10 Questions to Ask Your New Prospects
Calling or texting a recruit for the first time? Here's how to get the conversation started
One of our favorite clients who have worked hard to build a really strong program texted the other day and asked a great question:
I’ll tell you what I told them, because we like to share advice among our clients…I view it as one of the things that drives the success we’ve had over the past two decades: Freely sharing what we see working with our entire roster of 700+ college coaching staffs, measuring their success, and developing strategies around what’s working for them.
The reason I think this was a great question is because it goes to the core of recruiting new prospects:
You need them to respond and interact with you.
Not just at the start, but throughout the recruiting process (which, as we all know, can last for years). So let me tell you what I told him, along with five additional things I see working great when it comes to early and effective engagement with prospects you want to connect with in the most effective way possible.
Here’s what I told the coach:
First thing you should talk about: How you found them. It’s important to your prospects because it gives them context as to the starting point of the relationship, and for them that starts with where you saw them or how you found them. Did you scout them live? Find them on a recruiting service site? Referenced to you from their coach? Give them the details. It should be the first thing you tell them.
What you liked about them when you saw them or read about them. Be specific, with as many details and as much elaboration as possible.
How you could see them fitting in with your program, and what role they might play as a freshman. Really, really important to build on the first two points with this one. They want to start picturing what their athletic life in your program might look like, and they need your help. Why would they be a good fit? What type of role would it be possible for me to play when I get there as a freshman? Be realistic, don’t over-promise or overhype them…but give them a picture of the future as much as possible.
Explain what the next one or two steps are. Don’t be in a hurry and rush the process (unless we’re talking about the Transfer Portal, of course…if we are, make sure you read this ASAP). Don’t be vague with “we’ll keep in touch and talk to you more in a few weeks”. If you need something from them, or want to talk about something specific in the next call, outline that for them. They want to know what to do next, and they need your help with that.
Ask them, “What do you want to see happen next?” After you lay out your plan, offer them a chance to talk about what they’re picturing and what they want to see happen next. You never know, they may be
Ask them, “So at this point, what type of programs, schools and coaches do you see being completely wrong for you.” Wrong. When you start asking questions…
***At this very point in writing the article, I got a text from the coach who had an update:
***OK, back to the article. I just thought that was kind of cool timing.
Asking a ‘negative question’ puts them in the position of doing something very interesting: Telling you the truth. Why? Because they need to give you an answer that’s not some swishy-washy press conference-esque dribble that doesn’t really tell you anything. You want them to be stumped and have to think about it!
As promised, here are five more questions that will get as much truth as possible out of them, and give you a good idea of how to recruit them more effectively than other coaches who aren’t probing as effectively as you are…
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Honey Badger Recruiting to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.