Marketing and fantasy football. On the surface, these two things may not seem like they are in the same plane of existence. I guess that’s true in that one is a very real thing while the other is essentially make-believe, but what I’ve found after years of doing both is that they both satisfy my love of strategic challenges and understanding of consumer psychology and behaviors. So, when I was asked to do an end-of-summer blog — the time when fantasy football seasons are starting — I saw the opportunity to share some of the key marketing principles and lessons that I have applied to fantasy football over the years. Here are just a couple ways that thinking like a marketer can help you dominate your fantasy football league:

Avoid the Sunk-Cost Fallacy

In both marketing and fantasy football, the sunk-cost fallacy can lead to poor decisions. This phenomenon occurs when people continue investing in something just because they’ve already put resources into it. In fantasy football, this might mean holding onto a high draft pick who’s underperforming. But the smart move is recognizing when to let go. If you notice this fallacy playing out with one of your opponents, you can turn it to your advantage, like offering a trade that seems to add value to their struggling pick. It’s a strategy marketers commonly use to upsell customers who have already committed to a purchase, like when you order a pizza online and then get an offer at checkout to add dessert and drink for a few dollars more. It works at the point of sale, and it can work for your fantasy trades, too.

Leveraging Brand Bias

Brand bias is when consumers prefer one brand over another due to emotional or psychological connections. In fantasy football, this translates to managers who have a clear preference for certain types of players. By understanding these biases, you can predict their draft choices or use their favorite types of players as leverage in trades, much like how a marketer would use brand loyalty metrics or buyer personas to help predict consumer behavior. This is helpful when you know that other league members like to draft high-upside guys, like speedy wide receivers or value the point advantages of taking elite tight ends early. These are markers for brand bias that you can use to snag the players you want ahead of league mates during fantasy drafts.

Researching the Competition

Which brings us to researching your competition. Just as marketers analyze competitors to gain an edge, fantasy football managers must research their opponents. Understanding your league mates’ tendencies allows you to anticipate their moves and adjust your strategy. In marketing, finding gaps in the competition’s offerings can lead to new opportunities — just as spotting weaknesses in your opponents’ strategies can give you an advantage in your fantasy league.

Using KPIs to Make Decisions

In marketing, we rely on key performance indicators (KPIs) to guide our strategies. The same logic applies in fantasy football. Your league’s scoring rules should help you make informed decisions. For instance, if one quarterback is on a hot streak but facing a tough defense, while another has been cold but is up against a weak opponent, you need to analyze the data to decide who to start to give you the best chance to score. This mirrors how marketers use data to forecast outcomes and make strategic decisions with media spends and direct marketing tactics.

These are just a few basic marketing lessons that can help you gain a competitive advantage in your fantasy league. But just like in marketing, the more you pay attention to the trends and watch the way markets move, the more likely you are to have success in fantasy football. Start putting these principles to use this year and before you know it, you won’t just be playing fantasy football — you’ll be mastering it.

Good luck to all my fellow fantasy footballers out there.

If you are reading this blog post, you probably understand the pivotal role that a seamless application process plays in attracting and retaining top talent. Today, we’ll delve into the importance of simplifying the application process, particularly on mobile devices, and explore strategies to enhance the experience for both candidates and your recruitment team.

Mobile Matters

In an era where mobile devices dominate, it’s essential to acknowledge that most job seekers conduct their searches on handheld devices. Have you ever attempted to navigate your applicant tracking system (ATS) on a mobile device? If so, you’ve likely experienced the challenges that an intricate process can pose. Recognizing the prevalence of mobile job searches (60–70% of visitors to most sites AB&C maintains), you must ensure that your application process is optimized for mobile users. A user-friendly interface that is quick and easy to use on a handheld device is not just a convenience but a necessity in attracting a diverse range of candidates.

Alternative Calls to Action

For roles that are harder to fill and could benefit from a more human touch to the application process, consider implementing alternative calls to action. Provide a quick and straightforward method for candidates to express their interest. This initial step is not a substitute for the comprehensive application process but serves as a strategic starting point. Empower your recruitment team to take the lead in guiding candidates through the application process. By offering personalized assistance, recruiters can address concerns, provide clarity, and ensure that candidates feel supported at every stage. For positions with too many candidates, leave the full ATS application process in place.

Efficiency in Recruitment

Simplifying the application process is not about shortcuts but about efficiency. A streamlined process not only enhances the candidate experience but also enables our recruiters to focus on doing what they do best: ensuring that the right candidates progress through the hiring pipeline smoothly. Minimize the number of fields in your forms. Only ask for the bare minimum info your team will need for effective follow-up.

A Candidate-centric Approach

Ultimately, simplifying the application process is a testament to your commitment to job seekers. It’s about respecting their time, acknowledging their preferences, and fostering a positive impression of your organization from the very first interaction. By simplifying the application process, you not only enhance the candidate experience but also position yourselves as an employer of choice.

I hear you.
I understand.
I’ve got your back.

When it feels like nobody gets you, can relate or extend a helping hand, it’s isolating. However, heartfelt and simple words like the above from another person can make a real difference.

Having an ally—a person who uses their own influence and makes a conscious effort to help another who is facing an adversity—is powerful. That power comes from knowing you are supported. It builds confidence that can be transformational and sow greatness, especially at work.

Building allyship between colleagues can only stem from an established foundation of mutual respect. In recent years, we’ve seen increased and purposeful efforts across organizations do just that through diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) programs. A recent Pew Research report noted that while there were marked differences by race, ethnicity and age to survey questions about the influence of these programs, 72% of workers confirmed that DEIB-related policies and resources have had a positive impact where they work. Often, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) play a very important role in that success as do the allies that support and advocate for them.

Inclusion and allyship go hand in hand. How else can the often-stated claim from organizations that employees can be their true selves at work ring true without a culture that extends a safety net for open conversations and active listening?

Microsoft has had an allyship program in place since 2020 and I particularly like how they describe it as a different kind of diversity program “inspiring people to be better allies—and be OK with making mistakes.” The stated goal of the program is to provide their team with the language they need to discuss different viewpoints and difficult things inclusively and with empathy. It’s a noble one and bound to be imperfect. And that’s even with a two-year runway to develop it with a team of neuroscientists. People will unquestionably make mistakes but that’s no reason to not encourage allyship.

Making progress rather than perfection can be a very achievable goal. Efforts can start by communicating some of the basics on how to be an ally like these:

Always be curious. Take the time to learn about cultures, experiences and identities that are different from your own. By gaining a deeper understanding, you’ll deepen your empathy for others. Even more so, this type of education will also help ensure that well-intentioned, but out-of-touch communication misfires can be avoided.

Don’t stay silent. Speak up when your microagression radar pings. And use that opportunity not just to correct, but to explain why some words are truly harmful.

Be the change. Actions speak, so think about ways to actively show support for DEIB and ERG initiatives or offer mentorships to underrepresented employees in an impactful way.

The investment in fostering a more equitable work environment is important. Think of the appreciation for that investment from employees who genuinely need more people in their corner. Plus, it is an investment in creating a more empathetic and engaging culture.

A 2023 study by the Harvard Business Review indicated that organizations that integrated allyship into their core values and provided ongoing training saw a 34% increase in employee engagement. By incorporating the stories of allies into your employer brand activations and advocacy program, you can reinforce to each other, as well as prospective employees, that you’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. These stories add authenticity and depth to your messaging, demonstrating that your organization isn’t just talking the talk—you’re walking the walk.

The below tips are geared primarily toward Indeed since it is the #1 job site in the world, but they can also be helpful for other sites that list your open positions.

Although Indeed does have a page mentioning job titles, they do not offer any real details. The list at the bottom of the page may provide some helpful terminology for you to use in your job titles and possibly increase the chance of your listing showing up in job search results. However, the list is not all-inclusive and you may not find one appropriate to your opening or needs.

The following guidelines are ones you should consider in writing job titles for Indeed and possibly other sites. Additionally, I have included a couple items to avoid violating Indeed’s guidelines, which could result in your position or positions being delisted on their site.

1. First and foremost, make sure everything is spelled correctly. If a job title is misspelled, it may not come up in job seeker searches.
2. If possible, try to keep the number of characters (including spaces) for the job title to 35 and under. If you need a longer job title, that’s fine but it should still be under 60 characters. Indeed allows more, but the more characters you use, the less information is visible in search results, especially in mobile searches.
   • Tip #1: You can use “&” instead of “and” if your job title is getting long.
   • Tip #2: It is acceptable to use “Sr.” or “Sr” as a substitute for “Senior” to keep the number of characters down.
3. Keep a job title to the basics, like “Customer Service Representative” or “Cardiac Sonographer.” If the position is one where a discipline is important, include that as well, e.g., “Registered Nurse, Medical/Surgical.” Nursing positions (and others like them) can cover a wide range of speciaties so this may be necessary.
4. Make sure any terms in the job title are terms the job seeker would use as a search term or would get the results you aim for. For example, while “ASU” may have meaning to the job poster, 1. It’s likely to bring in job types totally unrelated to yours and 2. It is not a search term most job seekers would use.
5. Avoid using abbreviations except for the common industry-recognized abbreviations. A job seeker may use the search term “RN” but is much less likely to search using “Mgr.”
6. You may also use the abbreviation in addition to the full term (e.g., Registered Nurse, RN), provided it does not make the job title too long. However, in many cases like this RN example, you shouldn’t need to include it with “Registered Nurse.” The algorithm likely knows to incorporate “RN” in the job seeker’s search and/or that term may be used in the job description.
7. No locations (e.g., Wilmington, DE) should be in the job title. This information is obtained and used elsewhere by Indeed and only adds unnecessary length to your job title.
8. You should avoid including schedule information like “Full Time,” “Part Time,” “PRN” and “Per Diem” in the job title field. Indeed has a separate field for the schedule and should be obtaining the required information from the jobs feed or scrape of your site. On a practical level, job seekers are also less likely to click on a job that is listed as “Per Diem” or “PRN.”
9. Indeed frowns upon detailed shift information (e.g., 9am-5pm) in the job title field. Indeed prefers that this information is listed in the job description field.
10. Typically, Indeed does not allow you to put sign-on and retention bonuses in the job title field unless you sponsor the listing. Please consult with your account manager and possibly also your Indeed representative to clarify the policy.
11. Similar to the previous item, Indeed generally does not allow you to include “remote” in the job title field. That designation should be mentioned in the job description and possibly in the location field in your ATS, if applicable. According to Indeed, their system should automatically assign a remote designation if these steps are followed. If that is not happening or you have questions about the procedure, please contact your account manager and/or Indeed representative.
12. Remember that your job titles are not set in stone. If you are not receiving the number or types of candidates you seek, you can revise and update your job title field for the job aggregators.

At its most basic, your job title should be short, simple and concise. You won’t be able to do that in every situation, especially for jobs that need to specify a discipline, but keeping that in mind should prevent you from writing overly long and thus ineffective job titles.

Download a handy PDF cheat sheet:

You’re creative, you really are. Creativity isn’t reserved for painters or musicians alone. It doesn’t even require talent. Just like learning to play the piano or throw a curveball, creativity is a skill that anyone can develop. It’s simply about finding your voice and doing things that improve upon what you’re already doing. Creativity plays an integral role in recruitment. Here are three ways to tap into your creative side:  

#1 – Practice the power of storytelling.

Since the dawn of humanity, storytelling has been central to culture. Our ancestors gathered around campfires, weaving tales without scripts, screens or props. Because you can’t just hard-pitch opportunities these days, storytelling is a powerful tool for recruitment. Humans are wired to consume and communicate via stories, and storytelling can create a candidate experience that converts. It can also help your team shine. Why would someone want to work for your company? You have a story. Tell it.

“It doesn’t matter what you know, what you have or what you need if you can’t convey it to anyone else. When you tell your organization’s story, you set the scene for candidates to ‘see’ their place in it — and your conversations are suddenly more relatable.”
– James Whittaker, author and host of the Win the Day podcast.

#2 – Craft creative job descriptions that focus on the candidate.  

Potential candidates want to visualize a career with your organization, so you need to set the scene by writing job descriptions focused on them. Exclude jargon. Skip anything generic or vague. Instead, focus on what makes your organization and opportunity unique. Start with the standout stuff like a sign-on bonus and anything that sells balance and quality of life. Are you offering flexible hours or remote work opportunities? Do you have a unique strategy for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB)?

A creative, well-written job description will attract the talent you want and discourage those you don’t. Describing what candidates can learn, do and become if they come to work for you will help them understand why they want to work for you.

#3 – Attract candidates who enhance your company culture.

Still trying to attract candidates who are a “cultural fit?” Some critics say that is like hiring people you’d like to have a beer with. This can lead to a homogenous culture that lacks diversity. In truth, you want to attract people who are a “culture add” — those who add to or enhance the culture you’re building. That takes creativity.

Your company culture is the “X factor” that sets you apart. So, what is it about your organization and job that makes it attractive? What’s in it for the candidate? Your culture, like your employee value proposition (EVP), is felt every single day. Your culture is synergistic. By using creative ways to attract people with unique interests, values, communication styles, etc. — those who enhance and elevate your culture — the quality of your talent will get better and better. You’re likely to keep employees longer, too.

Embracing creativity in recruitment isn’t just a strategy; it’s a necessity. So, tap into your creative side. The compelling stories you tell — and the unique culture you cultivate — will resonate with candidates, making your organization a place where they can envision their future.

We’re passionate about helping our clients recruit and retain top talent, and it all starts with a conversation. Let’s talk. 

We’re spending more than ever! Why aren’t we getting applications?

Over the past 2–3 years, I’ve heard the same thing from just about every client we work with: “Our job postings aren’t getting the candidates they used to provide.” Budgets are climbing rapidly, sometimes doubling, just to get the same number of candidates clients would have received a year ago. The worst part? Not knowing if this is a trend or our new reality (I’m leaning towards the latter).

As I look back over my career, this all seems very familiar. It started years ago, when classified advertising in the back of newspapers was the king of talent attraction (yes, I’m old). You’d receive your weekend paper and there were hundreds of local jobs to sort through as you tried to find the right position to email (or fax, again, I’m old) your resume. Like what we are seeing today, these channels became oversaturated, the candidate experience was challenging, and it gave rise to job boards like CareerBuilder, Monster and others. For hard-to-fill roles, we’ve seen the same trend in direct mail and email. It worked early, but eventually everyone started doing it and now the ROI has fallen to a point that makes these marketing tactics almost impossible to recommend.

So … what’s next? What’s the answer? How can you combat these diminishing returns?

If your job postings are yielding fewer results, it’s time to rethink your strategy. Here are five tips to enhance your recruitment efforts creatively and proactively:

1. Revamp your career site. Enhance your candidate experience by ensuring seamless navigation and a clean, attractive design. A well-designed career site reflects your brand positively and can significantly improve candidate experience, making it easier for potential applicants to find and apply for jobs. The key is to refine your candidate pathway to make it as simple as possible to:
   • Find the role they are seeking (candidate experience matters).
   • Learn about the opportunity and the organization (a strong employer brand can help reduce your cost-per-hire by 50%, and increase the number of qualified applicants by another 50% – LinkedIn!).
   • Complete an application (make sure this can happen in less than 15 minutes).
2. Leverage employee advocacy. Encourage your employees to share their experiences and job openings on social media. Authentic testimonials and stories, both written and in video, from current employees can attract high-quality candidates by providing a genuine glimpse into your organization. With younger generations not trusting advertising, yet finding tremendous value in reviews, this is your way to provide real-life reviews of your mission, vision, culture and values. They may not trust the message when it comes off as a sales pitch, but when they hear it from someone they know, or from someone who is in the role they are hoping to be hired into, it matters.
3. Implement proactive recruitment strategies. Start building a talent pipeline by strategically identifying and engaging with potential candidates you know you will need now and well into the future. Use networking events, industry conferences and social media to connect with professionals who might fit your needs. Build awareness now to attract talent in the future—and the word ATTRACT is the key. Using this approach helps us to stop spending reactively and replaces these efforts with a long-term goal of attracting talent that has heard of your organization and is looking forward to their future as part of your team.
4. Use targeted content marketing. Create valuable content that appeals to your ideal candidates. Blog posts, videos and social media content that showcase your company’s personality, culture and values can attract passive candidates who align with your organization’s mission and vision. This approach showcases your thinking and approach to your industry and can provide exciting views into your organization that candidates can’t otherwise find. It also can provide some of your best advocates with a voice and avenue to deliver messages on what they see as most valuable within their career and your organization.
5. Get creative. When others continue to zig, it’s time for you to zag. What’s that Egon Spengler said (again, I’m old)? Print is dead. While old, stale postcards and letters are getting poor results, 3D mailers delivered as a package are still getting great responses. After all, who doesn’t love getting a package that needs opening in the mail? The key: keep it unexpected and positive. Relate it to the role you are trying to fill and refine your target audience. What’s not working the way it used to, and what can you do to change perspectives on that channel? Have you thought about rolling out the red carpet to candidates who have been referred by employees? What would that look like today? Potentially a website built just for them where they can easily find the role they are looking for, and, because they are a referral, an abbreviated application process and guaranteed first-round phone interview with a recruiter. It’s time to think differently and to approach our challenges with creativity.

By employing these strategies, you can rejuvenate your recruitment efforts, attract a higher quality of candidates, and fill positions more efficiently. And, if you need help in any of these areas, AB&C is here to help. Just give us a call (or email, text or … send us a really creative 3D mailer). We’re all about great strategy, creative approaches and most of all, improving your hiring ROI.

Oversee the digital media team’s SEM – develop and manage paid media campaigns that meet objectives and business goals. This person will lead SEM efforts at AB&C and must have hands-on experience managing a high volume of business.Read full post...

AB&C needs a Digital Media Analyst to report and analyze our paid digital media campaigns. This person provides regular reports and insightful analysis for all digital media tactics including paid search, programmatic display, video and paid social. If that sounds like you, then consider joining our digital media team that handles a wide variety of interesting accounts. You need deep, hands-on knowledge of Google Analytics 4 and the ability to analyze and interpret all aspects of paid media campaigns, create polished, actionable dashboards and reports for external publication and the ability to present a narrative to clients.
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As a recruiter, your job descriptions are so much more than hiring announcements or qualification requirements. They’re the first point of contact between your company and a potential candidate. By incorporating inclusive language into your job description, you can create a compelling and genuinely welcoming posting that gets better results. Here’s why:

1. You’ll attract diverse candidates. Crafting language that is inclusive communicates to applicants from all backgrounds that your company is committed to diversity and inclusivity. You can attract more applicants and build a more varied talent pool by showcasing cultural competencies.
2. You’ll reduce bias. Using inclusive language in job descriptions can assist in removing bias, which may unintentionally discourage members of particular groups from applying. Words and phrases that are gendered, age-specific or culturally biased can alienate qualified candidates and perpetuate systemic inequalities. Some common instances of unconscious bias may include gender bias (feminine and masculine-coded words), age bias (using words like “digital native” or “seasoned professional”), socioeconomic bias (overemphasizing educational requirements) and racial and ethnic bias (overemphasizing “cultural fit”).
3. You’ll promote organizational values. Adopting inclusive language shows that your company values diversity, equity and inclusion. According to an article from Indeed, “Inclusive job descriptions allow you to make a positive impression and send a message that you truly welcome people from all genders, races, religions, abilities and sexual orientations to apply.”
4. You’ll help to improve employee retention. The hiring process is the first step in establishing an inclusive workplace. Employers can foster an inclusive culture and increase employee satisfaction and retention rates among diverse talent by utilizing inclusive language in job postings. Author Matt Tenney writes, “Diverse team members can bring a variety of diverse perspectives that boost creativity and problem-solving efforts, which can improve performance and help all team members engage more with their work. High engagement is conducive to high retention.”
5. You’ll be legally compliant. Using inclusive language is required by law in many places, making it more than just a matter of good practice. Businesses may be subject to legal risks and potential discrimination lawsuits if job advertising contains discriminatory wording.

By using inclusive language, you elevate your recruitment communications. Instead of telling the world that you’re “hiring qualified candidates,” create a more welcoming and inclusive tone by saying, “welcoming talented individuals.”

If you’re curious to see how well you’re using inclusive language already, get a free assessment from our team.

In the increasingly competitive and dynamic realm of talent acquisition, the job description stands as the initial handshake between your organization and potential candidates. Beyond listing responsibilities and qualifications, it serves as a powerful tool to entice, engage, and connect with prospective talent. Let’s dive into seven key elements to writing effective job descriptions that go beyond the ordinary and resonate with candidates on a deeper level.

1. Create a Vision for Candidates: Job descriptions often fall into the trap of simply listing requirements and responsibilities. Instead, envision the job description as an invitation to a potential career journey. Go beyond the basics and paint a vivid and authentic picture of the role, the team, and the impact it has on the organization. Communicate the organization’s employment culture and back it up with proof points such as employee stories, awards you’ve won, or unique ways the organization provides for team members.
2. Speak the Candidate’s Language: Avoid industry jargon and internal language that might be confusing to candidates. Use clear, straightforward language that resonates with your target audience. Imagine you are explaining the role to someone outside your industry. This ensures accessibility and feels more inclusive.
3. Table Stakes: Salary, Benefits, and Hours: While these are essential components, don’t merely treat them as checkmarks. Present them as value propositions. Clearly outline the competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and flexible work hours, emphasizing your commitment to supporting work/life balance. With new laws coming online, accurate salary ranges are becoming mandatory requirements.
4. Go Beyond Incentives: Distinguish your job description by showcasing additional perks. Highlight how candidates will be able to make a difference, as well as sign-on bonuses, remote or hybrid work opportunities, and any unique quality-of-life offerings. These incentives not only attract attention but also convey a commitment to employee well-being.
5. Embrace Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB): Incorporate DEIB content into your job descriptions. Highlight your organization’s genuine commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Showcase ongoing initiatives, programs, and support networks that contribute to creating a sense of belonging for every employee.
6. Remote and Hybrid Opportunities: In today’s evolving work landscape, remote and hybrid work options have become expected. Clearly communicate your organization’s stance on these possibilities, providing transparency and flexibility that resonate with the modern workforce.
7. Tell a Story: Go beyond the bullet points. Use storytelling techniques to create an engaging narrative about the role and your company culture. Do you have employee testimonials? Share them so prospective employees can hear from individuals with whom they can relate. Help candidates visualize their place within your organization with video job descriptions that are not overly polished and produced to foster a sense of connection and belonging.

By going beyond the basics, speaking the candidate’s language, and showcasing the unique aspects of your organization, you transform a routine task into a powerful tool for talent attraction and engagement. In a world where talent is sought after, the job description becomes your first chance to stand out, make an impression, and cultivate meaningful connections.

In today’s competitive job market, where we are still seeing an unemployment rate lower than 4%, attracting and retaining top talent is becoming a top concern for organizations looking to thrive and grow.

The research is in, and employee advocacy is more important than ever. Both Millennials and Gen Z have a significant distrust of advertising, but they trust and appreciate reviews. As organizations strive for future hiring success, one key aspect that can set yours apart is a workplace culture that employees are so proud to be part of they naturally want to spread the word. A positive and inclusive culture not only boosts employee morale but also fosters employee advocacy. When your team is proud to be a part of your organization, they become powerful advocates, helping attract new talent and enhancing your brand. Sounds great, right? But how do you get there?

Start by taking a closer look at your culture and focus on providing the resources that will help strengthen employee advocacy. Here are 10 tips to guide you:

Tip 1 – Define Your Core Values:

Clearly articulate and communicate your organization’s core values. Make sure employees understand how these values guide decision-making and shape the company’s identity. More importantly, help your team members understand exactly how they, and the work they do, align with these values. When there’s alignment, your team is more likely to become passionate advocates for your brand.

Tip 2 – Invest in Employee Development:

Today, employees want to know there are professional development and growth opportunities. They want to know their employers see value in their professional growth and are offering continuous learning opportunities and professional development programs. When employees feel an organization is invested in their growth they are more likely to be engaged, and engaged employees 2.5x more likely to advocate for their company. While a LOT of companies provide these options for their team, this is an opportunity to put a spotlight on how your offerings differ, just as importantly, celebrate our team members’ success when they achieve their development goals.

Tip 3 – Ask Hard Questions:

We all know some of the things that help to create a positive work environment: encouraging open communication, celebrating achievements, and addressing concerns promptly. But do we understand where we stand honestly in these critical areas of importance? Sometimes getting to the truth of a situation requires asking team members the hard questions, like “Where are we falling short of your expectations?” or “Have you ever referred a friend or colleague for employment?” Asking the right questions, being honest about what was heard, and communicating how the organization is willing to change will build loyalty and a sense of being heard, leading to advocacy.

Tip 4 – Recognition and Rewards Programs:

We know the importance and value associated with employees who feel valued at work. Employees who are recognized for their achievements are significantly more engaged and are motivated to do their best. As we take the time to congratulate and thank our teams and to acknowledge their contributions, they will take the time to advocate on behalf of the team that sees their value. The amazing thing? It doesn’t always have to be a financial reward or a big announcement. For example, here at Aloysius Butler & Clark, one of our most popular Zoom channels is the “Kudos” chat. It’s where we celebrate and recognize one another, letting our fellow team members know their contributions are seen and appreciated. A culture of appreciation is a culture that team members are willing to advocate for.

Tip 5 – Encourage Employee Feedback:

Providing opportunities for employees to provide suggestions and insights is an important factor in them feeling heard. Establish channels for regular feedback from employees. Gen Z and Millennials have grown up receiving real-time feedback on their activities, such as video games that provide immediate rewards for specific activities or sharing information on their social platforms and receiving comments or likes. Actively listen to their suggestions and concerns and demonstrate a commitment to improvement. When employees see their input making a difference, they become more invested in the success of the organization.

Tip 6 – Promote Work-Life Balance:

If we want team members to value the organization, then the organization needs to value the things that are important to them. It is becoming clear that a top priority for employees is work-life balance. It’s critically important that we support work-life balance initiatives to ensure employees can maintain a healthy equilibrium between professional and personal life. It’s not enough to just approve vacation requests. We need to monitor our teams and address issues of people pushing too hard and potentially burning out. We need to encourage turning off email and telling team members you won’t be available when you are on vacation or after hours. This demonstrates a commitment to employee well-being, fostering a positive culture.

Tip 7 – Provide Opportunities for Social Interaction:

Foster social interactions within the organization through team-building activities, events, and community service projects. Positive relationships among employees contribute to a strong sense of camaraderie and community. Did your team gather and work on a community benefit project? Great! Thank team members for being involved and share the photos and/or videos! Encourage them to share their thoughts on why the event was so important to them through their own social channels. If we want team members to advocate on our behalf and to share our great work culture, be sure to provide them with the support to do it.

Tip 8 – Flexible Work Options:

Offer flexible work arrangements when possible. This could include remote work options or flexible hours. Sometimes it’s as easy as allowing a team member to start their day an hour earlier so they can leave to watch their child’s recital or sporting event. It may be allowing a team member to use sick time to take a parent or loved one to a doctor’s appointment. Providing flexibility shows trust in your employees and demonstrates you value their contributions enough to work around the things in their life that are important to them. When employees feel valued, they in turn see value in the organization.

Tip 9 – Transparent Communication:

Honesty and transparency matter. No one likes to feel like information is being withheld or that they can’t trust the leadership of an organization. Maintaining transparency about company goals, challenges, and successes is critical. When employees are informed and feel connected to the company’s vision, they are more likely to push to help resolve challenges and to understand when difficult decisions are having to be made. According to Bill Higgs, “All problems are communication problems.” While sometimes news is harder to provide and may require more perspective on what it means, having a culture where employees can trust what is being communicated is a big win.

Tip 10 – Support Employee Well-being:

Prioritize employee well-being by offering wellness programs, mental health resources, and other initiatives that promote a healthy work-life balance. We’ve all been through a lot over the past several years—COVID-19, heightened political tensions, terror threats, rising tensions associated with social injustice, etc. It’s never been more important for team members to feel supported through these and future challenges.

I get it, that’s a LOT to focus on and all these elements are critically important to building a culture that employees would want to advocate on behalf of. But the most important thing is the first step. What are the quick wins that you and your team can influence and get started on right away? Take the first step … and communicate it. Hold yourself accountable to your team and start down the path. Employee advocacy is a powerful tool in attracting and retaining top talent, ultimately contributing to the long-term success of the business. It’s worth the investment.

Agency’s advertising and PR excellence recognized with a platinum award for best overall campaign, plus three gold and two bronze awards.

WILMINGTON, Del. (June 13, 2024) — Aloysius Butler & Clark (AB&C), one of the largest independent full-service marketing communications agencies in the region, recently received a total of six recognitions—including the highest honor of a platinum award for best overall campaign—at the 2024 Mid-Atlantic Society for Healthcare Strategy and Marketing Development (MASHSMD) awards for marketing excellence. In addition to the platinum prize, which was awarded for the agency’s “Big Energy” campaign for Phoenix Children’s, AB&C brought home gold and bronze awards for other work created for Phoenix Children’s as well as for campaigns for AtlantiCare and Grand View Health.

Each year, the MASHSMD awards recognize the creativity, strategic innovation and impactful contributions of healthcare marketing professionals and organizations across the mid-Atlantic region, advancing the MASHSMD mission to support healthcare marketing professionals in their efforts to improve healthcare outcomes and promote health and wellness.

“Our Big Energy campaign resulted from the ‘big trust’ that exists between Phoenix Children’s and AB&C,” said Steve Merino, AB&C’s chief creative officer. “They are a bold organization that wanted their marketing to reflect that. When we recommended having world-class physicians dance on camera, we knew it was a big ask, but our relationship—that trust we have—moved things forward. The results speak for themselves.”

AB&C has earned a number of MASHSMD marketing excellence awards over the years, including four in 2023. The awards earned in 2024 demonstrate the diversity of AB&C’s strategic and creative capabilities, as well as the agency’s ability to deliver results in advertising and public relations. AB&C’s honors for 2024 are as follows:

Platinum Award for Best Overall Campaign: Phoenix Children’s “Big Energy” brand campaign. Recognized as an outstanding campaign that demonstrated exceptional creativity and impact, earning well-deserved recognition.

Gold, Integrated Marketing: AtlantiCare American Heart Month campaign. The campaign connected with 2.5 million people through 21 media placements, significantly boosting website traffic and cementing AtlantiCare’s position as a leader in cardiac services.

Gold, Public Relations and Communications: AtlantiCare Cancer Awareness campaign. The campaign raised awareness of cancer care services through compelling patient stories and expert interviews, featured in major media outlets across New Jersey.

Bronze, Public Relations and Communications: Phoenix Children’s Annual Report. Highlighting growth and innovation, the annual report reinforced Phoenix Children’s commitment to a healthier future for children and families.

Bronze, Advertising: Grand View Health “Spine Care That’s Ahead of the Curve” campaign. The campaign achieved over 1.5 million impressions and a high click-through rate in its first month.

Gold, Branding Design and Visuals: Phoenix Children’s “Big Energy” campaign. This campaign delivered an impressive number of impressions, solidifying Phoenix Children’s as a premier pediatric health system.

About AB&C

Aloysius Butler & Clark (AB&C) is one of the largest independent full-service marketing communications agencies on the East Coast and one of Adweek’s 50 “Top Shops” in America. With offices in Wilmington, Delaware, and Philadelphia and Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, AB&C has played a significant role in the industry for over 50 years. Established in business-to-business and consumer marketing, the agency brings creative intelligence to local, regional, national and international accounts in a variety of industries.

A careers site is vital to a quality candidate experience. As we established in our previous post, Harnessing SEO and SEM to Showcase Your Job Opportunities, most referral sources will push candidates directly to a job description. If that description is coming from your ATS, those candidates will miss any employment brand messaging, benefits info, and hiring events you have added to a careers section on your main site.

Job Description Pages That Convert

Since most candidates will enter through a job description page, it is vital that you put everything they might need right at their fingertips right from the start. How can a single page promote your entire employment value proposition (EVP)? Since there are limitless ways to improve on the standard ATS job description, here are some things AB&C includes on our clients’ job description pages in our HireControl career sites:

• A well-crafted job description that helps the candidate see themselves working for your organization (more on this in our next blog post).
• Easy Apply. Since we know that most candidates search on mobile devices and that a full application through the ATS is cumbersome on mobile (to say the least), give them an alternative, quick and easy way to express their interest.
• Promote relevant hiring events. Rather than hoping candidates will discover an event in their field, promote it right here where you know they will see it. But it must be relevant—don’t clutter the page with content that doesn’t directly relate to the opportunity.
• Contact info and a headshot for the recruiter who owns this requisition. While it may not be ideal for every organization, candidates want to know their application will be reviewed by a real person, not some soulless algorithm.
• Similar opportunities. Now you have them on your site. If the job they landed on wasn’t their dream job, you want to keep them from clicking the back button to another site that also includes your competition. Feeding a list of other options and providing an on-page search helps entice them to begin exploring the rest of your careers site.
• What sets you apart? Bring your EVP to life. Include videos or blogs of employee stories. Highlight sign-on bonuses, remote/hybrid opportunities, awards, DEIB initiatives, unique benefits, and anything else that might get them to hit that Apply button.

Campaign Landing Pages

Maximize the ROI of your online marketing campaigns by targeting job categories instead of specific positions. In this case, we know that everyone who clicks one of your ads will definitely wind up here. This allows you to develop more content related to the EVP for your organization and how it relates specifically to someone interested in the job category targeted by the campaign. The types of content outlined on the job details page section make great thought starters for what should appear here.

Other campaigns to consider for landing pages could include relocation efforts, expansion/new buildings, military outreach, and many more.

This landing page should have a general contact form to express interest to a recruiter, as well as a feed of all relevant jobs from the ATS, so the candidate can explore to find which opportunity is right for them.

Other Benefits of an Information-Rich Careers Site

• Manage events. Add events to your site with details and registration info. Promote them on specific relevant job detail pages.
• Working Here/Meet the Team. Create a section of the site where candidates can see some of their future coworkers and get a feel for your corporate culture.
• Benefits. From medical coverage to work/life balance, let them know what you have beyond basic compensation that makes your offering special.
• Quality of life. Especially if you are recruiting from other geographies, let candidates know what your area(s) have to offer.
• Talent community. Be sure to capture candidates that don’t see the right job for them on your current list.
• Application process. Job seekers want to know what to expect next after their application is submitted.

Agency’s work for seven clients brings home 22 honors in the nation’s largest healthcare advertising awards competition.

WILMINGTON, Del. (May 30, 2024) — Aloysius Butler & Clark (AB&C), one of the largest independent full-service marketing communications agencies in the region, was just awarded 22 honors in the 41st annual Healthcare Advertising Awards, the nation’s oldest and most recognized healthcare advertising competition. For the 2024 competition, AB&C’s 22 awards included a Best of Show—for outstanding creative execution, overall excellence and breakthrough advertising—as well as nine gold, five silver, three bronze and four merit awards. With this impressive total, the agency won the third-most awards of all entrants in the country—and the most of all entrants in the northeastern U.S.

We don’t enter shows to win awards. We do it to recognize our clients who are willing to take risks and create bold, breakthrough work,” said Steve Merino, AB&C’s chief creative officer. “But we’re more than a typical healthcare agency. Our team has worked inside some of the best health systems in the country. We combine their experience with our B2B and retail experience to make our healthcare work more effective. It’s an honor to see that our unique approach is working.”

Now in its 41st year, the Healthcare Advertising Awards celebrate advertising that has evolved to “rise above” in an increasingly complex and competitive industry. AB&C’s winning ads stood out from among more than 4,300 entries and were chosen by a national panel of judges. Ads were assessed on criteria that included creativity, quality, message effectiveness, consumer appeal, graphic design and overall impact. AB&C’s recognitions demonstrate the agency’s ability to deliver strong results across the diverse sectors that comprise today’s healthcare industry, creating award-winning work for healthcare clients in and outside the mid-Atlantic region, including the Delaware Division of Public Health, the City of Philadelphia and Phoenix Children’s.

Here’s a breakdown of AB&C’s 2024 Healthcare Advertising Awards:

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About AB&C

Aloysius Butler & Clark (AB&C) is one of the largest independent full-service marketing communications agencies on the East Coast and one of Adweek’s 50 “Top Shops” in America. With offices in Wilmington, Delaware, and Philadelphia and Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, AB&C has played a significant role in the industry for over 50 years. Established in business-to-business and consumer marketing, the agency brings creative intelligence to local, regional, national and international accounts in a variety of industries.

Millennials and Gen Z are at the forefront of a remarkable shift in consumer behavior. The traditional landscape of recruitment marketing now faces an unprecedented challenge from these generations, who exhibit a marked reluctance to blindly trust a job posting. 

These cohorts, born into a world saturated with marketing messages, have developed a keen eye for discerning authenticity from manipulation. They are embracing a new paradigm—one driven not by flashy ads but by the collective voice of reviews and user-generated content. 

Studies indicate that nearly 70% of Millennials and an even more staggering 85% of Gen Z distrust traditional advertising. They’re wary of glossy campaigns that seem more focused on selling than informing. 

This disillusionment stems from a desire for authenticity and transparency, qualities often found in peer-reviewed content rather than scripted promotions. It’s a generation that craves real experiences and values the opinions of their peers, seeking guidance from those who have tested and experienced an organization’s employment culture firsthand. 

What does all this mean? Your most powerful talent attraction messages just might come from your own employees … not your marketing department. 

Understanding Brand Ambassadors vs. Natural Advocates 

Brand ambassadors are typically organization-designated individuals whose role involves promoting and defending their company. They’re guided, prompted, and usually trained by marketing to “speak the language” of the organization. In the past, this was sufficient and was received positively. But, today, as Millennials and Gen Z become more aware, these “organizational mouthpieces” are quickly losing their influence and becoming less relevant.  

However, natural employment advocates are organic supporters who genuinely believe in their organization and willingly advocate on its behalf—without training, without prompting, and using their own voice. They come to their organization’s defense when they read a comment that is false or misrepresents what they know to be true. Employment brand advocates see the mission and vision of the organization as something that personally aligns with their values. And, to this end, when the company is criticized or spoken about unfairly, they stand up for their truth.  

Understanding this distinction is pivotal in recognizing the value of a naturally positive work culture. 

It’s getting harder to recruit, and advertising can’t be your only answer.  

With unemployment rates reaching 50+-year lows, the battle for talent is a top priority for leaders across all industries. According to DDIworld.com, “Rising to the top of the list of CEO concerns, retaining talent was the #1 concern identified by 59% of CEOs this year.”  

It’s never been more critical to identify and leverage every possible benefit when it comes to attracting and retaining talent. It’s time to focus on building an employment culture that encourages and empowers employee advocacy. 

What are the outcomes?

• Retention Rates and Employee Satisfaction
  Research consistently demonstrates that organizations with a positive culture enjoy higher retention rates and increased employee satisfaction. A welcoming environment fosters loyalty and dedication, reducing turnover and associated recruitment costs.

• Enhanced Productivity and Innovation
  A culture that nurtures positivity encourages creativity, collaboration, and innovation among employees. They feel more engaged, leading to higher productivity and a dynamic work atmosphere that fuels growth.

• Cost Savings in Recruitment and Training
  Reducing turnover through a positive culture not only provides savings on recruitment expenses, but also minimizes the need for extensive training for new hires. This translates into substantial cost savings for the organization.

• Impact on Revenue and Business Growth
  Studies indicate that companies with happy employees tend to outperform competitors. A positive culture correlates with increased customer satisfaction, thus boosting revenue and fostering sustainable growth. Need an example? In 2023, FastCompany.com reported, “A study by Alex Edmans found that companies with high levels of employee satisfaction tend to outperform their competitors in the long run. In fact, a portfolio of companies ranked in the top 10% by employee satisfaction outperformed those ranked in the bottom 10% by 2.3% to 3.8% per year in stock returns.” Simplified, happy employees equate to better financials.  

• Creating a Culture that Fosters Natural Advocacy
  Leadership plays a pivotal role in shaping an organization’s culture. Encouraging open communication, recognizing achievements, and prioritizing work-life balance are strategies that cultivate a culture where employees willingly advocate for their workplace. Additionally, it’s important for organizations to ask questions and to listen actively to their team members. In today’s work environment, it’s more important than ever to understand the values and purpose with which your team aligns. Explore opportunities for them to give back to the communities where they work. Provide options for them to contribute in meaningful ways. For example, taking part in pride celebrations, coaching a youth sports program, participating in volunteer days to celebrate Martin Luther King Day, etc. All of this adds up to a culture where employees feel valued, heard, and, most importantly, appreciated. 

How do you build an employee advocacy program from scratch? 

Strengthening an employment culture and building natural advocates doesn’t happen overnight. It takes planning, a willingness to listen and change, and time. But there has never been a better time to start developing this essential tool for recruitment and retention success. Are you ready to take the leap? In my next blog, I will share my top 10 tips for getting an advocacy program off the ground. 

We’re here to help guide you into a better recruitment future. Let’s talk.