How to use email marketing to attract top global talent — Stripo.email

Despite the remote work revolution that has occurred largely over the past five years, it’s hard to believe that there was a time when it wasn’t feasible for a company in, say, Colorado, to hire coding whiz kids in Canada, Cambodia, or Côte d’Ivoire. Nowadays, however, you can forgo months of fruitless recruitment drives or the frustration of settling for subpar workers because candidates’ geographical proximity has become largely irrelevant when hiring.

However, the freedom to select from the world’s finest applicants also comes with an exponential increase in competition. You don’t need to settle, but neither do your applicants. For example, international companies hired 62% of American workers remotely last year. With the ability to take their pick from openings worldwide, job seekers can afford to be selective.

Even distant organizations now can find highly skilled workers by offering remote work opportunities, but this really doesn’t suggest that it’s simple. If you want the best people working for you, you need to provide all-star employment opportunities.

In this article, we show readers how to apply email marketing and attract those with the highest qualifications worldwide.

Why email marketing works for recruitment

Email marketing long has been a cornerstone of business communication, but its usefulness doesn’t end at promoting your wares or services to a target audience. Believe it or not, a persuasively worded (and sharply designed) email can bag your business the best talent, too.

Why email? For starters, it’s personal. Unlike social media ads or generic job boards, email allows you to craft tailored messages. Whether you’re targeting software developers in Italy or designers in Denmark, your email can be customized to address their unique needs, aspirations, and cultural contexts.

Using email, you’ll also benefit from gaining measurable insights. You can make real-time changes in your messaging to adjust to your campaign performance thanks to tracking tools that measure open or click-through rates. Thus, you can keep what resonates with candidates and get rid of what doesn’t!

If it sounds good, that’s because it is — and here’s how to do it.

Crafting the perfect recruitment email

To get first-rate global talent, your incoming-email marketing strategy must be honed like the CVs you wish to receive. Here’s how to get it right.

1. Write a winning subject line

The subject line is the first (and often only) impression a candidate gets out of the email. Research has demonstrated that 47% of recipients determine whether to open an email based on its subject line. For a recruitment email, the subject should be concise, appealing, and relevant.

Examples:

• “Transform the Future of AI Development with [Your Company Name]”;
• “Work Remotely, Build Globally: We’re Hiring Top Talent Like You.”

Avoid spammy phrases like “Urgent!” or “Act Now!” because they can turn the excitement of an email into a sales pitch.

2. Personalize your message

Standard emails fail to engage the reader fully. Crafting a good email involves making the recipient feel as though the sender is conversing with them directly.

Call job candidates by their first names, and wherever possible, address their skills and achievements, as well as professional objectives. Personalization shows candidates that they’re more than just a name on a list — they’re someone whose expertise you genuinely value.

3. Highlight your unique value proposition (UVP)

What makes your company an excellent workplace? Is it your dedication to work-life balance, attractive compensation, innovative projects, or comprehensive benefits? Set the scene for your business. Boast about it. Make the reader envy your employees.

Unsure about what makes your company so special? Uncertain about the aspects that might appeal to your dream candidates? Ask your current employees. Testimonials from colleagues can offer compelling social proof to potential job seekers, which is why platforms like Glassdoor have gained such popularity.

If you want to make a strong impression, think about including video testimonials from important individuals in the applicant’s prospective department, or else go all out and produce a glitzy “what it’s like to work here” promotional video, complete with a soundtrack and special effects, e.g., a Willhelm Scream. Get creative and share something that demonstrates your company’s personality. 

4. Make the application process easy

The simpler you make the application process, the more candidates you’ll attract. It’s as simple as that.

Using an appropriate writing style, direct candidates toward the next steps in the hiring process in a particular manner. Whether it’s online interview scheduling, portfolio collections, or application submissions, they should be easy to conduct. Don’t forget to add alt-text, which is essential to avoid leaving out a large number of prospective applicants who depend on screen readers.

5. Consider using an email template builder

Having a professional and visually appealing email is important because of the sheer number of people who use email. An email template builder embraces such challenges with open arms, and Stripo is here to help.

With Stripo, you get:

• modular email design: Create content modules like headers, footers, product cards, etc., once and reuse them multiple times in future email campaigns;
• ready-made templates: Choose from a wide selection of crafted HR email templates that are bound to catch the eye and deliver your message effectively;
• engaging features: Insert videos, image sliders, and countdown timers to increase the chances of your emails being remembered;
• AI assistant: Create emails for various purposes, including webinars and digests, within 10 minutes.

Building an email campaign that converts

So you’ve created a great email, sent it out, and now you’re waiting — your work is done. Or is it?

Spoiler alert: No, it isn’t.

One email isn’t enough. To stand out from competitors, a solid campaign is required to usher a prospective candidate through the interviewing steps one after the other. Here’s how you can do this:

1. Segmentation

As we mentioned in the personalization section earlier, each candidate is distinct, so your emails should reflect this uniqueness. Segment your talent pool based on criteria such as job role, location, or experience level. For example:

• segment A: Entry-level designers in Europe;
• segment B: Senior developers in Asia;
• segment C: Marketing professionals in North America.

This will ensure that your messaging strikes the right chord with each candidate.

2. Automation

Automation is an absolute must for launching any kind of email campaign, and it’s no different when you’re emailing candidates rather than customers. For example, you can set up drip campaigns that nurture leads over time:

• email 1: An introduction to your company culture and values, i.e., who you are, what you do, and why you do it, along with a teaser hinting at your upcoming recruitment drive;
• email 2: The big reveal. A more in-depth message highlighting open roles, accompanied by employee success stories;
• email 3: Convince the fence-sitters. A final message that encourages candidates to apply one last time.

One more thing: If you’re contacting candidates in the EU, remember to consider GDPR. You can reach out to them initially without their permission, but you’ll need to obtain it to proceed further in the recruitment process. Furthermore, it’s wise to familiarize yourself with the data privacy regulations relevant to your candidates’ geographical location. It’s always better to be cautious!

3. Timing

Email marketing is all about timing, which is an important factor. Research indicates that the best time to send recruitment emails out is on Tuesday and Friday at 2 PM, 5 PM, or 8 PM because this is when candidates look through their inboxes most often.

Enhancing engagement with emails that pop

Want to attract your dream candidates like highly qualified moths to a flame? Try filling your recruitment emails with value-driven content. 

Here are some ideas to consider:

• employee spotlights: Feature testimonials from your current employees, particularly those who work remotely. This allows candidates to connect with your organization’s human aspect;
• industry insights: Share relevant articles, reports, or webinars to demonstrate that your company is at the forefront of your particular industry; 
• zonal advantages: Illustrate unique perks like adjusted working schedules, upskilling opportunities, or exposure to emerging technologies;
• visually compelling elements: A well-crafted recruitment email isn’t just about words — it’s also about design. Engaging visuals can enhance your message’s impact significantly, making it more memorable and persuasive. Using tools such as AI Image Generator, you can create high-quality graphics, banners, and custom illustrations effortlessly to make your emails visually striking. A professionally designed email increases the chances of capturing candidates’ attention and keeping them engaged.

Tracking your campaign’s success

An email marketing campaign’s success is defined by its results, and analytic studies can target the following key performance indicators (KPIs):

• open rates: Keep track of how many receivers click on your emails;
• click-through rates: Check how many candidates click on the links present in your email;
• conversion rates: Monitor how many of your receivers take action and apply for the position or schedule an interview.

These metrics can help you identify what works and what doesn’t.

A word on legal and logistical compliance

Hiring employees from other countries is, indeed, an opportunity worth pursuing, but it also presents some challenges. The legal, tax, and benefit variations vary from one country to another, and even inter-country state differences can vary as well. For example, a business in California may need to use an employer of record in Florida to make hires because of varying employment laws.

An employer of record (EOR) will help you remain legally compliant while you build your international staff. The EOR is responsible for all administrative and legal activities related to recruiting in various locations, so you can focus on finding the most suitable candidates regardless of where they’re based.

Wrapping up

Employers are now realizing that remote work is here to stay. Consequently, global talent acquisition wouldn’t be possible without email marketing, through which, you can achieve your desired goals effortlessly. It’s also flexible and affordable, making it an optimal option if you wish to grow your organization while remaining competitive in the hiring market. 

Notably, finding candidates who are willing to relocate is just part of the task. The biggest challenge is persuading potential candidates that your company is an ideal workplace. You can do this by devising a thoughtful, well-executed, email marketing strategy that allows your organization to market itself as the employer of choice for global talent.