For all new businesses, the acquisition of new clients is a vital and often trying task, which becomes a priority as soon as you get started. Your startup recruitment agency is ready, your back office set up, marketing materials perfected and your team raring to go, so the question is, where do you start and which are the best routes to finding your new clients? And don’t forget that your client base needs to be ever-growing, while some of your clients may turn into repeat clients, many may only need your services once or twice. As you grow, you can devote entire roles and teams to generating leads, but in the early days, entrepreneurs need to be accountants, marketers, sales and account managers, so securing those leads will be all down to you! Time to get started!
Social media
Placing itself as the go-to place to connect, personally, professionally and even romantically – social media is not a tool to be underestimated. Here your startup recruitment agency can begin to connect with clients, businesses and candidates engaging in a job search. LinkedIn is the social media platform which springs to mind when we discuss recruitment, and your presence here should be active. LinkedIn profiles are virtual CVs showing experience, who might be ready for their next opportunity, employed, unemployed or actively looking for employment.
However, LinkedIn is not the only social media platform you can be utilising! Not only should you take the time to engage with any brands and businesses who sit within your target audience on Twitter and Instagram, but you should also be targeting potential clients on these platforms, who are open to your services, those posting about vacancies or ‘hiring now’. These businesses are already looking for services like yours and are therefore primed and ready to approach.
You’ll also find a vast pool of candidates ready to be wooed on social media platforms. Target those hashtagging things like #jobsearch #careerchange or #hireme. Also, when posting, be sure to use hashtags like #applynow #jobsearch or #nowhiring as job seekers will already be following these hashtags to sniff out prospective job prospects.
Encourage Referrals
After having built a positive relationship with either an individual or a company do not be afraid to ask for referrals, recommendations and reviews! If the business values your talents, they will more than likely be able to refer you to other companies or connections they work with.
You might also ask your clients for testimonials and to include their logo on your site to showcase the satisfied clients you have worked with, encouraging others to put faith in your startup recruitment agency and also giving you content to promote across social media platforms while you build your presence there.
Networking
This will be no revelation, but it’s so vital that, as a startup recruitment agency, you network; and this can take many forms, all of which you should explore. Attend a vast selection of business networking events; intimate or large, one-off and regular meetings, morning, lunchtime and evening events. It might be time-consuming; however, as you know, as an entrepreneur and growing business, your business grows with the time you put in. Should you only frequent the same networking event each week you will limit your opportunities to meet clients and candidates, so mix it up, rotate and make your presence known; speak, introduce and follow up!
Email Marketing
Email marketing, generally speaking, does have a relatively low return; however, it is still a valuable form of contact in terms of keeping your agency name fresh in the minds of your leads. Gradually build your email marketing list, always updating, and keep your communications regular and relevant. Weekly or monthly contact will mean that when these contacts do need a recruitment agency you are a name and brand that they are familiar with.
Following Up
All leads should be followed up, or you’re wasting your own opportunities. If you give yourself a template for following up, you’ll know you and your team are doing all you can to secure that lead as a new client.
For example, this might be that you almost immediately make contact virtually, via email, social media, WhatsApp, Linkedin etc, then follow up a set amount of time later, maybe after one week then one month. Record the progression of this relationship in a tracker which can be accessed by all staff so everyone may see where these leads are going or if they are still active.
Candidates
Nurture each positive candidate relationship you have. Unless there is a valid reason you don’t want to work with this recruit again, concentrate on nurturing this relationship, ensure that you keep the contact so that they might return to you again and again, and beyond this refer you to their peers and contacts.