SI Review: September 2011

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You Ask/We Answer

Old is Gold

Referrals No. 1 way staffing buyers find suppliers

When trying to find new business, what is the best way to be noticed by buyers of staffing services?

Dear Reader,

There are certainly a lot more ways to be noticed these days — especially with the growing popularity of social media. But it’s the old-fashioned ways that still stand out.

A survey of buyers by Staffing Industry Analysts found that many heard about their staffing suppliers through referrals from a colleague. In fact, the survey found that 74 percent of buyers found at least one of their suppliers through this method.

Coming in at a distant second were calls from salespeople. Forty-five percent of buyers said they heard about a staffing supplier that they ultimately used through this approach.

As for social media — regardless of how much it’s written about — only 4 percent of buyers cited this as how they discovered a staffing supplier. Still, it is gaining acceptance, and its use could grow.

Editors at SI Review

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