Before someone becomes a client, touchpoints help a prospect get to know and trust a company better (with the end goal of making a sale).

But it's not just about building trust. Touchpoints can help build awareness, as well nurture clients closer to a sale. When you first reach out to prospective clients, they might not be ready to make a commitment. Maybe they don’t need recruiting services right now. Perhaps they already have a relationship with another firm. However, through touchpoints, you can consistently provide a subtle reminder of your presence. Then, when a situation comes up where your services are a solution to their problem, they'll remember your name, hopefully associating it with positive emotions.

You’re likely to hear it take eight touchpoints to convert a prospect into a client. However, recent research suggests that the actual number of touchpoints varies widely, ranging from one to 50, depending on the prospect's buying stage. How can recruiters build a strategy for creating touchpoints? For many, an integrated marketing campaign could be key to achieving these touchpoints effectively and efficiently.

What is a touchpoint?

In marketing and sales, a touchpoint refers to any interaction between a brand and its potential customer. These interactions can occur through a variety of channels—from in-person meetings to website visits—and can be initiated by either the seller or the customer.

Examples of touchpoints in marketing and sales include:

• Sales calls or meetings with a representative of the company
• Emails or newsletters received by the prospective client
• Advertising or promotional materials that a prospect sees or hears
• Website or mobile app visits
• Online content, such as webinars, white papers or blog articles
• Social media interactions, such as comments or direct messages
• Customer support interactions, such as chat or phone calls

Effective marketing and sales strategies aim to create a seamless and consistent client experience across all touchpoints, from the first interaction to the final sale and beyond.

The Reality Behind Touchpoints

The concept of achieving a set number of touchpoints to make a sale is appealing but overly simplistic. For one, the studies that identify the magic number of eight view primarily sales efforts (phone calls, prospecting emails, LinkedIn messages, trade show interactions, etc.) as touchpoints, rather than marketing efforts (newsletters, email funnels, webinars, etc.). Additionally, the end point is not defined as a sale—rather, it counts interactions like a meeting, conversation, trial or demo as the conversion—which could mean the final transaction is still a way off.

Other experts say number of touchpoints required depends on various factors, including the prospect's familiarity with your brand and their position in the buying journey. Here's a breakdown of touchpoints based on the type of prospect:

• Inactive customers: 1-3 touches on average
• Warm inbound leads: 5-12 touches
• Cold prospects: 20-50 touches

This variability highlights the importance of a nuanced approach. For a recruiter working on business development, using a strategic integrated marketing campaign that encompass multiple channels can reach and engage potential clients effectively.

Integrated Marketing Offers Multiple Avenues for Connection

Integrated marketing campaigns combine various tactics and channels to deliver a cohesive and consistent message across all touchpoints. This approach ensures that your recruiting team can meet prospects wherever they are in their journey, increasing the chances of conversions in recruitment.

Digital and Traditional Ads: Advertising, both digital and traditional, serves as a critical component of any integrated marketing campaign. Digital ads on platforms like LinkedIn, Google and industry-specific websites can target prospects based on their professional interests and behavior. Traditional ads, such as those in trade publications or billboards at industry events, can reinforce your brand's presence.

Ads are often the first touchpoint and can drive awareness. By capturing the attention of potential clients, they lay the foundation for further engagement through other channels.

Email Campaigns: Email remains a powerful tool for nurturing leads. Personalized email campaigns can deliver relevant content that speaks directly to the needs and pain points of your prospects. For instance, a series of emails highlighting your expertise in recruiting for specific industries, success stories and testimonials can build credibility and trust over time—establishing a report and making conversions in recruitment more likely.

Email campaigns can serve multiple touchpoints by guiding prospects through the buyer's journey, from awareness to consideration and finally, decision.

Social Media: Social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook allow for direct interaction with prospects. Regularly posting valuable content, such as industry insights, job market trends and recruiting tips, can keep your brand top-of-mind. Engaging with followers through comments, direct messages and shares further enhances your relationship with potential clients

Social media touchpoints are necessary for building a community around your brand and establishing a more personal connection with prospects.

Phone Calls and Direct Outreach: Despite the rise of digital communication, phone calls and direct outreach remain pivotal in the recruitment process. Personal calls can address specific concerns and questions that prospects might have, offering a level of personalization that digital channels cannot always achieve.

Direct outreach is particularly effective for warm leads who need more detailed information or reassurance before converting.

Content Marketing: Content marketing, including blogs, whitepapers and webinars, provides valuable information that can educate and inform your prospects. High-quality content establishes your team as thought leaders in the recruitment industry and helps build trust with potential clients.

By offering solutions to common challenges and showcasing your expertise, content marketing can move prospects closer to conversion through multiple touchpoints.

The Synergy of Integrated Campaigns

The true power of integrated marketing campaigns lies in their ability to create a seamless and consistent experience for prospects across all touchpoints. Each channel complements the others, reinforcing your message and building a stronger relationship with potential clients.

For example, a prospect might first encounter your brand through a LinkedIn ad, then visit your website to download a whitepaper. Subsequently, they receive a series of nurturing emails, follow your social media profiles for ongoing updates and, eventually, have a phone conversation with one of your recruiters. Each touchpoint reinforces the previous ones, creating a comprehensive journey that leads to conversion.

Best Practices for Effective Touchpoints

To maximize the effectiveness of your touchpoints, consider these best practices:

1. Personalization: Tailor your messages to the specific needs and interests of your prospects. Use data to segment your audience and deliver relevant content.
2. Consistency: Ensure your brand message is consistent across all channels. This creates a cohesive experience that builds trust and familiarity.
3. Measurement and Optimization: Track the performance of your touchpoints and adjust your strategy based on what works best. Use analytics tools to gain insights into prospect behavior and preferences.
4. Collaboration with Sales: Work closely with your sales team to align marketing and sales efforts. Share data and feedback to continuously refine your approach.

Understanding the number of touchpoints required to convert a prospect into a client is crucial. With integrated marketing campaigns that combine ads, email, social media, phone calls and content marketing, recruiting firms can effectively engage prospects at every stage of their journey.

At Recruiters Websites, we use this strategic approach to not only increases your chances of converting prospects but also to help our clients build lasting relationships with their clients, supporting long-term success. If you need help building a strategy for outreach, let's connect!

Read more by Cole Windler