Nail your marketing package, and you’ll crack the toughest nut: advertising revenue. It’s what makes the best job boards go ’round.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a hands-on person who builds and markets the job board every step of the way or if you work with a partner who lightens the workload. And it doesn’t matter if you think you need more time to think and ponder and perfect a strategy before you jump in.
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The only way to build the strongest marketing package is to start with that famous first step.
“Stop waiting until everything in your business is “PERFECT” to start marketing your products and services. Start marketing NOW! You can always make improvements and changes as you moved forward. But, don’t hide behind your desk and wait for the phone to ring. Get out there and start sharing your talents with the world TODAY! – Kevin Nations, Business Consultant
Ready to begin?
Erase the “One and Done” Mentality
To work at its optimum potential, a great marketing package is customizable. Certainly, you’ll use some of the information, such as meaningful statistics and data, again and again. But crafting your approach for unique ad partners can set you apart.
Every prospect has a slightly different take on what matters most. So even if you operate a niche job board for one industry, every advertiser will respond to a slightly different value proposition. Finding out what matters is tricky, but not impossible.
Magdex says:
“Take regular looks at the main players in your field, and sign up for their job alerts (if available). If not, or in addition, utilize Google Alerts, where automated emails are generated when user-specified topics are posted about. (Remember to use Boolean search terms to get the best results.)”
And don’t forget your old friend, social media. You can learn a lot about core company values and messaging by researching what they share across social channels.
The trick isn’t to find the perfect marketing plan and cast it in stone. The important thing is to embrace a philosophy of customization that’s right for each prospect.
Include These Critical Items in Every Kit
All that said, you still need an outline. And some materials, such as a cover sheet, might always look the same. Brand consistency helps build your reputation as a leader among the best job boards.
John Jantsch for The Balance says you should forget the “tri-fold brochure” approach because everybody does it, and nobody uses it.
Fairly universal elements of a great package, according to The Balance:
- Pocket folder: Some people want hard-copy marketing packages
- Template pages: Professionally created digital and printed marketing kit page templates with your company logo. You’ll use this a lot.
- Differences page: “Us vs them” unique value proposition page.
- In-depth differences: This is an explanation of how your differences translate to benefits.
- List of services: What does your job board do?
- Reference materials: Include relevant whitepapers, case studies, charts, graphs, infographics, etc.
- Client testimonials: Bring out your best
- Client list: Especially if you have some prominent clients
- Process breakdown: Show prospective clients what it’s like working with you
- The story of you: Who’s behind this great job board and how did you get your start?
Choose the Smartest Components for Every Client
Employers with a serious nature will probably respond to a different approach than a trendy creative company. So while some of your materials will stay the same from client to client, choose others more judiciously.
For example, infographics might resonate with a creative company. But a laced-up company might think they look cartoonish or unprofessional.
Case studies should also be relevant. It’s easier to drive home your message if you can show the successes of a company that looks and sounds like the one you’re talking with.
Investigate the company culture before you pull together a package so you’ll stay on track.
Weigh Your Options with a Job Board Partner
The best marketing is effortless. And that’s not as unlikely as it might sound. You might never want to unhook from marketing and sales altogether. But when ad revenue rolls in automatically, you’re onto something pretty spectacular.
“Start viewing yourself as a solutions provider and talk about what you do from that perspective. Don’t label yourself, but talk about how you help others and solve their problems.” – Smart Simple Marketing
Data-driven advertising is what makes the best job boards work efficiently. You know about big data. And you might even be intimidated by data analytics. But with a great partner, you can get the rewards of the best technology without going back to school to understand it.
A partner offers solutions to the toughest marketing and revenue problems. And solutions are what Smart Simple Marketing says can set you apart. Where ad placement requires serious data analytics skills, the right technology does it automatically. That benefits you and your clients because it gets the best results with a smaller margin for error.
A great marketing package isn’t as formidable as it might seem. You don’t need one premier solution that works for every advertiser. Chances are, that doesn’t exist. What you need is a custom approach that speaks to the people behind the company.
Look into what makes your job board so different. If you can’t find a unique value proposition, capitalize on the opportunity to build it up from the gaps that exist in the industry. Then investigate what makes your target advertising prospect unique.
Your marketing package is a meeting of the minds. It’s where you propose solutions that the advertiser can’t find anywhere else. It’s not the perfect package that makes a difference. It’s how well you’re tuned into client needs.