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Who is Steven Davis? He’s “The Recruit4U Guy” who took the time to respond to our blog-video series on Linkedin Success Stories in the Staffing Industry that we posted on Linkedin.  He shared with us how his wife found a new job through networking on Linkedin.  Here’s the story as he sent to me via Linkedin:

“My wife a paralegal was laid off in February ‘09. Of course being married to a recruiter (in her eyes) made it an especially challenging time. Unfortunately, I did not cut her a whole lot of slack. Once she decided to hit the ground running she did the usual standard process: applying online and sending out cover letters with resumes.

Two weeks into it, she called me one day and said, “Okay honey, I have sent 55 resumes, but I have not heard back from anyone.”  I replied, “Well what are you going to do about that?” to which she responded, “Well I guess I will try to reach some people.”  “No,” I said, “what you need to do is get on LinkedIn, complete your profile, build up your connections, research companies and last but not least, join some user groups.”

She ended up participating in a discussion on one of the user groups and next thing she gets Inmail via LinkedIn, which leads to an interview and then a job offer. She was only out of work for 6 weeks.  Naturally, I had to nudge her and say “I told you so!!!” Granted this is just one success story, but it is one that is so simple to show the immense value of LinkedIn!!!”

Steven G. Davis, “The Recruit4U Guy”
Director of Operations/Staffing
Staffing Sense, LLC.
sdavis@staffingsense.com
Check Steven out on Linkedin:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/sdavisrecruityou

Thanks Steven for taking the time to share this indisputable Linkedin Success Story.  The conversation that Steven and I struck up on Linkedin is a win-win situation for everyone: Steven gets his name and company put out there on a blog in a positive light, I get some compelling content that I can post, both of us get energized by making such a quality connection, and you get to read about and share with others clear business success on Linkedin.

So what else do you got?  Share with us by clicking on Linkedin Success Stories in the Staffing Industry or by commenting on this blog.

Everett Reiss
Business Relationships Development
The Staffing Cooperative
Check me out on Linkedin:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/evreiss
Check us out on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/StaffingCo_op

How can you strike up compelling conversations with your clients, prospects, candidates, and fellow staffing professionals? Watch this blog-video to see some examples of how we’ve done this in targeted staffing industry Linkedin discussion groups.

Also, check out our previous two blog-videos on:

Our third blog-video of a three part series on Linkedin Success Stories in the Staffing Industry is going to be on “Creating  Valuable Discourse in Your Area of Expertise on Linkedin?”  In the interim, a side “social media success story” has developed that’s worth sharing as a demonstration of the power of engaging people through social media.

For the past 6 months, I’ve been listening to the Ten Golden Rules Internet Marketing podcast, http://podcast.tengoldenrules.com, which is produced by Jay Berkowitz, CEO of the internet marketing company Ten Golden Rules.  He’s developed a sizable following because during each podcast Jay and his team offer up extremely applicable information and principles to help all sorts of companies develop and advance their Internet marketing strategies and practices. 

Recently, I posted a question on Jay’s blog asking about the next steps The Staffing Cooperative could take in our social and internet marketing process.  Jay personally responded on our website and asked me to call up his show to discuss our correspondence.  On his most recent podcast, http://podcast.tengoldenrules.com/internet-marketing-podcast-Free-Press-Releases-SEO-Alt-Tags-Susan-Bratton.html, Jay featured our conversation and gave The Staffing Cooperative a much appreciated plug.

There are a tremendous amount of positives for both The Staffing Cooperative and Ten Golden Rules in such an exchange:

·         I received some really valuable feedback on our social and internet marketing strategy that we’ve already begun to apply.

·         Jay gets to use me to generate compelling content for his podcast.

·         We also received links to our website from the Ten Golden Rules website, which will help our positioning on the search engines.  Through this blog post, we’re returning the favor to Ten Golden Rules.

·         Such acknowledgement by Jay, a respected thought leader in marketing, helps position The Staffing Cooperative as a thought leader with our target audience and industry.

·         Ten Golden Rules may get some new listeners and marketing engagements, if any of you find this blog post compelling enough to check out http://www.tengoldenrules.com.

Let us know what podcasts and blogs you are following that’s made a difference in your Internet and social marketing strategy by either commenting on this blog post or clicking on Social Media Success Stories.

Everett Reiss
Business Relationships Development
The Staffing Cooperative
Check me out on Linkedin:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/evreiss
;”>Check us out on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/StaffingCo_op

How are people getting to your staffing company’s website?  For that matter, who is visiting your staffing company’s website?  Right now, you may not know the answer to these questions, but today you can start driving quality traffic to your staffing agency’s website through your disciplined use of Linkedin.  I do highly recommend that you use Google Analytics, http://www.google.com/analytics/, a free tool that measures your web traffic and breaks that information down into many useful forms.

The following two videos will show you how we’ve increased the quantity and quality of your web traffic through Linkedin. 

The first video is geared towards staffing managers and professionals who are starting out with Linkedin and shows you how you can:

·         Publish your company’s website on your profile .

·         Drop into comments your signature with hyperlinks to your website as you participate in discussions.

This second video is for more experienced social networkers and discusses how to use Linkedin to drive traffic to your blog, newsletter, or some other regular content that you are producing.

Let us know how you’ve successfully used Linkedin or or get our feedback by submitting your questions or anecdotes to Linkedin Success Stories.

Click-in for next week’s Linkedin Success Story on “Creating  Valuable Discourse in Your Area of Expertise on Linkedin?”

Everett Reiss
Business Relationships Development
The Staffing Cooperative
Check me out on Linkedin:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/evreiss
Check us out on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/StaffingCo_op

How much time are you actively on Linkedin?  Are you wondering if Linkedin is worth your time?  Or is your staff, co-workers, or manager skeptical of the business value behind social networking?  This is the first blog-video of a three part series on “Linkedin Success Stories in the Staffing Industry” that will demonstrate to you and your fellow staffing professionals proven ways you can use Linkedin to:

• Gather valuable professional information that can sharpen your staffing game.
• Drive traffic to your staffing company’s website.
• Strike up provocative discourse in your area of expertise.

Let us know how you’ve successfully used Linkedin or pick our brains on the topic by submitting your questions or anecdotes to Linkedin Success Stories.

Additionally, check out the May 15th blog post we compiled off of a Linkedin discussion that we started on cold calling and leaving voicemails, http://www.staffingcooperative.com/news/?p=35.

Click-in for next week’s Linkedin Success Story on “How to Drive Quality Traffic to Your Staffing Company’s Website Through Linkedin?”

Everett Reiss
Business Relationships Development
The Staffing Cooperative
Check me out on Linkedin:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/evreiss
Check us out on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/StaffingCo_op

In the previous blog post, I discussed some ways staffing companies can use Linkedin to develop their sales and staffing professionals.  The first step is building a Linkedin profile, followed by joining and participating in professional groups with valuable discussions taking place.

Recently, when gearing up for a cold call campaign, I posed the following discussion question in the SalesBlogcast.com group, “When cold calling, how do you handle voicemail? Do you leave a message - if so, what type of message? Do you also send a follow up email? Or do you just hang up and try back later?”

The response was overwhelming as 50+ sales professionals added 61 thoughtful and valuable comments to the discussion - some wrote borderline essays in response.  Here are some of the highlights from the discussion:

·         Many people found the voicemail-email combo to be effective in getting a response. Make sure the message stays consistent between the voicemail and the email.

·         Emails and voicemail should be brief, to the point, and about the prospect.

·         The point of the phone conversation is to advance or move the relationship forward – get an appointment – not to sell them a product or service within that phone call.

·         Know what you are going to say on the voicemail and make sure you believe it.

·         Come from a mind-set of trying to help and solve problems instead of trying to sell products and services.

·         It is best not to mention the past, like “I called you last week and now I’m following up…” Just get your name and message out there and into the forefront of their minds.

·         Key is to peak the prospects interest with valuable information that can do something for them – solve what they perceive to be an important problem.

·         In the voicemail, include something personal showing that you are familiar with them/their company – something from their website, location, industry, etc…

·         Standup and maintain good posture when delivering the message – even smile.

·         Leave something short that is provocative and gets them thinking.

·         Put yourselves in their shoes before you call and then look to appeal to their desires, motivations, and values.

Discussions like this one with other staffing professionals in the trenches can give you and your staff critical and timely feedback to meet specific challenges, strategies, and issues you’re facing.  Linkedin discussion groups, webinars, and podcasts should be just as much a part of your staff development toolkit as more traditional (and often more expensive) resources such as books, conferences, and video and audio training courses.

Everett Reiss

Business Relationships Development
The Staffing Cooperative
Check me out on Linkedin:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/evreiss
Check us out on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/StaffingCo_op