Simple vs. Complex at the Start of the Recruiting Process
You have two roads to choose from, Coach. One will definitely create a smoother journey than the other...
One part of our previous article needs a deeper dive - especially because it really goes against what most coaches will naturally feel is the right way to communicate with prospects at the start of the process - is the idea of starting ‘simple’ versus diving into all the information and details and stats and intricate facts about you, your program, or your campus.
The temptation - and even the tradition - is to do the later. Many coaches have told me over the years that they feel like they have one or two shots initially to ‘get a prospect interested’ or ‘develop a relationship’ as early as possible…and, not all of that is untrue. But most strategies from coaches in trying to achieve that goal is to trend towards the information dump (the details, stats, facts, etc) ASAP.
Here’s what we talked about in that prior article:
3. Start with something simple
You don’t necessarily want to overwhelm prospects (especially new ones) with a heavy load of to-do’s in an effort to lead them.
Actually, you want to do the opposite. Start simple, start small. Get them used to you leading, and them responding, and just watch…they won’t want you to stop. That’s what savvy coaches who understand human nature have learned, and I’m letting you on their little secret.
Build that leader-follower relationship slowly but consistently. It’ll pay off.
How will it pay off?
And even more importantly: How do should you do it?
The payoff:
You build relationships faster - when you’re more casual, and not in a rush to unleash the information dump, your prospect will connect with you in a deeper, more natural way. And, faster.
Why faster? - because when you rush into more information before they know you and trust you, you’re not building trust. When you start slow, achieve that goal. Building that trust through relationships is essential if you want to create separation and showcase you’re differences between you and your competition. And you should want that, Coach.
Once you have that relationship established, they become more ready to listen. And when they listen more, you can sell them on the ‘why’ behind you, your program, and your campus.
How to do it:
Explain to your prospect that you’re not going to take them through the process like most other coaches. You’re going to take your time because you really want to get to know them, and make sure you’re taking the time to understand what they want to see out of the process. Then confirm if that sounds good to them, and ask them what the top two or three things are that they want to talk about first. Doing this will immediately separate you from 98% of all other coaches who won’t even come close to knowing or wanting to do this.
Wait for questions. Once your prospect gets to the point of asking you a question about you, your program or your campus, then you have permission to sell. One of the key strategies in addressing a prospect’s hesitation and willingness to listen to what you have to say is being ready to be sold. Until we are ready to hear a sales messages, we block out what we’re being told by someone trying to sell us. When you have my curiosity, and have started the foundation of a relationship, I’m ready to have my questions answered. In other words, I’m ready to start being sold. And so are your prospects.
As we always advise, once you start the selling process and begin the recruiting process in earnest, it is critical you continue to tell your story through consistent written messaging - and do it throughout the process. You started with simple, and now that you have you can continue to move towards the more detailed and more complex. Through conversation, yes…but the printed and email messages you send after the initial groundwork helps to reinforce your message and build on the selling process you have successfully started.
As you get ready to start a new recruiting year, see if this approach doesn’t yield better results. It matches the natural instincts we have when we’re being sold something, and what we’ve seen work for the coaches and programs we work with on an ongoing basis.