In the ever-evolving landscape of recruitment, the ability to proactively engage clients is vital to success in today’s market. It’s no secret that many recruiters find cold BD challenging - and with the candidate shortages of recent years recruiters have often found they have an abundance of jobs to work without having to rely on any outbound BD. However, that market is changing, and now it is becoming increasingly important for recruiters to master an outreach strategy that they can count on to create a reliable pipeline of jobs.
Personalise Your Email Campaigns
It shouldn’t surprise you anymore that generic bulk emails and LinkedIn messages are increasingly ineffective – most of us already know to change our approach on that end. Personalisation stands as the linchpin for standing out in crowded inboxes with a 41% higher click-through rate compared to generic counterparts. The challenge, however, lies in achieving personalisation without having to write up each email manually.
Leveraging advanced automation techniques becomes crucial in streamlining and automating the outreach process, ensuring that each communication is meticulously tailored to the specific needs and preferences of your prospects. A good strategy for achieving this is to have a template where the structure, common text, and mail merge fields (e.g. prospect name) are templated but there is also room to add relevant personalisation in the template. This not only significantly enhances the chances of meaningful engagement but also positions your agency as one that values personalised connections over generic interactions.
Time to Utilise Video
The power of video in communication cannot be overstated as it still really helps you stand out from the crowd. Crafting a compelling outreach video script involves more than just pressing record; it's about creating a narrative that resonates. For example, Hubspot was able to increase their conversion rate by 150% just from incorporating video into their outreach strategy!
Unfortunately, a prospect isn’t going to watch a video about how amazing you are - so you are going to have to make sure your video starts with something about them that they find engaging. Spending five minutes reviewing their website, social media pages and notes from previous conversations will help you sculpt an introduction that is engaging and clearly states your reasons for reaching out.
With video, keeping it to the point is vital to success - remember we are in the TikTok age and if your video is longer than 30 seconds you are simply not going to engage. Your video is to get your prospect interested, so putting a lot of energy in a short video will work much better than a long droning monologue that will likely put them off wanting to have a conversation with you!
End with a compelling call to action, prompting the viewer to take the next step. Incorporating personalised video outreach into your campaigns goes beyond just content; it allows you to connect with prospects on a more intimate and engaging level, setting your agency apart in a crowded market.
Invest in Content Marketing for Thought Leadership
Establishing yourself as a thought leader in the recruitment industry can amplify your outreach efforts. Sharing valuable content that showcases your expertise and positions you as an authority on recruitment in your market will help raise your profile in your market as well as building credibility with your prospects.
Once you engage your prospects using relevant content, you will be able to have conversations about the topics they are engaging with. For example, you move the conversation from “do you have any jobs“ to “what are your opinions on (insert industry trend)? How do you think that’s going to affect your headcount?”. Prospects will now start to see you as more than just a recruiter and start to actively look to you to provide market expertise. Plus it makes you stand out – you’re not automatically trying to pitch them, but actually engage in a conversation.
Make Use of Strategic Networking Events
In-person or virtual networking events provide excellent opportunities to connect with potential clients and candidates – we all already know this. However, effective participation requires a strategic approach. First things first, make sure you are attending the right events. Do you know where your prospects are going to network with each other? If not, you should, because that’s where you want to be too.
Once you are in the right company, you need to be careful with your approach. Attending a networking event with the sole focus of selling to your prospects isn’t going to go over well. People will be much warmer with you if you are able to provide relevant insights and engage with them on a personal level. The best way to get results from networking is to shift your mindset towards the longer-term goals of building relationships with the other attendees, once you do this they will come to you with their business over time. Instead of trying to connect with as many people as possible, target key individuals and engage in meaningful conversations. This approach not only makes your presence more memorable but also increases the likelihood of establishing lasting connections that go beyond the event itself.
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