What is the bread and butter of your organization? Is it your sales and recruiting teams? In the world of staffing, clients and candidates are your bread and butter. It is in your best interest to learn everything about them and to ensure that they are satisfied with the services that you are providing. In order to understand the needs of your clients and candidates, integrate market research into your staffing firm marketing strategy and regularly communicate with your team.
Read Between the Lines
The proof is in the pudding, so be sure to take note of how your clients are interacting with your staffing firm. What feedback are they giving to your sales and recruiting teams? Do clients seem to be distancing themselves from your firm and sending fewer job requisitions your way? Are they satisfied with the candidates you are sending their way, or is there always some aspect that they are unhappy with? Would it alleviate some of their stress if you offered to conduct a preliminary background check to weed out those who are not up to the client’s standards? Evaluate your staffing firm marketing strategy to determine whether providing additional services would be possible.
Give Them What They Want
Are your candidates satisfied with the clients you are sending them to interview with? Do applicants willingly participate in meetings with your recruiters and provide honest feedback on their interviews? Is your talent pool expressing interest in different types of opportunities? Are they in need of additional resume assistance or interview pointers? Could they benefit from some skills-based continuing education clinics? Make adjustments to your staffing firm marketing strategy to address these areas of need.
Market Research is Your Friend
Conduct surveys of your existing clients and candidates or consider hiring a company to find out what clients and candidates are looking for. Request data on the current state of the industry and adjust your services to accommodate the needs identified in the market research reports. Gain valuable insight into your target audience by using market research to better understand the needs of your talent pool and clients.
Bond with your Audience
The most important way to understand their needs is to listen to your clients and candidates and create a bond with them. Monitor your social media profiles and engage them in conversations, Are prospective clients and candidates reaching out to ask you a question or even to complain about some aspect of your service delivery model? Reply in real-time to show that you are responsive to their needs. Update your staffing firm marketing strategy to ensure that your team is aware of your expectations with regard to social media monitoring, lead nurturing and post-interview follow-up calls.
Reward Your Front Line
The most important means of communication with your clients and candidates is your front line. Your recruiters and sales managers are in daily contact with your target audience, so be sure to encourage them to provide the best possible customer service. Coordinate training sessions and meet with your team on a regular basis in order to discuss your staffing firm’s goals and expectations. Reward your staff by designing an employee recognition program to let them know that you appreciate their hard work.
Key Takeaways to Understanding the Needs of your Clients and Candidates:
- Take note of how your clients are interacting with your staffing firm
- Give candidates what they are looking for to ensure that they do not take their business to another staffing firm
- Use market research to better understand the needs of your talent pool and clients
- Listen to your clients and candidates and create a bond with them
- Reward your staff by designing an employee recognition program
About S.J.Hemley Marketing
S.J.Hemley Marketing is a marketing and sales consulting firm focused on driving tangible results for professional services firms. Brand matters, but not without ROI. With over 20 years of sales and marketing experience within staffing and recruiting, we have helped to drive successful branding, sales training, lead generation activities as well as defining marketing strategy for top organizations.