In the last issue of Recruiting and Staffing Solutions, I introduced you to a concept called "Ultimate Advertising."
In this issue I will go into greater detail as to what "Ultimate Advertising" is really all about. In a nutshell, "Ultimate Advertising" broadcasts to the entire world that your organization is light years beyond the competition. It signals professionalism, expertise, and care to your community. It says to the people you deal with: "We are at the top of our game in everything we do, no matter how big or small the task." It means taking care of the way your parking lot, lobby, company vehicles, and personnel are perceived. It means providing insight and expert advice to your community regarding employment-related issues. It means upholding the highest ethics. It means establishing fair pricing that is comfortable for your clients while protecting the integrity of the industry. All of the above-mentioned issues equate to Ultimate Advertising. The real problem is addressing all of these areas while maintaining day-to-day operations.
Before you can begin implementing Ultimate Advertising into your organization, you first have to be ready - and truly prepared - for some bumps in the road and possibly, some dramatic changes and outcomes. Because Ultimate Advertising forces you to pay attention to often overlooked areas within your company, you may find some serious resistance from personnel who may be pulled from their comfort zones. This is natural and to be expected. The key is to show your personnel a plan of execution and to get them enthused about the outcome.
THE BASIC STEPS OF ULTIMATE ADVERTISING
To begin, we will talk about some steps you can take to get the process rolling. These are the basic elements of Ultimate Advertising. But, don't be fooled: These basic elements are extremely important and many times, highly neglected.
1 First Appearances:
First, you should start with the overall appearance of your company. The way your office looks and the way your personnel are dressed is critical. The way your parking lot and surrounding areas are maintained says a lot about who you are as a company. There is simply no way in the world that you can be perceived as a professional organization if any of these areas are neglected. Make sure you keep a spotless location. Make sure your employees are dressed to impress, and make sure that everything the client or applicant sees from the road, and in front of your building, is tidy. All of these areas, believe it or not, are advertising venues.
2 Website, Brochures, and Business Cards:
The Second, step is to make sure all of your printed material and virtual/ electronic material is designed by a professional ad agency that understands your unique business and can implement a uniform and consistent "look" for your company. It is absolutely imperative that your website, brochures, business cards, and any other material are all up-to-date. The customer should be able to view any of your marketing devices and see a uniform look and message. You'd be surprised to know just how many staffing agencies have inconsistent marketing material designed by novices. Many of them have websites that look nothing like their brochures. They have brochures that say something entirely different from their website, and their business cards have different logos on them than their brochures. And, if that isn't bad enough, the colors used on each media are different and without uniformity. This lack of consistency is a surefire way to tell your community that you are an amateur. Please, please, please... if this describes your organization, seek help fast. I can guarantee that you are losing volumes of business because of it.
Now, we can move beyond the obvious and dive right in to the more challenging and rewarding aspects of Ultimate Advertising. The following steps take you into a more mature marketing plan designed for the companies who have gotten Step 1 and Step 2 under control.
3 Become an Expert:
Study after study has shown that companies are sick and tired of the sales and marketing gimmicks. You know the type: You send a flashlight to a potential client and have the box read, "I see you are in need of staffing services." This type of gimmick-based advertising was all the rage for the last decade, but has quickly become a nuisance to most prospects. What your clients are really wanting from you is valuable information. They are looking for their suppliers to be the "top dog" in knowledge and service. They don't want to have to explain anything to anyone. They want clear and present data, advice, and service from you, and nothing more. Learn to separate yourself from the gimmicky marketing and implement direct-contact strategies that show your potential clients that you are the expert in your field. There are numerous ways in which to execute such a strategy, and a good ad agency can help.
4 Start Using New Media:
In today's staffing environment, simply having a website, brochures, and business cards, isn't enough. You need to begin infusing some of the awesome new media outlets that have popped up in recent years. Media forms such as blogs, podcasts, MySpace.com, and numerous other new media outlets allow you to entertain your industry in exciting new ways. They also allow you to reach clients who might have been unreachable in previous years. In addition to the greater reach they provide, new media tends to give the impression that you are on the cuttingedge of technology, and shows that you take a more progressive approach to your business. Again, if this is something that you aren't technically inclined to do, an ad agency can help.
5 Make Your Appearance and Media Work for You:
Finally, you have to make your updated appearance and media work for you. Brochures that don't draw your clients to action are a waste of money and time. A website that does not collect data, find people, attract clients, test aptitudes, and fuel growth is a waste of bandwidth. Computers that aren't taking advantage of the new media out there are wasting their processors. You've got to make everything you do work for you. Everything has to become an extension of your client outreach.
Ultimate Advertising is absolutely necessary in this competitive environment. The staffing company that takes one extra step, wins. The company who recognizes that everything is advertising will far exceed the one who is limited to traditional methods.
In conclusion, it is always best to hire experts to handle issues outside your realm of expertise. You do staffing. An ad agency does advertising. Hire one today and tell them you want to begin implementing Ultimate Advertising practices. The sooner you get on the path of Ultimate Advertising, the sooner your company will be on the path to a better bottom line.
Ryan Kovach is the Vice President of Dillinger & Kovach. He can be contacted at 817.691.3231, or by email at info@dillingerkovach.com. Visit the website at www.dillingerkovach.com and www.dillingerinc.com.
