Email marketing for recruitment is an uphill struggle. With so many recruiters out there, the industry is filled with mailshots. The key to success is to stand out – but how do you make your emails better than the rest?
We’ve pulled together some tips to ensure that your email marketing is tip top and will benefit your overall recruitment strategy.
1 – Build your content around what you want to achieve.
Before you begin your email, ask yourself why you are sending it? Ensure that you build your email with this consistently in mind. Proof read your email before it goes out and strip it of any tedious content. The shorter the email, the more likely it is to be read.
Clarity in your message is also key – if your audience is unsure of what you want from your email, engagement will likely be low.
Give your audience a clear call to action and leave out pointless content if you want to drive engagement figures and increase turnover from your e-marketing campaign.
2 – Would you open your subject-line?
The subject line – the bane of any email marketers working life! It’s the constant battle between creating witty banter and educated puns, asking questions and getting straight to the point. The subject line can make or break your campaign and is the single greatest influencing factor in deciding whether or not your audience will open your email. The easiest way to find out what works and what doesn’t is to try different methods – steer clear of generic titles and try to stand out from the masses.
On top of creating an engaging subject line, it’s also crucial to ensure you send your email from a real person. No-reply, info at or any other generic email addresses get a much lower read rate than those from a named email.
Top tip: You can run your email past online spam filters to ensure that it will make its way into peoples inboxes!
3 – Be realistic.
Email marketing isn’t a solve-all solution. So when sending a campaign, ensure you are realistic on what the outcome will be. If you are looking to canvas new clients, it’s unrealistic to expect a 100% open rate with 50% of those directly engaging with your campaign. Emails prove a valuable tool for informing people on your latest updates, services and candidates – so if you’re sending canvasing email, ensure your call to action is strong enough to make people want to engage with your campaign.
The same goes for sourcing new candidates. Be specific in who you are sending it to. If candidates are receiving lots of irrelevant job emails then it’s likely you’ll find your way into their spam box fairly quickly.
4 – Use your analytics
The analytics of your email is often the most important part. If you aren’t using the analytics to inform your e-marketing going forward you will ultimately end up getting the same, average results. Learn from each email what has worked and what hasn’t – if one of your emails has had unusually large engagement, repeat the formula in your upcoming campaigns.
Understanding who has clicked on your links is also key in following up your email. If someone has clicked a link more than once, it’s likely that they are interested in what you have to offer. As much as technology can help you, picking up the phone is still central to the recruitment industry.
Hannah Ryle – Employer Brand Consultant
