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Recruitment Agency Launch Programme · Stage 9 of 10
Win Clients & Build Your Pipeline
Switch on both sides of the marketplace — the clients with roles, and the candidates who fill them.
How long
Ongoing, weeks 5–13
You’ll have
First clients and a growing pipeline
Steps
5 steps
Resources
0 resources
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01 Step 01
Step 01
Build a target client list and reach out
Your first roles come from people who already trust you, then a deliberate list — not from waiting.
Do it yourself
- Start with your warm network in the niche.
- Build a target list of hiring companies.
- Run structured, genuine outreach — a specialist opens doors a generalist can’t.
Common mistake · Waiting for inbound instead of working a real target list.
TimeOngoing CostFree DifficultyMedium -
02 Step 02
Step 02
Get terms signed and take first roles
Terms of business are what make the fee enforceable — sign them before you work a role.
Do it yourself
- Get your terms of business signed up front.
- Take a first live role.
- Deliver fast — a quick clean placement beats a slow perfect one.
Common mistake · Working a role on trust, then finding the fee unenforceable.
TimeOngoing CostFree DifficultyMedium -
03 Step 03
Step 03
Start your candidate pipeline
The talent pool is your core asset — it compounds in value with every candidate.
Do it yourself
- Ask for referrals — your highest-quality source.
- Run job ads for live roles.
- Source on LinkedIn and add everyone worth keeping to the database.
Common mistake · Starting from scratch on every role instead of building a database that pays back.
TimeOngoing CostBoard/licence fees DifficultyMedium -
04 Step 04
Step 04
Run the placement loop
A tight submission-to-placement loop is how a small desk bills like a big one.
Do it yourself
- Submit a shortlist of genuinely matched candidates.
- Aim to place on roughly 4–6 quality submissions.
- Deliver a fast, strong first placement to earn the second role.
Common mistake · Spraying weak CVs and burning the client’s trust on role one.
TimeOngoing CostFree DifficultyHard -
05 Step 05
Step 05
Launch your marketing engine
A small, steady engine keeps enquiries coming without a big budget.
The marketing engine — content, email and outreach tooling — is something we build; the client conversations stay yours.Do it yourself
- Post founder and consultant content on LinkedIn.
- Send a weekly email to an owned list — one signal, one how-to, one placement story.
- Keep it steady, not a burst you abandon.
Common mistake · A launch flurry of posts, then silence for two months.
TimeOngoing CostFree–low DifficultyMedium
What you’ll have after this stage
- A target client list and outreach under way
- Terms of business signed and first roles live
- A candidate talent pool started
- A working submission-to-placement loop
- A simple marketing engine running