Active and passive selling on the labour market
The term inbound marketing, like its counterpart outbound marketing, is familiar from telephone sales. In the latter case, salespeople approach potential customers unsolicited. They actively try to sell them products. In contrast, with inbound marketing, the company waits for customers to take the first step. In our example, inbound sales employees answer incoming customer inquiries. The challenge with this strategy is to be found by customers with the appropriate needs. The customers often search for possible suppliers via the Internet. Therefore, companies use search engine optimization to ensure that they appear in the search results. Both sales strategies are also promising in the search for jobs. Companies are looking for more and more specialized profiles. Specialists and managers, for their part, have increasingly clearer requirements in terms of job and working environment. Therefore, both sides proceed more specifically in their search and address interesting counterparties directly.
Inbound marketing strategy with LinkedIn
With the outbound strategy from the employee’s point of view, applicants actively approach companies via initiative application. The company uses employer branding to be found by interesting applicants. This is the inbound strategy of companies. Job seekers are also increasingly using this approach. The aim is to be found by companies if they have an interesting job to offer. Due to the skills shortage, many companies hired specialized recruiters. They are increasingly using active sourcing to identify and directly approach suitable candidates. In doing so, they search primarily on social networks such as LinkedIn or via Google. It is important for job seekers that they appear in the search results. A meaningful LinkedIn presence is therefore essential for the inbound marketing strategy. And you should also be findable when you are not actively looking for a job, as interesting opportunities are often offered when we don’t expect it.