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Recruitment Marketing To Employers
Posted By: hunter* on 1/4/2005 10:10 AM (CST) 125 Points
There are 1,000 of new companies trying to get contingency and fee based contracts with private employers to make candidate placements in the US. How do we get past the door keeper by using hard or soft copy mail?

My current company has less than 10 yrs of history outside of the government. I want to make an impact at my new company as an Account Manager with smaller and growing private companies, but the more skilled AM's always seem to get the contracts. What can I do to reach the employers?

Posted by: AndrewS Accepted Answer
1/4/2005 10:28 AM (CST)
I always find either a nice letter or small box of chocolates works well.

Send either your letter or item to the PA, Secretary of the actual decision maker, let them know that in a couple of days you will email or send them a letter of introduction, brochure etc, and you would appreciate it if they could pass it on for you.

I have used the chocolate approach and found a good response rate to later mailings to the decision maker.

Good Luck
 
Posted by: psimone Accepted Answer
1/4/2005 10:30 AM (CST)
Hi Hunter -

Best advice is tri-fold thought process:
A. Don't worry 'bout the other guy - as there will always be someone bigger, "better" and more cash flushed...
B. Focus on your strengths (smaller firm is more hands-on, more pro-active, independent of multiple levels of management, which can be a positive if you can custom-tailor your proposals rather "templating" everything).
C. Patient Persistence, Patient Persistence, Patient Persistence

Don't take no as an answer that means goodby and get lost! The biggest cold-called account I ever landed (2.5 million) told me to get lost (in so many nicely couched words) when I first approached them. I did my homework, recognized it would take time - lots of it - to turn that intial 'NO" to "send me some info" to "what else can you tell me about ..." to "we'll meet with you." I was working for a small firm, with relatively no budget, and through my patient persistence ( and providing solid content and time sensitive responses to phone, email and personal meeting requests), got the contract over 7 other much more well-known (and solidly funded) companies.
Good hunting!
ps
 
Posted by: Paul Copcutt Accepted Answer
1/4/2005 12:07 PM (CST)
Hunter

The challenge in dealing with private companies is that they do not tend to have dedicated hiring managers - each department will do it themsleves and quite often even the HR function is dealt with by someone else (quite often accountants) That makes getting the fees a challenge.

You might like to consider the use of the recruitment forums and groups - there are a lot of hiring managers there but also for asking this same question and see what has worked for others.

ER Exchange http://www.erexchange.com/

AIRS http://www.internetrecruiternews.com/

Human Capital Institute
http://www.humancapitalinstitute.org/hci/home.guid


Also the likes of LinkedIn to e-network

On Line Business Networks

www.onlinebusinessnetworks.com

Consider strategic alliances with others who supply the same target market but are not competitors.

The following article might also be of interest and use:

Recruiting & Talent Management Trends for 2005
http://www.erexchange.com/articles/db/B17677689C0A43F486202F2FAAB9A3DE.asp

Good luck!
 
Posted by: Peter (henna gaijin) Accepted Answer
1/4/2005 1:50 PM (CST)
I differ from what others have said, and will suggest that you not rely on direct mail for this.

One company I am involved with is also in the staffing space (we have product that automates resume screening - http://www.helpUhire.com). One thing I have found is that corporate hiring managers/HR are flooded with emails from recruiters. One sign of this is that most job boards now have an area where the hiring manager can specify whether or not they are willing to view applicants from recruiters.

So how do you market? What seems to work (particularly for contract recruiters) is networking. Spending much more face to face time, rather than relying on direct mail.

Contingency recruiters have it a bit easier, in that there is less risk to the hiring company, as they only pay you when the accept a candidate you offer. But face time still helps get past any hesitancy they have toward accepting from a new face.

I would also suggest that you work toward being an expert in some industry or employment type. Write articles about recruiting, volunteer to be on panels, etc., so your name becomes synonymous with recruiting in your specific space.
 
Posted by: Peter (henna gaijin) Member Response
1/4/2005 2:48 PM (CST)
Here is an interesting article from net-temps.com - http://www.net-temps.com/adcgi/banner.cgi?ref=ifnews&ch=1155&id=inf_1155. Talks about how hard it is to find clients (that they are hiding).
 
Posted by: Bill Moore* Accepted Answer
1/4/2005 3:56 PM (CST)
Hunter -

You want to know how to get in the door right? Turn the knob and pull ... do some cold calling one day a week and blanket areas with the highest concentration of potential clients. Make sure you have some leave behind information, charm the receptionist and leave some promitional items.

You need to build relationships to get the business. The individuals you speak of getting all the bsuiness have one thing in common ... they have relationships. You cant develop a relationship with a letter or an email. You need to do it face to face. Face time beats all.

Goos Luck ... Bill
 
Posted by: telemoxie Accepted Answer
2/1/2005 11:44 PM (CST)
it is my strong belief that relatively undifferentiated services are best sold thru personal connections and networking.
 


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