by Dan Christensen, Tudor Collegiate Strategies
Why should your recruits choose you?
That is THE most important question you need to answer in the recruiting process for your prospects. They are looking for answers and I want you to be able to give them those answers effectively.
Where many coaches get this wrong is by only focusing on the “what.” What is your school like? What does it have to offer? What does your team do?
That stuff is important. But, it needs to be further explained to recruits. Here is why:
1) Recruits do not always connect the dots
It isn’t because they are not smart enough. But simply, they have not done this before. They have not been a college student or college athlete. They have not gone through the recruiting process before.
You are the coach. You have the experience. And so, you need to be clear. Assume that your recruits will not completely connect the dots.
Is your school in the city? Why should they want that experience? Explain.
Does your school have small class sizes? Why does that matter to students? Explain.
Is your team’s facility state of the art? Why should that be important, other than just being fun and flashy? Explain.
Help your recruits connect the dots so there is little room for confusion or a lack of understanding as to why they should choose you!
2) You need to differentiate yourself
Your recruits have options. They are trying to figure out what makes each option different and which differences are best for them.
If we only explain “what”, there are a couple of problems.
One, chances are there are several other programs that have the same “what.” If you are trying to sell the fact that you’re in the city but fail to explain why that should be desirable to your recruit, you’ll just be lumped in with the other city schools that recruit is considering.
The other problem is if your competitors are explaining why their school that is in a more rural location has more to offer, your recruit will have nothing to compare to since you did not explain why.
Why should your recruits choose you?
Keep that question at the forefront of your messaging. Whether you talk about your location, facilities, or coaching style, explain why so that your recruit can see that you’re the best option for them!
Looking to get more insights on how to tell your recruiting story at your specific college campus? Bring the experts of Tudor Collegiate Strategy to campus for a personalized recruiting workshop! We’ve been training college athletic departments for two decades, and it’s more important now than ever to be using the most updated, researched techniques. Click here for more details.