Weekly inspiration for the staffing industry

An open letter to the staffing industry.

This week, I’m once again taking over SMART IDEAS Weekly to share a story that started in the back of an Uber at 6:26am and finished on a plane at 10:24am.

I’m on my way to the airport after another trip to Denver, where I had the chance to connect with my friends at the Colorado Staffing Association (Official). The sun is rising, I’ve got a little road in front of me, and I’ve got something on my mind.

I was scrolling Twitter and a quote graphic from James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, popped up on my feed.

“Goals are for people who care about winning once. Systems are for people who care about winning repeatedly.”

That hit me. Hard.

We've all set goals. We've all set our eyes on something. Maybe it's more money in the bank. Losing 15 lbs. before a family vacation. We've all been there...

In business, staffing specifically, we love setting goals. Fill this many reqs. Make this many calls. Screen this many candidates. But let’s be honest...goals are fragile. They’re exciting in the moment, but if you don’t have a system to support them, they fall apart just as quickly.

James Clear goes further:

“If you want better results, then forget about setting goals. Focus on your system instead. Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.”

( Forget about setting goals. Focus on this instead.)

It's always crazy to me when ideas and methodologies pop up multiple times...as if the universe is trying to speak to me.

Yesterday, during my talk at the annual CSA conference, I shared what the best staffing firms are doing differently.

And, to be honest, it has everything to do with systems.

Goals vs. Systems: What’s the Difference?

Goals are outcomes. They’re the finish line. They give you direction and motivation. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with having them

...but systems?

Systems are the engine. They’re the habits, the routines, the processes that make progress inevitable. That make reaching your goal realistic..

Here’s a real-world example we’ve all seen: A friend decides they want to lose 20 pounds before a vacation.

They set a goal, buckle down, cut carbs, maybe hit the gym a little harder. Track their steps throughout the day and move in a way that leads to a caloric deficit and...they hit the number.

But what happens after the trip? Slowly but surely, old habits creep back in. Life gets busy and the weight comes back.

Why?

Because there was no system.

The goal was achieved, but the process wasn’t sustainable. And without a system, there’s no repeatable success.

Now think about how that plays out in staffing. You set a goal: place 25 candidates this quarter. You might even hit it. But what happens next quarter? Or the one after that?

If you don’t have a system in place that enables you to REPLICATE the success of the previous accomplishment...you’re right back to square one.

Why Goals Alone Don’t Work in Staffing

Here’s the reality: Staffing is a repeatable business.

Clients and candidates aren’t “one-and-done.” They require nurturing, trust, and multiple points of contact before they decide to work with you.

And this is where so many firms stumble. They chase the goal (fill this req, close this deal) without building an integrated marketing and sales system that generates predictable opportunities.

The danger? Your growth becomes hit-or-miss, feast or famine as Mark Whitby says.

You’ll have a strong quarter, then a weak one. You’ll land a big client, but struggle to replace them when the contract ends. Worse, you'll land a big client without a clear vision of how to land another one.

Without a system, your business is basically riding a roller coaster.

When things are good...they're really good. And when things are bad...well...we know how we've felt the last 3 years in staffing.

The best staffing firms don’t live like that. They don’t leave success up to chance. They engineer it.

What the Best Staffing Firms Do Differently

Yesterday I had the chance to take the stage and share some ideas and methodologies with my friends in Colorado. Here's a look at slide 17.

“Integrate Marketing and Sales. You’re not reaching your prospects enough.”

Think about that.

We know it takes 17 to 20 touches for a prospect to even fundamentally know you exist. Seventeen! But here’s the kicker: 90% of sales reps give up after the 4th attempt.

That means most firms are systematically falling short. You’re giving up before your prospects even recognize your name. You’re leaving deals on the table simply because you don’t have a system to stay top of mind.

The best firms, though? They’re different. They understand the math. They don’t rely on a rep to “remember” to follow up 15 times. They build marketing + sales systems that make those touches automatic, repeatable, and sustainable.

More, they don't leave sales to chance. They engineer a system that promotes success.

Marketing + Sales Integration as a System

This is where the magic happens.

When marketing and sales are aligned, you don’t just “try harder”. You don't reward your team for a call blitz once a month. You don't reward a random social post or MPC email. You create a system that works whether you’re personally grinding out cold calls or not.

Here’s how it looks in practice:

Marketing fuels sales.

The best staffing and recruiting firms deploy a comprehensive marketing strategy that is integrated with their sales system.

If sales reps are following a 10-step sales process, the marketing that surrounds those prospects is related and all-encompassing.

Ideas like pay-per-click advertising, marketing automation, a true social media marketing strategy (not just a ‘post-and-pray’ approach once a month), and an ongoing SEO strategy that attracts the right prospects to your website based on search behavior all work together to drive measurable results.

Sales fuels marketing.

Reps provide real-time feedback. They share objections, questions, and pain points from clients and candidates.

Marketing then creates content and collateral for the sales team that addresses those exact issues, making outreach even more powerful.

Those pain points are addressed in PPC ads and automation campaigns so that the messaging prospects see SPEAKS to them...They don't just see the message, they hear it and take action because of it.

The flywheel effect.

Marketing builds awareness. Sales builds connection. Together, they create momentum that compounds over time.

Suddenly, you’re not starting from scratch with every new prospect—you’re building on a foundation of consistent visibility and trust.

This is what systems look like. It’s not about one big campaign or one star rep. It’s about building a machine where marketing and sales work together to create repeatable, predictable outcomes.

How to Build Your Own System

So the big question: how do you move from goals to systems inside your staffing firm?

Here are a few practical steps:

1. Map the journey. Take a hard look at the candidate and client experience. From first touch to placement, what does the journey look like? Where are the gaps?
2. Document touchpoints. Don’t leave it to chance. Outline the emails, the calls, the LinkedIn posts, the check-ins. Get specific.
3. Automate where you can. You don’t need to manually send 20 touches per prospect. Use email marketing automation, CRM reminders and triggers, and give your sales reps the tools they need to know whom to reach out to...and when.
4. Train for consistency. Your team needs to understand that success isn’t about a single lucky close—it’s about sticking to the system. Train them to follow the process, not just chase the goal.
5. Measure and refine. Systems aren’t static. Review what’s working, where prospects drop off, and adjust. The best systems evolve.

When you shift from “what’s my quarterly goal?” to “what’s my repeatable process?”—everything changes.

Systems or Goals?

Let’s go back to James Clear one more time:

“Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.”

The truth is, your competitors are setting goals too. They’ve got numbers to hit, just like you. But the best staffing firms? They’re building systems. Systems that guarantee they don’t just win once, but win repeatedly.

So let me ask you: Which will you choose?

Will you keep chasing goals, only to find yourself starting over each quarter? Only to find yourself struggling to create repeatable success? Only to leave you scratching your head wondering why you can't quite figure out how to win in this economy?

Or will you invest in systems that allows your sales and recruiting teams to hit their targets, predictably, sustainably, and repeatedly?

Your audience...your clients, your candidates are waiting. They need you to show up consistently. They need you to build trust, not just set targets.

The best staffing firms already know this.

Now it’s your turn.