The Mike Ames Recruitment Show

Could your CRM be helping you win more business from the software you already pay for?

In this episode of the Mike Ames Recruitment Show, Mike and Kirsty are joined by Manu Vanderveeren, co-founder of Spott, to explore how recruitment firms can turn an underused CRM into a practical tool for business development, productivity and client care.

We cover:

• Using your database to identify opportunities and support both immediate sales and long-term BD.

• Using AI to save time while keeping your outreach relevant and personal.

• Turning conversations into useful insights, content ideas and reasons to keep in touch.

• Building workflows and management habits that help your team make better use of CRM.

• Maintaining relationships with clients and candidates, even when there's no immediate vacancy.

Practical ideas for recruitment firm owners who want to get more from their systems, strengthen relationships and boost productivity.

What really makes a successful recruiter?

In this episode of the #MARShow, Mike is joined by Lysha Holmes to explore the characteristics, attitudes and skills that separate great recruiters from the rest.

Lysha has more than 27 years of experience in the recruitment industry and is a respected founder, advisor and thought leader. As one of the UK's leading rec-to-recs, she has assessed hundreds of recruiters and knows what genuine potential and high performance look like.

They discuss:

• The non-negotiable traits of high-performing recruiters • Why curiosity, resilience and integrity matter more than tactics • The role of attitude versus skill in long-term success • How great recruiters build relationships that compound over time • What recruitment business owners should hire for, coach and protect within their teams • How to develop recruiters who can succeed as the industry evolves

If you run a recruitment firm and want to make better hiring decisions, develop stronger recruiters and build a more resilient business, this episode is packed with honest insights and practical advice.

I'll tell you a mistake many recruiters often make. That can be extremely costly. But is easily avoided (for free). Some believe the outcome is much more important than the way it is achieved. This is simply not true for many people. Now, you may be aware that I lost a £3m client once because my SLA metrics were spot on. But the hiring managers hated the way my people treated them. The solution we used to stop this happening again was easy. We asked our clients how well they thought we were supporting them. The trick to this is the way you ask them. Equally crucial is how you react to the feedback you receive. Get that wrong and it can have the opposite effect to the one you hoped for. This is called Voice of the Customer (VotC) and that's what the next hashtag#MARSHow is all about. We'll explore how a VotC programme gets feedback that is pure gold. Also how to use it to find out what the competition are up to. And see what content would attract the most interest. Finally, how to use VotC to test out new ideas before you implement them. I'm convinced that VotC is one of the top three most powerful business tools you can use in your business. Join us and find out for yourself.

One thing seems to stand in the way of owners who want to work 'on' their business. A lack of time. So let's talk about it. The old adage goes. "When you're up to your arse in alligators it's difficult to remember that you're there to drain the swamp". The alligators are the day-to-day things that grab your attention NOW! Emails, telephone calls, and WhatsApp's are the worst but there are others. Draining the swamp is the big picture. Building a high profit business you don't need to work in all the time. Now, not having enough time to change is a myth. You always have time, provided you look after it as though it were your most precious commodity. (Which it is). And that is precisely what the next hashtag#MARShow is all about – making time for change. We're going to be looking at the reasons people don't seem to have enough free time. Plus, ways to free up some time so you can work 'on' your business. And a very groovy time management system (that I use) called Coloured Time. Which is a great way to give you balance. And make sure everything gets done (especially draining the swamp). This show is an absolute must-see if you want to improve your business but can't seem to find the time.

There's a lot of doom and gloom circling the recruitment industry, but we should be much more optimistic about the future, and here's why. I watched Neil Carberry OBE CEO of the REC, present at the Rec Expo this year and I was blown away by his optimism for the industry. This wasn't a sort of blind optimism somebody in his position might exude but rather it was based on data and facts. So, we've invited him to be a guest on the next hashtag#MARShow to dig deeper. Neil has talked to thousands of agency leaders, and he's seen first-hand how much the market has changed, and what really drives value now. In this live discussion, we'll air some uncomfortable truths but also provide plenty of practical advice, including:- ✅ Why the "golden age" of easy recruitment is over ✅ Where real value creation sits for recruitment and search firms today ✅ Why delivery alone is no longer enough ✅ The limits of AI, and why it won't turn average recruiters into great ones ✅ How firms must articulate their value more clearly ✅ Why there are still big opportunities for those willing to adapt. If you're an owner or leader of a recruitment firm looking for inspiration and practical advice, then this episode is for you.

Link to Tom's Fundraiser - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tom-ames-fundraiser-for-tcs-london-marathon-2027?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL&utm_campaign=lc_frp_share_transaction_transactional_--_donation_received_--_nth_donation

There's no consolation prize in recruitment. The best way to win is to get hold of vacancies well before your competition. This is how you do that. If you live in the contingent recruitment world this is crucial but even if you only work retained roles the early bird gets the worm. That's what this edition of the #MARShow is going discuss with Luke Willcock, an expert at using AI to steal a lead over the competition. Together we'll be exploring: - ✅ Why most recruiters don't lose deals, they arrive too late ✅ What happens inside a business before a role is ever advertised ✅ The types of real-world events that quietly trigger hiring ✅ How agencies can position themselves earlier and have more consultative conversations ✅ Why job boards are reliable but create crowded, low-leverage markets ✅ What a more modern, intelligence-led BD approach looks like in practice We're really excited about this because, as an ex-recruiter, my main priority wasn't to compete for roles, it was to get them ahead of the pack. The difference is, as Luke will explain, we now have AI tools that make this much easier to do. So click ATTEND to join us if you dream of getting in and out before the competition know what's going on

The US market is different from the UK in many respects. Sure, fees are higher and more clients are more receptive, but BD stateside is very different.

In short, if you want to be successful in America you need to change your approach, your style and your methods.

Do that and you find that "there's gold in them thar hills" – which is what the next #MARShow is focused on.

We'll be joined by American sales and marketing digital expert Clark Willcox to discuss: -

♦️ How the UK and US buyers are different and so require a different approach.

♦️ Why high-value outreaches and hard-sell approaches don't work in America.

♦️ Why content works and what should that content be

♦️ How to use LinkedIn to win over American hiring managers

♦️ Why AI generated often falls flat on its face (and what really works)

♦️ How finding your unique voice combined with great content brings results.

This show is for you if you want to build a highly profitable, efficient US desk from the UK.

Bigger margins and being valued as a trusted advisor are up for grabs and we're going to show you how to get them.

Dan Sullivan, once said, "all the money you need is in the pockets of the people you know and the pockets of the people they know" In other words, the size and strength of your network dictates how successful you'll be. It's confirmed in the numbers too, from research we and others have conducted. About 80% of your high-value clients (the minority who generate most of your profits) will have originated from a relationship. You could have met them anywhere: online, an event, an introduction etc but you built a relationship with them first. In this edition of the hashtag#MARShow we're going to explore the grossly misunderstood topic of Real Networking: - ✅ What is a Real Network and Real Networking ✅ How you add new people to your network ✅ Creating strong working relationships (there's a framework for this) ✅ How to monetise your network Along the way we'll debunk the many myths around real networking, especially the one that says you must attend events to build a network. If attending events and meeting people works for you, keep doing it, but if that's not for you, please remember it's entirely optional. In the corporate world I occupied, the decision makers I needed access to, never went to those kinds of events so neither did I. It never held me back. So, click ATTEND and join us to discover how to build and monetise a powerful business network.

Either by accident or on purpose, organic reach for LinkedIn posts is harder now, which means fewer people are seeing your content. Let me explain.

Nobody knows for sure, but it looks like LinkedIn has a cunning plan.

That's why I'm so excited about this episode of the #MARShow with Darren Westall, founder and CEO of Paiger.

Darren spends his days working with hundreds of recruitment firms and sees, in real time, what's actually working on LinkedIn right now; and what absolutely isn't.

Together we talk about: -

♦️ Why LinkedIn is shifting towards a pay-to-play model (and what to do about it)

♦️ How to use thought‑leadership ads without becoming spammy

♦️ Why posting alone isn't enough unless it supports outbound BD

♦️ How to combine content, signals, and timing to open real conversations

♦️ What recruiters misunderstand about their LinkedIn "personal brand" in 2026

This is practical and proven advice you can follow to boost your reach.

It's about using LinkedIn deliberately to support business development and create opportunities.

If LinkedIn is part of your growth strategy (or should be), this episode is for you.

You may be like the many business owners I speak to who haven't considered how their business will fuel their retirement. "It's too far off". Along with income tax and death there are two other absolute truths about life: 1️⃣You'll need more money than you think to live a comfortable retirement. 2️⃣ If you don't build that fund nobody else will (especially the government) So we're going to discuss this very real issue with Christian Mather, an expert in the field. Together, we'll explore: - ✅ Why many recruitment founders build successful agencies yet remain financially dependent upon them. ✅ The gap between business performance and genuine financial freedom. ✅ The key "walk away" number every founder should know and how to calculate it. ✅ Why relying on a future exit alone can limit your options and how to build flexibility alongside it. ✅ An alternative way of becoming wealthy without having to sell your business. This is going to be a very practical session giving founders something they can act upon. What it isn't is the usual financial advice – you don't need that now. This is for you if you like to be ahead of the game when it comes to your financial freedom.