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Recruitment Marketers, now more than ever, need to deliver real value. With Covid creating either distraction, furlough, or redundancy, recruitment agencies are focused on lead generation and conversion.
But where does and should marketing fit in to this landscape? And how are they prepared for the new normal?
The Sales-Led Marketing Challenge
As chairs of the APSCo Marketing Forum, Niomi and I are keen to ensure that the regular meetups and webinars contain content which drives the members to deliver commercial and relevant outcomes. We surveyed APSCo marketing members to find out answers to the following questions:
What were your plans to improve prior to Covid lockdown?
What are your biggest challenges during lockdown?
Where do you see the biggest wins for you in the next few months?
Where do you feel you need additional training / knowledge?
The answers were compelling, and a little worrying.
1.What were your plans to improve prior to Covid lockdown?
The majority said “Brand Improvement”.
This is always a red flag for me and tweaks my “colouring-in department” nerve. What were the businesses these marketers worked for doing before Covid… was lead gen / sales already taken care of?
I get how important brand is, but in a saturated market, where recruiters are often 360+ and have too much to do, (too much data, systems, and not enough process) I love hearing stories about marketers deliver MQLs (marketing qualified leads) or perfect candidates / colleagues into the sales teams.
2.What are your biggest challenges during lockdown?
The majority said “Lead Generation”. So, as soon as lockdown happens all eyes go to marketing to do something that may not have been their priority or skillset pre-lockdown. A reaction that we have all had, but one that may have fallen flat due to the lack of skill / expectation of marketing prior to Covid. Some of them don’t even have access to the database that their recruiters use… so how are they supposed to help with the conversion, or reconversion, process?
3.Where do you see the biggest wins for you in the next few months?
Worryingly, lead generation scored low, and brand and client experience scored high. Kids are back at school, local lockdowns, rules of 6, are the new normal, but to move so quickly away from lead gen feels too soon, or perhaps, inappropriate.
4.Where do you feel you need additional training / knowledge?
SEO and monetisation of the CRM and data scored high. This is interesting, and predictable, as these two areas drive leads. Does this answer tell us that marketers haven’t got the training (or perhaps confidence) to stick their hand up and say:
“leave the leads to me”
When I mentor marketers, I lift the lid on SEO and make it a simple task. It’s about:
persona-led keyword decks,
threaded into content,
which is aimed at the data (you likely already have) and assertively used to convert or reconvert.
Leads are generated and actively handed over to sales. Easy!
So the marketers have spotted their weaknesses… but what next?
What else scored low?
Automation – this is needed to create space and time to attract and convert
Internal comms – this is needed to keep the workforce engaged and motivated
Inbound sales – this is just needed.
Social media – use this to drive content ROI
Candidate attraction – I’m worried that recruiters are being bombarded by the wrong candidates and this is preventing best practice.
Marketers Need to Generate Leads
Going back to lead gen and sales-led marketing…
Marketers, ask yourself:
what are you doing to skill up in SEO and monetising your data and CRM?
Recruitment Leaders, ask yourself:
what access does your marketer have to your data, and your sales team? What needs to happen to turn your marketing into a sales-led, data-driven, lead generative function?
Attend our webinar on 30/09/20 14:00 to find out what Niomi and I think you need to do.
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Rose Megson
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Recruiter Productivity Series: Optimise Bullhorn Part 1 ~ Engage, Nurture, Place, and Re-Place
Recruiters! I know that recruitment has never been so competitive— even your own clients are competing with you to place candidates!We're launching a new series of recruiter productivity webinars focussed on optimising your use of Bullhorn and driving speedier sourcing, recruitment, leads, sales, and commission! Part 1 is focussed on managing candidates.Let's show you some tips to engage with candidates effortlessly. Let's build stronger relationships using Bullhorn’s nurturing features: communicate, optimise, protect, PLACE! (And repeat!)REGISTER NOWBullhorn MythsIn today’s fast-paced recruitment world, having a powerful ATS/CRM is essential. It saves time, improves efficiency, and drives a profitable desk. But often, we hear:I use Bullhorn when I get a minute.Bullhorn is just a database, not a business growth tool.We have Bullhorn, but we’re not seeing a return on investment.The data is a mess, so I need to advertise and use LinkedIn too.These statements couldn't be more wrong…Bullhorn:💓 Can be your recruitment Buddy if you let it!😱 Reduces admin workload.💪 Keeps you organised.🕒Helps you source, sell, and place quickly!…and so much more when used effectively!Register Now for Our "Candidate Engagement" Bullhorn WebinarRecruitment leaders! Don’t invest in Bullhorn only to underutilise it and then wonder why you’re not getting results.Recruiters! Don’t create unnecessary "busyness" with messy data, inefficient workflows, and poor adoption, leading to a lack of return on effort (RoE).What You’ll Learn in Our Upcoming Bullhorn Optimisation Webinars:📌 23 April 2025: Engage with candidates effortlessly. Build stronger relationships using Bullhorn’s nurturing features: communicate, optimise, protect, PLACE! (And re-place!) Register Now📌 Date TBC: Leverage Bullhorn to source and track qualified candidates faster with less effort.📌 Date TBC: Maximise lead generation and improve conversion rates with smart Bullhorn strategies.📌 Date TBC: Optimise recruitment workflows for maximum efficiency and profitability.Whether you're new to Bullhorn or looking to refine your ATS/CRM strategy, this webinar series will provide you with actionable tips and real-world insights to immediately benefit your recruitment team.By the end of our 4 Bullhorn Optimisation sessions, you’ll have the tools and knowledge to:⏳ Save time (and sanity) and be more productive.🤝 Engage more candidates effectively.💸 Place candidates faster and increase your sales and commission.Don’t miss out! Register now to secure your spot in this free, must-attend event.We look forward to showing you how Bullhorn ATS/CRM can elevate your recruitment ROI (return on investment) and ROE (return on effort) and drive business growth!REGISTER NOWRecruitment and Bullhorn TrainingWe deliver the best live Bullhorn ROI webinar training, and you'll find other tips and tricks in Recruitment HIIT, our online recruitment training platform.Plus, through our Bullhorn Vision service we help generate serious ROI from your Bullhorn, data, and people.TRY HIIT FREE HERECONTACT US ABOUT BULLHORN ROI
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Wayne Barclay
Blog
Protect Your Pipeline with this Antidote to Backdoor Placements
Backdoor placements are often an "invisible" pipeline killer. Yet they are also a great opportunity to recover lost revenue. Silver linings! Are you missing out on smashing target by not actively managing backdoor placements? 20 Years Ago, in a Land Far Away...In Lisa and my younger days (20 years ago), we created a report to track theoretical backdoors, and had a team calling candidates at the employer they'd recently had an interview with. If they answered, they were put through to the recruiter to begin recouping the lost fee.Surely time has moved on and there are more effective and tech-driven ways of doing this? Plus, surely recruiters are better at sales admin and relationship management now, so back doors are less common? I'm not so sure... If anything more data and tech has actually created a less robust process in many firms.Let’s explore why tracking backdoor placements is critical and how to implement best practices and technology for spotting and reducing them.The Financial Impact of Backdoor PlacementsWhen a candidate you’ve introduced to a client is hired without your knowledge or agreement on fees, you lose the fee. This often happens when terms of business aren’t adhered to, or when a client chooses to go behind your back. Consider this: one recruiter we’ve worked with reported uncovering at least one lost fee per consultant annually. For a team of 30 recruiters, that’s a staggering £150,000 in potential net revenue. In one instance, a single backdoor placement resulted in a recovered fee of £32,000. These numbers are too significant to ignore.Additionally, recruiters often spend resources sourcing candidates from external platforms instead of leveraging their databases. Tracking and addressing backdoor placements encourages better use of internal resources while ensuring you recapture fees rightfully owed to your business.Building Trust and Strengthening Your Recruitment ProcessClients: Actively managing backdoor placements helps you optimise your client relationships. Clients who circumvent your terms of business do not value your partnership. Using Bullhorn to flag these incidents creates transparency and helps you spend time on clients who value you.Candidates: Additionally, having a proactive backdoor placement management process complements your silver medalist strategy. Silver medalists are candidates who reached advanced stages of the recruitment process but were not placed. By regularly engaging these high-potential candidates through your tracking systems, you keep them warm for future opportunities while minimising your reliance on external sourcing.Best Practices for Managing Backdoor PlacementsTrack Every Interaction: Ensure your CRM system captures interview stages and outcomes, even for candidates rejected at early stages. Use detailed note types like “Rejected at Interview” or “Rejected at CV Send” to maintain a clear record.Standardise Your Terms: Attach your terms and conditions to every client communication. This ensures clients can’t dispute fees later and provides you with a reliable audit trail.Monitor Data Ownership: Many lost placements are tied to inactive users or former consultants. Assign ownership of these candidates to managers to maintain visibility and accountability.Automate to Remove Human Error: Implement automation to consistently track candidate progress and flag potential backdoor placements. This minimises manual errors and improves data integrity.Automation - The Antidote to Backdoor PlacementsDuring a recent Bullhorn Automation User Group, I was asked about my top 3 ways to use automation. Backdoor placement management is one of those 3 ways. These 2 automations are a must of you are set on prevention and pipeline maximisation:Interview Confirmation automation: If you already use these automations, add a notification step, x months after the interview date. Choose a timeframe which suits your sector the best.Check Past Interviews (Backdoor): If you don't use Interview Confirmation automation, create a stand alone automation that tracks the interview date and does not have placement. Add a wait step x months later to send a notification to your recruiter to check-in with the candidate and check they don't have a new job. You could even do what Lisa and I set up in a previous life and call the employer and ask to speak to the candidate. If they answer... bingo!Process and Tech Is KeyUse tech to prevent them.Use tech to spot them.The bottom line is that backdoor placements aren’t just about recovering lost revenue; they’re an opportunity to refine your recruitment strategy, strengthen client and candidate relationships, and ensure your systems are robust enough to thrive in a competitive market. Take control, and turn these challenges into wins for your recruitment / staffing agency.And if you need help on your processes, your data, and your Bullhorn adoption / ROI - call us - we can help.Automation and Bullhorn1stWe are Automation Buddies and Bullhorn Experts set on helping ambitious recruitment businesses who want to increase speed and sales.Automation: We coach to inspire, and build your automations so you can recruit and sell!Bullhorn: We optimise, train, and improve RoI from your key recruitment system.READ ABOUT OUR AUTOMATION BUDDY SERVICERead about our Bullhorn 1st Service
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Rose Megson
Webinar
Recruiter Productivity Series: Optimise Bullhorn Part 1 ~ Engage, Nurture, Place, and Re-Place
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Wayne Barclay
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Automation ROI Webinar Series: Data = Clean and Monetised! Part 2
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Wayne Barclay
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Automation RoI Webinar Series: Unlock Bullhorn Part 1 ~ Generate Leads and Revenue
