Why Branding is Key in Recruitment

Whether you are a new agency trying to put your name out there, or an established, well known recruitment business, how you build and maintain awareness of your brand, and how consistent your brand messaging is is really important. Branding is not just about helping people remember who you are, but about giving a shorthand that reminds people of what you do, what you stand for, and what kind of ‘personality’ you have as an agency.

Branding is Not Just About Your Logo
Creating a true brand is something that can permeate into a lot of the visible things your business does or creates. It is not just a case of making a nice logo and making sure it appears on everything, and this is where some small businesses go wrong. When you yourselves have a clear idea of what your brand identity is, you can infuse it into all kinds of things. The tone of voice you use on your websites and in emails, the way you answer the phone, the company cars you drive, your social media presence – everything can be styled in a way that is consistent with that brand identity. Are you a slick, super-professional agency who deal with high profile, high level positions? Then your brand should reflect that. Are you fun, quirky and approachable, perfect for creative companies? Then your brand should represent that.

Branding Doesn’t Have to Be Subtle
Psychologists estimate that we need to see a brand about seven times before we will remember it, so get your branded things in front of people as often as you can, and don’t underplay them! Giving out branded merchandise at events or when people visit your offices can be a good option, especially if they are things people might use regularly or keep where they often see them, like pens, desk accessories or lanyards. Of course, your branding should be used all over your communications and anything you put on the web to share, too.

Educate Your Team About Branding
As we’ve discussed, branding can be reflected in the things you write and say as well as visually, and so you need all of your staff and anyone you bring in to do promotional activities representing you to understand the brand ‘mood’ you are committed to, so that they can be consistent with it when they are facing clients, candidates or members of the public as part of your business. Keeping branding front and centre on internal systems and communications is a good idea, but rather than just educating your team about the brand values, you can get them really on board by letting them contribute to the evolution of the brand in brainstorming sessions about how the agency should present itself.

If your branding is currently limited to a logo, colour scheme and font, and you feel like you are underusing it, then why not take some time to refine your branding and make it a better asset for your agency?