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In today’s podcast, we wanted to share Steve’s marketing story to inspire and encourage you that you can achieve a lot with some energy, support, and consistent action.
Read on or watch the video above.
Background
Steve Lea is the MD and founder of Coalesce Recruitment, a permanent recruitment specialist company working in the UK’s technology, engineering, and manufacturing sectors.
Steve has over 28 years of experience in the engineering sector, starting his journey as a Mechanical Engineering apprentice for the Rover Group. Over the years, he has moved to working with engineering leaders to build their teams.
A move north over two years ago stimulated Steve to improve his brand presence and make his company more visible, which he had never done before. He knew he had a great service but didn’t know where and how to start marketing.
After following Denise and Sharon at Superfast, he attended one of their free training sessions and joined Superfast Circle.
What was happening concerning marketing at Coalesce Recruitment when we first met?
I was at a point in the business where to be blunt, I realised that I needed to get myself, my name, and the business out in the marketplace more than they were.
There was no marketing, just my website and the day-to-day business development you do as a recruiter.
As a business, I wasn’t doing any marketing activities, and the market was changing. Although I had a lot of experience as a recruiter in the engineering sector, nobody knew me. I wasn’t using social media, my website, or email marketing effectively.
Honestly, I didn’t know where to start, what to begin with, or how. Then I saw that you were promoting Recruitment Marketing Week, and I decided to join.
What made you decide you needed to do something?
I think it was purely because I wanted to quickly get my business name out there. I am an independent recruiter, so I was stretched and didn’t know where to start. I work completely alone, so nobody else does the day-to-day activity.
I wanted to look at what I could do differently; I couldn’t keep doing everything one-on-one. I wanted more visibility for the brand and to communicate my experience and how I could help people.
The frustration was not knowing where to start and how to go about everything. I knew that some form of marketing had to be done besides what I was doing, but I didn’t know what I needed to do or what options were out there.
My big question was: What were the best options for my business that would get me results?
When did you first come across Superfast Recruitment and Superfast Circle as an option?
I remember it was during lockdown years ago, and I first came across you on LinkedIn. The social media content you posted was really useful, and then I saw that you ran Recruitment Marketing Week for five days, so I joined all the sessions.
During that week, I discovered activities I needed to implement that I hadn’t known about before. It became clear that Superfast would provide the necessary support and guidance to execute these strategies effectively. As a solo recruiter, having this structured approach and support system was exactly what I needed to move forward.
What have you achieved over the last 18 months of being a member of Superfast Circle?
The SFC framework made implementing marketing activities much easier. Over the 18 months we’ve been working together, I’ve achieved significant results by implementing structured marketing processes and content strategies—particularly notable given my background isn’t in marketing.
Before engaging with Superfast, one of my biggest challenges was getting meaningful interaction from candidates and clients on LinkedIn.
This was largely due to limited visibility and inconsistent social media presence. However, by following the processes and leveraging the content provided, I’ve seen remarkable improvements: my LinkedIn connections have increased by 35%, and I’m achieving a 42% connection rate with clients from cold outreach.
I joined in July/August 2023, but I admit I was inconsistent in my implementation until this year (2024).
Fear of the unknown and general uncertainty held me back – I felt like a rabbit in headlights. However, after a pivotal conversation with you and Denise, I began rigorously following the process and utilising all the monthly content you gave me.
Since then, the results have been remarkable:
– Eight new clients have been secured since April
– £26,000 in net fee income generated from candidate engagement on LinkedIn
– Two retained projects worth £36,000 secured in the last two weeks
This transformation is particularly significant because candidate engagement on LinkedIn was a major challenge before joining Superfast.
The key to this success has been consistently following the Superfast process you guys have developed.
Established processes are crucial for successfully matching clients and candidates in recruitment. I guess until I started working with Superfast, I didn’t appreciate that marketing was the same. But when you’re unfamiliar with marketing, it’s challenging to identify and implement effective systems you don’t understand.
The impact of this approach is how I’ve evolved to offer retained services. After 28 years of working purely on a contingency basis, I recently secured two retained projects within two weeks.
These came about because I had developed enough confidence through my enhanced market presence to clearly articulate the benefits of retained services to clients with urgent hiring needs.
What’s particularly interesting is that fee negotiations became almost secondary – the clients had already bought into my expertise through the consistent content I’d been sharing and my established market presence.
They could see the value I offered before we even discussed terms. This is a dramatic shift from 18 months ago when I wouldn’t have had the confidence to propose a retained service model.
The increased market visibility and authority I’d built through consistent marketing gave me the confidence to pitch and secure these higher-value services, resulting in a 25% increase in fees.
My confidence has transformed so much! If you had asked if I would have pitched retained services 18 months ago, the answer is an unequivocal “no.”
The key difference now stems from establishing a strong market presence through the content I receive as an SFC member. I’ve built genuine authority in my space by consistently sharing value-added content that differentiates me from typical recruiters.
After 20 years of contingency recruitment, I recognised the need for change, and this new approach has given me the edge I was looking for. The content strategy has allowed me to effectively showcase my unique experience – 28 years in recruitment and my engineering background.
This consistent presence has positioned me as a true authority in my field. When potential clients research me, they find substantial, valuable content demonstrating my expertise and industry knowledge. This established credibility has given me the confidence to pitch and secure higher-value retained work. It’s not just about having the experience—it’s about effectively communicating that value to the market, which the Superfast approach has enabled me to do.
How has the Superfast Circle service and membership helped you?
Implementing the Superfast Circle systems consistently has transformed my business in many ways. We’ve got proper systems in place now, a strong brand presence that drives engagement, and successfully introduced retained services at premium rates. Even our contingency work now commands higher fees with new clients.
The last six months have been particularly good once I committed to consistency in execution. While I initially hesitated due to uncertainty and feeling overwhelmed by the newness of it all, making that commitment was pivotal.
The Superfast service has provided value beyond just content delivery. Having Sharon and Denise’s support makes it feel like two experienced marketing directors have integrated into my business.
They provide:
- Constant ongoing support and expertise
- Are genuinely interested in my business success
- Give me customised strategies tailored to my specific needs
- Hands-on guidance to fine-tune approaches every week if I need it
- Close, personalised support that distinguishes them from other marketing services
Your approach is particularly effective because it combines strategic guidance with practical implementation support. When I come to our calls with specific goals, we develop an action plan that I can follow that actually produces results. This structured yet flexible approach has been instrumental in achieving our recent successes.
Has working with Superfast met your expectations?
Yes, absolutely. The SFC program provides a structured approach, with actionable plans and ongoing support through one-to-one and group calls.
I keep talking about the support, and it’s so much more than I expected. I know I can email either of you or pick up the phone if I need help.
This structure has been crucial for me as a solo recruiter, managing multiple responsibilities. The consistent focus on marketing activities while balancing everything else has helped me grow in many ways.
I admit I was sceptical about marketing programs—even after the first week’s taster session—but the results exceeded my expectations.
To anyone in my position 18 months ago considering this type of support, I can confidently say the proof is in the outcomes I’ve achieved.
Juggling the various aspects of running a recruitment business independently is challenging. The Superfast framework has helped me maintain consistent marketing momentum while gradually building on our successes. The combination of structured planning and flexible support has been game-changing.
Superfast is genuinely different if you are cynical from previous experiences, so go for it. I am living proof that it does what it says on the tin, provided you put the effort in.
Follow the process. Please don’t do what I did at first and stop-start the process.
I’ve also realised that I try to do too much as a solo recruiter. So, I’ve now brought it back within what I can control daily, making it consistent, and that consistency has paid off.
Consistency is the key. Don’t think about it as Nike would say. Just do it. The experience has been phenomenal, and I know it will only get better.
What would you say to other business owners considering joining Superfast Circle?
I strongly recommend this step for anyone hesitating about joining Superfast Circle. The comprehensive support system includes proven frameworks, structured content, and expert guidance—everything is provided and ready to use.
While the process requires patience and consistency (I wasn’t consistent at first), it took me about nine months to see significant results, and the outcomes are worth it.
The key is managing expectations and activities. I learned to focus on a manageable number of daily marketing tasks rather than trying to do everything at once.
Starting from zero marketing presence, this systematic approach has enabled me to achieve exceptional results between April and December.
What makes Superfast Circle particularly valuable is the peace of mind their support provides. As someone who isn’t a marketing expert, having access to experienced marketers who can provide immediate guidance when questions arise is invaluable.
They help normalise challenges and prevent the tendency to abandon strategies prematurely when results aren’t immediate.
Looking ahead, I’m now focused on elevating the brand further through professional brochures, enhanced visuals, and expanding our retained services while becoming more niche-focused. Superfast’s support continues to be crucial in executing these next steps.
For any business owner uncertain about making this investment, I’m happy to share my direct experience—the results speak for themselves.
Final Comment From Steve
“My business has transformed completely since implementing Superfast Circle’s systems consistently. Through their structured approach and support, I’ve secured eight new clients and generated £26,000 in net fee income from engaging with past and new LinkedIn connections.
After 28 years in contingency recruitment, their guidance gave me the confidence to pitch and win retained projects worth £36,000. Working with Sharon and Denise’s support makes it feel like two experienced marketing directors have joined my business.”
Steve Lea, Managing Director
Book a call here to learn more about working with Superfast Recruitment, joining Superfast Circle, and our private coaching.
How We Can Help You
Marketing is your answer if you want to create more demand for your services next year. Our Superfast Circle program helps people like Steve every day.
If you want to find out if it works for you, book a call with us here.
