In this episode of Take the Stage, David Searns, Co-CEO of Haley Marketing, shares what the best staffing firms did to thrive in 2024 despite a challenging year. Discover why a 20+ step sales process matters, how to leverage AI tools like ChatGPT to boost productivity, and why personalization remains a game-changer. David provides actionable insights to help staffing professionals create winning strategies for 2025. Whether it’s focusing on niche industries, creating authentic client connections, or redefining your sales process, this episode delivers practical takeaways for staffing leaders.

[00:01] – What the Best Staffing Firms Did Differently in 2024

Brad Bialy 

Brad Bialy has a deep passion for helping staffing and recruiting firms achieve their business objectives through strategic digital marketing. For over a decade, Brad has developed a proven track record of motivating and educating staffing industry professionals at over 100 industry-specific conferences and webinars.  As a visionary leader, Brad has helped guide the comprehensive marketing strategy of more than 300 staffing and recruiting firms. His keen eye for strategy and delivery has resulted in multiple industry award-winning social media campaigns, making him a sought-after expert and speaker in the industry. 

David Searns

(LinkedIn)

When it comes to marketing a staffing firm, few people know the industry like David. He literally grew up in the business. He has been helping staffing companies create innovative marketing strategies and award-winning websites for more than 25 years.

Brad Bialy reunites with former co-host Matt Lozar for a 2024 staffing industry recap on the Insights podcast. They discuss key trends like the rise of video marketing, LinkedIn strategies, and sales-marketing alignment for recruitment success. Matt also shares his experience transitioning to executive recruiting and insights on how firms can adapt to an ever-evolving landscape. Tune in for actionable advice to set your staffing and recruitment strategies for success in 2025.

[00:01] - Welcome Back, Matt Lozar

[03:40] - Is LinkedIn Unbearably Cringe?

[08:30] - Reflecting on 2024 Trends

[11:20] - Marketing and Sales Alignment

[17:00] - The Role of AI in Recruitment Marketing

[20:50] - Predictions for 2025

[25:01] - Closing Remarks

Brad Bialy is the host of Take the Stage and InSights, the staffing industry's leading podcasts with close to 175,000 downloads. He has a deep passion for helping staffing and recruiting firms achieve their business objectives through strategic marketing concepts. For over a decade, Brad has developed a proven track record of motivating and educating staffing industry professionals at over 150 industry-specific conferences and webinars. His keen eye for strategy and delivery has resulted in multiple industry award-winning social media campaigns, making him a sought-after speaker and expert. A recruiting industry veteran with over 15 years of experience,

Join Brad Bialy and Steve Gipson of Recruiters Websites as they unpack the secrets to effective recruitment marketing for 2025. This episode explores how staffing firms can strategically focus their messaging, reduce marketing drag, and target specific audiences for better ROI. Steve shares his expertise on creating efficient campaigns, emphasizing the importance of long-term planning in a short-term-focused industry, and actionable steps to drive both leads and client relationships. Whether you're in recruitment, staffing, or HR, this episode will equip you with the tools to optimize your marketing efforts.

[00:01] – Welcome Back: Catching Up with Steve Gipson

Brad Bialy is the host of Take the Stage and InSights, the staffing industry's leading podcasts with close to 175,000 downloads. He has a deep passion for helping staffing and recruiting firms achieve their business objectives through strategic marketing concepts. For over a decade, Brad has developed a proven track record of motivating and educating staffing industry professionals at over 150 industry-specific conferences and webinars. His keen eye for strategy and delivery has resulted in multiple industry award-winning social media campaigns, making him a sought-after speaker and expert. A recruiting industry veteran with over 15 years of experience,

Steve Gipson is the Director of Sales and Operations at Recruiters Websites. After spending seven years as a recruiter with a boutique search firm, he joined Recruiters Websites, a digital marketing agency specializing in the recruitment industry. For the past decade, Recruiters Websites has helped over 800 firms of all sizes and specialties enhance their digital presence and make more placements through their expertise in digital marketing, website development, and SEO services.

In this episode of Take the Stage, presented by Haley Marketing, Brad Bialy sits down with Toby Malara, Vice President of Government Affairs at the American Staffing Association (ASA), to break down the critical policy shifts shaping the future of staffing and recruiting. Toby provides a detailed analysis of the Trump administration’s renewed focus on immigration reform, including visa programs and I-9 compliance, and its potential economic impact.

Discover how staffing firms can prepare for increased enforcement of worksite audits, navigate expiring tax provisions like the Section 199A deduction, and capitalize on job growth opportunities in energy and infrastructure. Toby also delves into the evolving role of artificial intelligence in hiring and what regulatory challenges firms should expect. 

[00:47] - Introduction: How Trump's "America First" Policy Impacts Staffing

[02:09] - Challenges of Workforce Reentry Post-COVID

[05:50] - The Growing Value of Staffing Firms Amid Talent Shortages

[06:46] - Immigration Policies and Staffing Industry Impacts

[10:57] - Preparing for Increased I-9 Audits and E-Verify Legislation

[12:49] - Tax Policy Updates: Key Expiring Provisions for Staffing Firms

[17:31] - Opportunities in Energy and Infrastructure Staffing

[20:36] - AI in Hiring: Emerging Challenges and Regulatory Uncertainty

[23:21] - Liability in AI-Driven Recruitment Practices

[28:48] - How ASA Supports Staffing Firms in Policy Navigation

Brad Bialy 

Brad Bialy has a deep passion for helping staffing and recruiting firms achieve their business objectives through strategic digital marketing. For over a decade, Brad has developed a proven track record of motivating and educating staffing industry professionals at over 100 industry-specific conferences and webinars.  As a visionary leader, Brad has helped guide the comprehensive marketing strategy of more than 300 staffing and recruiting firms. His keen eye for strategy and delivery has resulted in multiple industry award-winning social media campaigns, making him a sought-after expert and speaker in the industry. 

Toby Malara

(LinkedIn)

Toby Malara is Vice President of Government Affairs for the American Staffing Association. In his role, Malara directs ASA’s government relations, lobbying, and political activities, including the operations of the associations’ political action committee, StaffingPAC. He also advises members on immigration/I-9, paid sick leave, sales tax, and per diem issues. Malara graduated from Georgetown University and earned a J.D. from the Columbus School of Law at Catholic University

The American Staffing Association is the voice of the U.S. staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry. ASA and its state affiliates advance the interests of the industry across all sectors through advocacy, research, education, and the promotion of high standards of legal, ethical, and professional practices.

In this episode of Take the Stage, Brad Bialy sits down with Kyle Denhoff, Sr. Director of Marketing at HubSpot, to explore the evolving landscape of content marketing. Kyle shares insights on how brands can adapt to shifting consumer habits, the importance of diversifying content strategies, and why founder-led and personality-driven content is key to building long-term audience trust. They discuss actionable strategies for small to mid-sized staffing firms, including leveraging newsletters, LinkedIn, and the power of storytelling to engage niche audiences.

• [00:01] – Introduction: Brad welcomes Kyle Denhoff and explores his journey in content marketing.

Brad Bialy 

Brad Bialy has a deep passion for helping staffing and recruiting firms achieve their business objectives through strategic digital marketing. For over a decade, Brad has developed a proven track record of motivating and educating staffing industry professionals at over 100 industry-specific conferences and webinars.  As a visionary leader, Brad has helped guide the comprehensive marketing strategy of more than 300 staffing and recruiting firms. His keen eye for strategy and delivery has resulted in multiple industry award-winning social media campaigns, making him a sought-after expert and speaker in the industry. 

Kyle Denhoff

(LinkedIn)

Kyle is a marketing leader who specializes in content strategies that drive revenue. As Senior Director of Marketing at HubSpot, he heads up organic and paid demand generation across the company's Media Network, which includes one of tech's largest blogs, a fast-growing podcast network, a thriving YouTube presence, and an engaged newsletter community. With over a decade of experience spanning roles at HubSpot, Fresenius Medical Care, Haley Marketing, and Xerox, Kyle has built marketing engines from scratch for small and enterprise businesses.

HubSpot (NYSE: HUBS) is the customer platform that helps businesses grow better. HubSpot delivers seamless connection for customer-facing teams with an AI-powered platform that includes engagement hubs, a Smart CRM, and a connected ecosystem with over 1,700 App Marketplace integrations, a community network, and educational content. Learn more at www.hubspot.com.

In this episode, Brad Bialy talks with Charlie Saffro, CEO of CS Recruiting, about the alarming rise in employee disengagement and what leaders can do to address it. Charlie shares practical solutions to create a culture where employees feel valued, especially in remote settings. She also discusses how companies can retain top talent, the role of empathy in leadership, and why focusing on long-term relationships with clients is crucial in today’s staffing industry. Don’t miss out on Charlie’s strategies for driving business success by putting people first.

• [00:39] – Is the Modern Work Environment Broken?

Brad Bialy 

Brad Bialy has a deep passion for helping staffing and recruiting firms achieve their business objectives through strategic digital marketing. For over a decade, Brad has developed a proven track record of motivating and educating staffing industry professionals at over 100 industry-specific conferences and webinars.  As a visionary leader, Brad has helped guide the comprehensive marketing strategy of more than 300 staffing and recruiting firms. His keen eye for strategy and delivery has resulted in multiple industry award-winning social media campaigns, making him a sought-after expert and speaker in the industry. 

Charlie Saffro

(LinkedIn)

Charlie is a recruiting expert with a passion for human leadership, talent acquisition, employee engagement, company culture and retention. She founded CS Recruiting to connect individuals to opportunities and as CEO, she manages a thriving organization and a talented team. Charlie's clientele includes businesses with Transportation, Logistics and Supply Chain talent needs. Her goal is to make meaningful connections that lead to long-lasting relationships. Beyond work, she promotes personal development, mindfulness and personal growth, both in the workplace and in life.

Join Brad Bialy and Steve Gipson on this episode of InSights as they dissect a powerful shift in recruitment and sales strategy: the 25-touchpoint approach. Brad shares insights on why a standard 10-step process no longer cuts it and explains how integrating various marketing channels can significantly enhance a recruiter’s reach and engagement. Steve challenges the industry to rethink its relationship with candidates, advocating for transparency and genuine connection to improve trust in recruiting. This episode is essential for anyone in staffing or sales who wants to break through industry limitations and build meaningful connections with clients and candidates alike.

[00:00] – Opening Catch-Up: Weather Talk & Marathon Training

[04:17] – Introducing the 25-Step Sales Strategy

[06:43] – Why Traditional Sales Systems Fall Short

[08:43] – Layers of Outreach: PPC, Email, Social Media & Direct Mail

[12:08] – Feasibility of Multi-Touchpoint Strategies for Recruiters

[17:12] – Building Trust: Combining Sales & Marketing for Greater Reach

[20:24] – Viral LinkedIn Post: Candidates, Transparency & Burned Bridges

[26:11] – The Industry’s Loyalty Problem with Candidates

[32:17] – Why Trust Is Essential in Recruitment Relationships

[34:32] – Reputation Management: Navigating Negative Stereotypes

Brad Bialy is the host of Take the Stage and InSights, the staffing industry's leading podcasts with close to 175,000 downloads. He has a deep passion for helping staffing and recruiting firms achieve their business objectives through strategic marketing concepts. For over a decade, Brad has developed a proven track record of motivating and educating staffing industry professionals at over 150 industry-specific conferences and webinars. His keen eye for strategy and delivery has resulted in multiple industry award-winning social media campaigns, making him a sought-after speaker and expert. A recruiting industry veteran with over 15 years of experience,

Steve Gipson is the Director of Sales and Operations at Recruiters Websites. After spending seven years as a recruiter with a boutique search firm, he joined Recruiters Websites, a digital marketing agency specializing in the recruitment industry. For the past decade, Recruiters Websites has helped over 800 firms of all sizes and specialties enhance their digital presence and make more placements through their expertise in digital marketing, website development, and SEO services.

Join Brad Bialy as he talks with Will Matthews, a Board-Certified Executive Coach, five-time Ironman competitor, and bestselling author of You've Got This! Will shares his experience of embracing an "Anything is possible" mindset, starting triathlons at age 60, and achieving peak performance in business and life. Tune in to discover the power of self-coaching, breaking through self-doubt, and staying disciplined, whether you're training for an Ironman or navigating a career in staffing. Learn from Will’s strategies on mental resilience and actionable steps to improve your mindset, skillset, and execution.

• [00:01] - Introduction: Developing an "Anything is Possible" Mindset

Brad Bialy 

Brad Bialy has a deep passion for helping staffing and recruiting firms achieve their business objectives through strategic digital marketing. For over a decade, Brad has developed a proven track record of motivating and educating staffing industry professionals at over 100 industry-specific conferences and webinars.  As a visionary leader, Brad has helped guide the comprehensive marketing strategy of more than 300 staffing and recruiting firms. His keen eye for strategy and delivery has resulted in multiple industry award-winning social media campaigns, making him a sought-after expert and speaker in the industry. 

Will Matthews

(LinkedIn)

Will Matthews is a Board Certified Executive Coach who helps professionals, in companies large and small, maximize their results by thinking bigger and executing faster showing up stronger. He has held executive roles leading teams in Marketing, Sales and Operations in both the energy and telecommunications industries. Will is a keynote speaker, and author of the bestselling book, You've Got This! The 5 Self-Coaching Keys You Need to Live Boldly and Accomplish Anything. He is a 5-time Ironman competitor and is the 2023 Colorado State Olympic Distance Triathlon Champion in his age group.

On this episode of Take the Stage, presented by Haley Marketing, Brad Bialy sits down with Kim Henderson, Managing Director of Cobalt Compass Solutions. With nearly 30 years in the staffing industry, Kim shares powerful insights on common mistakes staffing firms make when acquiring new clients and how to develop a strategic mindset to establish deeper, lasting relationships. Kim dives deep into strategic client acquisition for staffing firms, covering key topics like defining your ideal customer profile, the power of specialization, and building long-lasting partnerships. Learn how to move beyond transactional relationships, ask the right questions, and add true value to your clients. Don’t miss Kim Henderson's actionable advice on refining your sales process and establishing your firm as a go-to resource in a competitive market.

• [02:18] Identifying the Ideal Client Profile
  

Brad Bialy 

Brad Bialy has a deep passion for helping staffing and recruiting firms achieve their business objectives through strategic digital marketing. For over a decade, Brad has developed a proven track record of motivating and educating staffing industry professionals at over 100 industry-specific conferences and webinars.  As a visionary leader, Brad has helped guide the comprehensive marketing strategy of more than 300 staffing and recruiting firms. His keen eye for strategy and delivery has resulted in multiple industry award-winning social media campaigns, making him a sought-after expert and speaker in the industry. 

Kim Henderson

(LinkedIn)

Kim leads Cobalt Compass Solutions, which provides training and consulting services for the staffing industry. Training programs encompass the full life cycle of sales and recruiting and teach the skills to create lasting customer relationships. Consulting services give leaders the methodology to operate business units while managing teams for performance.

Prior to Cobalt Compass, Kim had 28 years in the industry and served as a member of executive leadership for a global workforce solutions provider. As SVP of Client Services and Global Accounts, she was responsible for the development of international and strategic accounts and also established the Government Solutions business. Kim began her career working for a national staffing firm where she served on the executive team and was responsible for the national sales strategy with execution across product lines as well as multiple business units.

Kim has a MBA from the University of Miami and a BS in Journalism from the University of Florida. Additionally, she has Project Management (PMP) and Six Sigma Lean certifications and contributes articles for The Staffing Stream, Staffing Hub, and HRM Outlook. Further, she has appeared on the following podcasts: Staffing Hub, Staffing Monthly, The Elite Recruiter, Digital Recruiter, CareerTALKS, Recruiters With No Limits, Fidelis Leadership, Ask a Recruiter, and Ivy Podcast. Kim has also presented at the World Staffing Summit, Recruiter Growth Summit, American Staffing Association, Illinois Staffing Association, and the Staffing Sales Summit.

Welcome to InSights, the staffing podcast from Haley Marketing, built to help you with your recruitment marketing and digital marketing. Whether we're talking about digital marketing trends or what's working right now for staffing and recruiting firms across North America, we're here to share our InSights on how you can stand out, stay top-of-mind, and sell more. 

• Investing time in networking leads to success.

Brad Bialy is the host of Take the Stage and InSights, the staffing industry's leading podcasts with close to 175,000 downloads. He has a deep passion for helping staffing and recruiting firms achieve their business objectives through strategic marketing concepts. For over a decade, Brad has developed a proven track record of motivating and educating staffing industry professionals at over 150 industry-specific conferences and webinars. His keen eye for strategy and delivery has resulted in multiple industry award-winning social media campaigns, making him a sought-after speaker and expert.

A recruiting industry veteran with over 15 years of experience, Steve Gipson is the Director of Sales and Operations at Recruiters Websites. After spending seven years as a recruiter with a boutique search firm, he joined Recruiters Websites, a digital marketing agency specializing in the recruitment industry. For the past decade, Recruiters Websites has helped over 800 firms of all sizes and specialties enhance their digital presence and make more placements through their expertise in digital marketing, website development, and SEO services.