Proven Strategies to Engage Clients, Convert Leads, and Attract Top Talent
In the staffing industry, communication is everything. As a recruiter, the way you communicate—and how often—directly shapes your relationships and influences your business outcomes.
Email remains one of the most effective, easy, and non-intrusive ways to connect with leads, clients, and candidates. It allows you to reach people directly in their inbox while giving them the flexibility to respond at a convenient time. However, with AI-generated content becoming more common, standing out requires a strategic and human approach.
In this article, we’ll share updated best practices for email marketing, ensuring your messages remain engaging, authentic, and effective.
Know What Type of Email You’re Sending
Effective email marketing begins with understanding the distinct types of emails recruiters can send and their specific goals. Here are the main categories to consider:
- Sales Emails: Goal-oriented outreach designed to engage prospects and prompt a response by addressing their hiring needs
- Marketing Emails: Nurture leads and retains clients with industry insights, newsletters, and valuable resources
- Recruitment Emails: Target candidates with career tips, salary guides, and relevant job opportunities to keep them engaged
Each email you send serves a unique purpose, catering to a specific audience. Crafting a tailored message is essential to capture interest, encourage engagement, and avoid the dreaded unsubscribe button.
Here are examples of tailored email topics:
- Sales Focus: “Do you need to hire someone for June?”
- Marketing Focus: “Why it takes months to hire an ideal candidate”
- Recruiting Focus: “Seeking summer employment?”
Best Practices for Recruiters’ Email Marketing
No matter the type of email you send, following these best practices ensures your messages resonate, engage, and drive results:
1. Use an Engaging Subject Line
Your subject line is your first impression — make it count. Test different styles to discover what resonates with your audience, but in general:
- Keep it under 50 characters
- Avoid overcapitalization (e.g., “HUGE SALE ALERT”)
- Personalize when possible (e.g., include the recipient’s name or company)
- Clearly convey the value of opening the email
2. Avoid Generic, AI-Generated Language
AI tools like ChatGPT are an effective tool to help you work faster. But, you need to always ensure your emails don’t sound robotic or templated. Recipients can spot a generic email from a mile away, and impersonal messaging can lead to disengagement.
- Use AI as a starting point, but always refine the message to add a human touch
- Reference specific details about the recipient, such as their company, recent hiring trends, or industry challenges, to make your outreach feel intentional and relevant
- Make it conversational as AI-generated content is often too polished
If you’re not sure how to leverage AI for email drafting, here are some prompt ideas to get you started:
For Job Orders/New Business:
- “Write a warm but professional introduction email for a prospective client in [industry], highlighting our staffing solutions. Mention our average time-to-fill and success rate.”
- “Create a follow-up email for a company that inquired about our contract staffing services last week. Reinforce our value and suggest a quick call.”
For Active Clients:
- “Draft a quarterly check-in email for a long-term client. Highlight recent successful placements, share industry insights, and ask about their upcoming hiring needs.”
- “Write an email proposing an expanded staffing arrangement based on recent project success. Use a consultative tone and include a relevant case study.”
For Candidate Outreach:
- “Write an engaging email to passive candidates about a new [role type] opportunity with our top client. Emphasize career growth, salary range, and unique benefits.”
- “Create a role-specific outreach email for [position] that highlights remote work flexibility, competitive pay, and company culture.”
For Follow-Ups:
- “Draft a friendly follow-up email to a client who hasn’t responded to our initial proposal. Keep it short, polite, and include a gentle nudge to schedule a call.”
- “Write a re-engagement email to a past client we haven’t worked with in a while. Mention past success, share recent industry trends, and offer a check-in call.”
Use these prompts to speed up your workflow while keeping your messaging fresh and personalized.
3. Use AI to Your Advantage
AI isn’t just for writing copy—it can streamline your email marketing:
- Spell Check & Clarity: Tools like Grammarly or ChatGPT can help catch typos and refine tone
- Draft Smarter Emails: AI can generate email drafts, but always personalize before sending
- Improve Subject Lines & CTAs: Use AI to brainstorm multiple options and A/B test for engagement
- Optimize Send Times: AI-powered insights help determine when recipients are most likely to open emails
- Summarize & Repurpose Content: Turn lengthy reports or blogs into concise, engaging email takeaways
Using AI strategically helps create emails that are polished, effective, and engaging.
4. Keep Emails Short and Focused
Busy professionals appreciate emails that get straight to the point. Instead of lengthy introductions like “I hope this email finds you well,” start with why you’re reaching out and the value you’re offering.
- Lead With What Matters: Make it clear why your email is relevant to them
- Keep It Skimmable: If it takes longer than 30 seconds to read, consider trimming it down
- Be Thoughtful With Wording: Avoid unnecessary filler and keep each sentence purposeful
- Provide Value: Focus on what the recipient gains—whether it’s industry insights, job opportunities, or useful resources. Avoid making the email all about what you need
A well-structured, to-the-point email is more engaging and increases the chances of a response.
5. Optimize Email Frequency
Finding the right email frequency is crucial. Too many emails can overwhelm recipients, while too few can lead to disengagement. Use automation tools and AI-driven insights to strike the right balance:
- Email Automation Platforms: Tools like HubSpot, Mailchimp, and Outreach help schedule and space out emails efficiently
- Engagement Tracking: Platforms with built-in analytics monitor open rates, response rates, and unsubscribes to gauge frequency effectiveness
- AI-Powered Send-Time Optimization: Many email tools analyze recipient behavior to suggest the best send times and cadence
- Drip Campaigns: Set up automated workflows that adjust based on recipient actions—like following up only when someone opens but doesn’t reply
Leveraging these tools ensures you stay consistent without overwhelming your audience.
6. Add a Call to Action (CTA)
Every email should include a clear next step that aligns with your goals. For sales emails, you might ask to book a meeting. For marketing emails, you might provide a downloadable whitepaper or ask the recipient to read a blog. A recruiting email may include a request for a response if the recipient is interested in changing roles.
Here are a few examples:
- Sales Emails: “Schedule a consultation”
- Marketing Emails: “Download our free industry report”
- Recruitment Emails: “Reply if you’re interested in exploring new opportunities”
The Importance of Email Marketing for Recruiters
Email marketing is one of the most versatile and impactful tools available to recruiters and staffing agencies. It enables you to:
- Strengthen client engagement by staying connected with leads and clients
- Improve recruitment outcomes by building rapport with top talent, keeping them engaged and informed throughout the hiring process
- Establish industry expertise by sharing valuable insights and resources to position your agency as a thought leader
By mastering these best practices, you can optimize their email marketing efforts to build better relationships and achieve their business goals.
Want to learn more about crafting emails that get results? Watch our webinar Increase Your Response Rates with Better Recruiting Emails.
Ready to elevate your email marketing strategy? Contact People2.0 today to learn how we can help you create high-impact emails that drive results.
