4 Ways To Make Time For Recruiting

[trx_quote cite="#" title="Mandy Green"]One of the biggest hurdles coaches tell me that they are facing is finding enough time to do everything they need to do when it comes to recruiting...[/trx_quote]

4 Ways To Make Time For Recruiting

One of the biggest hurdles coaches tell me that they are facing is finding enough time to do everything they need to do when it comes to recruiting.
Running a program means you have a lot on your plate and it is really tough to stay on top of everything, especially recruiting.
I just did an on-campus workshop with some coaches who were feeling overwhelmed. These coaches came to me hoping to learn some tricks that will create time for them to do more recruiting and still get done all of the other things that they need to do.
I consistently hear from coaches that they go into their day with a game plan and by 9:30 A.M. their day has gotten thoroughly messed up because of a crisis, a colleague stopped by, emails, unexpected phone calls, etc. Many of these same coaches stay relatively messed up the remainder of the day. So many times we get caught up in being “busy” during our day and before we know what hit us, the day is over and we still have recruiting phone calls to make and emails to send out.
Here are four ways you can make more time for recruiting, without adding more hours to your already hectic workday:

1. Schedule recruiting into your day.

Most coaches haven’t established recruiting, and all the little details that are a part of it, as a top priority in their day. They let interruptions, distractions, unimportant conversations and unwanted visitors eat up their time. Don’t let that happen to you. Recruiting student athletes that will make your program better is crucial to your success as a coach and should be scheduled into your day every day. Turn off your phone, close your email, and shut your door. Block off a half-hour, an hour, or however much time you feel is going to be necessary to accomplish what you need to get done where you focus on nothing but recruiting.

2. Do your recruiting first thing in the morning or when your energy is highest.

Whether its e-mails to send, letters to write, or making arrangements for an upcoming prospect campus visit, get it done right when you walk into the office. Plenty of fires flare-up as the day progresses and it seems like the first thing to get shoved aside is recruiting. Get your recruiting tasks done first thing in the morning, when you have the fewest interruptions, and your mind is fresh. If you are not a morning person, plan to do your recruiting for the day at a time when you know that you will have good energy.

3. Make a list the night before and prioritize it.

Start your recruiting day the night before by making a list of the top five or ten things you plan to accomplish in your recruiting duties for the upcoming day. Once you have your list, prioritize it. When you get into the office the next morning, work off your list in order of importance. Writing down the things you know you need to do will let you sleep more soundly, and give you a clear direction the next morning when your day starts.

4. Set small daily recruiting goals for yourself.

Maybe you set the goal of calling 3 recruits a night. Or, maybe its to hand write five prospects by the end of the day. Whatever it is, set your goals and then post them in front of you so that you make sure you accomplish them. Measure your success in recruiting effectiveness in the same way you would analyze your team’s statistics as a way of measuring their performance.

Easy to do? Surprisingly, no. Most coaches will look at this list and kind of roll their eyes because it’s all just common sense, much of which they’ve heard before. And yet, those same coaches will let their valuable work day slip away because they haven’t made it a priority to keep focused on what it is that they need to do to be successful recruiters.
Are you struggling to find time to get your recruiting done in a more efficient manner? Does the thought of not stressing out to sign more quality recruits sound appealing? Want more time away from the coaching office to spend with your spouse and kids? It’s all there waiting for you, Coach. But first, you need to get serious about using the time you already have to do your recruiting.