The Mike Ames Recruitment Show

If the gods decreed all the possessions I'd gathered over the years were to be taken off me, except for one thing it would be this.

My network, because with that intact I could get all my other assets back over time.

That's the power of a strong network - it makes it easier and quicker to get things done.

The problem is, the concept of modern networking has been so watered down that it's hardly recognisable now.

In this #MARShow we intend to put that right.

I'll be showing you what Real Networking is, not the "attending events and swapping business cards" version that appears popular today.

We'll be explaining: -

✅ What a Real Network is and how Real Networking is done efficiently.

✅ How to decide who to add to your network.

✅ How to get people to want to help you so you can profit from your network

✅ How to use all the modern apps and tools to make Real Networking easy.

✅ How to spot tyre-kickers who just want to take from you but won't give in return.

BTW if you hate going to so-called networking events, I'll also show you that you don't need to do that to grow a strong network.

What we'll be showing you are the techniques used to grow networks used by the ancient Greeks onwards - just with better tech these days.

Yes/No answer: do you enjoy attending networking events?

PS I'm not a fan myself.

Would you like to know what you have to do to recruit and retain the best recruitment talent out there? If so, check this out.

Lysha Holmes (www.linkedin.com/in/lyshaholmesr2r) is our guest on this week's show.

She is a skilled and experienced rec-to-rec professional who has many years' experience of recruiting recruiters.

On the show we focus on drawing upon her vast knowledge and experience in 4 areas: -

❶ What is the market like for hiring recruiters and which direction is it going?

❷ What do agencies have to offer to attract the best recruiters?

❸ What are the common reasons candidate recruiters are giving for seeking a new job?

❹ If you want to hire rookies, what professions should you recruit from?

I'm super excited about this episode because I know it will make a big difference to recruitment companies who are keen to scale.

Let's face it, you can't build a business without hiring and retaining the right team.

One of the biggest complaints I get from recruitment leaders is "I don't have enough time to do everything".

If this is you, this show is for you.

In the fast-paced world of recruitment, time is our most valuable asset, but the modern world conspires against us.

Countless emails flooding your inbox, a never-ending to-do list, firefighting, BD, client care and supporting your team – how can you fit everything in?

In this edition of the #MARShow Julia Doherty is going to be sharing five proven and practical tips tailored specifically for busy recruiters to achieve more results in less time.

Julia will be exploring the following: -

✅ How to control your inbox (not the other way round).

✅ Social media on your terms.

✅ Practice effective communication and so eliminate procrastination.

✅ How to leverage technology and automation (touching on AI).

✅ The ABC of time management. Work smarter, not harder.

These tips allow you to focus on what truly matters: growing your business or spending more "me" time doing whatever you want.

So, say goodbye to overwhelm and hello to being in control – you'll achieve more and be significantly less stressed if you do.

When you run a recruitment firm the dream is to sell it but, how likely is this to happen and how much will it be worth?

In this episode of the #MARShow we will answer both questions.

We'll also share the characteristics of recruitment companies that are particularly attractive to potential buyers.

Well, when I say "we" I mean our special guest, Carl Swansbury, founder and Head of Corporate Finance of corporate finance house Ryecroft Glenton Corporate Finance.

Carl has bought and sold dozens of recruitment companies on behalf of his clients, so he knows a thing or two about it.

In the show we drill into: -

✅ how do you value a recruitment company?

✅ what makes a recruitment company attractive to buyers?

✅ when should you begin to prepare for a sale?

This is for anybody who hates attending networking events or feels they don't get very much from them.

The good news is they are optional.

A Real Network is a group of people who are willing and able to help you in your personal, and professional lives.

Real Networking is the act of building and maintaining that network.

But why bother?

Because getting introductions and finding help when you need it, are the easiest ways to grow your business.

When I started in recruitment, I was on the phone all the time, but my boss (who never made cold calls) had a steady stream of leads phoned in to him.

I asked him how this could be, and he said, "because I've spent years building relationships with people who like me, trust me and want to help me".

I spent the next few years doing the same, and look what happened!

So in this Mike Ames Recruitment Show we are going to dig deep into Real Networking.

Our resident Real Networking coach Pete Ames is our guest and he'll focus on three things that will get you started.

You have two choices: work hard forever or build a Real Network and let it do the hard work for you.

Ever considered an MBO as either an exit strategy, or as a way of taking over the firm from your boss one day?

Well, our next guest is Alan Shave who several years ago, successfully completed an MBO with his colleagues.

The process of a MBO is more complicated than many believe and is fraught with danger on both sides.

But Alan and his team steered their way through successfully, and now the business is flourishing.

He will talk us thru the process, explain the dangers to watch out for and give as many useful pointers as he can.

However, that's not all.

Alan's company has a very low turnover of staff, well below the industry norm.

Plus, he's also going to share how his Employee Value Proposition (EVP) makes his firm a sticky employer.

But that's not all: Alan's team are NOT paid on commission – can't wait to hear all about that then!

Wouldn't it be great to know how to attract and keep some excellent recruiters without the distraction of a commission scheme?

I love a good case study and this one is going to be a doozey!

Probably the most common obstacle to growing a recruitment company right now is a lack of suitable candidates.

Just imagine how much more money you could make if you could find more talent and then place them (the easy part).

In this #MARShow our guest is marketing expert, James Whitelock who specialises in marketing techniques to attract candidates.

During the show, James shares the methods he uses with his clients, to attract more placeable candidates.

Amongst other things we discuss: -

✅ How to make your agency more attractive to candidates.

✅ The best way to reach and communicate with candidates.

✅ How personalisation of your messages can boost candidate attraction.

✅ Candidate communities and other places where they hang out.

✅ The use of influencer marketing techniques.

✅ Leveraging AI to reach more candidates.

Along the way we also touch on storytelling, the use of video and audio channels and much more.

If you're looking for ideas, tips, tools or techniques to attract more candidates, this is the show for you.

Imagine you had a magic wand that instantly made you better at sales pitches, calls, emails, presentations, proposals et al. There is, and it's called AIDA.

AIDA is a simple technique you can use when you want somebody (who doesn't know you very well) to do something you want.

Hence, it's brilliant in all things sales and marketing.

Anytime you have a "call to action" you want people to accept, AIDA is there for you.

It stands for:

✅ Grab ATTENTION

✅ Create INTEREST

✅ Build DESIRE

✅ Agree to ACTION.

AIDA was invented by Elias St.Elmo Lewis in 1913 so it's stood the test of time and works as well now as when it was invented.

In this edition of the #MARShow, we're going to explain what AIDA is, how it works and how you can use it to be more effective at sales and marketing.

In a world where social media and email noise is deafening, you can use AIDA to cut through it all and engage with the people you want to reach.

Another real benefit is that it simplifies all sales and marketing activities so even those with less ability can still deliver great results.

Anybody like that in your team?

If I could only use one marketing technique it would be AIDA!

Recruiters, did you know there are two kinds of BD: strategic and tactical.

You need both, they're very different and most recruiters only do tactical.

This show is on this subject but let me quickly explain the difference between the two.

TACTICAL BD Is either, "giz a job" or "I've got this great candidate…" by message or phone. In other words vacancy scraping or candidate speccing.

You need this because when done properly it can make money in the short term.

But there are 5 drawbacks with tactical BD: -

❶ It rarely wins high value clients who value their agencies.

❷ It's a treadmill you have to stay on – hunt vacancy, fill vacancy, repeat.

❸ It only works well when demand outstrips supply.

❹ Few people are really good at it. Most recruiters hate and avoid it.

❺ If you make contact when there are no vacancies you get nothing.

STRATEGIC BD Focuses on building relationships with buyers who prefer your flavour of recruitment.

It works with high value clients regardless of the state of the market and whether there are live vacancies or not.

Also, when organised properly, one strategic BDer can feed a medium sized company.

Process and tools make it relatively easy to do.

On the downside it's a lot longer conversion process so the results take longer to show.

Why bother then?

BECAUSE YOU WIN MORE HIGH-VALUE CLIENTS WHO FEED YOUR ORGANISATION WITH VACANCIES INSTEAD OF HAVING TO CHASE THEM ALL THE TIME!

Websites are like food processors, everybody has one, but few of us really know how to use them fully. Yet, learning just a few tricks can deliver some great results.

In this episode of the #MARShow we're delighted to welcome Rob Garner, a seasoned expert in optimizing websites.

We'll be sharing free or low-cost changes that can bring in more candidates and boost your BD effectiveness.

There'll be a mix of changes you can make yourself but, if you have a web developer, we'll also share more technical changes you can ask them to implement for you.

Watch the show to learn from Rob how to: -

✅ Boost your credibility making your job as a salesperson easier.

✅ Make your team more prominent (people buy from people).

✅ Attract more candidates and potential clients to the site.

✅ Increased interactions with clients & candidates.

✅ Understand what's working and what needs improving on your site.

✅ An introduction to all the easy-to-use Google tools.

So, if you feel you could be getting more from your website then please join us and learn how to make it work hard for you.

Like any tool, your website is only effective if it's used properly. Join us and find out how.