Josh TolanThe staffing industry’s revenue peaked in 2018 at a whopping $491 billion, according to Statista’s Staffing Industry in Review report. Last year, the market value was set to trend downward to $481.2 billion. While over $480 billion is still an incredible number, a nearly $10 billion drop should catch your attention.
Like any market, the staffing market fluctuates. The status of your client list is, of course, just as unpredictable due to market shifts. No matter how successful your current situation, it’s necessary to always prepare for the unknown by marketing yourself to new clients.
As a staffing professional, you likely never considered yourself a marketer. However, looking at your expertise as a marketable product puts you in front of more potential clients who need your talents.
It’s challenging to shift the mindsets of company leaders from seeing staffing as a patchable problem to viewing you as a valuable solution. Not to mention, while making a case for the value of staffing solutions, you also have to focus on standing out above the competition.
Here’s why it’s essential to break the mold of staffing stereotypes and market yourself as a strategic staffing solution:
Focus on your expertise
The recently-released Staffing Trends in 2020 report by Staffing Industry Analysts revealed a handful of new, unexpected competitors entering the staffing ecosystem. Companies such as Xerox, IBM, Google, Ikea, and even Coca Cola have officially staked their claim in workforce solutions.
The good news? To be successful in staffing, you don’t need to be everything to everyone. These companies’ talent demands spread far-and-wide, but you are an expert in staffing problems, great and small. You just have to dial in your expertise.
Hone in on the staffing issue, client industry, or candidate type you excel in strategizing for, and then focus on custom solutions for your niche.
For example, maybe you connect best with clients in the manufacturing industry who struggle keeping up with the demand for skilled laborers. As you network, focus on this specific market. By marketing your specialty, potential clients will grow to trust your expertise in their industry and the impact it could make on their staffing needs.
Prove your worth
Staffing is a major financial conflict for many companies. Depending on where they have gaps in employment, clients can lose money from missed customer interactions, over time, burnt-out staff, drops in retention, and their overall company productivity and profit wanes.
When a staffing agency approaches with an offer, they struggle to see the benefit of throwing more money at a problem that’s already costing them. That means you need to present yourself and your team as a solution—not a siphon on their tight budget. To do this, you must prove you are a valuable asset that’s worth the immediate cost because of your ability to resolve the more expensive issues at hand.
Reach out to former and current clients for case studies. Use examples of companies with different staffing issues to ensure you’re prepared to connect with potential clients’ specific problems directly. Be sure they can prove your impact on their staffing ROI to fully align yourself with their success.
Make yourself a go-to resource
You’re a go-to resource for many paying clients. Of course, that relationship is the end goal. However, your staffing insight shouldn’t be locked up if you want to convince could-be clients of your skills. To prove you’re the strategic staffing solution companies need, create valuable, free-of-charge resources.
Show potential clients your value as a consultant by sharing helpful content, such as checklists, how-to guides, blog posts, and quick tips on social media. Offer resources catered to specific industry demands, rather than generic staffing tips.
For example, any staffing professional can provide general tips to attract top talent. However, those tips only skim the surface of any one company’s unique staffing challenges. If you instead focus on industry- and role-specific tips, you’ll provide more value and earn your spot as a go-to resource.
Give prospects a glimpse into the future
Most company leaders see dire staffing situations directly in front of them. They know the impact of lost profits, struggling employees, and disengaged customers. In fact, it’s difficult for them to envision a future without these looming business issues because, in many cases, they’ve allowed it to become the norm.
As intelligent leaders, they also know the value of strategic planning. But because they’re not experts in staffing, they struggle to formulate a strategic staffing solution and see beyond their current staffing problem areas.
Come equipped to potential client meetings with sample future staffing plans. If they’re expanding and struggling to meet staffing demands, layout a plan for growth. Let them know this is a rough draft, and with specific details, you have the power to help them get ahead of staffing problems for good.
Then, share the staffing solutions you use to make the placement and collaboration processes easier for clients. Video interview technology, for example, proves to potential clients your staffing agency is equipped to give them more in-depth insights into candidates, and you’re prepared to stay up-to-date on technology, tools, and trends to keep them ahead of the competition.
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