There is a recruiting class slideshow I enjoy giving, it is primarily original work, with the exception of slides (17) and (18). You may view the slideshow using this link, and follow along if you are inclined while reading this explanatory post.
Recruitment - The Basics (2)
When you are preparing to recruit, you must understand your own reasons to want to grow your unit and why you want to be of service to TAW. In all likelihood, this will provide you valuable insight regarding the appeal of membership in your division, which can be highly valuable in determining a marketing strategy for use when speaking to potential applicants. I favor the use of business principles in recruiting, specifically market discovery, price discovery, and arbitrage. In the context of recruiting, market discovery involves ascertaining the most populous communities of qualified potential applicants, price discovery refers to the desire for unaffiliated gamers to find a gaming community, and arbitrage is the identification of inefficiencies between disparate markets in order to capitalize and profit. You must be able to convince a potential applicant that TAW is an enriching community where someone is a person, not a number, that TAW represents a better way to play a particular game, as they will be surrounded by helpful and non-toxic clanmates, that TAW is a place that will excite their imagination, and that TAW is a sustained community that has been in continuous existence for 20 years, and is a stable place for members to invest their time and energy. You must also have a particular understanding of the game you're recruiting for, and how specifically your division appeals to potential applicants.
Market Discovery (3)You will find in your research that there are many potential places to recruit from. I always advocate pursuing low-hanging fruit first, which are the locations which are most likely to contain the target audience. This is also where I like to discuss the benefits of arbitrage. In many places, especially official Discord servers, there will be specific channels where people are looking for membership in a clan (i.e. engaged in price discovery). If, as a recruiter, you determine that the person is likely qualified for membership, it is prudent to reach out to them immediately in order to discuss TAW and its membership benefits. Ensure you are incorporating any information they included in their LFG statement in order to best market TAW as the best option for their interests. There are some games where the in-game presence of TAW is not competitive with other clans. This is often seen in games where there is a PvP component, and TAW does not have minimum skill requirements so we are often not the top PvP clan in those types of games. In this circumstance, remember the advice to "be best or be first." If you are the first person to message someone looking for a clan, and are effective in marketing TAW to them in response to their custom interests, then there is a high likelihood that they will agree to join. You are also welcome to request a market research report from Recruiting Division, such as the one prepared for New World.
Price Discovery (4) We must consider all potential applicants to be rational economic actors who are engaged in price discovery to find the community that is the best fit for their talents, skills, and experience. I always like to segment the market based on whether I perceive someone is looking for a gaming community as a product or a service. For product based marketing, you want to focus on the static facts relating to TAW - that we have been in continuous existence for 20 years, sponsor around 40 games, have over 1300 active members, and provide free coaching, training, and replay reviews. For service based marketing, you want to focus on the relationships that are available in TAW, such as squads to join to be part of a team, the leadership opportunities available, and that TAW is accepting of people of all skill levels and all backgrounds irrespective of race, gender, sexual identity, etc.
Research! (5)Your first step should always be to research the game that you are recruiting for, and reminding yourself why your division appeals to you. This research also helps you know where potential applicants are, whether that's on forums, official/unofficial Discords, on in-game chat channels, etc. Always use market segmentation to modify your pitch, as discussed in more detail in slide (19). Every game has its own optimal means for recruitment, whether that be through a highly active Discord server, or forums, or by grouping with people in-game and then inviting them to join. You should consider what form of marketing best exemplifies membership in TAW, such as streaming divisional events and its voice comms, or through a text post, or maintaining a quality Discord server.
Case Study: TAW's Starcraft 2 Division (6)Now we are going to implement some of these principles with a real-world example. If I am recruiting for Starcraft 2 Division, I will first determine if I want to approach a recruit through product based or service based recruiting. For product based, I would discuss how the division has "x" many members, and has "y" mandatory events a week, and optional events every day. Be advised that it can sometimes provoke a negative reaction from potential applicants to use the term "mandatory," and one of the top misconceptions of those unfamiliar with TAW operations is that this represents a full-length meeting. In such circumstance, simply clarify that while there may be brief announcements at the beginning of an event, it is merely an organized play session, meant to ensure activity among members. I also would bring up that there are always people online in both NA and EU to play with, that there are a large number of Diamond and Master level players who are available for free coaching, training, and replay reviews, and that the Discord server is always active with multiple channels focused on coaching, training, and theorycrafting. Now if I were to focus on service based recruiting, which focuses on the potential for relationships in TAW, I would heavily highlight the optional squads that are available. For example, Bronze to GM Squad, for improving skills through positive feedback, Alpha Squad, for already highly skilled players to compete against others, for Team Games Squad, to play team games with friendly clanmates, and Arcade Squad, to play fun arcade games with clanmates. You can see here that this effectively covers the vast majority of gamers - those wanting to get better, those already good, those who want to play with a team, and those who want to play to have fun. You can alter your approach depending on the desires expressed by the potential applicant - if someone told me they were in Bronze, I would be unlikely to heavily focused on Alpha Squad, but I would certainly bring up the other squads and see if they showed interest. You should also bring up some of the leadership opportunities that could be available in the division. I would never tell any potential applicant that they could become a drill instructor, as unfortunately the burden of recruiting is unpopular among many gamers and would be unlikely to entice anyone to join. In contrast, I prefer to bring up the field leadership opportunities, such as the potential to be a squad leader. The concept of a squad leader will excite the imagination of the applicant, as all gamers have sensible ambitions, including leading a squad of friendly, like-minded comrades onto the field of battle and through grit and determination emerging victorious. I also often like to emphasize that TAW is a welcoming place to people of all skill levels and backgrounds. It comes up all the time in recruiting that potential applicants think that gaming clans only accept skilled players, which is a good misconception for a potential applicant to have, as you can assuage their concerns and reassure them that TAW is a gaming community focused on playing together and having fun irrespective of the individual skill of our members. I also sometimes mention our policy of tolerance towards people of all backgrounds, such as those of every race, gender, sexuality, etc. Not only will this appeal to people who are part of groups that sometimes face discrimination in other communities, but also hopefully prevent those prone to bigoted action from applying in the first place.
Recruitment Markets (7)
You will find that regardless of your division's game, there are standard recruitment markets available, which are discussed in the following several slides. One of the most effective markets is a Discord server, particularly an official or large unofficial server for the game. There is generally a high overlap between Discord users and potential applicants. You will always want to strategize whether you want to broach the subject of TAW's use of Teamspeak early in a conversation, or whether you want to try to get a potential applicant into your Discord server first and make a connection with them as discussed in slide (15) prior to mentioning Teamspeak so the subject is more likely to commit to downloading and using it. There is also in-game recruiting, which can be a great way to find calm and non-toxic players, particularly those who already have microphones and are comfortable using voice comms if your game permits it among in-game allies, and it is a way to not only identify people already well qualified to join but also make a connection with them first through quality voice communication during the game. There are often Reddit forums (subreddits) that are dedicated to games that TAW players, but be sure to check the subreddit rules regarding recruiting, and whether there is a dedicated subreddit for recruitment for the target game. There are official forums and looking for group websites, which are largely hit and miss depending on the specific game. There is Twitch, which can be incredibly effective in demonstrating the benefits of membership in TAW by highlighting the teamwork and positive voice communication displayed by the unit during a game. And there is Facebook, which I personally do not advocate in the vast majority of situations, as our target demographic is generally found in much more accessible markets.
Recruitment Markets Continued (Discord) (8)
I often consider Discord to be the best platform for recruiting for most games. Be aware that if you are rapid-firing direct messages, you will be limited to 10 messages to new contacts every 10 minutes. As a result of this and other natural delays, in very active servers which have a constant flow of posts in an LFG channel, I usually message around 50 people an hour. You should closely monitor LFG channels if they exist, and always be cognizant of server rules regarding DMing people for this purpose. I find it helpful to DM a server admin if clarification is needed. The majority of the time, the admins are polite and understanding that gaming communities such as TAW are what sustains interest in their game in the long-term. On occasion, you will find an admin hostile to your interests, but in that circumstance simply remain cordial and polite and move on. If a potential applicant is interested, I will often ask their age in order to prevent soliciting an application from someone younger than 16.
Recruitment Markets Continued (In-game) (9)
In-game recruiting can be a high quality means for recruiting for most TAW games. In a competitive game, identify those who fought well by your side and those who fought honorably against you, and send them an invitation either to the divisional Discord server or the TAW Discord server. This is helpful in finding people who can play without raging or griefing. If it is a game with clear progression (such as an MMORPG) then provide assistance to lower level characters prior to extending an invitation and frame your assistance as being typical of their experience in a friendly gaming community such as TAW.
Recruitment Markets Continued (Reddit) (10)
Reddit can be a good way to find those who are actively looking for a gaming community or clan. If you can find LFG subreddits, you can directly message people who are probably the most likely to be receptive to a recruiting pitch. This however does not usually yield the same raw numbers such as a Discord LFG channel, so be mindful of how you are spending your time and how many potential applicants you can message during your efforts.
Recruitment Markets Continued (Forums) (11)
Official forums and looking for group sites can be effective in certain situations depending on the specific game and its community. This is most likely where you will post a static recruitment message as seen on slide (17). Ensure your forum post is engaging and easy to read, and clearly identifies how you want the potential applicant to get in contact with you. Include a call to action if you desire to provoke discussion among either outside people or from your recruiting staff who wish to bump the thread, if appropriate.
Recruitment Markets Continued (LFG) (12)
LFG sites can be useful in finding people who are looking for a group, but they are often sparsely populated and committing effort to this type of community often fragments the market in suboptimal ways. This will definitely depend on the specific game and whether there are populous LFG sites worthy of the time and energy to be expended to contact people there.
Recruitment Markets Continued (Twitch) (13)
I am a strong believer in the potential for Twitch to be a great recruitment opportunity. By streaming divisional events, you can demonstrate in a real way how your unit plays that game and showcase the positive communications you employ and the teamwork present in your unit, which will be highly appealing to your target demographic of players looking for team-based gameplay. This also gives access to potential applicants who you may not otherwise reach using other means (Discord, in-game, etc) and if the stream is properly tagged, it will show up on the list of channels playing that game to those who search for it on Twitch.
Recruitment Markets Continued (Facebook) (14)
I am highly skeptical of the usefulness of Facebook for recruiting for a game, but as with all of these possible methods, absolutely use the ones that are effective for your situation. It is generally highly inefficient and labor intensive to directly message people on Facebook, and this requires use of a personal Facebook account, which I personally will decline to do for this purpose. I consider there to almost always be better options, but if for some reason this is the means that you wish to employ, then perhaps you will have luck.
Utilizing Your Own Discord (15)
Your division's Discord server is the public face of your division. Ensure that your public channels are welcoming and that they are active. If you have an open contract with Recruiting Division, then it is very strenuously respectfully requested that if new members are brought into your Discord that your members engage them in conversation in the public channels. The quickest way to alienate Recruiting Division is to have us bring in recruits just for them to languish in the public channels when nobody from the target division is active in that channel to talk about the game, the division, and TAW in general. This problem is compounded if the Recruiting Division member does not play the target game and is thus unfamiliar with game concepts and cannot adequately market the benefits of TAW membership in the face of specific game questions. I am a strong supporter of access scaffolding, where certain channels become unlocked over time as a person advances in status. This will obviously include general clan member discussion channels, but of significance to the recruiting mission are coaching channels, where an entry-level advice channel can be publicly accessible, with active TIs/TS to dispense free counsel with the understanding that more labor-intensive assistance such as replay reviews will be unlocked once a person either applies to the clan or passes their boot camp to become a full recruit. I am also a supporter of a voluntary opt-in role, which can be considered something like Welcome Wagon, for those who wish to be pinged when a new recruit has just passed their boot camp and is now a clanmate. TAW is most appealing due to the relationships formed while playing games, and membership retention (as discussed on slide (16)) is essential in order to effectively grow a unit. A great way to promote the forging of these relationships are to celebrate the accomplishments of new members, such as when they complete their boot camp, conveying a sense of belonging and achievement that will encourage them to continue to remain active. I am highly impressed by Squad Division which has a bot to ping the DI role when someone enters their channel and a bot to provide a static recruitment message on demand.
Recruitment Efficiency - Onboarding Success (16)
Getting a lot of new people to apply just to suffer onboarding attrition is a great way to demoralize recruiters. Instead, engage new recruits so that they find fulfillment in TAW membership and will complete the onboarding process to become full members. Providing meaningful activities for these recruits will go a long way towards this goal. I am a very strong proponent of permitting recruits to join optional squads, as this will facilitate them forging meaningful friendships that will promote their sense of inclusion and belonging. The camaraderie present in optional squads will be a strong asset in fostering loyalty to a regular group of players and encourage association of these positive game experiences with membership in TAW. This is also a great time to remind new recruits that opportunities exist once they become a full member, including potential field leadership positions, such as squad leader or fireteam leader. I also favor the use of recruitment trackers, such as the ones used in service to Squad, Star Wars Squadrons, or Starcraft 2. If you desire assistance in developing a recruitment tracker, contact Recruiting Division.
Static Recruitment Post Example (17)This is a static recruitment post that was posted on Steam that I like for multiple reasons. First, the message is pleasant to look at. It has proper use of spacing, bold, indent, and links, and is easy to navigate. Additionally, it is not one block of text, does not have spelling or formatting errors, and contains all relevant information that is needed by a potential applicant. I am very supportive of this message in general, and encourage you all to review it thoroughly and incorporate its features into your own static recruitment messages.
Active Recruitment Conversation Example (18)
This is an example of an active recruiting conversation that I am less supportive of, just because I do not consider it to be realistic or thorough. However, I always consider recruiting to be a discipline where one should "eat the meat, throw away the bone," so if this example speaks to you and gets you results, then by all means use it. I have my own example of an active recruiting conversation on slide (20) where I will discuss how I employed some of the principles from earlier slides.
Leading the Conversation (19)
I enjoy incorporating the Bartle Taxonomy of Player Types into my recruiting strategy in order to easily classify gamers as a combination of four distinct groups - explorers, achievers, socializers, and killers. Your game will have remarkably different appeal depending on the individual sensibilities of the player, and knowing how to market your division to the correct type of gamer will dramatically improve your success rate in active recruiting. I strongly encourage you to discuss as a unit how your game appeals to each of these four types of players - those who like to break the meta, those who want to achieve a good rank, those who want to play with a friendly team, and those who want to be victorious in battle. Examples of how to adjust your marketing pitch depending on how a gamer identifies themselves is covered on slide (20). Any desire by a gamer for a particular gaming experience is met by TAW, so knowing your game and division well and how your unit (especially squads) meets particular needs will go a long way in efficiently convincing the potential applicant that TAW precisely meets their gaming needs. Remember the advice from Glengarry Glen Ross - ABC, Always Be Closing. You should always be leading the conversation in a positive fashion, mindful of the tone you're striking in the conversation, and appealing to people based on their self-identified taxonomy.
Recruiting 1 on 1 on Discord (20)Please review this conversation, the successful recruitment of Artnquest. Parts of the conversation are color coded. The very first line indicates that the subject had seen my static recruitment post and had taken the initiative to reach out to me in order to have a personal conversation. At this point I already know that the chances of successful recruitment for this person is around 85%. I am also mindful that static recruitment posts are generally product-based marketing, highlighting the general features of TAW, so to close the deal with the subject, I will need to convince him of the service-based benefits of TAW, the relationships that he can have here. Right out of the gate, there is a potential problem. Within the black box, you will see he said "it's a group right not a clan." This could mean he has a negative association with the idea of a gaming clan. This is not concerning on a real level, as any organization can call themselves a "gaming clan" but that does not mean that they have anything in common with TAW. However, I do not want him to focus on any potential negative experiences of the past, so I will rely on the product-based marketing in the static recruitment post in order to get him back on track. I do clarify that TAW is a gaming clan but I reiterate some of the information in the post he already liked, mentioning when TAW was founded, our number of games, and number of members. It would have been less productive to ask him why he dislikes the concept of a gaming clan, even if I had the intent to assuage his concerns, because I consider it more efficient to get the subject to move on to more positive conversation points. I asked him if he played any other games because a frequent marketing strategy used by me is to inform potential applicants that even though they join TAW under one specific game, they now have access to 1300+ active and friendly clanmates for popular games that they can also enjoy, and as such will never have to game alone again. He did not play other games, so we moved on, until he expressed a point that identified him as a Bartle taxonomic type. In the first red box, he mentioned that he is "higher rank on EU and Asia than NA," and that his "best is plat." This clearly identifies him as an achiever as detailed on slide (19) and I adjust my pitch accordingly. You can see on the second image, my response in the red box is to specifically mention that TAW has highly skilled players who will provide free coaching, training, and replay reviews. Now see the first blue box on the second image. The subject says, "I usually mess around with dumb strats on NA," which identifies him as an explorer. As you see from the second blue box below, I respond saying that we have a highly skilled player who specifically gives cheese training. I also maintain a friendly and playful environment through informal language and judicious use of exclamation points. Now view the green box in the second image, where I directly ask what he is looking for in a gaming clan. The subject says he is looking for "cool people to practice with," identifying him as a socializer, and my response is within the same vein to reassure him that his desires would be met, and I invite him to upcoming events and mention a couple of optional squads. Note in all my responses, save for the one to get the subject back on track, that I focused on service based recruiting, to emphasize the relationships in TAW, mentioning in as much detail as possible the specific people who were available for particular interests. Compare this to how my responses would have looked if engaged in product based recruiting. When the subject said he was only a certain rank, I would have replied that TAW is open to people of any rank. When he said that he likes to break the meta, I would have told him that members in TAW are welcome to do so as long as they are not gamethrowing in violation of the Code of Ethics. When he said that he wanted to practice with cool people, I would have told him that TAW does not have clanmates who are toxic or disrespect each other. This may have been effective, but considering that the subject was already convinced by product based recruiting from the static recruitment thread, I considered it more prudent to emphasize a service based recruiting approach for this conversation. The subject ended up applying for TAW and passing his boot camp. I am also a strong believer that a Drill Instructor is a professional friend. It is a good use of the DI's energy to maintain positive relationships with recruits in order to make them feel as though they have already made a friend in the clan and will be accepted by the broader group. It can be intimidating to be part of a new group, and having a friendly DI to introduce the person to TIs and other service providers, or to squads that they may be interested in joining can go a long way towards setting the recruit up to be a longterm member. I also provide here a recruitment guide written by Epicness, presented without comment out of respect for him, as these are methods that specifically have worked for him and as such I encourage all clanmates to give it a thorough read and incorporate all useful tenets into your own strategies.
In Summary (21)
To conclude, you want to know your division's features and why someone would want to join you. You should research your market to know where the highest proportion of qualified potential applicants congregate, and you should always adjust your approach accordingly depending on all available information you have about the subjects. The three main recruiting strategies are through public static recruitment messages, active direct messaging, and in-game recruiting, each of which has its own pros and cons and will depend on the game and the interests of the ones doing the recruiting. Make sure to segment your market in order to effectively modify your pitch, go into a conversation swinging and ready to respond to any concern the applicant has and always be efficient - if a strategy is not working then by all means discard it until you find one that does.
Thank you for reading this accompaniment to the Recruiting Division recruitment class and best of luck recruiting.
Ad utrumque paratus.
Having listened to ArchonX's presentation, he is a rock star. I was very impressed and recommend everyone go through this training! Rock and roll TAW!
ArchonX's Presentations are always awesome and clear. Yes I recommend his class because he is awesome at it.
Recruitment is something that is always evolving and its good to see what is working for other divisions. Very good read and thanks for taking the time to write it.
Maybe you can bring back the Recruitment Classes with the updated methods.