Today, the term “email marketing” is too often clichéd and quite often misunderstood in the executive recruiting industry. That’s mainly because firms, large and small, have forgotten the basics. One of the biggest mistakes that companies make with their email marketing efforts is the lack of consistency. Effective marketing comes down to a basic strategy – your efforts must be regular, consistent, and ongoing. The challenge for any business is to avert the “ebb and flow” approach that many search firms and headhunters are accustomed to.
1. Avoiding the “ebb and flow” strategy
It is so common in the recruiting industry to see that when things are quiet, there is a considerable marketing push to gain the next job order. When the work is there, all the focus is on delivering on the candidates – meanwhile, there is no activity surrounding business development. No denying that this is not the most effective approach to continuously generate new business. A far better approach is to initiate lead generation on an ongoing basis, with consistency day in and day out.
2. Don’t lose out to your competitors
To put it very simply – if you’re not building your brand and establishing yourself as the authority in your defined target market, your competitors will be. It’s an easy paradigm to recognize – once your “marketing wave” has subsided, someone else quickly takes over the center of attention. Whether your focus is in Finance, Construction, Medical Device, Technology, Chemicals, etc., audiences generally have short-term memories. It’s essential to maintain your visibility in a consistent manner so that you are top-of-mind when your client is ready to engage.
3. Timing is essential and decisive
When will potential clients engage with your firm? The answer is always the same… when they are ready. Decisions are based on Pain Points. The importance can’t be stressed enough – maintain market engagement and visibility in a consistent manner, so when a client is ready to engage with your firm, you are the first company that rolls off their lips as someone they know, like and respect.
4. Maintaining your momentum
Momentum is one of the hardest things to get going when launching new marketing efforts, even with the most creative strategy. And keeping that momentum going is equally tough, unless you are pairing it with consistency. While the initial efforts can be slow to develop, sustained activity and consistency will ensure you are staying top-of-mind to your audience. Truth is, maintaining marketing momentum gets easier with time – BUT – when that momentum is lost, it takes time to build up again. Here again, the case for maintaining a ubiquitous presence makes good business sense – it’s about the most effective way to invest time, effort, and money.