Trust is a peculiar project.

You go on a date to build trust.

You buy your kid that new toy to build trust.

You show up to work on time and do a great job to build trust.

Trust is simply a peculiar project of ideas that can be seen clearly.

From the parent’s point, of view they don’t trust you because they don’t know you.

They could care less about your recruiting service because they don’t like you.

They don’t want to hear about your successes because, frankly, they don’t give a damn.

We’ve all heard the stories about how bad recruiting services are, how they do nothing but take people’s money and destroy student-athletes’ dreams. 

If you haven’t heard the negativity about recruiting services, then you probably haven’t been in the business long enough.

Trust me, you will hear the hate. 

This post is not about hate, though.

More importantly, it’s about trust.

They Don’t Know You:

When it comes to brand awareness, by just looking at a company’s logo you know exactly who they are and what they do. 

When it comes to your recruiting service, you’re invisible in the eyes of everyone and it’s your fault.

Where do you stand on brand awareness?

Do you attend high school sporting events, camps, exposure events, and tournaments?

Have you built a network of high school and club coaches?

Does everyone in the high school sports community have your business card and do you have their contact information? 

You have to be known in order to gain trust, respect, and likability. 

This business, unfortunately, has a lot of crummy people associated with it. 

These recruiting services only care about money, nothing more. 

The perception is muddied in the minds of everyone that’s why it’s important for you to change their minds and be visible.

Do They Like You: 

We all have that favorite family member.

Maybe it’s an uncle, your grandmother, or your grandfather.

When we see them our faces light up with joy and excitement. 

In your role as college scout, when you walk into a sporting event do people’s faces light up when they see you?

Are they pointing at you with excitement?

They can’t wait to talk to you.

They want to share information with you about players.

They want to sit next to you at the game. Do they like you?

Are the conversations engaging with smiles on their faces, happiness in their eyes?

Are they enjoying talking about sports, your passion, your loves? Do they like you?

Do They Trust You: 

The oddity of trust is it’s all good when you’re just talking.

It’s all good when the conversation is about players.

All of that changes when the viewing public finds out you charge a fee for your services.

The expressions on their faces immediately change as though you called their mother out her name.

They know you and they like you, now you have to climb that mountain of trust which will seem almost impossible to reach the top.

I do believe once the high school sports community realizes you are here to stay and that you’re not going anywhere, the barriers of trust will fall. The doors of opportunity opens and, once you enter the other side, the riches await you, guaranteed!

Closing Thoughts:  

It will be an uphill climb at first to change the viewing public’s perception of recruiting service. 

Maybe that perception of negativity never changes about recruiting services, but the judgement placed on you will change, pointing in a positive direction because of your ability to stay cemented in the high school sports community.

Recruiting services come and go all the time.

Far too often it’s because they never embraced the fundamentals of the process. 

When recruiting services self-destruct the viewing public, with a taste of sarcasm in their voices, will say something like, “ Don’t waste your money on recruiting services.”

It’s critical to embrace the fundamentals.

I’d like to know what you think of this topic. Please leave me a comment in the comment section below. Your comments are the oxygen we need to grow!