Secrets of Staffing Success

In this episode of InSights, Brad Bialy sits down with David Searns to unpack practical marketing tactics staffing firms can use to win back former clients, deepen existing relationships, and stay top of mind in a volatile hiring market. About the Guest David Searns is Co-CEO of Haley Marketing and a trusted leader in staffing industry marketing. With more than 25 years of experience helping firms build innovative strategies and award-winning websites, David brings deep insight into how staffing companies can grow in any market condition. Key Takeaways Relationships drive revenue more than automation alone. Segmentation creates clarity in outreach. Consult, don’t just sell. Differentiate through service, not slogans. Nurture consistently to stay top of mind. Timestamps [02:05] – Why staffing struggles feel different this time [04:47] – Winning back former customers with real conversations [07:42] – Using segmentation to tailor your outreach [10:14] – Becoming a consultant, not just an order taker [13:40] – Spotting future staffing needs before clients do [15:29] – Building client org charts to uncover hidden buyers [17:48] – Leveraging LinkedIn for warm introductions [20:45] – Differentiating your sales playbook from competitors [22:37] – New service models that break the staffing mold [26:28] – Can marketing replace a sales rep? [32:16] – Staying top of mind during hiring freezes [39:16] – Rethinking websites: employer entryways that convert About the Host Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 200,000 downloads. Sponsors and Offers Heard InSights is presented by Haley Marketing. The old way of selling staffing is dead. Let’s fix it – with smarter strategies and HUGE DISCOUNTS on  modern lead gen tools: https://bit.ly/Bialy20 Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host, Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30 This episode is brought to you by MJA & Associates. For over 20 years, they’ve helped staffing firms save money by securing federal and state tax credits like the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). With performance-based pricing, you only pay when you save—no setup costs, just real results. Learn more at mja-associates.com

Mark Whitby, a renowned business coach and host of The Resilient Recruiter podcast, discusses how recruiters can break free from the feast-or-famine cycle. He emphasizes the importance of selling solutions instead of recruitment and the power of market focus in business development. Whitby also highlights effective strategies like building a signature solution and developing a 'dream 100' client list. Continuous innovation and a multi-channel marketing approach are vital for success in 2025, alongside never-ending growth in marketing efforts.

In 2025’s hyper-competitive staffing landscape, staffing firm branding is no longer optional—it’s the deciding factor between being ignored and being the go-to choice for clients and candidates. In this in-depth conversation, Brad Bialy and Becca Searns from Haley Marketing reveal how staffing companies can differentiate themselves in a commoditized market by building a brand that is authentic, consistent, and memorable across every touchpoint.   If your staffing firm still thinks “brand” means a logo and some colors, this episode will change your perspective.   Expect to Learn: 1. Why branding in staffing is more important now than ever before 2. How to move beyond visual identity into voice, tone, and value proposition 3. What the best staffing firms do differently to create trust and loyalty 4. How to integrate brand into every medium—from your website to sales collateral 5. The role AI can play in personalization, content creation, and CRO (without losing your brand voice) 6. Proven website strategies that improve conversions while reinforcing your brand identity   This episode should inspire you to explore staffing marketing strategies and recruiting firm differentiation so you can rise above generic, AI-generated content and stand out from competitors. You’ll also hear why companies like top-ranking Haley Marketing clients consistently show up on page 1 for staffing firm branding searches—and how you can adopt similar strategies. 

Are you overlooking the fastest way to grow your staffing firm? Loss aversion is the most underused yet powerful psychological principle in sales—and this video reveals exactly how to use it to close more deals, upsell existing accounts, and build client loyalty. In this expert-level conversation, presented by Haley Marketing, Brad Bialy sits down with sales strategist Jeff Mariola to dissect how loss aversion psychology and contrast techniques can radically shift your sales approach. If your team is overly focused on chasing new business and missing growth opportunities right in front of them, this episode will recalibrate your strategy. Expect to Learn: How human behavior, decision-making psychology, and relationship dynamics all collide in staffing sales. Why loss aversion should be your go-to strategy with both new and existing clients How to reposition your firm from “just another vendor” to “irreplaceable partner” What elite sales performers do differently in account management How to build and execute a repeatable, psychology-driven sales playbook Chapters & Timestamps 00:15 – The #1 Flaw in Staffing Sales Teams 02:06 – How to Sell More to Existing Clients 03:45 – Loss Aversion in Sales Explained 04:45 – How to Use Loss Aversion with Existing Clients 05:50 – Selling When Your Client Has Multiple Vendors 10:15 – Why Staffing Firms Underinvest in Account Growth 11:00 – Stop Chasing Logos: Start Deepening Client Relationships 12:15 – Creating a Sales Strategy for Existing Clients 13:10 – Identifying Hidden Revenue in Low-Yield Accounts 17:00 – Why Social Proof Works: Science of Influence 19:00 – Nobel Prize Research Behind Loss Aversion 20:15 – Using Contrast to Close More Deals 23:00 – Breaking Out of Outdated Staffing Sales Tactics 24:15 – The Referral Gap: What Most Salespeople Miss 26:45 – Asking for Referrals Without Feeling “Salesy” 28:45 – What Staffing Is Getting Wrong About Sales Today 31:30 – Building a Repeatable Sales System 32:45 – Creating Your Staffing Sales Playbook 38:00 – Key Traits of Top Staffing Sales Professionals 41:00 – Viktor Frankl, Mindset, and Finding Meaning in Sales 45:00 – Closing Thoughts + Connect with Jeff Mariola   About the Speakers: Brad Bialy is host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the leading podcast for the staffing industry, presented by Haley Marketing. He has a deep passion for helping staffing and recruiting firms achieve their business objectives through strategic digital marketing. For over a decade, Brad has developed a proven track record of motivating and educating staffing industry professionals at over 100 industry-specific conferences and webinars. Brad has helped guide the comprehensive marketing strategy of more than 300 staffing and recruiting firms, making him a sought-after expert and speaker in the industry.   With more than 25 years of successful CEO leadership experience across two multi-national businesses (Rentokil Pest Control and Ambius) plus two entrepreneurial start-ups, Jeff Mariola has a reputation for creating cultures which consistently outscore other high-performing companies in engagement, growth, empowerment, and leadership. Having recently finished leading the recapitalization of a Brilliant Staffing, LLC to private equity in 2018, Jeff has now changed gears and united with his wife, Michelle, to create Mariola Unlimited – a leadership development advisory service business focused on executive coaching, leadership, management workshops, brand marketing, and keynote speaking. Jeff is certified by Multi-Health Systems in the use of the EQi 2.0 Assessment & EQ 360 Leadership Assessment tools, as well as Stephen R. Covey’s, The Five Choices to achieving extraordinary productivity. He has also successfully completed the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course and is a certified practitioner for Talent Optimization by The Predictive Index.   Offers Heard in this Episode: 30 minutes of strategic marketing consultation with Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30 Special Offers! Our Best Savings of 2025: https://bit.ly/bialyoffer What if your back office fueled your growth instead of holding it back? TRICOM makes it happen! From payroll and billing to accounting and asset based lending, they clear the roadblocks and power your path forward. Your team gets paid, your cash flow stays steady and your business scales like never before. Visit https://www.TRICOM.com to learn more.

Shaun Chojnacki, Senior Marketing Strategist at Haley Marketing, dives into the world of SEO for staffing firms. He emphasizes the importance of building topical authority to gain visibility on Google. By using a bookstore analogy, he discusses how to structure websites for better user experience and highlights the significance of FAQs and location pages. Shaun shares quick wins for boosting online presence, crucial for attracting qualified leads, and explains why clear communication of services is vital for success in this competitive landscape.

Winning in sales isn’t about securing the next transaction—it’s about how to win the relationship, not the deal. In today’s crowded, fast-paced staffing and recruiting landscape, transactional mindsets are burning out teams, eroding trust, and leaving long-term opportunities on the table. In this candid and insight-packed conversation, sales leadership coach Casey Jacox joins host Brad Bialy to break down what it truly means to win people—not just pipeline. Drawing from 20+ years of sales and leadership experience, Casey shares the uncommon habits that create lasting client relationships, build real trust, and turn rejection into reputation. This episode should inspire you to rethink your approach to sales performance, and encourage you to explore topics like relationship-based selling and modern staffing strategies.   Expect to Learn: Why curiosity, vulnerability, and humility drive elite sales outcomes How to confidently say “no” and still win long-term The dangers of automation-first sales and how to stand out in a crowded market A proven framework to build authentic, human-first relationships How staffing professionals can pivot from order-takers to strategic partners Tactical Takeaways for Staffing & Sales Pros: Ditch your call script and learn to call an “audible” in real time How to identify (and avoid) transactional burnout in your team Tips for creating follow-up moments that build long-term rapport Learn why hiring for adversity beats hiring for skill alone About the Speakers Brad Bialy is host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the leading podcast for the staffing industry, presented by Haley Marketing. He has a deep passion for helping staffing and recruiting firms achieve their business objectives through strategic digital marketing. For over a decade, Brad has developed a proven track record of motivating and educating staffing industry professionals at over 100 industry-specific conferences and webinars. Brad has helped guide the comprehensive marketing strategy of more than 300 staffing and recruiting firms, making him a sought-after expert and speaker in the industry.   With over 25 years of business experience, Casey's leadership helps companies emphasize building relationships, not just transactional business deals. He's a father, a husband, a coach, a podcaster, a speaker, and a business leader who is the same person in and out of work. Over his entire career, adversity has always made him stronger. In March of 2019, Casey left Kforce as the firm's all-time leading salesperson in the nearly 60-year company history to begin writing his debut non-fiction book, "WIN the RELATIONSHIP – Not the DEAL." His book has over 100 organic reviews on Amazon and is helping shape how teams build relationships with their customers and improve cultures internally for teams. Casey is now the founder of Winning The Relationship, LLC, a consulting firm providing fractional executive sales leadership and coaching. Casey is also brought in for sales kickoffs and leadership retreats to help inspire habits of success that help win more relationships. Additionally, Casey hosts The Quarterback DadCast, a podcast that offers stories, advice, and wisdom for fathers looking to improve their leadership skills and emotional intelligence. Offers Heard in this Episode: 30 minutes of strategic marketing consultation with Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30 Special Offers! Our Best Savings of 2025: https://bit.ly/bialyoffer What if your back office fueled your growth instead of holding it back? TRICOM makes it happen! From payroll and billing to accounting and asset based lending, they clear the roadblocks and power your path forward. Your team gets paid, your cash flow stays steady and your business scales like never before. Visit https://www.TRICOM.com to learn more.

It's a bonus episode this week, taken from Lunch with Haley.   Our April webinar on demand generation sparked so much discussion, we couldn’t get to all the questions—and the feedback was clear: we needed a part two. So we’re bringing the panel back for a follow-up discussion, focused on practical answers to your biggest sales challenges. In this session, you’ll get: Expanded insights on how to create demand for staffing services Answers to audience-submitted questions we didn’t have time for in April Straightforward advice on prospecting, strategic selling, and demand creation New strategies for overcoming “we’re not hiring” and standing out from competitors If you’re looking for smarter ways to create more opportunities and differentiate your firm in today’s market, don’t miss this special session.   About the Speakers David Searns, Co-CEO, Haley Marketing When it comes to marketing a staffing firm, few people know the industry like David. He literally grew up in the business. He has been helping staffing companies create innovative marketing strategies and award-winning websites for more than 25 years. Tom Erb, President, Tallann Resources With a career spanning nearly 20 years, Tom Erb has established himself as one of the staffing and recruiting industry’s top subject matter experts. As an executive for two of the largest staffing and recruiting companies in the world, Tom worked with some of the most recognizable and well-respected companies in the United States to help optimize their workforce strategy. As a consultant, trainer, and speaker to the staffing and recruiting industry, Tom has helped hundreds of firms create and execute sales and recruiting strategies to grow their business. In 2010 Tom formed Tallann Resources, a consulting firm specializing in the Staffing and Recruiting Industry. Tom has helped staffing and recruiting companies of all sizes and verticals transform their sales structure, create and implement their strategic plans, and optimize their recruiting process. Mark Winter, CEO, WinSource Group Mark is an expert at driving sales performance, keeping focus on customers, and keeping things simple. For 20 years, Mark has held every sales role out there- from Branch Manager to Vice President of Sales and Enablement for a $2.5B publicly traded staffing company. During that time, he has spent countless hours figuring out what works and of course, what doesn’t. This enables Mark to sniff out things that are blocking performance, remove the barrier, and get people to act. He is a Six Sigma Black Belt and holds master certifications from some of the top sales training organizations in the world. Whether its strategic planning, sales process development, sales training, customer acquisition & engagement, sales team performance, or system and tool adoption- Mark can help get your team on track. Mark is the CEO of WinSource Group, a consulting company that specializes in the staffing industry. By providing training, coaching, and solid process WinSource help staffing companies get the best possible performance from their sales team. Dan Mori, Founder of Staffing Mastery & President of Employment Solutions Dan Mori is a seasoned staffing industry executive, sales strategist, and leadership coach with over two decades of experience driving business transformation in the employment space. As President of Employment Solutions, he helped engineer one of the most successful regional staffing expansions in the country, growing the firm from a single location in upstate New York to a multi-state powerhouse operating in 28 states. As founder as well of Staffing Mastery, Dan brings a no-nonsense, high-impact approach to helping staffing firm leaders grow their teams, scale revenue, and systematize success. His passion lies in training salespeople to think strategically, lead with insight, and win market share—even in the most competitive or frozen economies. Dan also created the Staffing Dashboard, a powerful tool that provides staffing leaders with real-time business performance insights to make informed, data-driven decisions that drive growth and success. A recognized voice in the industry, Dan has coached hundreds of staffing professionals through workshops, playbooks, and performance coaching rooted in real-world results. He’s known for breaking down complex sales challenges into repeatable, scalable strategies—empowering firms to shift from reactive selling to proactive demand creation.  

Rachel Reed, a recruitment and sales automation expert, shares her insights on leveraging marketing automation in the staffing industry. She dispels the myth that automation is just about sending more emails, emphasizing the need for quality, intent-based communication. Discover how leading firms personalize client journeys and effectively segment their audience for better engagement. Rachel also reveals common pitfalls in automation strategies and practical examples of how to utilize tech tools for sales empowerment, enhancing both efficiency and outcomes.

Is the staffing industry at a breaking point—or on the verge of reinvention? In this episode of Take the Stage, presented by Haley Marketing, Brad Bialy, Tom Kosnik and David Searns dive deep into the staffing industry trends that are reshaping recruiting in 2025. From AI disruption and automation to nearshoring, changing buyer behavior, and economic decoupling, this isn’t a slump—it's the perfect storm.   Inside the episode: ✔️ External market forces crushing old staffing models ✔️ How independent contractors and platforms like Upwork are shifting client preferences ✔️ Why staffing firms must transition from job-fillers to strategic human capital advisors ✔️ Action steps for small-to-mid-sized firms to survive—and lead—through transformation ✔️ If you’re still waiting for things to “go back to normal,” this episode is your wake-up call.   About the Speakers Brad Bialy is host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the leading podcast for the staffing industry, presented by Haley Marketing. He has a deep passion for helping staffing and recruiting firms achieve their business objectives through strategic digital marketing. For over a decade, Brad has developed a proven track record of motivating and educating staffing industry professionals at over 100 industry-specific conferences and webinars. Brad has helped guide the comprehensive marketing strategy of more than 300 staffing and recruiting firms, making him a sought-after expert and speaker in the industry. David Searns is co-CEO of Haley Marketing, a digital and recruitment marketing, branded content, and web design firm that works with more than 1,200 staffing and search firms throughout the world. For nearly 30 years, the team at Haley Marketing has helped staffing firms to stand out from the competition, improve recruiting response, increase sales productivity, and stay top-of-mind with employers and job seekers. Tom Kosnik, founder and president of the Visus Group is one of the staffing industry’s leading experts in organizational design, profitability improvement and work culture transformation. With a commitment to empowering staffing firms with the knowledge and tools to help business owners increase the value of their enterprise asset by helping them grow their business. Tom has coached and consulted hundreds of staffing executives throughout North America using his empirical based “Organizational Development Business Model” (ODBM). Most notably, Tom is the founder of the Presidents RoundTable, a nationwide leadership forum program strategically aimed at helping staffing professionals collaborate and solve industry challenges. With over 25 years of consulting experience in the staffing industry, Tom’s diverse array of services have helped numerous staffing firms across the country improve their operations and bottom lines.   Offers Heard in this Episode: 30 minutes of strategic marketing consultation with Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30 Special Offers! Our Best Savings of 2025: https://bit.ly/bialyoffer What if your back office fueled your growth instead of holding it back? TRICOM makes it happen! From payroll and billing to accounting and asset based lending, they clear the roadblocks and power your path forward. Your team gets paid, your cash flow stays steady and your business scales like never before. Visit https://www.TRICOM.com to learn more.

Why does happiness always feel one step away? If you’ve ever said, “I’ll be happy when…”—you’re on the hedonic treadmill, a psychological loop where success never quite leads to satisfaction. This episode reveals how to step off the treadmill and build happiness from within. On this episode of Take the Stage, presented by Haley Marketing, Brad Bialy sits down with happiness researcher Declan Edwards to challenge the centuries-old belief that happiness follows achievement. From positive psychology to emotional intelligence, they explore how cultivating human skills—like gratitude, boundary-setting, and awareness—creates a more sustainable, fulfilling life and career. This video should inspire you to explore gratitude practice and mindfulness techniques, especially in high-performance, tech-disrupted sectors like staffing and recruiting. Expect to Learn: What the hedonic treadmill is—and how to escape it Why most people chase success but never feel happy The power of human skills in an AI-driven economy How to practice presence and self-awareness The ripple effect of happiness at work and home Noteable Moments: 00:00 The Pursuit of Happiness: A Misunderstanding 02:50 Decoupling Happiness from Success 05:37 The Role of Human Skills in the Workforce 08:32 The Ripple Effect of Happiness 11:29 Navigating Workplace Emotions 14:24 Savoring Success and Happiness 19:15 The Practice of Happiness 27:00 Connection in a Remote World 31:14 The Future of Happiness 33:30 Declan's Journey and Insights   About the Speakers Brad Bialy is host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the leading podcast for the staffing industry, presented by Haley Marketing. He has a deep passion for helping staffing and recruiting firms achieve their business objectives through strategic digital marketing. For over a decade, Brad has developed a proven track record of motivating and educating staffing industry professionals at over 100 industry-specific conferences and webinars. As a visionary leader, Brad has helped guide the comprehensive marketing strategy of more than 300 staffing and recruiting firms. His keen eye for strategy and delivery has resulted in multiple industry award-winning social media campaigns, making him a sought-after expert and speaker in the industry. Declan Edwards is widely known as that happiness guy and as a thought leader in the space of positive psychology, employee experience, and personal development. As the founder of BU Happiness College, a social enterprise dedicated to helping individuals and organisations build the skills of happiness, Declan has built a strong personal brand by standing at the intersection of science, storytelling, and social impact. His work has shown that happiness is not a fluffy ideal, but a measurable and learnable skill that drives meaningful results in both life and leadership. Through intentional personal branding, Declan has not only elevated his own voice but used it to amplify a movement that is changing the way we think about success, leadership, and happiness in the modern world.