Traditional methods like cold calling are becoming less effective for recruitment agencies seeking new clients. To uncover alternative strategies for generating inbound leads, I consulted marketing professionals within the recruitment industry.
I asked them: How do you attract inbound clients without relying on cold calling or cold outreach? In this article, I’ll share these recruiters’ marketing strategies, supported by real-world experiences and expert advice. Read on to learn how your recruitment agency can attract clients organically.
1. Personal Branding & Employee Advocacy
Harness the Power of Personal Branding
In the recruitment industry, building authentic relationships is key to attracting and retaining clients. Personal branding allows consultants to showcase their expertise and personality, fostering trust and rapport with both clients and candidates.
Edward Pettifer, Director of Operations & Marketing at Beaumont Bailey, shared how personal branding has transformed their client engagement:
By leveraging personal branding, we’ve built strong, authentic connections with both clients and candidates, enhancing trust and engagement.
Edward Pettifer, Director of Operations & Marketing at Beaumont Bailey
By encouraging consultants to develop their personal brands, Beaumont Bailey has seen increased client loyalty and new business opportunities.
Actionable Tips:
- Encourage Thought Leadership: Motivate your consultants to share their insights through blogs, webinars, LinkedIn posts or speaking engagements.
- Provide Personal Branding Training: Offer workshops on building a professional online presence, particularly on LinkedIn.
- Highlight Individual Expertise: Showcase your team’s specialties on your website and marketing materials.
Empower Employee Advocacy on Social Media
Your consultants’ networks are an extremely valuable asset. By empowering your team to share company content and engage with industry discussions, you can significantly expand your reach.
Jordan Lorence, Group Head of Marketing at MRL Consulting Group, emphasised the importance of employee advocacy:
As much as your company’s brand is important, the consultants (and SLT) you have working for you are just as important – their brand is an extension of yours, and their networks will be laser-focused. Utilising consultants’ profiles to promote your company is essential. People buy from people, and B2B marketing efforts should still revolve around connecting with people.
Jordan Lorence, Group Head of Marketing at MRL Consulting Group
MRL Consulting Group capitalises on the personal networks of their consultants to increase brand visibility and generate inbound leads.
Actionable Tips:
- Create Shareable Content: Produce high-quality articles, infographics and videos that your team will be proud to share.
- Establish Social Media Guidelines: Provide clear policies to ensure a consistent and professional representation.
- Recognise and Reward Engagement: Acknowledge team members who actively promote the company online.
Cultivate a Strong Employer Brand
A compelling employer brand not only attracts top talent but also resonates with clients seeking trustworthy partners.
Julia Krawcewicz, Head of Marketing at Priority Recruitment, shared her insights:
Building a strong, personable brand on LinkedIn company pages and individual profiles pays off dividends for all three Cs – clients, candidates, and consultants. At the end of the day, we are in a people business, and everyone wants to work with nice people who treat each other well.
Julia Krawcewicz, Head of Marketing at Priority Recruitment
By presenting a consistent and authentic brand image, Priority Recruitment has strengthened relationships with clients who share similar values.
Actionable Tips:
- Consistent Messaging: Ensure your company’s mission and values are clearly communicated across all platforms.
- Showcase Company Culture: Share stories and images that highlight your team’s achievements and workplace environment.
- Engage with Your Audience: Respond promptly to comments and messages to foster a sense of community.
2. Content Marketing
Focus on Content That Attracts Clients
Content marketing is a powerful strategy for attracting inbound leads, but it must be tailored to address the specific needs and challenges of your target audience.
Sarah Stenlund, Senior Content Marketing Manager at Position Digital, highlighted the importance of client-centric content:
If you want to generate client leads for your recruitment agency, you need to focus on content that targets hiring managers or companies rather than candidates. This includes content like hiring guides, job descriptions, and salary guides.
Sarah Stenlund, Senior Content Marketing Manager at Position Digital
By producing insightful and valuable content that speaks directly to hiring managers, you position your agency as a trusted advisor and industry expert.
Actionable Tips:
- Identify Client Pain Points: Research the specific challenges faced by your target clients and create content that offers solutions.
- Diversify Content Formats: Use blogs, eBooks, webinars, and infographics to cater to different preferences.
- Optimise for SEO: Incorporate relevant keywords to improve your content’s visibility in search engines. Learn more about creating an SEO strategy here.
Case Study:
At Position Digital, we’ve written hundreds of recruitment and HR articles that generate over 20,000 sessions per month.
One of our clients shared:
The content team at Position Digital are so talented. They really know the recruitment sector and effortlessly produce such insightful and high-quality content which attracts top clients and candidates.
Olivia Coughtrie, Co-founder & Director at Oriel Partners
Utilise Salary Reports and Market Insights
Offering exclusive insights and reports can significantly enhance your agency’s appeal to potential clients and set you apart in a competitive market.
Will Astbury, Global Head of Marketing at SourceFlow, discussed the impact of salary reports:
Salary reports can be a lead-generating tool for up to six months per report. Maximise their potential! Conduct a two-month campaign to collect real data and insights for your report. Coach your consultants to use the report as a sales tool in client meetings, webinars, and events. If they can talk about these insights with knowledge and passion, these salary reports can become the basis of your outreach and brand for months.
Will Astbury, Global Head of Marketing at SourceFlow
These reports position your agency as an authority in the industry and provide valuable data that clients actively seek.
Actionable Tips:
- Conduct Surveys: Gather data directly from your network to ensure accuracy and relevance.
- Present Data Visually: Use charts and infographics to make complex information accessible.
- Gate Your Content: Require contact information for report downloads to generate leads.
3. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Recognise the Importance of SEO in Building Trust
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a cornerstone of modern recruitment marketing strategies, playing a vital role in enhancing online visibility and establishing your agency as an industry authority.
Jordan Lorence, Group Head of Marketing at MRL Consulting Group, emphasised the impact of SEO:
We’ve tailored our website to hit all the right notes for what our clients will be googling. SEO plays a huge part in this – putting the right content out, in the right way. It helps to build trust and validity and helps to situate your company as the one that knows what they’re talking about. Your website is your salesperson that never sleeps – it should be one of your marketing team’s biggest focuses.
Jordan Lorence, Group Head of Marketing at MRL Consulting Group
By investing in SEO, MRL Consulting Group has strengthened their online presence, making it easier for potential clients to find and trust their services.
Actionable Tips:
- Develop a Comprehensive SEO Strategy: Align your SEO efforts with your overall marketing goals to maximise impact.
- Focus on High-Quality Content: Create informative and relevant content that meets the needs of your target audience, and make sure it is client-centric.
- Build a Strong Backlink Profile: Acquire links from reputable websites to boost your domain authority.
Free bonus content: Get access to our SEO masterclass for recruitment agencies here.
Be Patient with SEO Efforts
SEO is a long-term investment that requires patience and consistent effort but can yield significant rewards over time.
Julia Krawcewicz, Head of Marketing at Priority Recruitment, shared her perspective:
For inbound enquiries, a lot of it comes down to SEO, which can take years to pay off, but it’s certainly worth it. In the past, apart from our own keyword research, we’ve asked existing clients what they would be searching for had they not found us and created landing pages based on what they said.
Julia Krawcewicz, Head of Marketing at Priority Recruitment
By committing to SEO in the long run, Priority Recruitment has seen sustained growth in organic traffic and inbound leads.
Actionable Tips:
- Monitor Your Progress: Use analytics tools to track your SEO performance and adjust your strategy as needed.
- Stay Updated on SEO Trends: Keep abreast of algorithm updates and industry best practices.
- Invest in Continuous Improvement: Regularly update and optimise your content to maintain and improve rankings.
Target the Right Keywords
Focusing on client-centric keywords ensures that your agency appears in search results when potential clients are looking for your services.
James Flint, Senior SEO Analyst at Position Digital, emphasised:
The most important thing when doing SEO for recruitment agencies is targeting keywords your clients are searching for. If your objective is to acquire more inbound leads, your SEO strategy must support that.
James Flint, Senior SEO Analyst at Position Digital
By aligning your keyword strategy with the search intent of your target audience, you increase the likelihood of attracting qualified leads.
Actionable Tips:
- Conduct Keyword Research: Identify keywords with high relevance and search volume using tools like Semrush or Ahrefs. Explore more keyword research tools here.
- Optimise On-Page Elements: Include target keywords naturally in your content, meta tags and URLs.
- Focus on Long-Tail Keywords: Target more specific phrases that indicate a higher intent to engage or purchase.
Case Study:
Position Digital helped a recruitment agency achieve the #1 Google ranking for “PA Recruitment”.
The client said:
Position Digital have transformed our agency. We used to rely on cold calling for new business but now clients come to us. We never have to cold call again!
Auria Heanley, Co-founder at Oriel Partners
4. Link Building & Digital PR
Secure High-Quality Backlinks
Backlinks from reputable websites signal to search engines that your site is trustworthy and authoritative, driving up the rankings.
Jelo Guia, SEO Outreach Lead at Position Digital, explained:
Having a great website with awesome content is not enough. In order to push your recruitment agency website up the rankings, you need backlinks to demonstrate trust.
Jelo Guia, SEO Outreach Lead at Position Digital
Focusing on acquiring backlinks from industry-relevant sources amplifies your SEO efforts and drives referral traffic.
Actionable Tips:
- Guest Posting: Write articles for reputable industry blogs or publications.
- Collaborate with Partners: Build relationships with HR and recruitment platforms for mutual linking opportunities.
- Create Link-Worthy Content: Develop high-quality resources that others want to reference.
Read our guide on how to get your first 100 backlinks here.
Case Study:
Position Digital increased a client’s Domain Authority from 0 to 40 in 6 months.
The client shared:
We’ve seen our website’s authority grow rapidly thanks to Position Digital, and we’re now ranking number 1 for many of our target keywords!
Olivia Coughtrie, Co-founder & Director at Oriel Partners
Utilise Digital PR for Media Coverage
Digital PR combines traditional public relations strategies with SEO benefits, enhancing your brand’s visibility and authority.
Bethany Cornell, Digital PR Manager at Position Digital, shared her expertise:
Landing press coverage in top-tier HR and business publications will provide the most authoritative backlinks and provide a massive boost to your domain authority and rankings.
Bethany Cornell, Digital PR Manager at Position Digital
Actionable Tips:
- Create Newsworthy Stories: Develop compelling narratives or data-driven reports that attract media interest.
- Engage with Journalists: Build relationships with industry journalists and offer expert commentary.
- Distribute Press Releases: Share significant company news through reputable PR distribution services.
5. Social Media & Video Content
Implement a Multi-Platform Social Media Strategy
An effective social media presence allows you to engage with a wider audience and showcase your agency’s personality.
Jen Upton, Marketing & People Engagement Director at S4S Team Ltd, shared her approach:
As we are selling a service rather than a product, our main marketing strategy for clients is consistency so that our company is always at the forefront of their minds when they are in need. We try to saturate all social media platforms so we’re seen by all different types of clients.
Jen Upton, Marketing & People Engagement Director at S4S Team Ltd
By tailoring content to each platform’s audience, you maximise reach and engagement.
Actionable Tips:
- Identify Your Audience: Determine where your target clients are most active (e.g., LinkedIn for corporates, Instagram for independents).
- Tailor Your Content: Adjust your messaging and format to suit each platform’s norms and audience expectations.
- Maintain Consistency: Post regularly and engage with your followers to build a loyal community.
If you need help with your social media marketing, check out our list of the best social media agencies.
Create Interactive and Personable Content
Building genuine connections with your audience involves sharing content that is both engaging and relatable.
Sinead Willis, Associate Director – Head of Recruitment Marketing at Propel, emphasised:
Creating content, growing followers, nurturing them, and then converting them.
Sinead Willis, Associate Director - Head of Recruitment Marketing at Propel
By nurturing your audience with valuable content, you build trust that eventually leads to conversions.
Actionable Tips:
- Utilise Video Content: Make use of video to tell stories and showcase your team’s personality.
- Engage with Interactive Posts: Use polls, Q&A sessions and live streams to encourage audience participation.
- Highlight Company Culture: Share behind-the-scenes glimpses to humanise your brand.
6. Email Marketing & Newsletters
Craft Engaging and Personalised Emails
Email marketing remains a powerful tool for nurturing leads and maintaining relationships with clients. By delivering personalised and valuable content directly to your audience’s inbox, you can enhance engagement and foster trust.
Rhian Callcut, Marketing Manager at SaluteMyJob, shared her success with personalised newsletters:
A big part of our recent drive has also been the introduction of a more personalised newsletter, created using the BeFree platform. This has allowed us to create a much more eye-catching design that has already seen an improvement in click-throughs and sign-ups.
Rhian Callcut, Marketing Manager at SaluteMyJob
By using professional email design tools, Rhian enhanced the visual appeal of their newsletters, resulting in increased engagement.
Actionable Tips:
- Segment Your Audience: Divide your email list based on client interests, industries or behaviours to send more relevant content.
- Use Personalised Greetings: Address recipients by name and tailor content to their specific needs or past interactions.
- Optimise for Mobile: Ensure your emails are mobile-friendly, as many clients will read them on their smartphones.
- Include Clear Calls-to-Action: Encourage readers to take the next step, whether it’s downloading a resource, signing up for a webinar or contacting your team.
Check out our email marketing tips here.
Provide Valuable Insights in Your Communications
Offering exclusive insights and resources in your emails positions your agency as a thought leader and keeps your audience engaged.
Amber Moran, Head of Marketing and Headhunter, found success by sharing valuable content:
Sharing anonymised top candidate profiles and market insights to both existing and potential clients has helped increase our visibility and build new connections.
Amber Moran, Head of Marketing and Headhunter
By providing content that clients find genuinely useful, Amber was able to nurture relationships and attract new business opportunities.
Actionable Tips:
- Share Industry News and Trends: Keep your clients informed about the latest developments in their sector.
- Offer Exclusive Content: Provide access to whitepapers, case studies or reports that are not available elsewhere.
- Highlight Success Stories: Showcase your agency’s achievements and how you’ve helped other clients overcome challenges.
- Encourage Feedback: Invite recipients to share their thoughts or request topics they are interested in.
Implement a Multichannel Engagement Strategy
Combining email with other channels enhances your ability to engage potential clients and increases the likelihood of converting leads.
Georgina Partington, Content Marketing Manager at SourceWhale, highlights the effectiveness of a multichannel approach:
Incorporate at least four steps in your business development campaigns. By combining email, LinkedIn, and phone outreach, and monitoring who engages with your content, you can strike while the iron is hot and significantly increase your chances of converting leads into booked meetings.
Georgina Partington, Content Marketing Manager at SourceWhale
Key data from SourceWhale supports this strategy:
- 71% of conversations start after a follow-up.
- 47% of meetings are booked from the fourth touchpoint onwards.
- 66% of meetings are scheduled over the phone.
- Calling within 30 minutes of a client engaging with your email can increase booking rates by up to 81%.
By integrating multiple touchpoints and channels, you can nurture leads more effectively without relying solely on cold calling.
Actionable Tips:
- Combine Channels: Use email alongside LinkedIn messages and personalised outreach to engage prospects.
- Plan Multiple Touchpoints: Design your campaigns with several follow-ups to stay on your prospects’ radar.
- Monitor Engagement: Track email opens and link clicks to identify warm leads and follow up accordingly.
- Optimise Timing: Reach out shortly after a prospect engages with your content to increase responsiveness.
If you need help with your email marketing, check out our list of the best email marketing agencies.
7. Data-Driven Strategies
Use Analytics to Inform Decisions
Using data analytics allows you to understand what’s working in your marketing efforts and where improvements can be made. This data-driven approach ensures that your strategies are effective and aligned with your business goals.
Rhian Callcut emphasised the importance of analytics tools:
I have to mention GA4 and Google Search Console. These tools are the shape and soul of marketing at SaluteMyJob, and the data streamed is presented in a user-friendly way, allowing for the distribution of marketing reports on a regular basis.
Rhian Callcut, Marketing Manager at SaluteMyJob
By harnessing tools like Google Analytics 4 and Google Search Console, Rhian gained valuable insights into website performance and user behaviour.
Actionable Tips:
- Set Clear Objectives: Define what you want to achieve with your marketing campaigns (e.g., increase website traffic, improve conversion rates).
- Track Key Metrics: Monitor important data such as page views, bounce rates, session duration and conversion paths.
- Use A/B Testing: Experiment with different versions of content, emails or landing pages to see what performs best.
- Regularly Review Data: Schedule routine analysis to stay informed about trends and shifts in performance.
Adapt Strategies Based on Data Insights
Being flexible and responsive to data allows you to refine your marketing strategies for better results.
Lydia Wang, Marketing Manager at Round-Peg Solutions, observed:
Based on my observation on social media engagement, content relating to our team activities usually does better than the “salsey” type of content (meaning job adverts and promotional materials for our services).
Lydia Wang, Marketing Manager at Round-Peg Solutions
By analysing engagement metrics, Lydia adjusted her content strategy to focus more on team-centric posts, leading to increased audience interaction.
Actionable Tips:
- Identify High-Performing Content: Use analytics to determine which topics and formats resonate most with your audience.
- Listen to Your Audience: Pay attention to feedback, comments and questions to understand client interests.
- Stay Agile: Be prepared to pivot your strategy in response to data insights and changing market conditions.
- Measure ROI: Evaluate the return on investment for different marketing activities to allocate resources effectively.
Use Industry Data for Targeted Marketing
Using industry data allows you to tailor your marketing efforts and reach potential clients more effectively.
Kat Tyndall, Marketing Manager at James Andrews Recruitment Solutions Ltd, discussed using data to provide value:
By utilising the wealth of data which LinkedIn Talent Insights offers, we are able to target prospective clients with a taster of the tailored analytics we are able to provide about their industry, which will allow them to make more informed, cost-effective decisions. Talent Insights gives us a wider picture of how professionals in the sector are moving as a whole, giving us, and our clients, the bigger picture as to trends in the sector to watch out for and potential staffing challenges to pre-empt before they happen.
Kat Tyndall, Marketing Manager at James Andrews Recruitment Solutions Ltd
By using tools like LinkedIn Talent Insights, Kat’s team provides clients with valuable industry analytics, enhancing their marketing effectiveness.
Actionable Tips:
- Utilise Advanced Tools: Explore platforms like LinkedIn Talent Insights to gather in-depth industry data.
- Provide Tailored Analytics: Offer prospective clients customised insights relevant to their specific industry or market segment.
- Stay Informed on Industry Trends: Regularly update your data to reflect the latest market developments.
8. Community Involvement
Build Trust Through Community Engagement
Demonstrating your agency’s commitment to social responsibility and community involvement can enhance your reputation and appeal to clients who share similar values.
Amber Moran shared her experiences:
Highlighting our community involvement and volunteering activities has been a great way to attract both clients and candidates. It adds a personal touch to our brand and tends to resonate with clients who are looking to work with agencies that share similar values.
Amber Moran, Head of Marketing and Headhunter
Actionable Tips:
- Participate in Local Events: Engage in community service, sponsor local events or support charitable causes.
- Share Your Stories: Use your website and social media platforms to highlight your team’s involvement and the impact of your efforts.
- Align with Relevant Causes: Choose initiatives that resonate with your company’s mission and the interests of your clients.
- Encourage Employee Participation: Foster a culture of giving back by involving your team in community projects.
9. Brand Messaging
Address Client Pain Points
Effective communication involves understanding your clients’ challenges and offering solutions that meet their specific needs.
Ashley Evans, Marketing Manager at Recolution Group, advised:
Your messaging shouldn’t just focus on “here’s what we offer” but rather “Here’s how things can improve for you”. Across your messaging, your calls to action should pose questions and demonstrate an outcome, prompting your audience to think about the challenges they might not have even fully realised they have.
Ashley Evans, Marketing Manager at Recolution Group
By shifting the focus to client benefits and outcomes, you make your messaging more compelling and relevant.
Actionable Tips:
- Conduct Market Research: Use surveys, interviews or industry reports to gain insights into your clients’ priorities and concerns.
- Develop Client Personas: Create detailed profiles of your ideal clients to guide your messaging strategies.
- Use Empathetic Language: Show that you understand and care about their challenges by using language that resonates with them.
- Provide Tailored Solutions: Highlight how your services specifically address their pain points and deliver value.
10. Team Alignment
Build Strong Internal Collaboration
A cohesive strategy across all departments ensures consistent messaging and a seamless experience for your clients.
Hannah Jane Roué, Marketing & Brand Director at Orbis Group, emphasised:
To attract new clients, the best strategy is to build relationships by aligning marketing, sales, and service teams. Synergy between marketing, client solutions, recruitment consultants, operations, and candidate care ensures an authentic, relationship-driven approach that converts prospects into clients.
Hannah Jane Roué, Marketing & Brand Director at Orbis Group
When your teams work collaboratively towards shared goals, you enhance efficiency and improve client satisfaction.
Actionable Tips:
- Establish Common Goals: Align KPIs and objectives across departments to ensure everyone is working towards the same outcomes.
- Facilitate Open Communication: Hold regular cross-departmental meetings to share insights, updates and feedback.
- Develop Unified Messaging: Create brand guidelines that standardise language, tone, and value propositions used by all teams.
- Encourage Collaborative Projects: Foster teamwork by involving members from different departments in joint initiatives.
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