By David Bernstein
Recruiting has become more competitive than ever. With top talent in high demand, traditional methods like job postings and job boards aren’t enough to stay ahead. Recruiters must adopt innovative strategies to connect with candidates, whether they’re actively applying or considering future opportunities.
In this article, we’ll explore:
- What makes multi-touch drip campaigns so effective
- Common barriers recruiters face in implementing these strategies
- How to overcome those challenges with the right tools
Let’s dig in.
Why Multi-Touch Drip Campaigns are Game-Changing
Recruiting isn’t just about filling roles—it’s about building relationships with potential candidates. Multi-touch drip campaigns automate and personalize that process, keeping candidates engaged over time. Let’s break down why that’s helpful to recruiters and why it matters to candidates in the long run.
1. Drip Campaigns Create Personalized Engagement
Candidates expect personalized communication. Think about how Netflix or Spotify tailor their suggestions for their users—recruiters can do the same with multi-touch campaigns. They can:
- Segment candidates by skills, experience, or career goals.
- Deliver targeted messages that resonate with individuals.
- Foster stronger connections by addressing candidates' specific needs.
Personalization works because it makes candidates feel seen and valued. For example, a 2017 CareerBuilder study found that “Nearly 4 in 5 candidates (78%) say the overall candidate experience they receive is an indicator of how a company values its people.” Personalized outreach goes a long way in improving that overall experience–which is beneficial for your brand and your candidates.
2. Drip Campaigns Keep You Top-of-Mind
Maintaining relationships over time is challenging when you’re juggling dozens of tasks. Multi-touch drip campaigns help by automating communication. Scheduled messages can:
- Remind candidates about your company.
- Keep your brand fresh in their minds.
- Engage candidates even if they’re not actively applying.
The same 2017 report by CareerBuilder found that 81% of job seekers said consistent status updates would improve their overall candidate experience—that can be a big boost to your brand reputation and can make a difference for (drumroll, please) your conversion rates.
3. Drip Campaigns Boost Conversion Rates
Ultimately, recruiting is about results: turning candidates into applicants—and eventually into hires. Drip campaigns help by:
- Sharing relevant job openings and addressing common concerns.
- Showcasing your company culture and benefits.
- Gradually nudging candidates toward action.
Consistent, meaningful communication can make a big difference.
What's Holding Recruiters Back?
Despite their benefits, implementing drip campaigns can be challenging. Let’s examine the most common barriers and how recruiters can address them.
1. Too Many Tasks, Too Little Time
Recruiters often feel overwhelmed managing job ads, interviews, and candidate tracking. Adding a drip campaign might feel like piling on more work.
One way to help is to utilize platforms that integrate with your current tools and tech stack to streamline your workflow. If you haven’t already, it can help to evaluate your tech stack to understand where you could save time and what tools would be most helpful. When recruiters aren’t worrying about busy work or tedious admin tasks, they have more time to leverage their expertise to engage candidates (eg, through a multi-touch campaign) and build relationships.
2. Lack of Awareness or Know-How
Some recruiters aren’t familiar with how multi-touch campaigns work or how to use automation effectively.
That’s why training and education are key. Simple guides or workshops, or tutorials on any tools you’re using to simplify communication, can go a long way in building confidence for recruiters.
3. Limited Resources
Smaller teams or those with tight budgets might see drip campaigns as too costly or complex.
The solution? Start small. It can be beneficial to automate even one part of your process - like follow-ups - before you start to scale.
4. Tech Integration Challenges
Outdated or disconnected systems make it hard to set up seamless campaigns.
It’s imperative that you implement tools that not only work for your team’s needs, but also integrate easily with ATSs, CRMs, and communication platforms.
5. Resistance to Change
Let’s be honest—change is tough. Recruiters comfortable with traditional methods may hesitate to try something new.
A pilot program can help. Easing in and showing early wins can help build buy-in, especially because you can then point to real-life examples of how tools improve processes and outcomes.
Why You Need a Proactive Approach to Candidate Engagement
There’s an old saying: “Dig your well before you’re thirsty.” Planning ahead ensures you’re ready for whatever comes next. Know your team, know their processes, and know the capabilities of your tools and tech stack.
The last one is essential. The best communications and candidate engagement tools help recruiters proactively manage active and passive candidates. For example, Daxtra Engage empowers recruiters with features like:
- Unified Platform: Manage all candidate communication—email, text, and more—from one place.
- Automated messaging: Keep candidates engaged at multiple touchpoints, with live communication that maintains a personal and human touch—all without adding to your workload.
- Seamless integrations: Sync easily with job boards, CRMs and ATSs to simplify your workflows.
Why Multi-Touch Campaigns are Worth It
Implementing multi-touch drip campaigns takes effort, but the payoff is worth it. With the right strategy and tools, you can:
- Build stronger relationships with candidates.
- Stay ahead of competitors in the talent market.
- Convert more candidates into hires faster.
Ready to take the next step?
Daxtra Engage makes it easy to increase productivity and improve candidate experience. Learn more and see how it could work for your team.
