Customers gravitate to brands which resonate with them. Even in B2B, the personality of a brand can carry the business to places and clients that the same, less engaging recruitment agency would never reach; its a form of marketing that is so vital in your business communication.
Branding can be underestimated, however as a startup recruitment agency, the number of introductions and interpersonal communications you will be engaging in will be innumerable, bringing a dazzling personality with this brand you have established increases your chances of connecting and resonating with those investors, clients or recruits. Make your agency something other than just another startup or another recruiter but the kind of business that all of these people not only remember but want to invest in, work with or trust to find their dream occupation.
As the customer relationship continues to be redefined by the generational changes in priorities and preferences, and by technological developments, businesses need to up their game and provide a different kind of experience which no longer means the most exclusive product or the cheapest deal. Customers are looking for so much more when it comes to engaging and investing in a brand, and this largely comes down to customer experience, in both B2C and B2B.
Find a unique experience or service style that pleases your customers and encourages them to rave about your company, and you’re onto a winner. Not only can this secure their business but it can help you to keep these customers; when they engage with the personality of the brand and not just the great deal you offer them, then they are invested on a deeper level, a more emotional connection has been made.
So how can you create this brand personality for your startup recruitment agency? Well, look at your strengths and consult your business and marketing plan, who are your target clients? Are you a niche agency, working specifically with hospitality, construction or retail, for example? What can you identify as their needs? From these needs, design an agency who exudes these qualities through everything from design to communication style.
Design
Design your brand to resonate with the businesses you’re targeting. But what does this mean and how does this give you personality? For example, a retail recruitment specialist might want to design themselves as a stylish brand; a construction recruitment agency may want to strip back the frills and keep things clean and concise, bolder. The imagery used on your website, emails, social media will all reflect the kind of recruitment agency and brand you have created, so look at your target audience or current customers’ online presence and branding, and reflect the themes you see here.
Values
In addition to experience, businesses and individuals increasingly prefer working with brands who share the same values as them, and increasingly these values revolve around sustainability, social responsibility, transparency when it comes to data and brand honesty overall. If you can see a clear trend that, for example, the construction industry is developing growing values around using sustainable materials, then applying this school of thought to your own brand will define a business which these construction firms can relate to and desire to associate with.
Language and Communication
Similarly to your design, try to match your language and communication with that of the businesses you are aiming to engage. If you work primarily with companies to secure positions for business execs and top management, then the language you use will be different, more formal perhaps, than that which a recruiter sourcing workmen for a construction firm might use. Your go-to means of communication may also need to be considered. Most businesses are comfortable using email, however, if you specialise in the technology industry, or a trendy young startup themselves, you might find that they prefer to use Google Hangouts or Slack to communicate with their account manager or candidates. A recruitment agency who also uses these tools will be a natural choice.
Specialisms
Are there any extra services which you could look to develop to show your prowess in your chosen, thoughtful conveniences that could benefit your clients. Offering additional problem-solving services shows your innate understanding of your clients’ needs. This might include specialist insurances or tailored hours and 24-hour contact. Showing an understanding for the industry you service will add to an attractive personality, showing you are a recruitment agency who can be trusted to provide whatever the client needs!
