Recruiting Misconceptions & Your Prospect's Final Decision
Their value judgements are different than your value judgements, Coach
Your recruits aren’t making their final decision the way you make decisions, Coach.
(Actually, strike that: They do, just not the way you think they do).
The big recruiting misconception out there is that if you could just get your new field turf, better uniform combinations, give them an extra $5000 in scholarship money, or offer a major on your campus that you currently don’t, THEN you’d get those recruits that are picking other programs.
That’s just not how it works. It’s not your ‘stuff’ that’s the tie-breaker. (O.K., sure…once in a while does your new locker room make the difference to a prospect? Yes. But it’s in such a small minority, it’s hardly worth mentioning).
What does it come down to the vast majority of the time?
You. And, what you do and say. And, how that all makes them feel. (We just released a podcast episode which walks you through a real-life example that I feel outlines everything I’m referring to in a really understandable, interesting way…take a listen).
The thing is, the misconception among coaches that those other things are the real tie-breakers is really hurting their chances at being consistently good when it comes to bringing in talent. And, that doesn’t need to be the case.
You know what I think the source of the problem is?
College coaches, representing all sports at all levels, think the way they as coaches make professional choices and view their program. As a coach, you want new field turf. You want better, bigger offices. You want to give away more scholarship money. And more uniform combinations?…Sure thing, I vote yes.
This is your profession, and you want to be surrounded by the best of the best. I completely understand.
But the way you’re making a decision in your professional life, or making an assessment on whether or not to take the other job, isn’t the same way your recruits are making their final decision. You’re using an element of logic to make your decision; your prospect is usually breaking a tie with a feeling they have about you, or don’t have about your competitor.
The most common tie-breaking reasons prospects give us in the focus group studies we do with our clients? They include these:
They invited me to campus first, and that made me feel important.
They were the most consistent in the way they communicated, and that gave me a good overall feeling like they wanted me.
When I was with the team on campus, I just felt more connected with them compared to everyone else I visited.
The coach did something special/unique/personal during the end of the process that made him/her stand out from the rest.
My parents really thought one particular coach did everything better than other programs, and so we chose them.
Notice how there isn’t anything about stuff, upgrades, bigger whatevers, or past championships? It’s all relational.
The good news for most coaches? All of those things fit into their budget. It can be adjusted quickly, and you can see the immediate results. It’s not a ‘this-is-going-to-take-two-years” type of thing.
The feeling you create can start with your next prospect.
That’s how you should strategize to develop a plan around breaking the tie between you and a competitor because that’s how your prospect is looking to break the tie.
Do it the way they want it done, not the way you would do it in your professional life.
Want more on the right language to use during this whole process? We published a great article on that topic in a previous post. Read it here.
And if you have something ‘bad’ on campus like an old facility, smelly locker room, or something else, we’ve got a fix for that. Click here.