"Presentation" might be the wrong word, actually.

As a college recruiter, you don't give recruting "presentations" in the same way that a business sales professional might give a sales presentation to a new prospective client.

But "presentation" is the best word that I could come up with, because it really wraps in all the elements of the process that you use to recruit a student-athlete:

• The letters and emails that you write...that's part of your presentation.
• The phone calls that you make...that's part of your presentation.
• What is said about your school or you online...that's part of your presentation.
• When a prospect comes to visit your campus...that's a part of your presentation.

You can't overlook one area of your overall presentation and expect success.  Especially when it comes to the top athletes you really, really want for your program.

So in looking at programs we work with, and see what they do right on a consistent basis, here's my list of the 7 things YOU need in your recruiting presentation if you're looking for an added degree of success with your next recruiting class:

1. Develop a belief in your school and your program.  It pains me when I hear a coach tell me privately that he or she doesn't think their school can compete with others in their conference.  What you absolutely need as a part of your overall recruiting presentation is a heart-felt belief that your school, your program - and you as a coach - are the best option for your recruit.  Assume that you are going to sign the athlete when you first start talking to them.  Today's prospects want to compete for coaches who are confident (not cocky, confident).  If you don't display passion about you and your program, don't expect them to be passionate about the idea of coming to compete for you.   
2. Focus on helping them reach their objectives.  Not sell your school.  Not brag about your program.  Not show off your new building.  Help connect the dots and show them how you (and your school, and your program, and maybe even the new building) will help them reach their athletic and academic objectives.  An easy way to make sure you're doing this is by taking a look at each facet of your recruiting process and explain how whatever you do helps your recruit reach their objective.  "But Dan, what if I don't know what their objective in college is?"  Ask.
3. Tell them you have some ideas on how to help them.  Do you know how original you'd be if you would just come to them with tangible ideas for them instead of bullet-pointed athletic department brochures?  Kids will always stay engaged if you give yourself away and get them to connect with you through ideas about them.  Not you, them.
4. Try to ask one amazing question at the beginning of each new type of contact.  One for your first letter, your first email, your first phone call, and when you first meet.  I'm talking about a question that makes them stop and really think about the answer before they give it to you.  Whenever you ask a question they haven't been presented with before, that's a sign of a great presentation.
5. Don't "need" the recruit.  Prospects and their parents have become increasingly adept at sniffing out desparation, and it's not something that they view favorably.  If you find yourself "pressing" for prospects - especially at the end of your recruiting cycle - then you need more prospects.  We have a client who is heading into these upcoming months with nine prospects that are "A" rated recruits.  They only need to sign two this year.  Two years ago, their list was 1/3 the size it is now.  Do like they did and assess your needs and make adjustments in the numbers so that you aren't begging at the end.
6. Ask for the sale.  If you've taken part in one of our famous On-Campus Workshops at your school, you know this is a familiar mantra we preach to college recruiters.  You're recruiting them for a reason: You want them to play for you.  So, once you know in your heart that they'd be perfect for you - and you're ready to hear a "yes" from them and follow-up with all the commitments that come along with possibly hearing that answer - ask them to commit.  Even if they say "no, not yet," they'll remember you as a coach that is passionate about them and that wants them for their team.  You might even be surprised when you get that immediate "yes!" from a prospect you really want....if you consistently ask.
7. Be 100% focused 100% of the time.  Are you smiling and confident?  Your prospect is watching.  Are you and your staff wearing school polo shirts?  Your prospect is watching.  Are you prepared for their visit and engaged with them individually, or are you thinking about what went wrong at practice yesterday?  Your prospect is watching.  They are judging you as much as they are judging your school and your program.  Every part of your interaction with them matters, Coach.  Pay attention to the details and stay focused.

Now that you have my list, here's a quick mental homework assignment I'd love for you to invest the next five minutes in doing: What three or four things can you do right away to improve your overall recruiting presentation?  Write down those changes on a card or piece of paper, and put it up on your wall in your office.  Don't take it down until you've followed your own advice and made those changes to your presentation.

Those seven guiding principles can help you form the basis for a really effective recruiting presentaiton, which will help you make a big impact on this next recruiting class you're starting to contact.

Making an impact on your prospect while they are visiting campus - from what you say and do, to your body language - was one of the big topics at this year's National Collegiate Recruiting Conference.

You can get the entire conference on DVD, which includes the notes workbook and every speaker at the event.  And, we're still offering the package at the pre-conference rate!  Click here to order your copy. 

Posted by Dan Tudor at 05:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

by Sean Devlin, Front Rush 

Get ready, Coach.  There's a new social networking website that has the tech world buzzing, and we think it might be something you'll see college athletic directors using in the very near future.

Want to be ahead of the curve and start using these tools to attract more fans and recruits?  Read all about Foursquare.com in our analysis below...

Why do we care?
Foursquare.com is the next thing that you are going to be sick of hearing about. Its about to pass 3 million users, it has been valued at $115 million, its growing faster than Twitter did, and its only a year and some months old. Basically its the next big social networking tool.

What is it?
Foursquare is an app on the iPhone, or other web enabled phones, that let's users 'check-in' to locations to let their friends know where they are at any given time. It has game mechanics associated with it which is why it is growing so quickly. For example, if a user 'checks-in' to their favorite pizza place the most times in a single month, then they can become the 'mayor' of that location. If they perform certain tasks like checking in more than 10 times in a day, they can earn badges (not unlike Boy Scout badges, or badges of recognition). As a user checks-in to various places, they get points which they use to compete against their friends from month to month.

How is it going to be used in sports?
We have our speculations, but a couple areas that seem really cool...

Connecting with Fans

1) Your University Badge
As briefly described above, there are "badges" in Foursquare. Users earn badges by completing certain tasks within Foursquare and then proudly show their Badges in their Foursquare profile. An example of a badge is the "I'm on a Boat" badge which is earned by 'checking-in' while on boats. Another example is the 'man vs food' badge which is earned by checking in to restaurants found on the food channel show 'man vs food'. What we see as a really cool badge would be for Universities to have "University Badges". The idea would be that fans, current students, recruits, etc. could earn your University's badge by checking into various spots related to your school e.g. Football watch parties, on campus library, stadium, athletic facilities...you get the idea.

2) Promotions
Through Foursquare, a University could offer deals or promotions to the avid fans. For example, the University Bookstore could give 10% off to anyone who 'checks-in' to the bookstore. Or if a user is the 'mayor' of the on-campus restaurant, they can get a free sandwich or drink. Utilizing the above scenarios, there are creative ways to give away t-shirts or hats, and other fan items.

Recruiting

1) Learn more about your recruits
If you connect with your recruits on Foursquare you can instantly see the places that they are checking into. By monitoring these locations, you can learn more about their interests, their habits, their character. For example, if you see your recruit consistently checking into the library and the athletic facility, you may be able to gauge them as a hard working student athlete. However, if your recruit is consistently checking into 'party like' locations, you may question their work ethic. Or if your recruit is checking into concerts and music venues, you can learn that they have an interest in music which can give you the inside scoop.

2) Let your recruits learn more about you
If you join Foursquare and start checking in, you can give your recruits an inside view of what you are up to. This of course helps to build the personal bond between yourself and your athletes. What's nice about this is you can choose the venues that you want to check into, so you won't disclose anything that you prefer not to.

That's a very brief overview of Foursquare, it's benefits, and it's potential. Its definitely a game changer in the consumer world, and we very much expect creative athletic departments, universities and coaches to find unique ways to leverage it for their benefit.

Oh, by the way...these ideas are just that: Ideas.  Please check with your department's compliance officer before utilitzing the new Foursquare leap.

Front Rush is enveiling lots of new technology features for their list of users this year.  Is your web based recruiting software on top of the latest trends?  Or, is it time to take a look at what else is out there?  If it is, let Front Rush talk to you about what they could do for you and your program.

Click here to take the first step!

Posted by Dan Tudor at 05:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There are a few precious times during each year as a coaching staff that you actually have a chance to sit down, take a deep breath, and figure out what you want to do differently the next season.

I'm not talking about plays you should have called, or strategies you failed to execute during competition.  And, I'm not talking about the way you coach together as a staff. 

I'm talking about the way you organize what you do as a staff.

It was one of the sessions we dedicated time to at this past weekend's National Collegiate Recruiting Conference in Chicago.  Summer is one of those times of the year that is usually ideal for organizational planning for your staff. 

That kind of planning is especially important when it comes to recruiting.

Because "organizing" and "planning" were big topics among the attendees, I wanted to share one key concept we discussed at the Conference.  It's a concept originally outlined by business author Michael Gerber in his best-selling book, The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What To Do About It. 

The concept is that a small business - similarly to your operation as a college coaching staff - won't grow and prosper unless it is organized in a very specific way.  Gerber contends that every small business needs a Visionary, Managers and Technicians.  Tudor contends that the same would hold true for college coaches when it comes to recruiting.

Here's the concept and the role of each individual coach:

VISIONARY

The Visionary's role is fairly obvious: He or she needs to set the direction of the program, develop the core recruiting philosophy, determine the goals that need to be met, and help pin-point who in their organization is right for the other two roles of Managers and Visionaries.

When we work with our clients, this is one of the areas that we try to determine early on in our work with them.  Here are some quick observations after seeing different staffs change their organizational philosophy and adapt this format:

• Sometimes, the head coach is not the best person to be the Visionary.  Most of the time, yes.  Not all the time, though. 
• Visionaries need to be able to make the tough calls, put their name on a plan, and be confident in their vision for the program.
• Can there be more than one Visionary?  No.  However, the Visionary can get input from other people on their staff.  But there needs to be one person that is in the role of the Visionary.
• If at all possible, the Visionary should not also be a Manager.  And, they should almost never be a Technician.

Visionaries on a college coaching staff should constantly be assessing where they are with regards to their recruiting class, and figuring out if the vision that has been outlined is being realized.  It's ongoing, active work.  Visionaries are accountable to the whole organization for the overall success of the year's recruiting.

MANAGER

The next role(s) that need to be assigned would be that of Manager.

The Manager's role is singular in focus: To make sure that the vision your staff has established is realized through daily management and measurement.  The Manager needs to make sure that the individual assignments tied to the vision are being completed exactly as planned.

Good Managers need to:

• fully buy-in to the vision that's been established when it comes to the staff's recruiting goals.
• be loyal to the Visionary.
• be looking for more efficient and better ways to achieve the vision sooner and more effectively.
• be able to keep the Technicians on task and accountable.
• be able to measure what is being done on a regular basis to achieve the vision.

Can there be more than one Manager?  Sure.  But each Manager needs to have their own separate areas of responsiblities whenever possible.  Don't bog down this emerging organizational system with double coverage.

And last, but absolutely NOT least...

TECHNICIAN

Just because I'm listing this last, don't think that it is the least important.  Especially when it comes to recruiting.

The Technician(s) is responsible for making sure the Vision happens.  Without great Technicians, its all just a bunch of good ideas that never actually happen.

It's natural to assume that assistant coaches and grad assistants, who perform the role of technicians when it comes to game planning and scouting, would be the likely choice of the Visionary to carry-out Technician duties when it comes to recruiting.  Here are the hallmarks of really good Technicians:

• They're able to focus in on the assignments established by the Manager.
• They're able to provide great communication on the progress or hurdles that transpire along the way.
• They understand that they have an equally important role in the organization.  In other words, not Manager or Visionary envy (in many ways, Technicians have the best role of the three).

Why is recruiting organization like this so important?  Because without it you feel burned-out.  A coach that is the Visionary, but also takes on the role of Manager and Technician is going to be the coach that starts feeling trapped.  Bitter.  Frustrated.  They won't quite reach their goals, and they'll always feel three steps behind every one of their competitors.

Even if you have a small staff, try to farm out roles to those in the athletic department when possible. 

What if you're the only coach on a staff?  You already know you have it tough, so you don't need me to tell you that.  In that case, you'll want to try to organize your week into Visionary, Manager and Technician time blocks.  Separate your duties, and try not to mix roles in the same day.  You'll feel a lot less exhausted and frustrated if you can do it.

That's an overview of the concept, and it's going to look different from college to college, and staff to staff.  However, it's important: Think about how much time you put in to determining how to split up scouting and recruiting area coverage, but don't put much time into detailing organizational assignments once those scouting details are back in the office.

Once you separate and organize roles in your recruiting plan, you'll probably want to do the same thing with the rest of your duties as a coaching staff.  And why not...it works!

There were lots of great techniques and strategies shared at the 2010 National Collegiate Recruiting Conference in Chicago.  The entire conference has been captured on DVD, and is available beginning September 1, 2010.  Order your copy, along with the notes and workbook, by clicking here.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 08:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

by Sean Devlin, Technology Expert - Front Rush 

With all of the devices college coaches are carrying around - iPhones, iPads, laptops - and the requirement to always be connected online, I decided to talk a about the personal MiFi.  If you aren't using this yet, it won't be long before you do. 

Verizon offers a slick device that gives you the Internet from your pocket and allows you to connect any of your devices to it. This way, regardless of where you are, you will still have Internet connectivity at all times. In addition, because it is wireless, you don't need to worry about compatibility as this device will work with your iPad, your iPod Touch, your PC laptop, or anything else.

Because the MiFi device is connected using 3g on Verizon's network, the Internet speed will not be what you'd call "amazing". That being said, there are two big advantages to using it:  First, at the very least, you are still connected and can still navigate the web.  Secondly, Verizon is just months away from releasing their new LTE network (slated for end of 2010). They are stating that they are getting download speeds closed to 6Mbps which is 6 - 10 times faster than the existing network. If this is true, your personal MiFi will become a lot more valuable from a productivity perspective as a college recruiting using numerous web-based applications like Front Rush.

The cost of the device is about $250 for existing Verizon customers, and $50 bucks for new customers. The monthly plan is between $40 and $60 depending on how much you will be using it.

So, if you want to be able to access the web from any device while you're on the road as a college coach, Verizon's personal MiFi is a great solution. Sprint offers a personal MiFi, as well, for those of you using their network. 

There's something to be said for a device that delivers what it promises, and makes your life easier as an on-the-road college coach.  It's one of the options we often recommend to our Front Rush users.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 07:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ever been to a restaurant where you've asked your waiter or waitress for a recommendation?

Think about why you're doing that: Is it because you just absolutely have no idea what to order?  Or, is it because you see that the restaurant is a great place for a meal, and you want to know what they think is good because they've had a chance to experience the place on a long term basis?

If you're like me, it's the second example.

Full disclosure: As the dad of three - the youngest of whom is just turning four next week - most of my restaurant theme choices involve something with a clown, a mouse, or a small Roman pizza take-out character named Caesar...so my analogy may not be the most credible to prove my point).

Why do we seek out a recommendation at a restaurant?  We're looking for reassurance that we've chosen the right place to get a great meal, and we're looking for someone else to help us make our decision. 

In short, we're seeking some confidence from someone we deem as credible as we attempt to make a smart choice.

The same driving forces behind that scenario are at play with your prospect.  And, how you as a coach react to their requests can play a major role in what they think of you and your program, and whether or not they choose to view you as a serious candidate.

At the core, your prospects are looking for this from you: Confidence.

They don't have it yet as someone who is just getting to know you and your program.  And, just like a patron entering a new restaurant, they are looking for a "recommendation".  They are looking for confidence.  They need your confidence.  For many recruits, we find that it is one of the key links in the recruiting process - especially if your program isn't starting-out as one of their early favorites.

The reason they need confidence from you is fairly simple.  At the start of a recruiting relationship, your confidence may be the thing that helps separate you from the competition.  Or, it may be the thing that keeps you in the running.  Your prospect needs a reason to move to the next step of the relationship.  Time and time again, we've seen our clients be able to keep prospects engaged by showing confidence and enthusiasm in their emails, letters and in-person interactions.

Confidence can come in several different forms:

• With recruiting letters and emails, recruits may see confidence in your consistency and long-term commitment to keeping in touch with them.  Seriously, we've talked to lots of athletes on college campuses during our workshops that tell us they ended up choosing a university based on the fact that a coach didn't give up on them, and was the most consistent in terms of keeping in touch with them.  They saw confidence in that coach who didn't give up on them, and equated their commitment to a confidence in their program and school.
• With your recruiting phone calls, confidence is largely a tone in your voice.  We're finding that your recruits aren't paying as much attention to the content of your early recruiting calls as much as they are your approach, your tone, and your pace.  Are you stumbling around, not really sure of what you want to talk about and where the conversation is going?  Or, are you to the point, engaged, and smiling while you talk (did you know that researchers have found that we are subconsciously drawn to people who are smiling, even when we only hear their voice and can't see them smile?).  All of these seeminly small thing underscore your confidence on the phone.
• With their visits to your campus, the need for demonstrated confidence is greatest.  Your prospect is most likely nervous and searching for things that make you different from the other schools that they have already visited.  You need to demonstrate confidence, as their coach, by speaking positively and being excited about your campus - even the parts that you've seen and talked about 257 times before.  You and your current athletes need to talk about when the athlete plays for you, not if they play for you.  It's those repeated little moments of confident assurance that adds up in the mind of your recruit. 

The examples I've given are just the tip of the iceberg.  There are so many unique examples of perfect confidence-boosting acts and statements based on your circumstance and your personality, they are too numerous to mention.

What you need to do as a college recruiter is make sure that you identify as many instances when you can have the chance to demonstrate the fact that you are confident in yourself and your program, and that your prospect should share that confidence too.

This is the ideal time of year to look into becoming a client of Tudor Collegiate Strategies through the Total Recruiting Solution program.  For an overview of what the program does and how it works, click here.   Or, contact Dan Tudor directly for a one-on-one assessment of how it would work for your program by emailing him at dan@sellingforcoaches.com.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 05:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Many of you will have some pretty big phone calls to make later this week.

The first phone calls to a new class or recruits.  And if you don't in July, you will shortly after that, depending upon your sport.

Today's edition is not going to focus on the how-to "nuts and bolts" of making successful phone calls.  We've done that in the past...here, here and a great one from last week here.

What I want to focus on today is a bigger picture aspect of your recruiting message that applies to your phone calls, as well as your emails, letters, campus visits...everything about the overall impression you give your prospect as you communicate with them. 

It's the importance of a consistent message.  One that makes sense.  And, I've got a pretty interesting study to back up my assertions...

The study was done by psychologist Geoffrey Miller, who studied how we as individuals communicate our individual purchases to others, and why. 

For example, as the study showed, younger males will often display aggressive behavior to young females in order to establish social dominance in the initial stages of a relationship.  Later, however, those same males need to move from being aggressive to being agreeable in order to show that they have "staying power"...that they will be a good long-term mate.

So if the study is true - as I think it is - products that appeal to a younger males aggressive side are going to do great.  For example, if I was manufacturing a body spray for guys and named it "Sweet", it probably wouldn't sell.  That doesn't match their natural personalities.  However, the people who manufacture "Axe" nailed it.  They've got a runaway best seller because they've marketed it well to the audience they want as consumers.

An example of a wrongly aimed message?  The 2008 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid SUV.  It was marketed with a strong message of environmental sensitivity and high fuel savings.  For the people who wanted to buy a massive SUV, this message didn't make sense: If I want to drive an SUV, would the extra 4 miles per gallon really matter to me?  Probably not.  Sales never took off, and most experts point to muddled advertising as the big reason why.

Here's my point as it relates to the phone calls you are about to make, as well as the message that you design for your program this coming year:

Make sure you and your program develops a message that very clearly matches your actual environment on campus that are true selling points to your intended prospects.

• Figure out who your audience is, and communicate clearly and directly to them.
• Don't try to be something that you aren't. 
• Find two or three big things that define you and your program.
• Determine the best language for you to use with your audience (your prospects) based on those big things that you find as positives about your program.
• Don't blur your central messages with things that your competitors offer in an attempt to be "just like them".  Be O.K. with being unique and different from your competition.

Your phone calls that many of you will be making soon are your first opportunity to define yourself to new prospects who are waiting to be told your story.  Make that story you tell simple and effective as you start telling it to them over the phone.

Big ideas and advanced recruiting concepts are what we'll be talking about at next month's National Collegiate Recruiting Conference.  Only a few days are left to register, or if you can't make it then you can get the whole thing on DVD.

Want even more advanced one-on-one help?  Become a client of Tudor Collegiate Strategies.  For more information on what we do to help coaches, and why it's effective, click here.

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

Written by Tom Kelsey, Head Basketball Coach, Bellhaven University

My college coach, Don Meyer, said if in your lifetime you had one person that expected greatness out of you should be thankful. Most people can live their whole lives and never get pushed or driven to the point of their maximum potential. People can live without ever having someone expecting greatness out of them.

In addition to being pushed by towards greatness by someone there is the chance of being around greatness or someone that would be consider to be outstanding. Some people never get to encounter people that are at the top in their chose field. I have spent a lot of my coaching and teaching career seeking out people that are exceptional in their chosen profession. I ask a lot of questions and some people give me a hard time for being so inquisitive, but that is my nature. It must be in the genes because a couple of my own children seem to have the same trait. It has been that way for me been since I was a little kid. Something about me wants to know what makes people tick and especially those that are successful. I try to pass it on to my children and players the lessons I have learned from others. Hopefully one golden nugget can help them on their path of life.

In 1990 I was able to be an assistant coach for Athletes in Action (AIA) basketball team that traveled to Poland and Greece. Mark Gottfried was the head coach of that team. Mark was at that time was the graduate assistant coach at UCLA. We developed a close relationship and our families also became close. Being part of the UCLA family Mark was also beginning to get to know Coach John Wooden fairly well.

John Wooden is the leader in the coaching profession. Being two degrees from him made me feel close to him nonetheless.

Mark would tell me stories about how he and the staff at UCLA would meet with Coach Wooden periodically. He also talked of how he was able to spend some one on one time with Coach Wooden. To me that was not something I could wrap my brain around. Coach Wooden was an icon to all basketball coaches and probably you could say to coaches of all sports in general.

To be that close to Coach Wooden I thought must have been the ultimate in coaching. Mark and I stayed in fairly close contact and one day Mark asked me the date of my birthday. I knew we were close, but guy friends just usually aren’t into sharing birthday gifts. (December 21^st for anyone interested). Around the first of December I received a long envelope with Mark’s return address. I’m glad I didn’t just rip into the envelope. Once I opened it up it was an autographed copy of the “Pyramid of Success” by Coach John Wooden. It was like I held the copy in my hand and for a minute couldn’t breathe. I thought how awesome a gift. It was the best birthday gift I had ever received. I couldn’t really tell anyone that because I didn’t want to offend my mother or my wife. I can remember when I opened the package and just sitting there for a few minutes and staring at the autographed Pyramid by Coach Wooden. It was not just any autograph and it was not just any copy of the Pyramid of Success. It was the real deal and signed by the Coach himself. This was something that I could tell was going to a treasure for quite some time. Still have it on my wall in my office and hope if stays there for a long time. It is a cherished possession.

Years later I was an assistant for Mark at Murray State University and at then at the University of Alabama. I had always wanted to go and see Coach Wooden and meet him personally. Mark had said maybe sometime when we were out in California there recruiting we could make it happen. Some trips had come and gone to Los Angeles without seeing Coach Wooden. I never pushed Mark about going to see Coach Wooden and I’m not sure why. For some reason I guess I thought if it was meant to be it would all work out.

We were recruiting a young man from Southern California in the spring of 1999. As we made travel plans to go out for our home visit Mark came into my office a couple of days before the trip and said, “If you can get us into Los Angeles early enough in the day maybe we can go see Coach Wooden before the home visit.”

That’s all I needed to here. Get us there early enough? I would have had us walking there. We had one other stop before we headed to Los Angeles. I had us on the latest flight into Dallas the night before and getting up for the first flight out the next morning for LA. Mark was surprised this was the best way for us to get to LA. When we were getting up the next morning with only a few hours of sleep Mark, asked, “Is the best flights we could get to LA?” It was selective hearing on my part of course. I didn’t say it was the best way I just said was the way we were getting to LA.

When he said get there early to see Coach Wooden that was all I needed to hear. Sleep could come later. Once we landed and got the rental car and drove near Coach Wooden’s condominium I was bugging Mark to call almost with the anxiety of a 7^th grader. We called once around 7:45am and no answer. Coach Wooden goes to eat breakfast usually at the same place every day at the same time I learned later. There we were in early from our flight. Mark is tired and I’m anxious. “Call, call, call”, I ‘m telling Mark. It is like two kids in junior high. Mark does not want to keep leaving messages so we wait and wait and wait.

Finally around 9:00am we get in touch with Coach Wooden and head to his home. If  you have read any stories about his home they are true. At the time I had no idea what to expect. What do you expect when you go into the house of a living legend? We walked down the hall toward his condominium and then knocked on the door. There he was. He answered the door alone without the help of anyone else. No maid or butler. Just Coach Wooden, the greatest coach possible of all time at the door for Mark and myself.

Whatever your chosen field or profession and you get to meet the top person in that field imagine how you would go into that meeting. Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Billy Graham, any top politician, any top leader in the entertainment field. John Wooden was named by ESPN as the greatest coach of century (1900-1999). As a coach he holds a record that many will feel will not be broken in men’s college basketball. (88 consecutive victories and 10 national championships in 12 years are among the few records that will stay for a long time).

One of the first things I saw once I stepped in the front door was a basketball from one of Coach Meyer’s Lipscomb University basketball camps. Right there was a gold and purple basketball that had the Bison logo and had the phrase “Team Attitude” on the book shelf. Seeing your alma mater’s camp basketball as one of the first thing you see when you walk in made me feel at home right away.  Walking along the hallways you would see a National Championship team photo and then a picture drawn by one of his great grandchildren. You might see a cover photo of Coach Wooden from a Time magazine or Sports Illustrated and then another art project from one of his grandchildren. You had the feel like you were in the house of your grandparents or someone’s grandparents. It never had the feel of someone that was once name the ESPN Greatest Coach or Sports Illustrated Man of the Year.

I looked around all the pictures like most people in that situation would be. Amazed by famous players and teams you have read about and seen on highlights down through the years. Once we sat down in his living room there was large stack of books on the coffee table that were manuscripts from him to hopefully read and even more to endorse. His living room was like a giant library. There were so many books on the shelves and things to read in that small room.

From 9am to 12 noon we sat there and talked about a variety of subjects. Most of the issues were basketball related. We talked and talked and when it slowed down I would ask more questions. Mark was gracefully enough to let me ask a lot of question and more questions and even more questions. You can imagine growing up watching someone that you probably never would have imagined sitting in their living room having a casual conversation. I remember the Notre Dame loss when there streak was broken. I remember the North Carolina State National Semifinal double overtime loss in 1974. I remember him winning his last game vs. Kentucky in 1975. You are sitting with a national hero and you are also in the presence of one of the most God-fearing humble men I have ever met. Still to this day I have a hard time at comprehending all his patience and wisdom.

The one question I recall more that all the others is when I asked Coach Wooden, “What makes a good teacher?” You have to understand Coach Wooden considered that coaching was really teaching. A “teacher” is what he considered himself. He started out as an English teacher (taught 5 classes, as well as was the football coach, basketball coach, baseball coach and track coach) as his first job once he graduated from Purdue. I knew not to ask him what makes a good coach, but by asking what makes a good teacher he might light up and give a more detailed answer. I was sitting to his right on a couch. Mark was more directly in front of him He sat there in what was probably his main chair. While we there as a group it was an almost unreal situation. To coaches it would be like sitting in the Oval Office. You have heard this giant of man so many times and read his books it is hard to imagine you are sitting there with him. Despite all the records and distinguished awards he never had an air of arrogance about him. It was just like sitting in the house of a long lost relative who acts as if he has all the time for you and would sit all day long to visit. He sounded in real life just like he did in the interviews I had seen on TV or had listened to on cassette, cd.

Once I asked the question he didn’t hesitate a second. He grabbed the right arm rest of the chair he was sitting in leaned closer to me and almost in a voice that was not as loud as his real voice, but louder than a whisper said, “a good listener”. You have those moments in time when you ask an older person a question and they have a answer that gives you no chance for a comeback or response. We are given those nuggets of wisdom and at that point there is not a follow up question. I think I hoped Mark would just say something so they silence would be so loud. When he said that there was nothing I could say. I just had to think about the answer and sit on the couch. It was hard to think of a follow up.

When you have three hours with someone famous or considered great you also want to make sure you ask the right questions. I had to make sure not to say the wrong things or step on any toes. He didn’t need me there to tell him how great he was, but I did want to ask some questions about building a program. I read so much about the man I wanted to get some behind the story information. Over all I came out unscathed and didn’t offend him or embarrass Mark.

Over and over I have replayed my question about “what makes a good teacher?” and his reply constantly in my mind. I didn’t go in with a preset list of questions. The question just came up, but to me it was the most important question on what I could take from him. It took me a while to understand what he meant. I have thought about my question and not being able to have a follow up and glad I didn’t follow up because I would have looked probably silly with whatever I said.

“What makes a good teacher?” I thought was going to bring a deep answer. The response I got was deeper and more difficult to carry out: “a good listener.”  People ask about recruiting and how difficult is it in dealing with young student-athletes. My response is if you ask enough questions you will find out what you need to know. Kids will eventually let you know what you need to know. They can play it cool for a while, but they will let you in and give you a couple of key points if you are a good listener. It can save you a lot of time. A kid that is not interested in your program is not worth spending a lot of your time and energy. A kid that has serious interest you will be able to pick up by listening to what they have to say and probably by the questions they ask. If you listen long enough you will find out everything you need to know.

As a parent it can be difficult to get your kids to talk at times. A lot of parents will agree that your kids will want to talk at the most inopportune moments (maybe good for them and bad for you). You have to make time for them. If they don’t open much you have to take whatever chances you can to visit with them whether it fits into your schedule or not. What will your kids say about you as a parent one day? You can fail in some areas, but if you fail in the area of listening I think that is a big one that they remember. As a parent you may not be able to provide everything your kid wants (or needs), but most of us can be good listeners. I think Coach Wooden would say, “A good parent is a good listener.”

As a mate you don’t always feel like talking. Your better half may feel like talking when you are “talked out”. You come home at the end of the day and you are worn out. There are no more words in the tank. That is exactly the time you have to make the time to be a good listener. Maybe a stressful situation at work or with extended family keeps us from being engaged when we get home. The tougher the time the more important it is to make time to be a good listener. I think Coach Wooden would say, “A good husband or wife is a good listener.”

When you have a friend that has just been given the pink slip and is now out of work is when you have to carve out time to make the call, send the text message or email. It is not the time to bury yourself in your cocoon and worry about your own problems. A friend is there to listen to what others have to say. The phone call you get out of the blue from a friend that tells you they are going through a divorce or some other type of family difficulty is calling you for a reason. They picked your number for a reason. You answered for a reason. However they contacted or found you, reached out to you for help is for a reason. They need you because they know you will hear what they have to say. That is when your skills as a listening friend are beyond value. You mean more to that friend that you will ever know. Once you end up on the dialing end of the phone call you will understand. A friend that will listen to another friends problems is more valuable than gold. A friend that calls you because their wife or husband as asked for a divorce called you for a reason. Coach Wooden would say, “A good friend is a good listener.”

I think back to my days as high school teacher and I realize how much more effective I could have been had I been a better listener. There are keys to listening. Understanding the kids you are teaching is so important these days. I sometimes would just want to storm through assignments or lessons plans to get them checked off a list that I never really engaged with the students to listen to them and get a feel if they were tuned in or not. What a mistake to miss out on being taught and being able to teach better by becoming better in the area of listening. There were so many hurting kids in my classes that I didn’t take time to listen and see where I could help.

As a coach we are entrusted with young men from a variety of different backgrounds. Each player comes to us with a vision of how their future is going to look. They have special plans. Their roles will each be unique and how we tailor them to fit our team will determine how successful we can be ultimately as a team. It does not matter how diverse our squad makeup is in a particular season. I know that my job as a head coach comes down to how well I relate with our players. Talent can win a lot of games, but I think over time how well a coach relates to his players is the most important thing in coaching. Now some players won’t let you in initially. You have to earn their trust and trust takes time. Every team is different. I have learned in my over 20 years of coaching that it is the relationships that matter over all the X’s and O's. Relationships are what is the most important thing and will carry our team. If I can’t relate to my team our chance to be successful is greatly diminished.

If I want to be a good teacher/coach like Coach Wooden talked about I have to be a good listener. Listening can be hard at times, but it is not painful. It does not require a lot of work or extreme amount of hard labor. What is does require is for someone to get out of their comfort zone. I am always looking for ways to get better. Whether reading books, watching tapes, going to clinics or whatever other area can help me become better at what I do as a coach. When I think back to my time with Coach Wooden he gave me the best advice anyone could have given me. It is advice I give others all the time. For some reason hearing it from the Greatest Coach of all time had a little bit extra zing to the message.

I challenge you to be a great listener. If you have never taken the time to read one of Coach Wooden’s books or a book about him take the time to read about ageless wisdom. It has been said. He had more books written about him after the age of 90 than any other person.

“To be a great teacher you have to be a great listener”   - Coach John Wooden

Here are a couple of other quotes from the Coach Wooden that you can share with your family, friends or team:

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”

“If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes.”

“You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one.”

“Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts.”  

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

Posted by Dan Tudor at 09:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

by Sean Devlin, Front Rush 

One application that we have been using in our office here at Front Rush is Google Voice. The advantage in having a Google Voice number is that it keeps you connected and accessible at all times. It helps to alleviate the fear of missing that key recruit call. It also gives you instant feedback so that if you do, you can get right back to the recruit (assuming that it is within compliance at your level).

Here is how it works:

With Google Voice, you set-up a single phone number so that when called, all of your phones will ring (e.g. Work Phone, Home Phone, Cell Phone, Skype). This way, whether you are in the office or on the road, you are accessible by a single number.

With that said, you can set-up "groups" so that if someone from a particular "group" calls you, then only a particular phone will ring. For example, we use this setting for "coaches" vs "friends" -- "coaches" ring all of our phones, and "friends" just our cell.

If for some reason you do miss the call, the caller will go to your custom Google voicemail. The voicemail then gets transcribed and sent to both your cell phone (as an sms) and your email (as an email). From here you can either decide to call back or just delete it (as opposed to calling your voicemail and hitting 3 then 7 or whatever combo you may be using now).

The main negative is that it is still in private beta mode which means that you have to get invited by current users. You can either get invited by Google or by asking a friend who already has Google Voice.

To request an invitation, you can go to https://services.google.com/fb/forms/googlevoiceinvite/

It's another great free tool from Google, and it can be a big-time help in keeping connected with your recruits!

The technology experts at Front Rush have dozens of tips that they advise their loyal users to utilize in their everyday recruiting.  Front Rush has established itself as the low-cost, easy-to-use web recruiting management program for leading college athletic departments.

Ready to compare what you're paying for your recruiting management software with Front Rush's list of features?  Click here to take a look at what they offer.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 06:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I often find that the primary thinking of most college coaches when it comes to getting prospects interested in their program could be described as a simple three-step process:

• Throw everything we can at them as soon as possible.
• They focus on one or two big selling points for our school or program.
• Those big selling points compel the prospect to want to come to our program.

Oh, if it were only that simple…

In reality, we’re finding that today’s teenage recruit takes a much more sophisticated approach to identifying with a school and, ultimately, choosing a program.  While they have trouble explaining the process, our research as a part of our On-Campus Workshops around the country and continuing work with our clients shows that their decision making process mirrors that of grown adults.

The best example of this is found in a recent fascinating study just published in the Journal of Neuroscience.  Researchers have shown that we make buying decisions even when we aren’t paying attention to the products, and that electronic observation of brain activity can predict these decisions. Here are the details from the study:

Imagine you are standing at a street with heavy traffic watching someone on the other side of the road. Do you think your brain is implicitly registering your willingness to buy any of the cars passing by outside your focus of attention? To address this question, we measured brain responses to consumer products (cars) in two experimental groups using functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Participants in the first group (high attention) were instructed to closely attend to the products and to rate their attractiveness. Participants in the second group (low attention) were distracted from products and their attention was directed elsewhere.

After scanning, participants were asked to state their willingness to buy each product. During the acquisition of neural data, participants were not aware that consumer choices regarding these cars would subsequently be required. Multivariate decoding was then applied to assess the choice-related predictive information encoded in the brain during product exposure in both conditions. Distributed activation patterns in the insula and the medial prefrontal cortex were found to reliably encode subsequent choices in both the high and the low attention group.

Importantly, consumer choices could be predicted equally well in the low attention as in the high attention group. This suggests that neural evaluation of products and associated choice-related processing does not necessarily depend on our processing of available items. Overall, the present findings emphasize the potential of implicit, automatic processes in guiding even important and complex decisions.

So, let’s circle this back to recruiting: 

If subtle messages do indeed play a key role in your prospects’ view of you and your program as psychology suggests, what are the most effective ways to reinforce your story to your recruits?

Here are three foundational ideas that we think work for practically any coach, at any college level:

• Consistency.  No matter what college staff we happen to be working with, the one consistent measure that we find important to today’s prospect is consistency.  Your message to them has to be consistent, both in timing and in content.  From a timing perspective, we find it is critical that your prospect has some kind of contact from you – either through letters, email, phone call, a visit to your blog, seeing you in person – on a weekly basis.  From a content perspective, consistency is important in your message: You need to make sure you are telling a story that takes them through the recruiting process step-by-step, building on your message and leading them to a decision.  If you’re a coach who has had trouble mastering this aspect of your recruiting approach, as many do, make it a priority to build out a plan for accomplishing this before the next recruiting class is ready to make their decisions.

• Keep it short.  What we find works the best in terms of message retention is a shorter, more straight-forward message.  Your prospects have told us that most of the recruiting letters and emails that they open and read are way too long, and centered on all the wrong things (mainly, you, your college, your facilities, your facts and statistics, etc.).  Your messages need to be re-worked so that they are shorter and more easily understood by your prospects.  That enables them to pick-up on those little details that will stick in their mind…and stand out from the rest of the crowd.

• Head towards the edge.  It’s safe and comfortable to look and sound like everyone else.  For example, your admissions department’s brochures do a great job of looking exactly like every other college in the country in terms of the photography showing the smiling photos, highlighting your school’s impressive statistics, and bragging about the education that they can deliver. The problem with that?  Every single other admissions department presents the same message.  And, that trickles down to the marketing philosophy of most college coaches.  You head towards the middle, and play it safe.  For 1% of you reading this, you can get away with this because of how your program is performing at the moment.  But for the other 99% of you mere mortals, if you want to get the attention of today’s marketing savvy teenager you’d better say things differently than your competitors.  So, when I advise you to “head towards the edge” I mean that you need to come up with a compelling story, told in a different way, and not be afraid to define yourself so precisely that you will let a few of your prospects know instantly that you aren’t for them.  While you’ll lose a handful of recruits that would have said no eventually anyway, you’ll attract three times more who will gravitate towards your philosophy of being unique and different from everyone else that’s recruiting them.  I’ve seen it work numerous times, for coaches willing to take a leap and tweak their approach to their prospects.

The science backs me up on this way of approaching your prospects.  And, that same science could just hold the key for you and your program making this year’s recruiting class the best ever.

Looking for more great approaches in recruiting?  We’ve collected our best ideas and strategies and produced two recruiting workbooks for advanced college recruiters.  Your competitors have made them part of their coaching library…shouldn’t you?  Click here for all the details.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 05:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

You've seen this scenario play out before:

A great prospect has it down to you and another rival program as their final two choices.  You want to be professional, and give your prospect plenty of room to make their decision without pressure from you.

The other coach takes a different tact: They decide to give the athlete a 48-hour deadline for making a decision, or else they will pull the scholarship.

You know what happens next, right?...

The athlete calls you and lets you know that they chose the other program.  That's right, they turned down your professional, hands-off, no pressure approach and capitulated to the strong-arm tactics of the other coach and their unfair deadline.

But wait a minute, Coach.  Could it be that the deadline they just gave the recruit - and that the recruit responded to favorably - is part of a "secret formula" that athletes are looking for as a part of the recruiting process?

Possibly, when it's done correctly. 

Why?  It's a funny thing about deadlines...we all say we don't like them, but at the end of the day we'd probably admit that we need them.  Basically, they force us to decide.  As adults we don't always like to do that, and it's safe to say that a solid majority of your prospects don't like it either.  What if I make a wrong decision?  What if the coach isn't as nice as I think she is?  What if I'm missing out on something better from another school?

Here's another thing about deadlines and recruiting: They work.

They work because there's momentum pushing a deadline.  There's a certain energy around deadlines, and it's an energy that's almost impossible to ignore.  Ebay auctions almost always have the most activity and bids in the last ten minutes compared to the first ten days.  Same thing about snagging concert tickets, buying a plane ticket at the best price...deadlines are all around us.  And they almost take on a life of their own.

Deadlines also promote excuses and unexplainable reasons for action (or inaction) from your prospects.  If they had two weeks to submit that questionnaire that you asked them to complete, they'll panic when the last day is coming to an end and their computer just bit the dust.  Never mind the last thirteen days, it's the last thirteen minutes that they're focusing on.

And before we're too hard on the recruits, lets admit that we're not that good at keeping deadlines as professionals.  If we were good at keeping them, we'd have no problem setting a deadline and then walking in to our our co-workers promising to pay them $50 if we don't meet the deadline.  But we don't do that, of course...we just set a new date and push it comfortably to the back-burner.

The bottom line for college coaches who are recruiting today's teen is this:  Deadlines are a cheap and effective way to get a decision from your prospect.

So, how do we see deadlines being used effectively in our work with colleges around the country?  Here are some specific insights and recommendations for coaches who want to use deadlines in an effective and professional way:

• First, whether you choose to use deadlines as part of your recruiting strategy or not, understand that your prospect is often searching for a reason to make a final decision.  Sometimes, a deadline is the best option for a confused teenager.
• Set reasonable deadlines.  A 72-hour deadline after recruiting an athlete and developing a great relationship for the past year is probably fine, if you...
• Give them a reason for why you need their decision.  Be as specific as possible.  Let them know the reasoning behind your request, and make sure they agree with why the final decision needs to be made.
• Deadlines given along the way work best.  If you know that two months from now you are going to need a decision, let your prospect know.  Set a deadline that gives them plenty of time to decide, but also lets you know that you'll have a decision that meets your timeline.
• The best deadline? One that you get your prospect to set.  Always ask them what they see as the next step in the recruiting process...let them set the agenda.

And if they don't meet the deadline?  Well, that's your call, Coach.  I hold the opinion that you need to be prepared to walk away and maintain the integrity of the deadline that you've set.  Quite frankly, if your prospect isn't ready to commit before your deadline, it's unlikely that they'd commit afterwards.

Is giving a deadline to a prospect the right call in every single recruiting situation?  No.  But for the majority of today's indecisive teenage student-athletes, it might just be the tool that gets you a few more commits in this upcoming recruiting cycle.

Want outstanding advice on how to get them ready to commit before you give them a deadline?  Make sure you read our two recruiting workbooks for college recruiters.  They are packed with insights and strategies that coaches are using all over the country...and it's working!  Click here for more information.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 09:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The secret is out.

We now know exactly how a majority of your new recruits want to first be contacted by you.  Thanks to a combination of the research we did in our study on how today's recruits want to be recruited, along with the information we gather during our On-Campus Workshops at colleges who bring us in to work with their coaching staff, the answer is clear:

Your prospects want to be called on the phone when you first start recruiting them.

Interesting, isn't it? 

I think it's surprising because most kids find it challenging to talk on the phone with you when you call them at some point during the recruiting process.  So why would they want to hear from you by phone as the first point of contact?  Here are some of the answers we discovered:

• They want to know that you're serious about them.  When you call them, that shows them that they are a serious recruit in your eyes - otherwise, why would you take the time to call them?
• They want to hear how you found them.  Sometimes those introductory letters that you send are a little to vague: "You've been identified as a prospect..."  Or, "You've been recommended as a prospect..."   Both are a little bit cryptic, and this is one area where you don't want to be mysterious.  Today's athlete wants specifics, starting with how you have found them.
• A phone call automatically puts you at the front of the line.  They've heard your voice, which is one better than most coaches who are only going to send out a letter.  It will be hard to ignore you after they hear your voice because they'll be comparing you to the rest of the coaches that aren't taking the time to call them.  For this generation, they want to be able to starting ranking colleges and figuring out who's serious about them, and who isn't.  This is one of the best ways we've found to make sure you are doing just that.

So, have I convinced you take the time to make a phone call first with this new group of prospects you're getting ready to recruit?  Good.  Here's a model for what should be included in the call:

• A short greeting and your phone number.  Your name, your college and your contact number.
• Tell them that you want them to know that they are officially being recruited by your program.  You can play around with the wording a little, but make sure they understand that you are serious about them and that your phone call warrants their attention.
• Tell them the next two things that they should be looking for from you and your program.  A letter and then an email, two quick emails with questions they need to answer...whatever.  Give them an agenda of whats coming up in the near future.
• DO NOT ask them for information.  That's not the purpose of the phone call. 
• DO NOT sell your school, unless they answer this next question:
• Ask them: "Before I hang up, do you have any questions about me, my program, or the college?"  If they say no (which they likely will, because their heart will be pumping a little too hard to focus on questions they might have), tell them that you can't wait for the next time you can talk to them and end the call.  Leave them wanting more.  If they do have questions, take the time to answer them and sell your college where appropriate.

That's the simple formula that we've seen work over and over again.  The calls should last no more than a minute or two, they should have a purpose, and you need to sound both confident and excited.

The results will be significant:  You will see greater engagement sooner from all of your prospects, and you will clarify exactly where they stand with them as soon as possible (which is what they all want).

As the date for allowed phone calls gets closer, keep this strategy in mind for your new group of recruits.

Want more information on how to develop a great game plan for recruiting this generation of athletes?  We have two popular advanced recruiting guides used by coaches all over the country...and they're getting results from the strategies outlined.

The guides are easy to read, and packed with practical information that you can start using right away.  Click here for all the details.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 02:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There's a great deal of psychology that business sales professionals use daily in their interactions with their prospects and clients.  As a college sports recruiter, you can (and should) use the same kind of techniques to solidify your relationship with your athletic prospects.

One such technique is what I call the "stay the course" technique.  Here's a sampling of how it works, using an actual study that was conducted to back up my ideas to you today.

When most people (your prospects included, coach) decide on a course of action, they have a very strong desire to stay with that course.   Frequently, this desire is so powerful that they will refuse to alter their chosen path ... even when there is overwhelming evidence that it is unwise.

There are several reasons for this. For one thing, there's the simple power of ego. Nobody likes to feel like they made a bad decision.  Perhaps more important is that nobody likes a "flip-flopper."  A classic example from the world of politics would be a candidate who "flip-flopped" on positions and, therefore, couldn't be trusted. There have been numerous instances over the past decade where the allegation alone were enough to derail the political aspirations of many politicians.  As a society, we don't like people who appear to not keep their commitments. 

Once a person chooses a certain position, their desire to be consistent will compel them to behave as promised.

An interesting study illustrated this universal human tendency. A "beachgoer" (an accomplice to the study) would stroll onto the sand and choose a spot near a target subject. The "beachgoer" would then spend about five minutes spreading out his blanket and setting up with suntan lotion and a small portable radio.   Just another person enjoying a day at the beach. He would then stand up and walk away, without saying anything to the target.

Shortly after the "beachgoer" left, a second accomplice would approach the unguarded blanket and make a move to steal the radio. Only five percent of the time would the target make any effort to confront the "thief" or do anything to try and prevent what appeared to be a crime.

Now ... here's the interesting part of the study: With a second group of targets, instead of simply walking away from his blanket, the "beachgoer" asked them to keep an eye on his things. And the results were drastically different. Ninety-five percent of the time, these targets aggressively attempted to prevent the "thief" from stealing the "beachgoer's" radio.

What made the difference?

Like the first group, this second group of targets didn't know the "beachgoer." The only communication they had with him was that single verbal exchange when he asked them to watch his things.

But because these subjects had agreed to do something, they aggressively stayed the course ... despite the fact that it was not in their best interests.   In fact, it put them in the potentially dangerous position of confronting a brazen thief in order to protect the low-value property of a stranger they'd only spoken with for one moment.

Understanding this tendency of people to follow a consistent course of action can help you persuade them to act in a way you want them to act - whether you want to get your boss to assign you to a particular project or get your child to do better in school.  Or, get your recruit to commit to your program. 

One of the things that we constantly hear from college coaches who read our two foundational recruiting guides is that they now understand how their prospects feel makes them most likely to commit to a particular program or a coach.  How they feel about the coach, how they feel about the players on the team, and how they feel about the thought of playing for you as a coach.  If you've read our study of how prospects go through their decision making process when being recruited, you also see how this concept of "commitment" comes into play with our findings and recommendations that we've made to you based on our study's findings. 

There are three steps to making this technique work, Coach:

1. Make a statement of fact that your prospect can agree with. ("Playing for us here at our college greatly improves your odds of being able to start as a freshman.")

2. Link a conclusion to this statement of fact. ("In order to make sure that happens, we need to make sure you're one of our early commitment prospects so that we can stop recruiting other athletes that play your position.")

3. Obtain a commitment from your prospect based on that conclusion. ("So, can we depend on you to get that application paperwork I sent you last week turned-in early and start planning your college career here at our university right away?")

It's easy, it works, and it begins to get your prospect thinking about a permanent athlete-coach relationship with you and your program.

Getting the prospect to feel emotionally tied to your program is just one of the topics we'll be covering at the National Collegiate Recruiting Conference in Chicago, July 16-18.  Coach, you need to be there and you need to register soon for the early registration discount.  Click here for the details. 

Can't make it in person?  Not a problem!  We're capturing everything on video from start to finish, and putting together the notes from the whole conference.  Reserve your copy at a discount...click here. 

Posted by Dan Tudor at 06:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm going to make it very, very easy for you today.

A big focus for many coaches that we meet with, or who we get to serve as clients, are curious about how to improve their on-campus visits with recruits.  Among all of the complicated, in-depth strategies that we might suggest, there is one which any coach can put into practice immediately.

No dent in your budget, no extra time involved on your part.  It's easy.

Here it is:

Stop having your visiting prospects meet with professors and sit in on a class.

Let me explain why this is one of the best things you can do as a college coach interested in securing a visiting prospect, and also two reasons why you might be hesitant to actually follow through with erasing it from your campus visit schedule.

First, why is it such a good idea?  Simple: Your athletes tell us.  Quite regularly, in fact.

Just about every week, we're on campuses leading workshops for coaches and athletic departments.  As a part of our review and research for those projects, we conduct detailed focus groups and surveys with current college student-athletes.  When we do, one thing we ask them to tell us are what factors were most important - and least important - in helping them choose a college program.  Without fail, nearly 100% of the time, student-athletes tell us that sitting in on a class and meeting with a professor or dean is the least effective, least important aspect of their visit to a college campus.

"A big waste of time".  "I was bored the entire time, and it was way too long".  "I would have rather just hung-out with the team".  All of these are actual comments from your recruits.

So is it smart to make that a significant part of your campus visit?  No. 

That being said, let me give you two reasons why you will probably not make any changes to this part of your campus visit, even though most of your prospects would be much happier with their visit to campus if you did:

1. Campus culture.  Your friends in admissions, and the deans who are a current integral part of your campus visit routine, might protest your decision to change this part of your campus visit.  Everyone has a role to play during a campus visit, and you'll be reluctant to eliminate their role in the process.
2. "But we're a college.  Shouldn't they experience a class?"  Let me answer by telling you what many of your athletes have told us: "It's a college...we get it...they have classrooms."  In other words, it doesn't matter.  Now, let me clarify: If you have a prospect who asks to meet with a dean or sit in on a class, that's a different matter altogether.  However, for the vast majority of athlete prospects visiting your campus for a short period of time, they would rather spend time interacting with your team.  Still, chances are you won't be able to get around the whole "college...classroom...professor...must make them see it" line of thinking.

So there you have it.  One easy solution to better campus visits, along with two major hurdles standing in your way.

The ball is in your court now, Coach.  Are you ready to start revamping your campus visit by starting with this one very easy and inexpensive fix that's based on national research and advice from the very people you are trying to attract to your program?

We have more campus visit strategies ready to talk about at this summer's National Collegiate Recruiting Conference in Chicago.  You should be there, Coach! 

The discounted early registration price expires soon.  Register today! 

And by the way, if you can't make it but still want all the information from the conference, order our DVD and notes...it's the next best thing to being there.  

Posted by Dan Tudor at 06:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

by Sean "Call Me Willie" Devlin, Front Rush 

What song would you sing if you were on American Idle?

More and more we have seen coaches who are our clients add a little personality to their online recruit questionnaires, and candidly we love it.

The premise is that instead of just having questions like "height?" "weight?" "email?" - why not show a little personality in your questionnaire? Why not ask questions like "if you were a wrestler, what would your entrance song be?" Or, "if you were stranded on an island, what three items would you want to have?" Or even, "are you ready to work harder than you ever have in your life?".  Questions like these have a few key benefits: 

1) It gives you the opportunity to introduce a little of your team's culture, potentially before you have even spoken with the recruit.

2) It gives you something to talk about when you call the recruit.

3) It allows you to stand out amongst a sometimes crowded field of competing coaches.

4) It let's you dialog on the web in a similar fashion that recruits are used to in their everyday surfing.

The above examples may be a bit extreme for your program and your team's message...fair enough, Coach. But, it doesn't mean that you can't introduce your own ideas beyond the standard "first name" and "last name" boxes on your questionnaire.  Most importantly, it should be representative of you and your team's personality.

If you come up with any great ideas, we would love to hear them -- Oh and for the record, I would sing anything by Willie Nelson.

Got questions about how to add personality to your web recruiting questionnaire?  Whether you are a Front Rush customer or not, email the undisputed expert of web recruiting technology - Sean Devlin - at sdevlin@frontrush.com.

And, if you ask nicely, he may even belt out a Willie Nelson song for you after he and his team at Front Rush give you great technology advice.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 09:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

by Scott Alexander, NCSA Recruiting Coach 

Preparing for summer camps have traditionally created several dilemmas for college coaches. For most, it's not uncommon to feel unprepared as you enter a camp session. Not knowing who a recruit is or whether or not they could actually be a player for you will obviously put you in poor position to maximize your time while at the camp.

It's likely that you also struggle with your overall camp attendance, which may be a result of your pre-camp outreach. Finding the balance between quality and quantity is always a slippery slope. Of course, having the right types of recruits on campus can go a long way with your overall success in recruiting, but how can you as a college coach efficiently target recruits that will meet your recruiting qualifications?

The good news is there are several free tools available that can help you with several of these dilemmas.

The free NCSA Recruit-Match Database provides college coaches with critical information on recruits across every sport, housing information on over 200,000 prospects.  The NCSA database can help you put not only faces, but film, transcripts, and statistics to those names on your camp list, thus allowing you and your staff to be more prepared to make your evaluations and spend the optimal amount of time with your most prized recruits.

The NCSA Recruit-Match Database will also allow your staff to concentrate your recruiting effort specifically on the needs of your program. For instance, if you are in high need of a Wide Receiver over 6'2" from your recruiting area, the NCSA database can provide a list of players who meet your criteria with film and transcripts ready to go.  Once the search field has been populated you can then transfer the recruits on to a mass mailing list and send out camp invites directly through the system. This feature allows you to personalize each email with the recruit's first name, thus increasing your ability to recruit players into your camp that fit your need and hopefully increasing both the quality and quantity of campers in attendance.

While the importance of approaching the right campers is a vastly important step in your pre-camp preparation, it's always important to consider why recruits choose one camp over the other. Through NCSA’s interactions with recruits and their families one of the common themes that stand out is that most families are more willing to make an investment in a camp when a coach chooses to be more personal with them in through the invitation process.  So while targeting the right group of players is an important step, a good recruiter will acknowledge that there must be a balance between the generic outreach and the personal follow up to ensure the recruit is considering your camp as an option.

Most families will want to hear specific triggers to make them feel comfortable with their decision to attend one camp over the other. More often than not it is as simple as acknowledging the fact that the player is truly a recruit for your program and that his/her attendance will aid your evaluation process and increase the likely hood that they receive a scholarship or roster spot decision sooner rather than later.

Like any other aspect of athletics, preparation is the key to hosting a successful camp. Using these tools and strategies will allow you to maximize your pre-camp productivity and allow your staff to make informed evaluations backed up with full scouting reports of all NCSA prospects. 

If you would like to learn more about the NCSA Recruit-Match database and how it can be used to help you maximize your recruiting efforts, call NCSA at (866)-495-7727 or go online to www.ncsasports.org.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 09:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you're a college coach, you probably do a lot of traveling through airports.

I know I do.  I can't say for sure, but I think I single-handedly kept U.S. Airways financially solvent in 2009.

On a recent trip through San Francisco on the way to work with one of our clients, andfacing a few hours to kill in between flights, I spent some time in the airport bookstore.  And it was there that I found the inspiration for today's recruiting training.

It's the books.  The titles, specifically.  They hold great lessons in how to get the attention of your recruit through great email subject lines, as well as headings and first paragraphs in your letters to prospects.  I think what these examples will show you is that if you don't capture the attention of your recruit early on, it's tough for them to get through to the rest of your message.

Here are some examples I thought were great:

"The Joy of Dirt".  Huh?  There's joy in dirt?  Apparantly so. 

Here's what you can take-away from this example of a great headline: Contradict your prospect's expectations in what they're reading from you.

Link expected negatives with unexpected positives.  It's one of the easiest ways to get your prospect's attention and sell your story to them.

As if "Freakonomics" wouldn't get your attention on it's own, the word SUPER really draws your attention.

And notice the subtitle..."global cooling"?  "Patriotic prostitutes"?  And my favorite, "Why suicide bombers should buy life insurance."

The lesson you should learn here: Bold curiosity gets our attention.  When you think about all the books on the shelves to choose from - just like all the programs your recruit has to choose from - you'd better be bold with your message, or get ready to have a tough fight on your hands to get your prospect's attention.

Nazi's playing tennis.  How could I not look closer?

The key here is the word "terrible".  It's a great use of our natural attraction to things that are negative or forbidden.

How you should use it: Focus on the negative once in a while.  I'm not talking about negative recruiting, I'm talking about negative imagery.  "Fear of loss" of the best housing...a chance to commit early...all of these things are powerful motivators for this generation of college prospect.

Oh, and the little secret that I usually only share with coaches that are a part of the On-Campus Workshops we conduct throughout the year?  Kids like being approached with negative questions: Ask them what they like about something, and they'll have trouble defining it for you.  Ask them what they don't like, and they'll have no problem talking forever about it.  Try it...you'll see what I mean.

No, you shouldn't focus on the word "sex".

Focus on the word "how".  We all love to understand the "how" of something, and your prospects are no different. 

So do this: In your next email subject line, include the words "how to" at the start.  If you reveal some secrets, or promise to if your recruit reads your message, you'll see significantly more opens for your emails.

For example: "How to make sure you get the best dorm room here at State University."

What happens when your headline or opening sentence is dry, dull and even a little boring?  You get shoved aside for something more interesting.

Notice what this headline doesn't have that the others do?  Curiosity.  Engagement.  Lifting up the reader.

For most college recruiting emails and letters, this is the book equivalent.  And the outcome described in the book is probably what awaits you when it comes to your recruiting fortunes.

Your opening headline, subject line or first paragraph is crucial to the success of your recruiting campaign.  Pay attention to it in the same way that book publishers spend tens of thousands of dollars testing headlines and images to try and get their author's book to stand out from the crowd as you walk down the aisle.

You've got the same challenge.  The good news is, you don't need tens of thousands of dollars to test out your message.  All you need is a little creativity, an extra ten minutes of your day, and the willingness to commit to the task of making your recruiting message "covers" something amazing.

Your recruits will notice the difference.

Looking for more secrets on how to write messages that stand out from your competition?  Register for one of the biggest and best recruiting conferences on the planet: The 2010 National Collegiate Recruiting Conference, July 16-18 in Chicago.  Click here for all the details (hurry!...the early registration discount ends soon).

Can't make it to the NCRC but still want to see the whole thing?  Order your conference DVD today.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 08:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

That's what you could easily call the powerful prospect search engine that the National Collegiate Scouting Association has put together for college recruiters.

Like Google, coaches can find out verified details on prospects that they are looking to recruit, among other easy-to-use online tools developed by NCSA's recruiting pros.

But you know what?  There are many additional ways that NCSA out-performs other technology sites available to coaches.  Things like:

• Streaming online video.  NCSA has pioneered a revolutionary way for coaches to view recruit videos as a way to recruit them from a distance.  You have to see it in action to understand what makes it so different  
• Former college athletes and coaches just a phone call away.  NCSA has assembled a staff dedicated to helping you search out and identify athlete prospects that meet your specifications.  And unlike some other "recruiting websites", you can call them...talk over your recruiting needs...and let them go to work for you.  Your cost?  Nothing...it's a free service for college coaches (just register to get started).
• Athletes who want to play.  That's important.  NCSA counsels their players carefully and determines which regions of the country they are open to hearing from, and helps coaches determine what division level the athete is best targeted for (and remember, they know what they're doing...they are former college athletes and coaches).  Tired of chasing down prospects who aren't going to be serious prospects for you?  Help cure that headache by using the pre-qualified, targeted prospects provided to coaches all over the country.

Are you using NCSA?  Why not?...It's free, technologically sound, and earns rave reviews from coaches that use them regularly.

The next step: Register for free, and start recruiting athletes that may just be the perfect for you and your program.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 10:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Let's break that title down:

• Creating.  Somebody has to do it, and it's probably going to be you, Coach.  It's a verb.  It denotes action.  And it's a challenge to do.
• Great.  Would you say you are great when it comes to recruiting, the visit, your rapport with parents and athletes?  Why not?
• Recruiting.  That's sales, Coach.  You're a sales professional, like it or not.  Recruiting is selling.
• Environment.  That's what I want to focus on today...the environment you can develop for great recruiting interactions with this next recruiting class you're going after.

What have we found are the best ways to build that great environment that will put you in the best possible position to land the recruits you really want?  Here's a basic list that every coach should make sure is happening at their program:

Make friends with your prospects (and their parents). I think this is the basis for every good relationship, including your recruiting relationship with your prospects and their parents.  What's the best way to establish a friendship?  Spend time on everything that's not about your program, your college, or their sport.  That's the simple three step rule to live by.  Focus on creating rapport.  Find common ground.  By communicating conversationally, the atmosphere is relaxed and communication is more open. The conversation is natural, not salesy.

Entertain them and feed them. Do you find that when you're eating with someone, that the conversation strays from recruiting and scholarships? The more personal the prospect and their parents are willing to be with you in a relaxed setting, the more likely you are to gain the "sale". Can I make another suggestion?  When you have recruits to your office on campus, think about having some snacks on hand.  Fruit, cheese cubes, crackers, something to drink...not messy, hard to eat stuff.  Just enough to make sure they're comfortable.  Food relaxes people.

Engage them. Talk about their present circumstance, their key motivators, and the core issues that are driving their current situation. Don't probe, engage...ask...listen. By engaging, you will be able to elicit full answers, and exchange meaningful iinformation. Study-up on their situation before the on-campus meeting started, so that you don't have to ask stupid questions. And because they already know you, and feel good about you, I am able to get truthful answers and ascertain key facts about their recruiting situation. We've also found that because this meeting is taking place in your meeting room, rather than theirs, they feel more open about sharing information.

Provide some kind of real, tangible value. This is going to be defined differently by each coach that's reading this.  And, that's O.K...there's no right or wrong definition of "value".  Basically, look for something that gives to your prospect and their family before you ask them for something (like their commitment).  Maybe it's a one-on-one meeting with the Athletic Director or President of the school.  Maybe it's a list of workouts you'd suggest they do as they finish up their high school career (whether they sign with you or not).  In your next staff meeting, be the one that asks, "What can we give our visiting prospects that gives them something of value?" 

Help them be a better athlete.  Give them insights on how to train better.  How to train your way.  Even coach them up a little while they're there.  Better yet, have your current athletes talk to them about what they've learned under you and how they've taken their game to the next level.  By the way, this might be the area where you can give them value.

Don't settle for an "O.K." visit.  Aim for GREAT!  As we talk about in "Selling for Coaches", our advanced recruiting guide for college coaches, you need to look at every possible area of your visit ad your interaction with them.  Why?  Because they are watching your every move, and making judgement calls along the way as to whether or not to buy what you're selling.  They're looking at you, your current team, your dorms, how many boring meeting they are forced to sit through in the admissions office...everything. When we are invited to a school to conduct one of our effective On-Campus Workshops for an athletic department, a big area of focus when we research the strengths and weaknesses of their recruiting experience is what happens during a prospect visit and why.  Start dissecting your campus visit now, before this next class arrives and finds it just "O.K." 

Ask for the sale after you've created an environment for them to buy. Once all the pieces are in place, don't let your prospect leave campus without being asked for their commitment (assuming you still want them sign after the things you learn about them on the visit).  Not asking is one of the worse mistakes a coach can make.  It's safe to say that there will be no other time during the recruiting process that they will be more inclined to say "yes" than at the end of an engaging, energetic, original visit with your team on your campus.  If you don't know how to ask for their commitment effectively, and want to learn, come to our National Collegiate Recruiting Conference this Summer in Chicago (or reserve a copy of the conference DVD and conference notes if you can't be there in person). 

Your focus should be singular: Build a relationship before you ask them to "buy" your program.  Each one of these steps that I've outlined are components for building a relationship, not sales techniques.  Don't put the selling them on your school ahead of connecting with them on a personal level.

We're starting to schedule the 2010-2011 On-Campus Workshop tour schedule.  Interested in bringing Dan Tudor to your campus?  Click here for the details on how to make sure your athletic department is included in this coming year's tour schedule.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 08:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

by Sean Devlin, Front Rush 

So, everyone here at Front Rush jumped on the iPad bandwagon on day one and have spent the last week or so "stress testing" it for our coaches who are Front Rush clients. Our initial motivation was the geek factor and the hype, but we wanted to also share our thoughts from a recruiting perspective for coaches who might be thinking of using it in the near future.

In our view, the iPad is a sweet device when used for consuming information. If you are searching the web or watching videos (more on this later), the iPad provides a great user experience. When attempting to create information writing this article on my iPad, it is difficult and slow when compared to using a laptop or desktop.

The big question some coaches are asking us: Can it replace your phone?

Well, no. But...presumably, you could replace your iPhone or Blackberry when you are recruiting on location. The iPad is light weight (1.5 lbs) and compact in size (roughly 8 inches by 10 inches). It is certainly much more portable than your laptop and much easier to navigate than your small screened phone. However, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.

1) If most of your onsite recruiting is outdoors, then you will have to deal with a glare issue. The iPad's display is great when indoors but as soon as the sunlight hits it, the glare makes it very difficult to see. It's not entirely unusable but the display quality (outdoors) is poor at best.

2) The standard iPad does not come with a 3G connection. This means that if you are not near a wireless router (or you are, but don't have the username and password) you won't be able to access the web. You can, however, shell out the extra $130 upfront plus the monthly $15-$30 on AT&T's network to have web access from everywhere. With all of this said, if your recruiting does not require web access there are a number of apps in the app store for accessing your Excel and Word files.

3) You can access full websites from your iPad and your iPhone apps will still work. Huh? Let me give you an example...Facebook. If you use the Facebook app on your iPhone, you can still use it on your iPad. But, it's almost pointless as you can pull up the full Facebook site from the iPad and not really miss out on anything when compared to your laptop. The point being that the iPad allows you to use most parts of your full web-based recruiting app.

If you are big on watching recruiting videos on a computer, this is a gamble. We have seen more and more recruits posting videos on YouTube and for those, the iPad works great. Most other recruiting services that don't use youtube or an HTML 5 video equivalent (sorry...that may be a little super techie!), the iPad won't work. The bottom line is that some sites you you will be able to watch video and others you won't...it really depends on the site.

Sending emails is straight forward. If you compare sending an email from your iPad to your computer, it is night and day. On your iPad, your typing speed slows down and your errors increase (this article is taking me quite a bit longer than usual to write on my iPad). If you compare the email sending on your iPad to your phone, it is equally night and day in the other direction. The iPad provides a much larger keyboard so that it is easier to hit the proper keys and have a somewhat keyboard like experience.

Basic web surfing?  It's awesome - you may have to take one home for the night and try it to understand. It's just awesome.

The pricing is determined by two factors. 1) The amount of storage and 2) If you require the 3G connection.

It starts out at $499 for 16GB. 16GB is enough if you are not storing movies, videos and a lot of songs. If you are just using apps, email and the web then you should be fine. However if you will store a lot of videos etc. then the cost goes up incrementally by $100 up to $699.

If you do require 3G access then the upfront cost is and additional $130 on top of the $499 plus the monthly $15-$30 for the access.

So with all of the above said, we love the iPad as a general consumer device and love the potential it could offer as an on field device. There are clear questions but these can only be answered from the trenches. If you are using the iPad now, or are planning on getting one, we would love to hear your feedback.

(Sent from my iPad)

Front Rush is more than just a web-based recruiting contact manager.  They're built-in technology experts for their growing list of clients that rely on them to give them the edge in the hard knock world of college recruiting.  Want them to review your program's technical expertise level, and make some free recommendations and assessments?  Email Sean Devlin at sdevlin@frontrush.com.

Posted by Dan Tudor at 08:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)