How to Find Clients for Your Staffing Agency

Staffing is a competitive market, and knowing how to get clients for your staffing agency is crucial for your success. Finding quality clients who pay on time and bring you repeat business allows you to grow and keep providing a high level of service.

Learning how to get staffing contracts isn’t just about prospecting more. It’s also about creating a strategy for consistently bringing in more work for your agency. Here, we cover the best strategies to get more contacts calling for your services.

Define Your Agency’s Expertise

Having a niche market allows you to target clients in a specific field and lets you become the go-to staffing solution for that sector. If you’ve ever wondered how leading staffing agencies get contracts consistently, the answer likely comes down to expertise.

When you focus on definite markets rather than seeking out all clients, you can get to know the needs of a specific industry. You can then meet seasonal hiring needs for these clients, offer services that better meet their demands and position yourself as a comprehensive solution. Business owners may be more willing to work with staffing agencies who specialize in their sector, as this type of agency is more likely to understand how to fill positions in their industry successfully.

Determine Who Your Staffing Agency Wants to Target

Staffing agency clients come in three categories:

• Companies that need to hire many staff members but are seeking the lowest price.
• Companies that need very specific skill sets in temporary staff.
• Every other type of client, including those with seasonal or occasional staffing needs.

Each type of client has benefits and drawbacks. A company that needs lots of staff can bring you volume, but it may be difficult for you to compete with national staffing agencies on price. Meanwhile, companies needing in-demand skills may be high-touch clients, but they may be willing to pay more. Carefully consider which clients are likely to be best for your long-term agency goals.

You may also want to dig deeper and consider what your ideal client is like. Defining your preferred working relationship, including communication styles and the type of talent the business might need from you, can help you adjust your marketing to target the right prospects.

Utilize Referrals From Existing Clients

When you provide excellent service and excellent staff for your clients, you create an opportunity for word-of-mouth marketing.

When clients praise you, don’t forget to thank them and let them know you’d be happy to help their fellow business owners with their staffing needs. Business owners talk to each other, so it’s a chance for your existing clients to recommend you.

Your clients may also have some leads for you because they know about other businesses with open positions to fill. Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals from clients who are happy with your services.

You might want to get testimonials for your website as well. This social proof shows potential leads your strengths and experience.

Build up Your Staffing Agency Network

Build a pipeline to drive more traffic to your agency. There are several ways you can build your network:

• Hand out business cards when you meet a new business owner or new contact
• Attend networking events
• Use LinkedIn and social media to meet leaders in your target industry
• Seek out other local businesses in your sector

Just a few minutes of networking a day can add up to more work for your agency.

 

Attend Trade Shows or Industry Events

Local and national trade shows and events are terrific opportunities to speak with business owners who may be looking for staffing solutions. You can attend events and casually get to know other guests or vendors with minimal effort — all it takes is some travel and the cost of entry.

You can also build authority and show yourself to be the best agency to turn to by speaking at industry events, setting up booths at trade shows and otherwise actively taking part. It’s a chance to make your agency visible.

Consider Government Staffing Contracts

The federal government, state governments and many administrative organizations require temporary workers from time to time. Government contractors can also subcontract their hiring needs to staffing agencies.

Government contracts can be lucrative, but the process of seeking and applying for them is often time-consuming. If you do decide the effort is worth it for your agency, you can find government contracts online.

Keep Your Fees Transparent

Keeping your fees transparent builds trust and ensures a positive experience for your clients, which may help you land more referrals. Avoid hidden fees at all costs and always offer a clear breakdown of all costs in an easy-to-understand document or quote.

Follow up With Potential Leads

A customer relationship management (CRM) platform or other tools can help you capture information about leads and prompt you to follow up.

You might also want to use a variety of contact methods to keep prospective clients engaged. For example, try emailing as a first line of contact and following up with a phone call afterward. You may even want to meet high-value clients in person or in a video call.

Account for Payment Terms and Credibility

In addition to figuring out how to get contracts for your staffing agency, you’ll also want to plan ahead for healthy cash flow.

You will need written agreements outlining payment terms, including what is due and when invoices come due in full. To ensure credibility, you want to make it clear how clients can pay you and what collection actions you may take on overdue invoices. Have a system in place for following through on collection actions consistently to make the process fair for all customers.

To meet their own needs, clients may seek out net 30-day or net 60-day terms. This structure can create a challenge if you need to continue to pay the bills while waiting weeks or months for a large client to pay their invoice.

In a worst-case scenario, waiting for clients to pay their invoices can harm your ability to land more work. If a company contacts you because they need to make a large hire, for example, you may need resources to fulfill their request. Taking on more workers or ramping up recruitment measures might be hard to do if you’re waiting for payment from another client.

There are a few solutions to cash flow issues stemming from invoice delays. One is to get a traditional bank loan, though this method can be time-consuming and requires an excellent credit rating. Another option is invoice factoring or accounts receivable factoring. This form of funding allows you to get an advance upfront, without diluting your ownership or negatively affecting your balance sheets.

How Porter Capital Can Help With Agency Funding

Now that you know how to get clients for your staffing agency, you may be considering the cost factors too. If you do land a sizable new client and need to improve your cash flow to serve them, you can rely on Porter Capital for invoice and account factoring.

With over 30 years in business and a strong financial base, we can offer large funding deals fast. Even when you first call us, we may be able to provide a quick proposal over the phone so you can understand whether factoring might help your situation.

Porter Capital is a trustworthy partner for many businesses across the country, including staffing agencies. Our transparent pricing and excellent customer service are there to help you with cash flow challenges. We can review your invoices and advance your company money upfront, all within 24 hours, so you can go back to doing what you do best — providing outstanding staffing services.

Contact Porter Capital today to find out more about our services and get started.