When a coach gets the opportunity to get in front of an athlete and begin recruiting them one-on-one, establishing a personal connection is vital. In many cases, that’s what is going to be the deciding factor for the athlete as they make a decision about you and what you’re offering them.
So, like it or not, a lot of decisions come down to you and how you connect with your prospect. That’s one thing we talk a lot about in our new recruiting workbook, "Selling for Coaches: Advanced Recruiting for College Coaches". Developing a relationship with both the student-athlete and their parents is the big key to gaining an advantage over your competition in the battle for recruits.
However, there’s another aspect to how a college coach develops their relationship with a recruit that
can give you an edge when you’re face to face with them: Being "charming".
Charming? Yes, charming. Being recognized as a coach that is caring, interested in the other person, and complimentary. Those are just some of the aspects that coaches need to master when it comes to quickly establishing rapport with your prospect.
Here are five other ways to up your charm factor:
- Show acceptance right away. Your prospects are nervous when they first meet you, talk to you over the phone, or even when they exchange emails with you. You need to understand that there is a good chance they are worried about your view of their life…their home…their neighborhood…their family. One of the best ways to make a quick, memorable connection is to show acceptance through your actions and words. Letting your prospect know that you feel he or she is just fine the way they are is key in establishing a good foundation for an ongoing relationship. One important point: You need to demonstrate specific acts of acceptance…taking lots of time to interact with siblings, spending time on the phone with mom and dad…those are just two real-life examples I’ve heard from coaches who "get it" when it comes to making a real connection by being genuinely, sincerely charming.
- Find something to admire about your prospect or their parents. Why admiration? Because its one of the most powerful ways to connect with your prospect. And, it’s something that most coaches don’t focus on. But when a coach shows admiration towards an athlete and his or her parents, and tells that athlete why they admire them, it boosts the ego of the athlete and gives them good reasons to want to build the relationship and listen to what you have to say. This step is critical, coach. Make sure you verbalize your admiration for your prospect.
- Show approval for something done right by your prospect. As in, "Susan, I really like the fact that you’ve done a lot of personal training during the off-season." Or, "Brad, you’ve done a great job bringing up your grades last semester." Approval is something everyone seeks, especially high school athletes. Make sure you mention something positive that you approve of to your prospect. By the way, if you want more specific tips like this, I encourage you to be a part of one of our upcoming regional recruiting conferences…we’ll be loading-up attendees with lots of new strategies and tips when it comes to interacting with today’s athletes and their parents.
- Show your prospect LOTS of appreciation. This one applies to your prospect’s parents, as well. Always be appreciative of the things a family does to welcome you and make you comfortable. The same advice holds true when you’re hosting a family on campus, or even when you’re interacting with them over the phone. To be honest, most coaches already know this. However, many could take it to a new level by not just saying a polite "thank you", but giving some reasons why their courtesy as a host made an impression on you. Mom and dad are looking to impress you, coach. Make sure you explain to her why you felt right at home.
- Pay close attention to your prospect. Another somewhat obvious item on our list, but think about this one: Are you missing opportunities to pay attention to your prospect? Are you aware of how they’re feeling throughout the process? If they’re embarrassed by something their parents say? If they are proud of a certain accomplishment, and want you to take notice of it? After a tough loss or other disappointment in their high school career, are you taking some time to build them up again? Pay attention, coach. Pay real close attention!
Turning on the charm makes your prospect feel accepted, and gives you the edge in establishing a quick connection with your prospect. And by the way, all of this "charm" isn’t something that you fake your way through. Your prospects and their parents will smell a fraud a mile away, so make sure these tips are something you make part of your natural one-on-one recruiting style.
You can’t recruit without making a connection, and you can’t make an effective connection without being at least a little bit charming.
