospects who seem to be "shopping" him against other universities, other coaches, and other offers.

Part of his question to me:

"Here's an example from last season, Dan: I had a manageable list of 20-21 candidates. Eighteen applied, (one Early Decision -admit) five were over their heads - even with my support would not (should not) be at our univeristy...fine. Two were destined for 'admit' but widthdrew their application.

"So, we had eight admits, four on their own, four as supported athletes. Of the four supported athletes, each had assured me that we were #1 or top three on their list.  We did a followup visit in the Spring, and everything was looking good, right? We only wound up with a net of one of the eight.

"It really seems that they juggle coaches and institutions until they see who offers the best financial aid package. In fact, five of my eight admits will not even play the sport in college after all!"

Here's my take, and my recommendations to this coach.  Realize that your prospects are much more sophisticated than they were even just 5 or 6 years ago. The information age has been a huge equalizer in the whole recruiting process.

Also understand that you're viewing them as "athletic prospects", but they are also consumers. Buyers. Customers. And our culture has taught them to "shop" and to "get the best deal". It sounds like that is what's happening in this case...this coach is being kept on the line, so to speak.

Now, here's the good news: That happens to every salesperson, in every industry, every day in the business world. Customers will keep you interested until they make their final buying decision. That benefits them, but can be extremely frustrating for the person doing the selling (as many of you already know). You should keep this in mind as you recruit this year's class.

You should have a pre-planned strategy to combat this and to drill down and get the real thoughts and feelings of your prospect...to try and get down to what they're really thinking and feeling about your program.

The coach who asked me this question then made a comment that was actually the real answer to his dilemma:

"I'd like to just ask the student (or their parents) " Are you juggling your options until finance comes through or do you have genuine interest in my program, hence deserving of my support?"

Its funny that he said "as much as I'd like to ask" because that is a great question to ask! Maybe it could go something like this:

"I've found that a lot of parents and athletes are kind of shopping opportunities when it comes to fencing in college. And I understand why you might be doing that...its a big decision. And for me, it doesn't really matter if you are or not. I'm really interested in having you come to our university, and want to show you why its the greatest school in the world for an athlete like you. But, I'd like to know this: Are you going to juggle your options and talk to other coaches until you get the financial package you want? I'm asking that because we can get you a great package, but there's a lot of time and effort that I have to put in to jump through all the hoops for you here at our university. If you're not ready to say that you're really serious about our school, that's OK...we can talk more until you reach that point, but I won't start seriously putting a package together. But if you can tell me that you're really serious about us, and you think that I might be offering you a chance that's a good fit for you, then I'll get to work and get you the best package I can as soon as possible. So, tell me how you think we should proceed..."

You can probably word it better than I, but you get the general idea. His gut feeling of asking them directly is right on the money. That way, you don't waste a lot of time on lukewarm interest and you get to see which prospects need more convincing and education about your program.

Asking the question in this manner also lets them understand that there's an unspoken "commitment" of sorts in them telling you to go ahead and start putting the package together.  There is time and effort involved on your part, and they're understanding that and moving forward anyway.  It's a great "trial close" strategy that will save you time, lets the prospect know that you're aware they might be looking at other schools, and gives you a better sense of who is serious and who isn't.

Ask "trial close" questions as much as possible throughout the recruiting process...they're a great indicator of where your prospect's head is at in terms of a commitment.  If you want more information or strategies for asking good trial close questions, and why they're important in the recruiting process, order our book "Selling for Coaches".  If you're really serious about getting extra training and recruiting development, become a SFC member.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There is an age old sales statistic that I've always found fascinating for two reasons. First, it makes a whole lot of sense. Secondly, most salespeople (and college sports recruiters) don't have the mental stamina, organization and drive to make it work for them.

 

Here's the statistic: The average customer (athletic prospect) doesn't buy something (sign with your school) until they've been asked to do so five times.

 

Not once. Not twice. Not four times. Five times.

 

It makes sense, doesn't it? Don't you feel more comfortable buying something or committing to something after you're familiar with it, or have been given the opportunity to buy it a few times? On the flip side, how often do you buy something without knowing anything about it? Or buy it the first time you see it? It probably doesn't happen very often.

 

So, how does all this apply to recruiting the prospects you are targeting this year? It comes down to persistence. Fewer and fewer salespeople in the business world have the patience to be persistent. They want you to buy now. Commit now. They want the sale NOW. Likewise, it's tempting for college coaches to insist that their prospects commit now. You want your recruiting done now. Now, now, now. You put pressure on your prospects to hurry up and make up their mind in the first one or two conversations you have with them about signing, and then get frustrated when they drag their feet. Don't fall into the same trap that salespeople do. Don't get impatient.

 

One more thing: Make sure you ask for their commitment over and over and over again. "Ask for the sale" would be the term used in the business world. You have to ask your prospect for their commitment over and over again, and develop your relationship with the prospect along the way.

 

On the surface, it sounds contridictory to recommend "being patient" with "asking for the sale" over and over and over again (remember the five times rule we're talking about here). But it's not. In fact, persistence and patience go hand in hand. You have to be patient to be persistent. But most sales people aren't persistent or patient, and many coaches aren't patient enough to be persistent either.

 

Go back to the beginning of this article: Most prospects have to be asked five times before they buy. Do you want to know the second half of this interesting statistic? E-mail me at dan@sellingforcoaches.com with the subject line of "Tell Me The Other Half, Dan!" and I'll e-mail you the other part of the statistic along with some more information you can use in your everyday recruiting efforts.
 

 

Ask for the sale five times at a minimum, coach. Be patient. Be persistent. See what happens.

 

Posted by Dan Tudor at 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A short time ago, we talked about eliminating risk for your prospects in one of our recent Tuesday Training Newsletters.  It spoke about the importance of taking away risk in the minds of your athletes, and how doing so can clear the way for getting their commitment for your program.

Well, your response was huge.  I got 50+ questions from coaches wanting some more thoughts on eliminating risk, and a strategy for doing so.  Enter trainer and consultant Dave Kahle, with his three point plan on addressing risk for your prospects.  He's approaching it from a traditional "sales" point of view, but I'll tie it in to recruiting at the college level.

• Develop a closer relationship.  As Kahle puts it, "The closer the relationship, the lesser the risk.  The lesser the relationship, the greater the risk."  All true, to be sure.  If you're a coach, its imperative that you form as much of a bond as possible with every prospect.  That means you need to talk about things other than sports, scholarships and your coaching experience.  Athletes want more.  They want to feel like they can trust you.  Once that happens, they'll listen to what you have to say.
• Make the deal tangible.  It can't all be talk.  You need to get them on campus whenever possible, and get them to experience campus life up close and personal.  Can't get all the prospects you want to come make a visit?  Get creative...give them virtual tours of the dorms.  Pictures of the gym.  Comments from players on why they like playing at the school, and how they'd do it all over again.  Those types of things can take a prospect's thinking from theory to fact.  And once you're dealing with facts, you can start to finalize a decision from your prospect.
• Use proof.  Kahle notes, "Anything that you can add from someone else that in any way adds credibility, even if it only distantly or remotely is tied to what you're offering, will go a long way to reducing risk."  If you're a coach who wants to take recruiting to the next level, give your prospects testimonials and "profiles" of the athletes who are already playing in your program.  It's a powerful way to get your prospect to connect with your school and team, and will then allow you to start talking seriously about what you could offer them if they chose your school.

Like we've said before, taking a prospect's risk out of their decision making progress can help you land far better athletes more quickly, and with much less effort.  It takes the right questions, and it takes a clear focus on identifying and eliminating the risk in your prospect's mind.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 09:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In our book, "Selling for Coaches". we talk about how to ask great questions, what types of questions to ask, and - most importantly - why you're asking those questions.

In this excerpt from the book, author and recruiting consultant Dan Tudor talks about the "why" behind a question, and how it can affect your relationship with your recruit:

Knowing why you ask certain questions.  Mainly, what will the question do to move the sales process forward?  Because that’s the only reason you should be asking questions in the first place.  If you aren’t asking questions with a specific goal or reason in mind, you’re wasting time.  Your time and the prospect’s time.  Your prospect doesn’t know what questions to ask you, and – as you’ve probably noticed – doesn’t take the initiative very often in asking serious questions.  They’re waiting for you to do that.  So, do it.  And have a reason for doing it.

 

In fact, its perfectly fine to tell the prospect why you are asking a question.  “I’d like to find out if our campus would be a good fit for you.  Do you like the idea of a large university setting for your college career?  And, if so, why is that?”  There are literally hundreds of questions along this line that you could ask a prospect.  Telling them why you’re asking it gives them the feeling that you are organized, smart and – most importantly - including the athlete in your process of determining if they are a good fit or not.

 

Posted by Dan Tudor at 06:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A lot of coaches ask Selling for Coaches for help in relating and "connecting" with their prospects that they are recruiting.

A key technique to use in that effort is what author and trainer Dan Tudor calls "demonstrated understanding".  What is it?  How can you use it to connect with more prospects?  Here is an excerpt from the new recruiting training guide "Selling for Coaches" written specifically for college coaches on the subject:

Demonstrated understanding is a difficult technique because it involves true interest in your prospect and an empathy for his or her life situation, fears, motivations and dreams.  Its easy to forget, as a college coach, that you’re in the business of making dreams come true – and I don’t think that’s over-dramatizing it.  You may be sitting in front of an athlete who has worked hard and sacrificed to get where they are athletically.  In addition, their parents may have sacrificed to help get their son or daughter to this point.  And that “point” is sitting in front of you, hoping that you might fulfill a goal held for years – the goal of playing college sports, and perhaps a scholarship that will enable that athlete to get a college education.

In my past professional life as the founder and President of one of the nation’s largest athletic recruiting services, I saw first hand what a sports scholarship meant to most athletes.  Likewise, I saw some college coaches treat that dream with the respect and mutual excitement that it deserved.  I also witnessed other coaches who not only didn’t appear to care, but seemed to go out of their way to make the athlete feel like they were lucky just to be granted an audience with them.  Guess which type of coach usually got the commitment from the athlete?

My point here is simple.  It goes back to “connecting” with your prospect, and one of the best ways to make a connection is to really try to understand your prospect – their needs, their family’s needs, their struggles, their hopes, their dreams.  Not what you need from them, but what they want from you.  Let them know that you understand their “want” and have a solution to satisfy that “want” and you’ve created a very strong barrier for any other coach to try and breach.  Conversely, if you don’t take the time to understand that “want” you leave the door open for another coach to come in and do so.  If that happens, who’s going to get the athlete?  You, or your competition?  You know the answer.

"Demonstrated understanding" is one of three components we talk about in Selling for Coaches as being keys to connecting with your athlete, and being "genuine" in a way that helps you recruit the athlete more effectively.  For those other two tips, and other techniques and strategies that will help you become a champion recruiter, order the book!  You'll get advice that will improve your recruiting immediately, and give you confidence in approaching prospects that you really want in your program.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 02:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A lot of coaches I work with when I assist them in developing their marketing and recruiting plans have a tendency to overload recruits with too much information.  Especially when they first start talking to them through written communication.

Is there a better way to break through and reach a prospect?  Yes. 

Here's an excerpt from the new book, "Selling for Coaches", on the importance of keeping your marketing message simple at first, and why doing so will make you a more effective recruiter:

The key to effective text and e-mail messaging: Same as the written communication rule, which is keep it simple.  Text messaging relies on simplicity and abbreviation (otherwise, it costs your prospect a fortune in cell minutes).  Use it as a quick reminder that you’re out there, you’re thinking about the prospect, and you want him or her to know they’re important to you. 

E-mailing can be a little more in-depth, but not at first.  Keep your messages simple and to the point, inviting a response.  Once you have a response, you have their permission to take the relationship a step further with more information.  After the next round of communication, it goes a step further.  This type of communication is called “permission marketing” and is very effective when it comes to e-mail communication.  Author and speaker Seth Godin (www.sethgodin.com) has a great book on the subject entitled, not surprisingly, “Permission Marketing.”  I highly recommend the book – great for business professionals, great for coaching professionals.  It's changed the way thousands of businesses around the country approach their customers, and it can help you with the way you approach your recruits.

Electronic messaging is the #1 way teens prefer to communicate.  Remember that.  Now all you have to do is communicate with them correctly, and you'll be on your way to forming a great foundation for recruiting them to your program.

Remember, coach, keep it simple.  Marketing materials aren't any good if they don't get read, and sometimes more information isn't always better...especially at first.  Start with simple messages that ask thought-provoking questions, and get your prospect engaged with you. 

Coach, if you need some help in having us review your marketing materials and outgoing recruiting messages, please contact us at dan@sellingforcoaches.com.  We can work with your budget, and provide a quick, effective marketing review as well as help you develop recruiting campaigns for your specific program.  Our marketing consulting packages range from $499 to $999 annually.  Let us know if we can assist you in being more effective recruiters and marketers!

Posted by Dan Tudor at 09:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Are you running into parents who are putting up concerns and questions as you're recruiting their son or daughter?  Are you having trouble overcoming their objections?

In the new book, "Selling for Coaches", author and recruiting coach Dan Tudor talks about how to win over parents by answering their concerns and eliminating their objections.  Here's an excerpt from the Chapter 7 of the book, entitled "Meet the Parents":

First, you need to be actively listening for objections when you have conversations with your prospect and their parents.  And keep in mind that listening for these objections includes things they say verbally, as well as things they might infer or hint at.  Obviously, the later is the harder thing to pick out.  You have to “read between the lines” and bring up potential objections (and be the one to answer them) if you think they might exist. 

The last thing you want to do is to have your prospect - and his or her parents - be stuck on an objection they can’t – or don’t want to – verbalize to you, and let that be the thing that kills his or her chances of playing for your program.  Listen for, and anticipate, objections that a prospect may have as you are recruiting them.  This is especially true for parents of your prospect, who will have a great influence over their son or daughter's decision.

Answer the parent's objections and concerns with the same attention to detail, and using the same techniques we've talked about so far in the book, to win over their confidence and establish yourself as the best choice for their son or daughter.  Recruiting the parents is as important as recruiting your prospect.  Make sure you pay attention to their questions and objections.

To order the new college recruiting guide, "Selling for Coaches", click here!

Posted by Dan Tudor at 11:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A coach called me this week and asked a really great question, and I'm using it for the basis of this week's training (thanks, Gary!).  He wanted to take my recent advice on asking the right questions to the next level, so he asked me what questions are on the minds of his prospects that they need answered before they'll commit to his program?  GREAT question!

Here are some questions I know you'll need to answer for prospects.  By the way, they'll never tell you that these are the questions - heck, some of them don't even know these are the questions that they need answered - but experience and hundreds of conversations with the athletes you're recruiting tells me that this is what's on their mind...

Continue reading "The Questions Your Prospect Needs Answered" »

Posted by Dan Tudor at 11:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When a coach gets the opportunity to get in front of an athlete and begin recruiting them one-on-one, establishing a personal connection is vital.  In many cases, that's what is going to be the deciding factor for the athlete as they make a decision about you and what you're offering them.

So, like it or not, a lot of decisions come down to you and how you connect with your prospect.  That's one thing we talk a lot about in the new book, "Selling for Coaches".  But here's another secret to connecting that we didn't discuss in our new guide for college coaches: Being "charming".

Charming?  Yes, charming.  Being perceived as caring, interested in the other person, and complimentary.  Those are just some of the aspects that coaches need to master when it comes to quickly establishing rapport with your prospect.  Some others?

Here are five ways to up your charm factor, coach... 

Continue reading "Five Ways to Turn On The Charm" »

Posted by Dan Tudor at 10:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In the new book, "Selling for Coaches", author and trainer Dan Tudor talks about being prepared for the recruiting visit with your prospect.  One way to be prepared?  Knowing why you are asking certain questions.  Here's an excerpt from the book, with additional thoughts on the topic from Dan Tudor: 

Knowing why you ask certain questions.  Mainly, what will the question do to move the sales process forward?  Because that’s the only reason you should be asking questions in the first place.  If you aren’t asking questions with a specific goal or reason in mind, you’re wasting time.  Your time and the prospect’s time.  Your prospect doesn’t know what questions to ask you, and – as you’ve probably noticed – doesn’t take the initiative very often in asking serious questions.  They’re waiting for you to do that.  So, do it.  And have a reason for doing it.

In fact, its perfectly fine to tell the prospect why you are asking a question.  “I’d like to find out if our campus would be a good fit for you.  Do you like the idea of a large university setting for your college career?  And, if so, why is that?”  There are literally hundreds of questions along this line that you could ask a prospect.  Telling them why you’re asking it gives them the feeling that you are organized, smart and – most importantly - including the athlete in your process of determining if they are a good fit or not.

• Another great question to ask:  "If you could design the perfect coach to play under at college, what would they be like?"  Sound corny?  Not at all.  In fact, this will give you some great insights into what they like in a coach, and how you can connect those traints with the qualities that you and/or your coaching staff have.  Remember, the questions you ask are all about connect you with your prospect, and connecting their needs and dreams with the benefits that you can offer. 

More than 150 great tips and techniques are yours for the taking in the new book, "Selling for Coaches".  It's only $19.95, plus shipping and handling.  If you ask us, we'll tell you to buy it.  But that's just us.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 11:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One of the more popular topics I touched on in our book "Selling for Coaches" is the subject of a coach's "natural style" versus a coach's "adapted style". 

As sales professionals, we all have "natural" and "adapted" styles.  As I explain in the book, these styles revolve around the way we naturally communicate information in times when we are not trying to "sell" a prospect on a particular college, and the way we change our communication style when go into selling mode.

Why is knowing about your two unique styles so important in recruiting?  Because your natural style may be far different than any adapted style that you show when you're recruiting.  Not knowing the difference can lead to failure when it comes to recruiting.  In fact, if I had to pick one thing that I've seen hinder college coaches in being successful recruiters it would be a gap between a coach's naturual and adapted communication styles.

For example, you may be very pleasant to be around in the office...a nice person...great to talk to...a fantastic listener.  On the recruiting trail, you might be a little more on edge.  A little more prone to debate rather than listen.  More of a coach instead of a friend.  That's an example of your natural communication style and your adapted communication style.  And not understanding how you change your persona and your communication style in front of an athlete can make it tough to truly connect with that athlete when you're recruiting them.

It's hard to be genuine, believable and trusted if your prospect picks-up on the fact that you are "acting" your way through a personal visit.  Kids, and parents, are great at picking up on little signs and cues from a coach that might tell them "this is the wrong program and the wrong coach for me!" 

It's important for coaches to focus on two action items when it comes to this subject: First, be as "natural" as possible when it comes to your communication style.  Don't be phoney, be genuine.  Secondly, put work into honing your recruiting and sales skills so that they become part of your naturual communication style.  And make no mistake about it, coach...it does take work!  Commitment to learning effective sales and communication techniques takes effort, but the pay-off is huge: Better communication, better selling skills, and better athletes playing in your program.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 06:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One of the questions I get a lot from doing one-on-one coach training for Selling for Coaches revolves around the question of knowing how a prospect actually decides on a college that is recruiting him or her. In other words, if two or three schools are actively pursuing an athlete and each school is vying for his or her commitment, how do you as a coach know (as one of the coaches recruiting that athlete) how your prospect will arrive at a decision?

There's no need to wonder about it. In fact, there's one simple question that can help erase all the mystery when it comes to the decision making process of a prospect...

Continue reading "One Question That Tells You How Your Prospect Will Make Their Decision" »

Posted by Dan Tudor at 10:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

...now there's a strategy I hadn't thought of.

From the Orlando Sentinel on the recruitment of UCLA's star hoopster, Jordan Farmar:

Three years ago, Jordan Farmar spent a weekend at the University of Florida. Former Gators G Anthony Roberson hosted him, and when Farmar left, he seemed intent on returning to Gainesville for his college career.

Funny then that when Florida played against UCLA on Monday night in the national championship game, Farmar emerged from the other sideline to start at point guard for the Bruins.

"I'm happy for Jordan," Florida Coach Billy Donovan said. "He's gotten a lot better as a basketball player, as I knew he would. He's a hard-working kid."

Farmar, who grew up in Los Angeles and attended Taft High School there, shied away from UCLA after turmoil there led to the dismissal of then-head coach Steve Lavin. But when the school hired Ben Howland, he made recruiting Farmar and fellow guard Arron Afflalo a top priority.

Howland says he met with Farmar, Farmar's mother and his high school coach on the first day NCAA rules allow and promised an opportunity to start at guard.

"I begged him," Howland said. "Begged him. Groveled with him."

The last-ditch effort paid off. After choosing UCLA over UF and Gonzaga, Farmar has blossomed into a star, earning first-team All-Pac-10 honors this season.

* * * * * * * * *

I guess sometimes it comes to that, doesn't it...

Posted by Dan Tudor at 09:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

How many times have you gone into a home on a recruiting trip with that feeling in your gut that's telling you, "Here we go again...same old presentation, same old techniques." 

Hey, its tough.  One coach I talked to this week likened it to reciting the same script, in the same movie, in the same costume day after day after...well, you get the idea.

That got me to thinking: What are some presentation techniques I that haven't seen from a lot of coaches?  I've worked with enough over the past year or so, and when I really thought about what I see working and what I don't see that probably would work well, the list got pretty long.

So, I'm calling these top choices my "four overlooked secrets" when it comes to persuasive presentations.  Four techniques that can shake up your recruiting visits and the way you approach your prospects year around...

Continue reading "Four Overlooked Secrets to Persuasive Presentations" »

Posted by Dan Tudor at 08:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

  Lefty Driesell knows college basketball, and he knows recruiting.  But did you know he was also one of the top World Book Encyclopedia salemen in the country at one time?

From a recent Pilot Newspaper (NC) article:

Driesell supplemented his income during the high school coaching days by selling World Book encyclopedias. During one year he claims he sold more than anyone in the state. His sales methods mirrored how he went about recruiting college basketball players.

Before the lecture, Wiley Barrett of Southern Pines(NC), who averaged 28 points a game as a senior at Pinehurst High School in 1965, showed Driesell a copy of a recruiting letter he received from him.

“I recruited the same way I sold World Books,” Driesell said. “I used to write a letter to everyone in the country that averaged over 10 points a game. I would tell them I looked forward to meeting them soon. The first time I met him (Barrett) was tonight.

Are you outworking your competition?

Posted by Dan Tudor at 08:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

  In an earlier post about rekindling interest from prospects, I mentioned that a great sales lesson can be learned from the Dr. Seuss childrens book, "Green Eggs and Ham." 

If you recruit (and if you're reading this, you probably do) here are the important recruiting and sales lessons you can learn...

Continue reading "Green Eggs and Ham for Recruiters" »

Posted by Dan Tudor at 07:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)