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Ask Haley: Staffing Marketing: Don’t be one dimensional

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Q: I recently read that social media and SEO are the keys to marketing my staffing firm, what do you think?

A: I must forewarn you, this is a rant.

To put it mildly, I’ve had it with all the “marketing experts” who are running around preaching “the sky is falling” and touting their one-dimensional marketing solutions (and they are not just in staffing).

I’ve had it with experts who say, “If you’re not doing social media marketing, you’ll be outdated and out of business in months.”

I’ve had it with SEO (search engine optimization) gurus who pitch, “SEO is the great salvation, and if you’re not at the top of the Google rankings, you don’t stand a chance.”

And I’ve really had it with the new age marketers who use the mysterious cloud of Web 2.0 to convey the impression that if you’re not on the leading edge of communication, then you might as well fold up the tents.

These are the snake oil salesmen of the 21st century.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m a big believer in social media, SEO and many of the Web 2.0 tools, but I am 100% not a believer that any one tool will be your savior…especially for a staffing firm in today’s market.

Great marketing is about strategy.

  • It’s about having clear differentiation.
  • It’s about picking the right people and businesses to target.
  • It’s about offering the right solutions and value-based pricing.
  • It’s about crafting messages that appeal to the decision maker’s rational and emotional beliefs.
  • It’s about developing a communications strategy for getting your message seen, understood, and trusted by the people you want to influence.
  • It’s about making offers that will motivate people to take action.
  • And it’s about nurturing relationships and keeping your firm top-of-mind in a way that reinforces your positioning.

The bottom line? No single tactic alone is a strategy.

When it comes to your marketing, there are dozens of tools you can use. And at the right time, any of them can be effective. Sometimes cold calling works best. Other times PR. And at times social media and SEO. But no tool is a strategy.

If you are seriously interested in using marketing to grow your business, don’t listen to the snake oil salesmen. There is no miracle cure. Instead, think strategically. Start with your business model. Find ways you can outperform your competition and solve new problems for your clients. Figure out exactly who you want to target, the value you can deliver, and how to best get your message to the right decision makers and decision influencers. And then pick the marketing tools and tactics that will be most persuasive and cost-effective for delivering your message.

Thanks for letting me vent, and I hope you find these quick ideas on marketing strategy useful.

Best Regards,

David Searns
President
Haley Marketing Group

P.S. Get our Staffing Marketing Best Practices Guide…at no charge!

Want to create a great marketing strategy for your firm? Haley Marketing just released the newest edition of our Marketing Best Practices guide. This 49-page guide will walk you step-by-step through the process of creating a great marketing strategy for your staffing firm. Plus it also offers:

* 50 reasons to visit your clients
* 28 low-cost marketing tactics
* 70 examples of offers you can make

To download a copy of our guide, visit:
http://www.haleymarketing.com/MarketingGuide

P.P.S. Staffing Stimulus Package…Just 2 Weeks Left!

Pardon the self-promotion in this message, but you have just two weeks left to take advantage of our Staffing Industry Economic Stimulus Package. Save over 40% on our most comprehensive suite of marketing tools to support your sales efforts.

Check out the details here: http://www.haleymarketing.com/2009stimulus

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