Site Visits Aren’t Tours. They’re Trust Builders.

A site visit isn’t just a meet and greet. It’s a pivotal trust-building moment that can either move a recruit closer to joining or cause them to disengage entirely. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I walk through exactly how to plan and lead a site visit that feels intentional, authentic, and aligned with what top producers actually care about.

Most visits fail because they’re either too generic or too scripted. I’ll show you how to hit the sweet spot by making the experience relational, not rehearsed.

Episode Breakdown

[00:00] Introduction – Why site visits can make or break recruiting momentum.
[01:00] The Mistake Leaders Make – Over-prepared visits feel fake, under-prepared ones feel forgettable.
[02:00] Step 1: Do Your Homework – Understand what matters most to the candidate and build the visit around those priorities.
[03:00] Step 2: Set Expectations Early – Frame the visit ahead of time so it feels like partnership, not pressure.
[03:30] Step 3: Structure It Like a Story – Beginning: casual connection. Middle: leadership, peer, and cultural exposure. End: reflective processing, not a hard pitch.
[05:00] Step 4: Use Best Practices On-Site – Manage handoffs, avoid overload, take notes, close with gratitude.
[06:00] Step 5: Follow Up Fast – Don’t let energy fade. Reach out within 48 hours with a recap and next step.
[07:00] Final Challenge – Stop winging your visits. Turn them into a high-trust recruiting tool that speaks directly to the candidate’s values.

Key Takeaways

• Site Visits Are Not Tours – They are trust accelerators that show rather than tell what it's like to join your team.

• Personalization Wins – Customize the visit around what the candidate values most.

• Clarity Over Performance – You don’t need to impress. You need to connect.

• Structure the Visit Like a Story – People remember beginnings and endings. Make them intentional.

• Follow Up Matters – The visit opens the door. Your follow up determines whether they walk through it.

Recruiting isn’t about the perfect pitch. It’s about helping someone visualize their future with you. When you treat the site visit as a trust-building experience, you turn curiosity into conviction.

Want help turning your recruiting process into a high-conversion system? Subscribe to my weekly email at 4crecruiting.com or book a strategy session at bookrichardnow.com. Let’s turn your next visit into a win.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
So the big question is this, how dorecruiting leaders like us who have
12 to 15 other job responsibilitieswin at this game of recruiting?
How do we build a system that allowsus to recruit effectively in a minimal
amount of time while motivatingrecruits towards meaningful change?
That is the question, and thispodcast will give you the answers.

(00:21):
My name is Richard Milligan, andwelcome to Recruiting Conversations.
Hey everybody.
Welcome back to Recruiting Conversations.
I'm Richard Milligan, and todaywe're talking about a big moment
in the recruiting process, one thathas the power to move a relationship

(00:43):
forward in a big way or completelystall out if you don't get it right.
We're talking about the site visitand specifically, what are the best
practices for prepping and navigatinga site visit with a top producer.
Now, if you've been in recruitingfor a while, you know a site
visit is not just a tour.
It's not just a meet and greet.
It's not just an office walkthrough.

(01:05):
A site visit is your chance to solidifybelief to help someone visualize what it
would be like to actually work with you.
To remove hesitation andcreate emotional connection.
But here's the challenge.
Most site visits are eitherunder-prepared or over-produced.
Under-prepared meansnothing is personalized.

(01:26):
The visit feels generic.
The candidate meets five people,hears the same pitch three times,
and leaves without clarity.
Overproduced means it feels staged,it feels like a performance.
It feels like a recruiting commercial.
That can backfire.
What you want is something in between.
You want a visit that feels intentional,but authentic, structured, but

(01:49):
relational, professional, but personal.
So let's walk through how to prepand navigate this the right way.
Step one, do your homeworkbefore the visit ever happens.
Get clear on what mattersmost to this candidate, what's
driving their potential move.
Is it leadership?
Is it autonomy?
Is it access to support?

(02:09):
Is it culture?
Is it a path To build something, youneed to know the top two or three
priorities in their decision processbecause that will inform everything else.
Too many leaders build onecookie cutter site visit.
Same agenda, same talking points, sametour route, but your best recruits don't
want to see what everyone else sees.

(02:31):
They wanna see what applies to them.
If they're thinkingabout building a branch.
Include someone on yourteam who's done that.
If they're passionate about mentorship,have them meet someone you've
developed over the last few years.
If they're worried abouttransition support, let them
hear directly from someone whojust joined in the last 90 days.
The more personalized it feels,the more real it becomes.

(02:53):
Step two, set expectationsbefore they arrive.
This is a step a lot of peopleskip, but it's powerful.
Before the visit, send a short messageor have a quick call that frames
what the visit is and what it's not.
You might say something like,I wanna make this visit as
valuable as possible for you.
My goal is not to impressyou with shiny stuff.

(03:13):
It's to give you real access toour people and our process so you
can make an informed decision.
This does two things.
It lowers tension.
I. And it builds trust.
You're not treating thislike a closing event.
You're treating it likea value conversation.
That mindset shiftchanges how they show up.
Step three, structurethe visit, like a story.

(03:34):
Every good story has abeginning, a middle, and an end.
Your site visit should too.
The beginning is all about connection.
This is where you set the tone.
You create space for open conversation.
You get them grounded.
You help them relax.
Start with a warm welcome, personalgreeting, maybe coffee or breakfast,

(03:56):
something casual, not business yet.
Human first, the move to the middle.
This is the core of your visit, and youwant to build this around three layers.
First, leadership access.
Let them meet the people who shape thevision, who make the decisions, who
live the values, and make sure thoseconversations as though aren't scripted.
Let them be honest, real, and open.

(04:18):
Second peer connection.
Let them meet people who aredoing the job they'd be doing.
Someone they can relate to.
Someone who is in their shoes, someonewho can answer their real questions.
Third, cultural exposure.
Let them feel the energyof your environment.
Show them how the team interacts.

(04:40):
Let them see collaboration,communication, celebration.
Then you move into the end.
And this is where you process don't pitch.
This is not the time tosay, so what do you think?
Are you ready to make the move?
This is the time to sayWhat stood out to you today?
What surprised you?
What questions are still on the table?

(05:02):
You want them to decompress.
You want to hear their real timereactions, and you wanna affirm
everything that aligns with their values.
This is also the time to talk aboutnext steps if it makes sense, but
you do it with a tone of partnership.
Something like, I lovedhaving you here today.
If it ever made sense to moveforward, we'd be lucky to have you.

(05:24):
Would it be okay if I followedup in a couple days after
you've had time to process?
Now, let's talk about a few bestpractices during the visit itself.
First, manage the handoffs.
Don't leave your candidatealone in a conference room.
Waiting on the next person.
Be present for transitions.

(05:44):
Guide the flow.
That builds a sense ofcare and professionalism.
Second, avoid overloading the agenda.
You don't need them to meet 10 people.
You don't need six.
Back-to-back meetings.
Give them space to breathe.
Give them margin.
Give them time to reflect.
Third, capture theirfeedback in real time.

(06:05):
Keep a notebook or open a file.
When they leave, whatdid they respond well to?
What questions did they ask?
What hesitations came up?
This will inform your follow up.
Fourth close with gratitude, not pressure.
A simple thank you goes a long way.
Thank you for investing time.
Thank you for being open.

(06:25):
Thank you for who you are.
That creates emotional residue.
And finally, follow up fast.
Don't wait a week.
Don't let the energy fade.
Reach out within 48 hours.
Reaffirm what you appreciated.
Recap a highlight.
Invite the next step.
This is where momentum iseither captured or lost.

(06:46):
So here's your challenge.
The next time you're preparing fora site visit with a top producer.
Don't wing it.
Don't run the same agendayou've always used.
Start with clarity.
Personalize the plan.
Communicate expectations.
Structure the visit like a story, andlead with connection, not pressure.
That's how you turn a visitinto a decision point.

(07:07):
That's how you move frominterest to alignment.
That's all for today's episode.
Go create site visits that connectat a deeper level, and I'll see you
next time on recruiting conversations.
Want more recruiting conversations?
You can register for my [e-mail].
If you need help creating your ownunique recruiting system, you can book

(07:28):
a time with [e-mail].
I.