Now Hiring!

“The very best marketing comes from observing consumer behavior and inserting your message into their behavior.”

It may seem strange to see an article about “Now Hiring” in a digital newsletter.  However, employees “technically” are people and that also makes them consumers, and the very best marketing comes from… 

While I was in Fredericksburg calling on businesses this week, I noticed a couple of interesting behaviors.  First, realizing this is a casual observation, it appeared that 75% of the individuals strolling around the city and working in the stores had their smartphones out.  And second, it seemed that every other business had a “Now Hiring” sign in the window.  So as I met with business owners I asked them about my perception – “It seems like there is a shortage of workers in the market.” 

Most of them answered pretty much the same – “There is a shortage of competent workers in the market.”  In a recent article in Forbes, Ken Sundheim described the “Ideal Employee”.  Action oriented, intelligent, ambitious, autonomous, displays leadership, cultural fit, upbeat, confident, successful, honest, detailed oriented, modest, hardworking, marketable (presentable to clients) and passionate.  “Does that describe who you are looking for?” 

They responded with an enthusiastic Yes!  “So what are you doing to recruit the ideal candidate?”

“I have the Help Wanted sign in the window.”

How is that working out for you?

The way I look at it, we hire people.  People have jobs and home lives.  If great employees are the life blood of your business, you should work as hard recruiting employees as you do recruiting customers.  These means reaching them where they live and work.  And while it is tempting to call the paper and place a help wanted ad, you are going to have to work harder to get your message in front of the right candidates for your business. 

There are only two types of prospects in the jobs market.  Those with a job and those without a job.  In most markets today, there is not a large pool of qualified, unemployed workers seeking employment.  So we are going to have target individuals who already have a job and have a compelling message to encourage them to talk to you. 

“The very best marketing comes from observing consumer behavior and inserting your message into their behavior.”

This marketing wisdom applies equally to targeting customers and employees.  So here is this week’s digital idea.  Insert your message (Now Hiring!) into their behavior.  Mobile geofencing is perfect.  Geofence your business, one to three miles, and get in front of employee prospects.  Geo-target your competitors and similar businesses that would likely provide quality employee candidates.  Geofence the parts of town where you have successfully hired quality employees.  And since the ads are running on a phone, the ad or landing page could say “Let’s talk!  Press here to be connected to a human being who wants to talk to you.”

I hear you.  “Do you have any idea how many people could call?”  Actually I do.  But your current problem is not “too many applicants”, it is too few employees. 

 

Most of today’s recruitment marketing is actually designed around screening.  NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE.  (I am not sure why they include PLEASE.)  The problem with so many layers of screening – much of which is simply designed to make someone’s job easier- is that it also can screen out that one special individual who could help you transform your business.  This type of marketing is recruiting equivalent of “I only want to advertise to people who are high volume buyers.”  If only it were so simple.

Personally I am leery of applying to a company who did not want phone calls.  If I have an opening on my staff, I want to fill it with the very best person available.  Since we work in a client facing business, the ability to communicate is rather important.  While the pain on the hiring side is that you have a position to fill, there is also pain on the applicant side.  If an individual is actively looking to change jobs, they are wondering if the hiring company’s problems are even worse than those of the company currently employing them.  There is fear on both sides of the hiring process.

The purpose of the ad is start the process of communicating with applicants.  When the phone rings it gives you the opportunity set the expectations and guide the process…  “The first thing I need you to do is to send me your resume…”  This is not an interview, it is the start of your normal hiring process.  Back to marketing…

You should be able to run multiple creatives in your current mobile campaign.  (If you can’t, give me a call!)  Example:  50% of your ads are targeted to new clients, while 50% of your ads are targeted to searching for new employees.  Great customers frequently make great employees and there is no reason your can’t use the same targeting parameters for both.  And when you find the perfect employee, change your targeting back to 100% customer acquisition.

“Jeff, when I think of (Help Wanted + Digital), I think I should be running an ad on a job board like Monster.com, Indeed or CareerBuilder.” 

There is no reason you can’t do that, but one of the disadvantages of relying on these job boards is that your ad can get lost in a sea of similar postings.  And you can be buried by unqualified candidates because it is so easy to submit an online application today.  “Spray and pray.”

By marketing to employment prospects outside of these channels, you more effectively reach prospects who may be “thinking” about a job change, but have not yet acted on this desire.  A great message (Let’s talk!) can be the impetus to contacting you before they start this search.  And since you are recruiting in the same pool of individuals that make great customers, you have a better chance to uncover someone who is passionate about your business. 

Targeting new employees can be accomplished using the same tactics you use to target new customers.

“So how do we target businesses?  I need to engage in B2B marketing.”

Well let’s think about it.  B2B marketing...  People do business with people, not companies…  Companies have never bought anything...  People buy, not companies...  I am sensing a trend.  I think we design a campaign to attract the people and the business will follow…