How to Make a Better Recruiting Argument: by Jeremy Tiers
Every time you recruit a student you’re making an argument.
You make an argument that they should visit your campus. You make an argument that they should fill out your application. And, some of you make an argument as to why they should pay more to attend your school.
Here’s the problem: Many of you “argue” with your prospects, and their parents, from your point of view.
You have deadlines to meet, applications to get completed, and so on and so forth. As a result, many of you get so wrapped up in the procedure that your school uses to recruit students that you forget one important aspect of the recruiting and decision-making process – Your prospect usually doesn’t care about your school’s process.
Ask yourself, “How often am I arguing from my point of view, rather than empathetically from my prospect’s point of view”?
It’s not about just sharing what you believe. It’s about what the listener (your prospect) believes.
Here’s a simple three step plan for you to revamp pretty much any argument, recruiting pitch, or conversation with your prospect:
Define what you want to tell them from your point of view. Before you can react with empathy, you need to narrow down what exactly it is that you want to tell your prospect. Be specific.
Reverse sides – How is your prospect going to hear your argument? I want you to think worst case scenario here. What’s the least positive way your prospect would hear what you’re telling them?
Now redesign your argument that takes your prospect’s point of view into account. Any argument, recruiting message, or sales pitch you’re hoping to make needs to focus on “what’s in it for them”. Nothing to do with your school’s priorities, deadlines or process…everything to do with their perspective, hopes, dreams and fears.