Don't Know Why Your Marketing Isn’t Engaging Your Clients? Work Backwards.

Holly, what on earth do you mean by "work backwards?". First, just a tiny insight into my background - which I promise will give clarity to what I mean!

For those of you who don't know, I used to work as an English As A Second Language (ESL) Teacher to Japanese students. The goal was for students to learn anything from conversational to Business English.

I had some students who could talk about politics, philosophy, religion and so on, and I had students who could barely tell me how the weather was that morning.

When you're working with students and trying to explain and converse in their second language, you have to do a technique called Scaffolding in order to ensure that they're going to walk away from that lesson having learned the target grammar and vocabulary of that lesson.

Scaffolding is a technique where you build your "grammar structure" step by step. Imagine a construction team trying to build a house - you can't start with the roof. Just like in ESL teaching, you can't start at the end. However, you need to build with the end in mind.

So, you work backwards.

Scaffolding in Action

If the grammar structure is "(Tomorrow) I will (meet) (my friends), the first thing I would do is introduced basic verbs like "meet", "go", "eat" "drink" and so on in picture form and giving simple example sentences like "I eat apples". After, I would introduce the concept of current time in the grammar structure such as : "Now, I eat apples." or "Today, I eat apples", before going into past and future time concepts with appropriate grammar changes to highlight the differences. And so on and so forth until we get to the target sentence structure.

Working backwards helps you set the foundation step-by-step, so when your audience encounters your final message, it makes sense and feels effortless. The same principle applies when creating engaging copy that speaks directly to your clients' needs and goals.

How to Work Backwards in Copywriting

When you’re working to engage your clients, imagine they’re on a journey, with each step leading them closer to understanding why your service is right for them. Think about the end goal: you want them to see your service as the solution they’ve been looking for, but instead of starting with a hard sell, scaffold the messaging in your direct marketing and content marketing sequence to build trust and engagement.

Let’s break down the scaffolding technique for writing engaging copy for recruitment business owners:

1. Identify the End Goal - Just as in an ESL lesson, the end goal in your marketing is clear: maybe it’s getting hiring managers to see the benefit of your recruitment service. Start with this outcome and work backward to understand the steps they need to see and believe that you can help them.
2. Uncover Pain Points - What’s the most common or vicious "pain point" that drives hiring managers to take action, as well as to choose YOU specifically? Think about what makes you stand out from the competition and incorporate that into your messaging. be careful, I often see recruitment business owners struggle with this can go with empty phrases such as "we are trustworthy" or "we deliver high quality candidates". This isn't a unique value proposition; these are the bare minimum of what clients would expect from you. Need help uncovering your Unique Value Proposition in your Recruitment Business? Click here for a one-on-one chat with me.
3. Build Each Layer of the Message - As you draft your copy, make sure each line or section addresses these concerns in a way that gradually builds up to your final call to action. For instance:

First: Relate to a common frustration they experience, like the difficulty in attracting candidates who are the right cultural fit.

Next: Explain how your services align with their hiring challenges and aspirations.

Finally: Introduce your unique value or methodology, showing them why your service is the solution they’ve been looking for.

Use Familiar Language

Just like my students needed simple, clear language at the start, your audience will respond best to copy that speaks to them in a familiar, approachable way. Use terms they understand and gradually introduce your unique selling points without overwhelming them.

End with a Clear Call to Action

With each piece of copy leading them toward a clear understanding of your service's value, end with a strong call to action that feels like the natural next step in the conversation, or with something that would be of value to them such as a Free Chat along with the names of 10 Candidates.

Looking for help generating leads consistently into your Recruitment Business? I help Recruitment Business Owners become THE go-to recruiters in their industry. Book a call here.