Many AI tools are impressive, but they’re often marketed as silver bullets. In practice, they can be clunky, limited, or require more human involvement than advertised.

Sometimes, automation can create more work rather than reduce it.

The real value lies in understanding what these tools can do - and what they can’t.

 Plus, using them to protect your business against …. AIs!

In this edition of FTDOMA, I explain how you’re not behind the AI curve and suggest some simple things you should be doing.

In other words, how can you actually make AI help you become more effective – it’s probably not what you think, either.

Remember, the key is to use AI to support your strengths, not replace them.

Let’s stop fearing the AI wave and start riding it to become more effective and efficient in our work.

When I started, an agency’s database (called a register in those days) was everything.

Agencies were partly valued on the size and integrity of their databases.

Potential clients wanted to know how big it was and who was on it.

These days, we rely more on the job boards and LinkedIn to source candidates.

But there’s some relatively easy money to be made by mining your database.

In this post, I dig deeper into this topic following a conversation with a Director at Bullhorn.

I’ll also add in something that Bullhorn don’t do, which will amplify your results even more.

You could be sitting on unrealised revenue – is it about time you liberated it?

For most recruitment firm owners, 20% of their clients generate 80% of their revenues.

They then spend a lot of time marketing, networking and on LinkedIn to win more of these 20%ers.

Fair enough, but often, this isn’t where our top clients came from.

In this edition of FTDOMA, I explain the first step you should take if you want to win more high-value clients.

It’s surprisingly easy and will give you the insight you need to go out and win more of them.

You might find you spend less time and money on BD too!

Content serves as a powerful catalyst for initiating conversations, but to truly resonate, it hinges on two essential principles:

1. It must deliver genuine value to the audience you aim to connect with.

2. It should be presented in a format that aligns with their preferences.

Consider this: If someone were to present you with something of real significance, wouldn’t you take notice and engage? I know I certainly would, and I believe most people would feel the same.

This is precisely why thoughtfully crafted assets are such formidable tools in business development; they deserve your full attention and appreciation.

In this edition of the FTDOMA, I invite you to join me as we delve deeply into this captivating subject.

You know precisely where you stand right now.

You might already have a clear vision of where you aspire to be. If you don’t, it’s vital to take the time to craft that vision.

Defining a clear goal is the essential first step on your journey to success. However, too often, this is where the journey stalls, leading to stagnation.

I will guide you through a straightforward yet impactful three-step approach to help you move your business forward.

This plan centres on one decisive element—something everyone is capable of handling.

Take just five minutes to watch this video, and let me know what you think in the comments.

If you’re a large company with a strong brand or a big marketing budget, your product or service can be average (think about a famous burger company).

But smaller companies don't have this luxury. They stand and fall by the excellence of the thing they sell.

An outstanding product or service generates more referrals, giving you an edge over the competition.

Sadly, the reverse is true for people who deliver an average or substandard offering.

In this episode of FTDOMA, I explain a simple process that you can use to start lifting your offering into the “excellent” bracket.

I also share a simple test which will help you find out for sure just how good you are.

Outrageous success is within your grasp. Are you ready to take it?

When two American doctors started working with Vietnamese families to reduce malnutrition levels in children they came across a new phenomenon. 

Positive Deviance.

In other words, they looked at people who were in the minority but were consistently getting above-average results.
 
They then replicated the behaviour of the positive deviants with an amazing outcome.
 
Well, you can do the same with your business, and in this post, I explain how.
 
Positive deviation is often overlooked because we tend to focus on problems that need fixing.
 
However, looking for things that deliver better than expected results can be 10 times more productive.
 
Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments.

You’re faced with a decision. Should you attempt something you’ve never done before?

Of course, you naturally assess the consequence of failure and the likelihood of it happening.

“No, I’m only risking a little bit of time and a small amount of money. I can afford both!”

“Yes, there’s a big upside that I’d like, if it works.”

So how come you don’t leap straight in there and give it a go?

The answer is a fear of failure and that’s that with week’s post is all about.

To fulfil your potential, you need to overcome it and I’m going to explain what way you can.

The symptoms that a recruitment firm is failing are obvious: -

1 Not enough vacancies turned into fees
2 Not enough vacancies
3 Too few high-value clients
4 High staff turnover or demotivated teams
5 Under-performing marketing engine
 
But the thing that sits below all of these is weak management.
 
In this video, I will explain what Active Management is, why it’s important and what you should do if you want to implement it for yourself.
 
I can’t think of any companies that practice all three arms of active management and have failed.
 
Implementing this will help you build a strong, profitable, and safe business.
 
And who doesn’t want that?

I played golf with a very successful ex-client the other day.

He’s so busy now that he’s turning down work, and why?

Two reasons: -
1 He is very good at finding candidates that other recruiters can’t come up with, even for the most difficult of roles.
2 He has an insanely powerful network supporting him that helps win deals and find candidates.

In this edition of FTDOMA I am going to share the five golden rules of Real Networking that all great networkers, like him, follow.

I wonder how many of them you already do.