by Dan Christensen, Tudor Collegiate Strategies
When you finally get that prospect to respond to your text or email after the second, third, or tenth try, most coaches will then try to get that recruit on the phone. That doesn’t have to be the next step but if that is your choice, that is totally fair. In fact, having a conversation on the phone helps let the recruit know this recruiting relationship is real. Hearing your voice now puts a real voice in their head when they read your future texts, emails, and letters.
But proceed carefully. This first call is important. You need to make sure you sell, sell, sell, push them to visit campus, and extend that call to last at least half an hour, right? No! At least not if you want them to like you and answer your future calls.
Instead, try these two simple tips for having a productive first call:
1) Keep it short
With this generation of prospects, most are not interested in long phone calls. They live in a world of quick, non-verbal communication. If this first call lasts too long, they are going to dread future calls because they will expect it to take just as long as the first one.
Instead keep it brief. Maybe even only two or three minutes. Introduce yourself, tell them what you like about them, and then follow number two.
2) Tell them what to expect or do next
This could be a range of things:
- Tell them to check their mailbox (the one outside their house) for a letter coming in the next few days. And make sure that letter explains what to do next.
- Ask them to send you an email with their parents’ names, phone numbers, and email addresses so you can reach out and introduce yourself to them as well.
- Let them know you’ll be shooting them an email in a few days and give them a hint about the content to create a little curiosity
If you end the conversation without a next step, they might leave the call confused and uncertain as to whether or not you like them and want to keep recruiting them. Keeping the call short and outlining the near future will make for a more positive call that leads to future engagement.