As the economy ramps back up following the coronavirus outbreak’s devastating blow, many sectors find themselves engaged in a hiring frenzy. Unfortunately, from the famine-like conditions that shook the staffing world in the spring of 2020 to the current feast-like situation blanketing much of the country, many staffing firms are plagued by a severe case of whiplash. As agencies scramble to realign their talent pools with the needs of burgeoning industries, many are doing so without the aid of an in-house marketing team.
Thanks to the pandemic, many agencies were forced to slash expenses to stay afloat. For some, that meant furloughing the marketing department. A year ago, folks found themselves questioning the need to market staffing services, seeing as how the vast majority of industries had incurred massive layoffs.
Firms that had always managed their marketing needs by utilizing employees who officially wore other hats saw no reason to switch things up. The owner continued to assume the role of marketing guru, or a gung-ho recruiter carved out a chunk of time to devote to marketing. It could be the uber-organized administrative assistant who’s long-known for picking up loose ends added marketing duties to their already lengthy to-do list.
But now, with the economy booming and hiring approaching record levels, many a staffing agency sees the need to reevaluate its marketing approach. Can we, should we, continue to manage on our own without a dedicated in-house team? Is it time to commit to a marketing-hats-only team? Or, do we need the assistance of a marketing firm specializing in the staffing world’s unique needs?
The key to choosing the path that best suits your agency is an honest evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of those men and women who’ve been handling the marketing efforts. Where do we shine? Where do our efforts fall short? As we move forward through these uncharted waters, can we effectively market our services via in-house initiatives, or do we need the assistance of experts?
Another option to consider is a strategy that combines in-house efforts—whether by a dedicated team or an enthusiastic individual—with the skills and resources of an experienced team of marketers who make it their business to be up-to-speed on all things staffing and hiring.
While the owner, the enthusiastic recruiter, and the competent administrative assistant have the advantage of being tuned in to your clients and the community, they probably lack the marketing-specific skillset, insights, and assets an agency has at its fingertips 24/7. Sure, your in-house folks have niche experience. Sue does okay with the website. Bob writes pretty good advertising copy. And Jack likes to fiddle with social media. But their other responsibilities take precedent over their marketing endeavors. And each one will readily admit part of what’s missing is a solid strategy that ties everything together in a practical, trackable plan.
Even if the booming economy has padded the budget enough to allow for a dedicated one-two-or-three-person marketing department, it would be difficult to find an individual with the range of skills ready and waiting on the roster of a successful marketing agency.
ASJ Partners can be your one-stop-shopping experience for marketing strategies in the recruiting and staffing industries. From website development to email marketing, social media, SEO, and everything in between, the ASJ team can customize a strategy that fits your company’s budget and unique needs. Contact our team today to see what ASJ can do for you.