In order to ensure the success of all of our marketing efforts, we developed and supported what we termed the 4-PRONG MARKETING APPROACH. This approach entails 4 marketing methodologies, that, in conjunction with each other, will ensure that you will expose yourself to clients you never would have reached just by smiling and dialing. The four prongs include Marketing a Star Candidate, developing and accessing an Alumni Sponsor Network, maximizing in-house E-mail capabilities, and Strategic Key Account Planning.

Marketing a Star Candidate
This is the fastest way to uncover alternative needs. This is a very targeted, high-activity approach, and probably the best way to initially build a desk. It is critical that you develop credibility with your star candidates in order to market them. Otherwise, you probably will not be able to deliver when you reach the interview stage. You must have the star candidate agreement signed before proceeding. This ensures that expectations are understood from both perspectives.

Alumni Sponsor Network
Surveys show that it is five times harder to capture a new client than to do business with an existing client, so take advantage of all of your efforts, time on the telephone, and technology at your disposal and maximize every relationship you currently have in place! An Alumni Sponsor Network is a list of candidates and clients that you have established a relationship with and keep active. Utilize this list to maximize communications efforts and keep candidates and (potential) clients alike aware of possible business opportunities. Make contact monthly or bi-monthly, depending on how large your alumni network is. You can stagger the list to hit different geographic or categorical areas at different times. This will keep your name in front of those people consistently. You will expose yourself to referrals and opportunities you may not have heard of if you did not ask at the right time.

E-Mail
The objective here is to maximize exposure with regard to your successes within your vertical market. Once every 2-3 months, send an e-mail to a targeted group of accounts within your vertical market and share with them your successes in a concise manner (placements, new alliances, etc.). This will help you to maintain continuous name recognition, gain credibility, and perhaps realize future opportunities. Another benefit is that they may recognize the name of a senior-level individual that you just placed, and may call you to be considered as candidates themselves. They may realize that you are the firm of choice for a search assignment they are about to launch. Timing and exposure are everything.

Strategic Key Account Planning
You need to identify large firms within your vertical market (20-30 to start) that have multiple needs and develop a strategic plan to penetrate those accounts. This is a long-term, ongoing process and should include the three previous methodologies combined with face-to-face visits.

Remember, success is not determined by how hard you work, but how intelligently your efforts are applied to your goals. Utilize the tools around you in the best manner possible and you will reach those goals and beyond.