It’s an understatement to say that the job market is competitive these days, and not just for potential employees; employers are also scrambling to stand out from the pack. For a small business to attract exceptional talent, and compete with companies like Google or Apple, they need to look as attractive, current and up-to-date as possible.
That goes equally (maybe even more so) for agencies, particularly those with a contract labor group.
So what will make your agency stand out? Here are some important ways to differentiate your firm:
1. Mobile is King
2015 is shaping up to be another major year for mobile technology. This year, it’s expected that nearly half the world will have access to an Internet connection, and an unprecedented three billion people will be connected via mobile devices. Simply, if your company isn’t mobile-connected and your website mobile-friendly, then it’s going to be difficult to attract potential candidates as well as new clients.
Specifically, your website should be mobile-friendly. The lack of a good-looking site — when viewed through a device — conveys a lack of forward thinking. Who is going to want to spend time with a company that isn’t concerned with keeping up with trends? And now that Google is giving a ranking advantage to mobile-friendly sites, having one is more important than ever.
2. Customer Service Still Goes Far
Despite our culture’s intense focus on technology and virtual relationships, the human touch is now more important than ever. You may notice that large corporations are increasingly upping their customer care and transparency via social media, and that’s because people want to deal with a real person, not an automated service.
This idea should extend to how your agency deals with both clients and candidates. Excellent customer service will reflect a favorable, friendly work environment, and earn you good ratings on sites like Yelp.
3. Increase Your Social Media Presence
Agencies and companies that have great social media presence will appear more approachable, transparent and more appealing. It’s not just about driving traffic to your site anymore; social media allows you to speak and interact with your audience in your own voice, which can be personal and friendly. In particular, when looking to attract candidates, keep in mind they will likely be looking at your social media presence, and what your agency puts out there could be the difference in attracting or repelling new talent or clients.
4. Emphasize Your Influence
There’s a reason that business have become obsessed with metrics-measuring services like Google Analytics. Even sites like Facebook, Twitter and WordPress have utilized built-in measuring tools to measure content’s reach. The reason for this is to show potential clients and employees exactly where you stand in terms of engagement, reach and influence. Remember, it’s all about transparency. Potential hires do not want to play a guessing game; they may see your lack of information as a method of “trying to hide something.”
5. Communication: Short and To The Point
Getting a phone call from Aunt Bev is great, but millennials especially have grown up in a culture of texting, email, tweeting, IM and social media. Short, straight-to-the-point methods of communication fare better with a young, talented workforce, and a willingness to adapt to these methods will set your agency apart.
This article has been provided by SourceGuru. It is an online freelance marketplace where you can buy and sell talent services such as graphic and web design, programming, app development, writing, translating, marketing and more!