Legendary coach and leader Vince Lombardi once said, “Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.”
When it comes to preparing your admissions team for success during this crucial yield season, truer words have never been spoken. In our Interactive Counselor Training Workshops (ITW) we introduce a number of innovative techniques to develop new skill sets for admissions professionals. We also incorporate a few tried-and-true methods that are always successful.
For instance, there is one exercise that is always effective; will build upon, and further hone, the skills of your team members; and could very well play a role in increasing the success of your yield: role playing. (Pun intended.)
This is an ideal time of year to use this tool to sharpen your recruiting team’s skills. When done right, role playing can foster confidence and camaraderie within your team. As your counselors demonstrate their communication techniques and get feedback from the team, they will be practicing for their next meaningful conversation with a prospective student.
You may want to prepare yourself for some push-back from your staff. For some reason, the mere thought of role playing fills many counselors with dread. Some feel as if they “don’t need” to role play because they already have a complete mastery of their craft.
Others are nervous about “making a mistake” or worry that their “performance” will be subpar. You may even have someone who is “insulted” that you would ask them to do such a thing because, after all, they have been recruiting students for (you name the number) of years. I can only imagine what Coach Lombardi would say about that!
Don’t worry. Follow these simple strategies and the exercise will be successful even if you initially encounter some resistance.
- Be Collaborative: Involve the entire team in the process from start to finish. Together, brainstorm the topics you will cover in the role plays and set the guidelines as a team.
- Embrace Different Perspectives: Each team member will bring a different skill level and their own distinctive experiences to the process. And, that’s a good thing. Your rookie can pick up a new technique from your seasoned pro, who in turn, may learn a thing or two from the fresh perspective of the newcomer.
- Make it a Safe Zone: Role playing should allow counselors to test the effectiveness of different strategies with their peers without fear of failure. Yes, “mistakes” will be made but that is just part of the process. Knowing that in advance should calm some nerves.
Have Fun: In our experience, you can expect many spirited discussions and quite a few laughs. You can also anticipate more successful communications with prospective students in the days ahead.
If I can help you with your recruiting efforts in any way, please feel free to call or email me. My contact information is at the bottom of this post.
Continue the conversation on Twitter @LongmireCo. Click this link for more information about Longmire and Company’s Yield Enhancement System (YES).
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Karen Full is a highly-respected higher education professional who has held positions in admissions and enrollment management at several institutions in the Midwest and Florida. With her vast experience working with large and small, public and private colleges, Karen brings a valuable perspective to her role as an Enrollment Strategist at Longmire and Company.
Call Karen at 913/492.1265 x.711 or email her at kfull@longmire-co.com. Follow Karen on Twitter @KarenAFull.
