OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS

Traditional outreach often barely scratches the surface, but we need a deeper approach nowadays—one that nurtures meaningful connections resonating on emotional and intellectual levels.

Most outreach attempts I see start and end with a single LinkedIn message. 1 !!!!!!

But candidates typically engage with a company in a multifaceted manner, akin to a buyer making a well-informed purchasing decision. They see the brand on social media, hear from a former colleague about how it’s like working there, they visit the careers page and your LinkedIn profile, read your Glassdoor score and they will finally also read your outreach as part of the bigger picture. Hence, it is crucial to treat each outreach as a comprehensive campaign rather than a mere isolated LinkedIn message.?

Just because we -as recruiters- are on the shelf with our message, doesn't mean the candidate buys it !

You need to orchestrate all contact points along the candidate journey, spanning initial messaging, follow-up communications, and any additional touchpoints that emerge throughout the recruitment process. In my opinion, this is the reason why you should absolutely use email campaigning tools like Sourcewhale, which enable the design of multi-touch drip campaigns. But let's start with the basics first- the set up of your own outreach campaign!

The people you want to reach the most are the ones who, by default, delete emails” - Seth Godin

Remember that you want your campaigns to attract the best talent - so they need to be:

• Authentic - show who you are and what you are about
• Relevant - speaks to the person you want to recruit
• Different - grabbing the audience’s attention

But how do you tackle this huge task ahead? Don't worry I am giving you here a detailed

what steps you need to take to set up your own outreach campaign:

An outreach campaign can serve four main purposes:

1. Raise awareness about your company and improve your employer branding.
2. Attract and inform potential candidates about job opportunities at your company.
3. Activate candidates who may be interested in applying for a job at your company.
4. Form a talent pool of qualified candidates for future job openings.

When planning an outreach campaign, it's important to consider the following factors:

1. The regional scope of the campaign: What topics should it cover and which regions should it target? How can campaigns target as many interest groups and regions as possible?
2. The time scope: How long will it take to research, gather information, create content, and implement the campaign??
3. Proof of concept: How much research is needed in advance to create a data-driven plan for generating leads? Where does the data point to?
4. Collaboration: Will you be working with marketing teams or agencies to create content, or will you be doing it in-house?

Comprehending these essential factors shall empower you to fine-tune your outreach campaign, aligning it precisely with your distinct goals and objectives.

Campaign Phases

Entering an outreach campaign you will go through at least 3 main phases which are the following:?

• Discovery phase
• Campaign preparation
• Campaign kick-start

Prior to commencing a campaign, we need to embark upon a diligent research phase to establish a robust proof of concept (POC). This involves meticulously defining the target audience, crafting formats, selecting channels, and determining campaign tactics. To ensure a comprehensive understanding, we rely on an abundance of data attained through surveys conducted with both our existing employees and potential candidates in the market. Utilizing efficient survey tools such as SurveyMonkey or Google Forms facilitates the data-gathering process. Here are a few guiding questions to steer you through this critical initial phase:

• What specific objectives do you aim to achieve with your campaign, and how do they align with the overall goals of your organization?
• How will you gauge the effectiveness and impact of your campaign? What key performance indicators (KPIs) will you use to measure success?
• What specific profiles and target personas are you focusing on in your campaign? How do you distinguish between Alpha and Beta failure in your sourcing process to strike the right balance?
• Have you thoroughly assessed your current audience across existing channels to identify potential gaps or opportunities for improvement?
• Are there high-performing employees within your organization whom you can interview to gain valuable insights for refining your campaign strategy?
• Does your research encompass both qualitative and quantitative aspects, enabling a holistic understanding of the candidate landscape?
• Have you aligned the candidate persona with the expectations and preferences of your hiring manager and other key stakeholders? Have you sought validation from the entire hiring team?
• In crafting your campaign, have you taken into consideration cultural and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) factors to ensure inclusivity and appeal to diverse talent?
• How does your campaign fit within the broader context of your company's overall business strategy? Does it complement and contribute to the company's long-term goals?
• What is your unique value proposition (UVP) to attract candidates and differentiate your campaign from competitors in the market?
• How will you address potential challenges and objections that candidates may have about joining your organization?
• Have you considered the candidate's experience throughout the entire campaign, from initial contact to onboarding, to ensure a positive and engaging journey?
• Are you utilizing data analytics and insights to inform your campaign decisions and refine your approach based on real-time performance data?
• Have you identified the most effective and relevant communication channels to reach your target audience? Are you leveraging social media, email marketing, or other digital platforms strategically?
• Have you created compelling and tailored content that resonates with your target audience, showcasing your company culture, values, and career growth opportunities?
• How will you nurture and maintain relationships with potential candidates to build long-term engagement and talent pipelines?
• What budget and resources are allocated to the campaign, and have you prioritized activities based on their potential impact and return on investment?
• Are you conducting A/B testing on different campaign elements to optimize performance and identify the most effective strategies?
• How will you ensure that your campaign aligns with legal and ethical considerations, including data privacy and non-discrimination practices?
• Have you considered potential risks and contingencies in case the campaign does not yield the desired results or faces unforeseen challenges?
• Are you continuously monitoring and evaluating the progress of your campaign, making adjustments as needed to maximize its effectiveness and achieve your goals?

Going into the concrete preparation of a campaign, you should ask yourself these questions:?

• Have you determined the budget for your campaign, and have you identified the necessary stakeholders who need to approve it?
• Have you compiled a comprehensive campaign brief, including key messages, the desired tone of voice, and other essential elements? Have you shared this brief with all relevant stakeholders to ensure alignment?
• Where do you plan to find the most suitable candidates, and what channels and formats will you utilize to attract them? How can you exercise direct and indirect influence to encourage applications?
• When it comes to content creation, have you explored the exciting content already available and considered how it can be adapted to fit the job and showcase your organization's unique value proposition? Are there existing templates that can be customized for the campaign's needs?
• Are there specific content pieces that still need to be developed? Have you considered involving an agency or marketing team to assist in the content creation process?
• Who is responsible for reviewing and approving the content before it is used in the campaign? Ensuring appropriate oversight and sign-off is critical for maintaining brand consistency and messaging accuracy.
• Have you considered the potential ROI of your campaign and how it aligns with the expected benefits to your organization?
• What is your timeline for the campaign, and have you set clear milestones and deadlines to keep the process on track?
• How will you measure the effectiveness of your campaign in attracting and engaging candidates? Have you established key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess its success?
• Are you utilizing technology and automation tools to streamline and optimize various aspects of your campaign, such as candidate tracking and communication?
• Have you considered the potential legal and compliance implications of your campaign, ensuring that it adheres to relevant labor laws and data privacy regulations?
• How will you track and analyze candidate feedback and engagement throughout the campaign to gain insights and identify areas for improvement?
• Have you involved your employer branding team or specialists to ensure that your campaign aligns with your organization's overall branding strategy and employer reputation?
• Are you actively promoting employee referrals as part of your campaign to leverage your existing talent pool and encourage employee involvement in the recruitment process?
• Have you explored potential partnerships or collaborations with industry influencers or thought leaders to amplify the reach and impact of your campaign?
• What contingency plans have you put in place in case of unforeseen circumstances or shifts in the talent market that may impact your campaign's effectiveness?

“A goal without a plan is just a wish” -? Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Kick-starting a campaign needs intensive research and preparation as we have seen. Yet, it doesn’t stop there. Once you are ready to put your plan into action you will need to monitor your efforts. You can do this by creating a campaign brief that includes these information:

• the overall campaign theme (message)
• the tone of voice
• your value proposition to the candidate, addressing their pain points and potential wins
• your persona
• your format and channel tactics
• a rough time frame
• responsibilities
• KPI & pipeline tracker

This campaign brief will help you navigate through the process and help manage your stakeholders on top of this.

Pretty long list, hu?! Don't worry, you can absolutely do this! And if you still need help, I am here for you and support you in your talent attraction goals ??

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Hi, I am Sandra, founder of?itsatalent.business???.?I'm always here to chat about all things talent sourcing & attraction, employer branding, and the future of recruitment. If you have questions, insights to share, or just want to connect, drop me a line. Let's continue this conversation!

?? If you like my tips & hacks, have a look at my book <TALENT TITANS>

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