New job board owners struggle when it comes to sales. Especially if they have never sold anything before, the sales process in HR circles is challenging. Recently, after working with some clients I picked up a few things I can impart to you on this blog.
Job Board Sales Tactic #1
One site I know does this. The owner (who has a full-time job) gets up early each morning and targets 20 new employers to contact before he heads out the door to work. He sets up email job alerts from sites like Indeed and other niche competitors around his keyword niche and uses those companies as his prospects for the day. The key is here is timing. He learns of companies who JUST posted a job that would be great for his board. That immediacy is helpful because he knows they are anxious to fill a position.
So he starts to contact those prospects via email. Doing so in the morning helps him get on their radar for the day ahead. (the alternative is to do it between 4-6pm as their day is ending). He does this religiously every morning with a well thought out, personalized email pitch.
Through this approach he has generated $50k in 1 year. (his basic job posting costs $150)
Job Board Sales Tactic #2
Another job board I know takes an even more personalized approach to sales. This board is in the “blue collar” industry and they have one salesperson doing the sales. That sales person makes $100k selling postings to a very niche market. In his case he mostly cold calls his prospects and once he gets a hit, he gets their credit card details right over the phone. Then he asks the company to email him the job description and HE POSTS THE JOB on behalf of the client.
He sets up their account, posts their job and emails the client a receipt along with their new password. This concierge type of sales approach works because it takes the burden off the employer from having to go out to the site and do it themselves. In other words the sales guy is saving them TIME, which is very valuable as all recruiters are extremely busy.
Plus this approach really lets you create a relationship with your clients going forward. If you have actually talked to your client you have a better chance at repeat business.
So there you go. Try these tactics for selling your job board to HR. The recruiting dollars are out there, you just gotta get them.
