How to do Business Development in Recruitment When Targeting the USA
This article was formed from the above part transcribed interview with Scott Littrel, VP of Sales at SourceWhale. SourceWhale is the leading business development and headhunting platform for recruiters.
In the latest episode of the ‘Scale Up Stateside’ podcast, we sat down with Scott Littrell, VP of Sales at SourceWhale who provided insight into how to do business development in recruitment when targeting the US to book in more meetings.
Alongside PGC’s Director of US Expansion Maria Drye, this part transcribed interview provides data-driven strategies to book more meetings in the US, formed from an analysis of SourceWhale’s 52+ million pieces of outreach sent out across their platform.
Wondering how to do business development in recruitment when targeting the US? Keep reading to find out:
1) How to get Meetings With Potential Clients in the US
When it comes to understanding how to do business development in recruitment it’s most important to nail down the first step which is figuring out how to get meetings with potential clients.
Start by finding high quality candidates before reaching out to decision makers
"In the past three years, SourceWhale has scheduled over one million meetings with potential clients. We have observed that those who focus on marketing the candidate performs exceptionally well compared to those who merely present a value proposition."
Scott explains that approaching a potential client with only your business value proposition can often be tiring on the receiving end. However, if you approach a client by offering an impressive candidate for the role they’re recruiting in, you can capture potential client's attention more easily.
When it comes to figuring out how to get meetings with potential clients in the US, Scott emphasised it’s also essential to:
Generate conversation with the client
Establish a common ground
Enforce a sense of urgency.
The employment market in the US moves fast, with two weeks notice periods compared to the UK. By approaching a client with the perfect candidate from the get-go, it will also help to demonstrate your knowledge of the client and the type of talent that is attractive to them.
The US market is more relationship-driven compared to the transactional market in the UK. During our 24 years of helping UK recruitment agencies place contractors in the US - Many clients comment on this difference. Consequently, adapting to the process of getting meetings with potential clients in the US booked in, might take some time.
Clients in the US prefer to get to know you before doing business, hence the importance of establishing a common ground in the early stages of your business development strategy. To learn more about the experiences of UK recruitment founders adapting to business development in recruitment in the US, read more here.
2) How to Write Good Emails to Secure Clients in the US
Your approach to business development in recruitment will differ depending on your market. In this podcast episode, Scott explained the most used channel within the recruitment industry is email.
When trying to write good emails to secure clients in the US, Scott emphasized that focusing on presenting an outstanding candidate is the best approach for the reasons we touched on previously.
“A UK recruiter once sent me an email showcasing an impressive candidate, which immediately caught my interest. Avoid generic messages; instead, provide real value by highlighting exceptional talent.”
Showcasing a candidate that might be a good match to your US clients job opening in an email is essential when trying to write good emails to secure clients. This should form part of your approach to business development in recruitment when targeting the USA.
Writing an email highlighting a skilled candidate that matches the job brief of the role a business is hiring will:
Capture the potential client’s attention
Demonstrate proactive effort
Add value by directly addressing the businesses hiring needs
Result in them considering using your recruitment services to fill the role
Additionally, showcasing a well-qualified candidate in your business development emails to potential clients, highlights your expertise and sets you apart from competitors. Strengthening client relationships and boosting your reputation within the recruitment industry.
Scott from SourceWhale also shared other tips on how to write good emails to secure clients within recruitment in the full episode:
Conduct prior research on the recipient
Be specific in the email subject line
Personalize your greeting
Clearly communicate the purpose of your email.
Showcase the candidates USP which aligns with the client.
Send the email at the right time, especially when presenting a candidate to a client.
Include a CTA with your contact details.
3) Best Recruitment Channels and Importance of a Multi Touch Campaign When Targeting the USA
When it comes to business development in recruitment, knowing the best recruitment channels for securing clients and candidates is essential. You may find that recruitment channels you are familiar with in the UK, may differ to the US.
According to Scott Littrel, a successful multi-channel approach integrates the best recruitment channels, creating a seamless experience for the prospect. This can involve:
Email
LinkedIn
Text messages
Phone calls
Using text in business development recruitment in USA
In the full podcast episode, Scott noted that communication preferences can vary significantly between the US and the UK. For instance, while WhatsApp is a dominant direct messaging platform in the UK, it's not commonly used in the US. Instead, text messaging holds a prominent place in the US market.
"In the US, text is definitely a great channel for business development in recruitment. However, you have to be careful with it. For example, if I'm reaching out to a new prospect, I am not going to lead off with a text message. I think that's a little intrusive."
PGC’s Director of US Expansion, Maria, questioned Scott on utilizing text for business development in recruitment when targeting the USA. As many of PGC’s US recruitment agency clients start out in the US using the ‘Recruiting From Afar’ strategy.
Often still based in their home country, Maria asked if using a UK phone number to contact potential US clients affect email open and reply rates.
Surprisingly, Scott said a UK number stands out and is intriguing to US businesses. Highlighting that you must leave a voicemail if they don’t answer so they know who you are and why you are calling. Watch his full answer below.
Use LinkedIn for business development in recruitment
Depending on your niche, you will need to do prior research to find the best recruitment channels used most by your ideal clients and candidates. For example, LinkedIn is fantastic as clients will be searching for C-Suite level candidates.
Did you know? On average, eight people get employed per minute on LinkedIn. Also, if you are from the UK you might be surprised to find out the Whatsapp is not popular in the US. Regarded as the third most-used application globally behind Facebook and YouTube.
Use a mixture of channels within your business development campaign
As referenced above, not only is it essential to be aware of the best recruitment channels to use in the US, it’s also important to ensure you don’t spend all your time focusing on one.
“For business development in recruitment campaigns that include three channels, versus one – those campaigns are booking in at least two times more meetings.”
Referencing SourceWhale data, Scott emphasized the value of a multi-channel approach in a multi touch point campaign when it comes to business development targeting the USA. In fact, Sourcewhale, witnessed a 56% increase in the response rate, and 112% increase in booked meetings using three channels.
Watch the video above to find out SourceWhale’s 5 data driven steps to stand out in a potential client’s inbox which include:
Sending an email to the potential client
Requesting to connect on LinkedIn after not receiving an email reply
Calling or texting the potential client when they did not respond
Following up with a LinkedIn request, and a text message to drive a conversation to stand out against automated outreach.
In the full podcast episode, Scott explained how using the steps above in the business development process when targeting the US, stands out from other sellers in their inbox. The reason being that it proves you are not a robot and trying to generate a conversation vs automated messages which are often common practice.
Business development in recruitment is heavily reliant on identifying and using the best recruitment channels, particularly in the context of the US market where preferred channels may differ from those in the UK.
Knowing the best channels and mixing them with a multi-channel approach will create a diverse strategy that not only maximizes reach but also enhances the likelihood of securing clients in the US.
4) How to Ensure Consistency with a Multi Touch Campaign When Targeting the US
Ensuring consistency in a multi-touch campaign involves understanding where your target audience spends their time and tailoring your outreach accordingly. According to Scott Littrel, a successful multi-touch campaign goes beyond just emailing prospective clients but a mixture of channels.
As touched on the full podcast episode, Scott refers to SourceWhale data which found that on average across their client base, the reply rate was significantly higher when eight steps of business development outreach were performed.
Consistency also involves recognising the cultural differences between the US and UK when targeting potential clients in the US. For instance, while WhatsApp is a dominant direct messaging platform in the UK, it's not commonly used in the US.
5. How Often Should You Follow Up with a Lead in a Multi-Touch Campaign
The frequency of follow-up's is crucial in a multi-touch campaign to secure US clients for your recruitment agency. Watch the video below to find out SourceWhale’s advice on how often you should contact potential clients in the US.
"After you've sent an email, connected on LinkedIn and called that person, sending a really polite text message, as long as there's urgency in the campaign, can be a really good way to drive an answer."
Text messages should not be the initial point of contact but should be used deeper into the campaign after the prospect is somewhat familiar with your name. This point has been further backed up by SourceWhale’s data which stated that 71% of conversations start from a follow up.
A polite follow-up must be paired with a clear reason for contact, of which Scott used the example of highlighting a high quality candidate for the job role the US company is recruiting for.
"Have a reason to contact them in the first place - Having a candidate rather than just, your USP or your value proposition is going to help your journey further down the current channel"
This approach ensures that your follow-up is not perceived as an intrusion but as a relevant and valuable touchpoint.
As Scott explained in the full podcast episode, simply asking, "Did you see my email?" Can be a hard ask, especially if it lacks context or relevance. Instead, frame your communication around a specific reason or benefit that aligns with the prospect's needs and interests.
Business development in recruitment benefits significantly from a multi-touch campaign that respects UK vs US cultural differences, ensures consistent messaging across channels, and follows up in a polite and purposeful manner.
As highlighted by SourceWhale's Scott Littrel, using a multi-channel approach in a multi-touch campaign not only enhances the likelihood of engagement but also promotes a more positive and productive interaction with potential clients in the US market.
6. Importance of Personalising Emails in Business Development when Targeting the USA
Top Tip Shared by SourceWhale: US businesses are likely to be inundated with emails, that may appear automated and could be deleted. By diversifying your approach you can ensure your campaign reaches the ideal client.
Personalisation is not just about adding a personal touch to your emails; it’s about creating a structured approach to your client outreach.
This is supported by SourceWhale witnessing a 91% increase in response rates once personalisation was implemented throughout the 52+ million pieces of outreach sent out across their platform.
7) Complete Research on the Decision Maker you are Reaching out to
"It’s hard to come up with a different reason for reaching out to every single person, so have a few key points that you can adapt when completing business development tasks."
When reviewing a prospect's LinkedIn profile or other public information, look for standout details that can be easily incorporated to personalise emails. This approach ensures that your email personalisation is relevant and meaningful
Even the most simple personalisation can make a huge difference, helping your emails to stand out and encouraging recipients to engage with your message.
By incorporating personalisation into a multi-touch campaign, you can significantly enhance your business development and build more meaningful connections with potential clients.
Here is Scott’s business development advice for sending emails to potential US clients broken down:
Start with personalisation
Maintain consistency across your campaign
Structure your emails to ensure that each touchpoint feels relevant and engaging.
Want to Learn More About Business Development in Recruitment When Targeting the USA?
We hope this part transcribed interview with Scott Littrel has provided you with valuable strategies for business development in recruitment when targeting the USA.
From understanding the importance of personalisation in emails to leveraging a multi-touch campaign, these tips can help you navigate the US market more effectively.
If you want to learn more about expanding your client base in the US, let us help you navigate the complexities of the US market with ease. Schedule a call with us today and discover how we can support your growth and success in the US recruitment industry.
Disclaimer: PGC does not endorse any personal views or opinions of the interviewee. All information here is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional and/or legal services.