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Mastering Face To Face Meetings
We're back with another co-created edition, this time focused on harnessing the power of face-to-face meetings.
Who are we learning from today?
Phoebe the founder of Dot Finance.
A little bit about Phoebe: She is a former top performer who has been an entrepreneur for the last five years, and she is extremely passionate about doing recruitment the right way.
75% of the hiring managers Phoebe met last year have then gone on to work with her, and this edition is all about how you can achieve this for your desk.
P.S. If you enjoy this newsletter, you will love attending our Hector Recruitment Growth Events. We have an upcoming growth event in Central Manchester in 4 weeks and have three brilliant speakers booked. You can grab tickets here. (Use the coupon code 'Hector' to get them cheaper š)
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To get us started, why do you believe itās important for recruiters to meet with their clients face to face?
We live in an age where weāre lacking human interaction.
I get at least one email a day from umbrella companies.
There are thousands of them, and they all do the same thingāthe same as us recruiters, right?
There is only one I go to, not because there is anything special about them, but because they are the only ones I have met face to face.
They came into the office not to talk about business (unless I wanted to) but to say hello and leave some branded goodies with us.
When Iām busy and need an umbrella company, I pick up the phone to them because I remember them.
I think thatās the key.
How will you be memorable if youāre just mailshotting like everyone else? Youāre going to get lost in the noise.
How has leaning into this positively impacted your billing performance?
In preparation for this, I did a little bit of digging for some stats and looked at the proactive visits Iād been on the 12 months prior, and of those visits, 75% had called me with a vacancy within the following 12 months.
I remember being shocked at how high that figure was, and on reflection, there are probably a few things that play into that, including who Iām meeting, what that meeting looks like, and how Iām following up to stay top of mind.
In the first meeting, what kind of things do you tend to cover? Is there a specific framework you use?
If Iām honest, there doesn't tend to be too much of a framework.
Itās individualistic, and it depends on whatās going on within that business and for that hiring manager.
Usually, I introduce myself and tell them Iām just looking to get on their radar.
Iāll never spam them or pester them for jobs; Iām simply here to build a network and add value.
Thatās usually a conversation starter for me. I tell them straight away that my network could be valuable to you and that Iām someone youāll want to keep in touch with.
This is where the idea of āhigh-value content assetsā comes in handy.
For example, weāve produced a guide that shows the average bonuses and benefits packages in our market for CFOs, FDs, and FCs.
Iām in your area next week. Would you like to grab a coffee, and I can bring a copy along?
They may not want the coffee, but theyāll want to see the guide for themselves or their team.
I also have a rule that I donāt mention recruitment in those meetings unless they want to.
Itās purely an exercise to understand what I can share with them over the next 12 months that will be relevant and helpful.
What has continued to be the best channel for you to book face-to-face meetings, and when? Do you try to book these in when people are hiring?
Again, this is individualistic.
If I have a phone number for someone, Iāll call.
If I can't call, I'll use LinkedIn; the last resort is email.
I find a prospective client is more likely to agree to a meeting when theyāre not hiring, which may seem strange.
However, if youāre only getting in there when they have a vacancy, youāre already too late because youāre one of many.
Too many recruiters are reactive and rely heavily on lead chasing.
The key is to build a relationship thatās all about what you can offer them.
When they do have a vacancy and start ignoring all the lead chasers, they think about who they already know and trust.
We booked the meeting. How would you define a āgreatā meeting? What's typically your goal for meetings with hiring managers?
My visit-to-vacancy ratio was only high because I was so targeted in who I was meeting.
I had a list of employers I knew had an average of 3 or more roles per year within my specialism OR employers with a finance department of 20+ heads because thereās a probability they will have a vacancy within the next 12 months.
Side note from me - If you havenāt done the above or truly know what a dream client looks like for you/ your recruitment desk then make this one of the actions you take from this newsletter! š
A great meeting for me is when a prospective client leaves with some useful and valuable information, and I know what content may be helpful to them over the next six months.
I know Iām not going to leave with a job unless they just happen to be hiring, which, as we know, isnāt my reason for booking meetings.
If you get something out of it, then that's a bonus, but what you will have is the basis of a strategy for continuing to strengthen that relationship.
Where do you think recruiters go wrong with meetings?
As recruiters, many of us are wired to chase a quick win.
Sometimes, that comes across as desperation in meetings, and I think thatās what can almost build mistrust.
I find the casual, long game of relationship building generates a higher return than a hard sell or āthis is why you should work with usā.
What have you found to be the most effective way to approach face-to-face meetings?
I always start by asking what it was that made them say yes to a coffee; it allows them to set the agenda, and then I let the conversation flow naturally from there.
If itās nothing and they just said yes, I ask about their story and get them chatting about themselves.
I always like to learn what goals theyāre working towards.
Is there anyone I can put them in touch with or any information I can glean from my network that would help them get there?
Iāve found I can almost see them visibly relax when they realise this is literally just a coffee and that I do not want or expect anything from them in return. If anything, I find it compels them to want to give something in return.
Whatās the one thing you think recruiters should implement following this newsletter that would result in them booking more face-to-face meetings?
Build a list of 100 target employers who have hired in your specialism in the last 12 months, spend an hour or two developing an asset that you can give them, an industry guide/ a toolkit, whatever it is, introduce yourself, let them know you donāt want anything in return youād just like to share this with them and would they be free for a coffee.
When Phoebe isn't busy growing her own agency, she helps other recruiters succeed. If you liked this and want to talk to Phoebe for personalized coaching, you can book a time to speak with her here: Book An Intro Call With Phoebe š„
P.S. Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:
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