On this week’s episode of Taking the Hire Road, Jeremy Reymer, founder of DriverReach, is joined by Simon Curtis, CEO of Career Driver as well as founder and director of Curtis Gabriel, a leading digital marketing agency based in the U.K.

Curtis took a circuitous path toward his present affiliation with the transportation industry, starting with sports marketing in university. But he quickly realized that the fundamentals of marketing in sports were equally applicable to all verticals.

Fundamental as they might be, however, these principles of marketing are not taken for granted by all.

One of Curtis’ early successes in the transportation industry came from a realization that hyperlocal marketing provided both better quality and cost-effectiveness than global ad campaigns, which tended to be generic by design.

Another assumption that Curtis challenges is the necessity of deception in marketing: “I will always try to educate customers to help them make decisions.” 

As it turns out, honesty breeds trust, and trust leads to success.

“I have had clients for over a decade,” he related, “which is virtually unheard of. Part of it comes down to our open-book policy, where people understand what they’re spending their money on.”

When it comes to recruitment, knowing exactly what you are spending your money on is all-important.

“The way to get the most bang for your buck,” Curtis stated, “is to split your efforts into each campaign — pay-per-click, job boards, etc. — and then look at the sources of your engagement.” 

Once you have a complete picture of your marketing spend and its efficacy, creative A/B testing comes into play. One job listing might invite more clicks, while another listing might see a higher conversion rate.

Different tactics work for different audiences, and so it is vital for recruitment efforts to be aligned with the right industry.

Curtis likens marketers to chefs with a full pantry of ingredients — that is, with the basic tools of advertising. Yet what makes a quality chef is not quality ingredients, but rather understanding individual recipes and making adjustments as needed.

Even so, having the right ingredients is still mandatory.

Before trying to increase hiring efforts, Curtis advises, make sure your house is in order. For instance, social media profiles should not be used solely to attract customers but also to interest would-be applicants.

These two efforts frequently go hand in hand. “Your employer brand will resonate with both customers and potential, as well as existing, employees,” Curtis notes.

Most of all, it is essential to embrace change in marketing efforts when change is needed. Technology is rapidly evolving while its adoption is increasing, so traditional campaigns often fall short of their goals.

“You don’t need it for the sake of it, but technology — when it pulls all of your efforts together and serves as a conduit — is paramount.”