Keeping your client and candidate engaged can be a challenge. But we’ve got something exciting for you: phygital experiences! It’s a magical blend of the physical and digital worlds that will have your customers hooked.
It’s all about finding that perfect balance between the tangible and the virtual. So, let’s dive right in and explore what phygital is all about and how you can bring it to life in your own staffing firm.
What is Phygital Marketing?
Did you know that back in 2015, a whopping 55 percent of consumers were already craving a future where offline and online experiences seamlessly merged?¹ That’s right, people were itching for that perfect blend of the physical and digital worlds. And that’s where phygital marketing comes into play!
Phygital marketing is all about crafting a strategy that combines the best of both worlds: the power of digital and the impact of physical encounters. It’s about creating experiences that not only provide valuable information but also foster genuine human connections.
But here’s the thing: to truly ace augmented reality, you need killer content strategies. Your outreach has to be engaging, informative, and downright captivating. You want your customers to be hooked from the moment they interact with your brand.
So, get ready to take communication to the next level. Seamlessly connect with your audience through social media, phone calls, emails, and more. With the right marketing communication software, you can even personalize your messages and deliver them through channels like social media and SMS. It’s time to unleash a killer phygital marketing strategy and leave a lasting impression on your customers.
Strategies to Achieve a Strong Phygital Presence
Going phygital should be one of your top priorities to cater to your clients’ and customers’ interactive needs. Here are the things you can do.
1. Research Your Audience
Collect and analyze data from both your physical and digital interactions with clients to uncover their preferences and behaviors. Armed with these insights, you can strategize, personalize their experiences, and make decisions that hit the bullseye.
Curious about why some potential clients haven’t taken the plunge? Dive deeper and ask your existing clients what made them choose your awesome staffing firm. Did they dig your accessible online communication? Was your website running smoothly on their mobile browser? And let’s not forget how easy it was to book your stellar staffing services online.
Create an online feedback form that hits the right notes and helps you level up the experience.
2. Harness Digital Platforms
Embrace digital platforms! They’re your secret weapon to reach a broader candidate pool, enhance candidate experiences, and simplify pesky administrative tasks.
Tap into your company websites, digital job boards, and social media pages to showcase your job openings to a vast audience. With digital platforms, you can target specific demographics using clever keywords, attracting those job seekers who are actively on the hunt. Craft detailed job postings that provide a clear snapshot of requirements and responsibilities.
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn – these are your go-to platforms to promote your vacancies and engage with candidates. Slide into their DMs, start conversations through comments, and build an employer brand that shines. And guess what? Most social platforms have user-friendly mobile apps, making it a breeze for applicants to apply on the go.
Just ensure your online forms are mobile-responsive for a smooth and convenient application process.
3. Personalize Their Online Interactions
Personalization involves using client data to tailor messages to their specific preferences. This move can win them over. McKinsey says that personalization can slash customer acquisition costs by a whopping 50 percent and boost your revenues by a cool 5 to 15 percent. And that’s not all – your marketing return on investment (ROI) could soar by an impressive 10 to 30 percent.²
So, how can you make it work for you? Email marketing and newsletters! Send your candidate pool valuable resources and training courses that align perfectly with their work experiences and skills.
Remember, the key to personalization is understanding your audience, their wants, and their needs. It’s about building connections and providing real value to enhance the customer experience.
4. Have Virtual Interviews
In the age of pandemic, virtual interviews have become the go-to for job seekers worldwide. You can do it via video conferencing tools such as Google Meet and Zoom to discuss a position with candidates.
These virtual rendezvous offer a world of flexibility. You can chat with multiple applicants in one call, making those initial interviews a breeze. And the best part? It saves everyone’s precious time – no more rushing to your office or navigating through traffic jams. Candidates can juggle multiple interviews with ease, all from the comfort of their own homes.
You can sprinkle some phygital magic into the mix. Start with online interviews and exams, and then invite the cream of the crop to your office for those final stages. It’s like a hybrid experience that combines the best of both worlds. So, get ready to ace those virtual interviews and make your candidates feel like superstars – no red carpet required!
5. Organize a Welcoming Online Onboarding
Onboarding doesn’t have to be a snooze-fest. In fact, it’s the perfect opportunity to roll out the virtual red carpet for your new hires. According to Gallup, when managers take charge of onboarding, employees are 3.4 times more likely to say it was a rockstar experience.³
Once you’ve selected your candidates to fill your job vacancies, you can welcome them through online onboarding. Utilize digital online onboarding platforms to provide them with relevant documents, resources, and training materials. You can also send them physical welcome kits with the equipment they can use for work or some branded merchandise.
Get the whole company involved too! Each department can take turns giving your fresh talent the inside scoop on how things work. Plus, the more connections they make, the more excited they’ll be to hit the ground running.
So, let’s turn on the virtual spotlights and give your new hires a grand entrance they’ll never forget!
6. Take Advantage of AI and Automation
Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is one of the most popular types of automation you can apply to your recruitment process. It helps you navigate the recruitment process with ease. It’s a database where you can collect and track all your applicants, from the moment they send in their resume to every stage of the hiring journey.
With an ATS by your side, you can keep things organized, even when you have a flurry of candidates vying for vacancies. No more losing track of that perfect fit amidst the chaos! Plus, some ATS software even comes with cool chatbots that keep candidates in the loop about their application status. Prompt updates? Check!
ATSs also come packed with all sorts of nifty features, like video interviewing and sourcing extensions. It’s like having a Swiss Army knife for your recruitment needs. So, take a moment to think about what functions you’re after and choose the ATS that’s right for you.
Related Reading: About the Use of Chatbots in Recruitment. Yay or Nay?
7. Offer Online Training and Upskilling
Blended training programs can help you train employees and hone their skills while considering their schedules and availability. You can do this by utilizing in-person training sessions or workshops and allowing them to train on their own or with a mentor through webinars, online courses, and e-learning modules.
8. Create a Seamless Multi-Channel Experience
It’s all about making it easy for candidates and clients to connect with you. That’s why it’s important to offer a variety of communication channels, both online and offline, to suit everyone’s preferences. Think catalogs, websites, SMS, email, social media pages, and more!
Embracing a multi-channel approach allows you to meet candidates and clients where they’re most comfortable. Whether they want to shoot you an email, slide into your DMs, or check out the latest updates on social media. Plus, it’s a great way to share exciting news about promotions and new services you have in store.
And the best part? These different channels help boost your conversion rates. You can engage with potential candidates and clients at different stages of their decision-making process. Maybe a candidate who already submitted their application will jump at the chance to join your online training program.
And that fresh graduate who’s never heard of you? Catch their attention at a job fair or a super cool marketing event. It’s all about creating connections, no matter the channel!
Related Reading: Deliberate Multi-channel Recruitment Marketing
Transform Your Staffing Processes with Phygital Experiences
Successful phygital strategies can lead you to build authentic connections with clients and candidates. Consider their perspectives in implementing your plans to make sure your efforts address their employment needs.
BROADEN YOUR CLIENT REACH WITH ALLIED INSIGHT
Whether you’re looking for new companies to staff or new candidates to employ, Allied Insight can help you reach these people through our content marketing solutions.
Allied Insight is a full-stack marketing firm offering services in Complete Competitive Analysis, Brand Cohesion Clean-up and Optimization, Personalized Thought-leadership Content, and more. Schedule a chat with us today so we can boost your brand!
References
1 “Microsoft Digital Trends 2015 The Evolution of Digital Consumer Experiences.” Anuncios, recursos.anuncios.com/files/703/99.pdf. Accessed 4 Jul. 2023.
2 “What Is Personalization?” McKinsey & Company, 30 May 2023, www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-explainers/what-is-personalization.
3 Wigert, Ben and Pendell, Ryan. “7 Problems With Your Onboarding Program.” Gallup, 1 Mar. 2019, https://www.gallup.com/workplace/247172/problems-onboarding-program.aspx.
