We’ve had an amazing run.

For more than a decade, the staffing industry has been booming.  

Job orders have been plentiful. If you could recruit talent, you were making placements.  

But the times have changed. Selling staffing got harder…a lot harder!

Selling staffing is never easy. But now, it takes more effort. A lot more. 

And to make matters worse, recruiting is still a challenge. As my friend Mike Jacoutot at Butler Street says, “You’re going to have to work twice as hard for half the results.” 

That’s what a downturn in the staffing industry feels like. It’s hard. It’s stressful. And if you look at the past two recessions, 30% of staffing companies do not survive. 

But this post isn’t about gloom and doom.  

Quite the contrary. It's about what you can do to succeed, regardless of what happens in the economy. Where should you start?

LEVEL UP YOUR POSITIONING

First, consider what makes your staffing company different.

Your service? Your expertise? Your combined 72 years of experience? 

The problem in staffing, and in any highly competitive industry, is that the majority of companies say the same things. They make the same claims. They offer the same benefits. And in the process of selling, they make themselves (and everyone else) look like a commodity. 

In staffing, great service is critical. And you definitely should leverage your expertise. But there’s only one source of differentiation that none of your competitors can copy – your company’s mission, vision, and values.  

As Simon Synek says, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” 

So why does your company exist?  

What problems do you solve better than anyone else? 

What is your “holy grail” – the quest you are trying to fulfill? 

To LEVEL UP your positioning, take a hard look at your company mission. 

Does it address critical problems that employers face? Does it motivate your ideal clients to want to work with you? Does it clearly identify your target audience and the value you can bring to them? 

How about your company vision? 

Have you written out a clear and compelling vision of where your company is headed? Does your vision address your people, your culture, your unique approach to service, and how you will achieve your mission in the years to come? A great vision is essential for attracting top talent. 

And what about your core values? 

Are they clearly defined? Do all your people live by them—with every client, every day? Are your values providing clear guidelines for delivering a better service experience than your competitors? 

Mission, Vision, and Values (MVV) are fundamental to who you are…the clients you serve…and why you are better qualified to serve them than anyone else in the world. 

Need help LEVELING UP your marketing?

Here are four free ways we can help:

1. Download our eBook, Differentiation is Bullsh!t, a step-by-step guide to creating a more compelling mission, vision, and core values. 
2. Download the LEVEL UP eBook for more strategies to stand out, stay top-of-mind and sell more.
3. Sign up for the Big Ideas Newsletter for our latest marketing insights, delivered to your inbox monthly.
4. Let us create a free list of marketing ideas just for your staffing or recruiting firm.