How inbound lead nurturing can win over passive recruitment candidates

Pretty much every sector has its own essential survival strategy, and here at Six & Flow we expect to see lead nurturing for recruitment take off as the next big trend. Wondering why? Read on to find out what we mean…. 

What is inbound lead nurturing?

As Greg Savage said in his “Recruitment is marketing. Are you ready for that?” blog back in 2015:

“Any recruitment business model that relies on candidates making proactive applications for jobs is destined to fail.”

Nowadays, most candidates are savvy. They’ll know to contact various recruiters when looking for a new position, with some even applying directly for roles.

The best candidates are the unique ones, the ones who have bought into your business and remain loyal – they are almost a definite fee for you. If not now, then in the future when they’re eager for a new role and ready to talk to you.

Inbound lead nurturing can therefore be an incredibly effective way to attract, win over and retain these unique individuals, even if they’re passive candidates at present. In basic terms, lead nurturing is the process of developing meaningful relationships with leads and pulling them through the different stages of the buying process. You can do this by listening to their needs and wants, and providing them with the correct information at the right time. 

If done correctly, nurturing can lead to inbound lead conversion, as leads eventually become customers (or in this case, active candidates).

How does this apply to recruitment?

Inbound lead nurturing, we believe, will be the new essential strategy for all recruitment agencies. As we mentioned, the industry is changing, going from the pushy sales-orientated approach it is infamous for, and adopting more intuitive and helpful tactics.

Starting your inbound journey is relatively easy. First, create personas that represent the type of people you want to reach. Figure out exactly who they are, the platforms they use, what sort of knowledge they are looking for and provide them with all this information.

Next, content is key. You don’t want to be too pushy, but be strategic in your approach by writing for your chosen persona and make them realise they need your services. For example, if you are recruiting for a Trainee Marketing Executive role, you’re more than likely looking to reach recent graduates seeking a junior position. So, you can write blogs discussing what to do after university, or how to step onto the marketing career ladder. 

Thirdly, share content on social media and engage with your audience when appropriate. For instance, the best way to reach graduates is through Twitter and Facebook, as these are the main platforms this age group use. Share your own content as well as interesting marketing-specific articles, blogs and even infographics. Imparting a range of relevant material will help to grow your following and create a bigger audience for your offering.

Why is recruitment well suited to inbound strategy?

Building a meaningful relationship is crucial in recruitment. Making each lead feel valued can help to retain them as a customer in the future, and encourage them to recommend you to a friend when they are in need of your services.

Communication is also incredibly important within recruitment. By contacting candidates at the right time, you can keep them up to date with potential job opportunities and ongoing applications. Good communication is also a great way to retain candidates who are dealing with more than one recruiter. If you’re the one who contacts them throughout the whole recruitment process, they are mostly likely to feel valued and prioritise working with you. 

Luckily, inbound lead nurturing is all about starting conversations and building relationships.

How inbound lead nurturing and conversion works

Marketing automation allows you to easily manage the nurturing process and make inbound lead conversion a reality.

For instance, automated emails can be set up to reach candidates with the right information at the right time. In the beginning of the inbound marketing sales funnel, these email shouldn’t be pushy, but purely informative. Recognise the needs of your audience, and then subtly supply them with the information.

For example, individuals whose contact details have been acquired may already be warm leads. Sending out a monthly email with industry-relevant, interesting articles to this audience can help to keep your business fresh in their minds.

Over time, they may show interest in your offering and choose to communicate with you. You can then send them further emails providing them with additional information, inviting them to come to you in order to meet their needs.

In conclusion 

Inbound lead nurturing is a great way to start to win over passive candidates, as well as retaining current candidates. By giving people a good experience, you can also encourage word of mouth recommendations, helping you gain more unique candidates. 

We have a whole guide on inbound marketing for recruitment – make sure to check it out!