Continuing in my series looking at how different businesses in the Human Resources sector acquire new clients and grow, today we’re looking at a very interesting business that crosses the border between tech and consulting.

We’ll hear from Robert Ebers about how he and his team have been busy growing their innovative employee engagement company, Workplace Stars.

How To Get More HR Customers – Q&A With Robert Ebers

During a very interesting discussion on how to create a value proposition, I asked Robert the following questions: Robert Ebers Profile Photo

  • What does your business do?
  • Do you focus on a niche within the market or do you serve all businesses (if so, how do you try to stand-out from competitors)?
  • How do you differentiate yourselves from cheap employee survey services or even just Google Forms?
  • What are some effective ways you have acquired new customers?
  • What makes them effective? Any special tips?
  • How do you find new individual and company partners?
  • Any ineffective ways to find new customers? Why didn’t they work so well?
  • Can you share some tips on interesting people, websites, tools, podcasts, or books to check out to help grow a business faster?

Before we start, be sure to join my private HR marketing newsletter for consultants in the Human Resources industry.

If you work as a Human Resources consultant in recruitment, training & development, employee engagement, HR consulting, employment law, employee outplacement – my HR marketing update will help.

Q1. What does your business do?

We specialize in employee engagement measurement and improvement.

Using a researched-based survey, we help employees safely share ideas to improve service and operational excellence. Making improvements maximizes both financial and people performance – everyone wins.

Q2. Do you focus on a niche within the market or do you serve all businesses (if so, how do you try to stand-out from competitors)?

For us the privilege of working people and the spirit of an organization is deeply personal.

We serve small to medium size enterprises from 10 to 10,000 employees including profit, nonprofit, education, government and healthcare. We want everyone at work to win and thrive.

To win requires moving the needle of financial performance.

To thrive means setting employees up for success and promoting a positive workplace.

Q2b. I saw in your FAQs section: “Aren’t you a survey company?” – has that been an issue for you? How do you differentiate yourselves from cheap employee survey services or even just Google Forms?

We do not consider tire-kickers and DIYers using generic apps to be our targets.

Our audience consists of senior HR and line executives who have the sweat of accountability for profitability rolling down their backs. They need to researched-model, sophisticated features and reports that only a custom build survey platform will provide.

Our audience consists of senior HR and line executives who have the sweat of accountability for profitability rolling down their backs.

My background is OD/HR/L&D with over 30 years of experience on 100% commission.

I build this survey tool first my clients before offering it publicly. Its engagement reporting capability is not easily duplicated.

How To Get More HR Clients QandA

Q3. What are some effective ways you have acquired new customers?

Probably many of the tried and true methods like consultative relationship building and referrals.

We also partner with individuals and companies globally who offer our tool to their clients.

Q3b. How do you find new individual and company partners?

As you know LinkedIn is a “killer” app, it is probably the very best place in the digital community to start new relationships.

LinkedIn is a “killer” app. It is probably the very best place in the digital community to start new relationships.

Three LinkedIn groups I’ve owned since 2009 have over 34K members provide a funnel to new connections.

Posting on LinkedIn, responding to posts can also provide openings to build relationships and take to LinkedIn messaging to begin a dialogue.

Workplace Stars also has a global network of providers (company and individuals) as well as a dedicated talent opening up MENA.

We also use PipeDrive CRM which is mighty powerful.

Q4. What makes them effective? Any special tips?

Nothing special. For us it’s about being authentic, as Theodore Roosevelt said: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Q5. Any ineffective ways to find new customers? Why didn’t they work so well?

Speaking about partner acquisition, sometimes we would waive the licensing fee.

These partners were least productive.

We now get the importance of having skill in the game.

Q6. Can you share some tips on interesting people, websites, tools, podcasts, or books to check out to help grow a business faster?

A very helpful book for me is “The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It” by Michael E. Gerber.

In my opinion, it is the holy grail for small business owners.

Conclusion – How To Get More HR Clients

Nice thoughts and philosophies from Robert. 

In this brave new world of machine learning, multi-channel marketing, and AI, it’s refreshing to hear a successful business leader reminding us of the need to be authentic. It’s obviously working for Robert and the team at Workplace Stars.

If you’d like to get in touch with Robert, you can find him here: Robert Ebers on LinkedIn.

To visit the business, click here: Workplace Stars. 

Before you go, be sure to join my private HR marketing newsletter for consultants in the Human Resources industry.

If you work as a Human Resources consultant in recruitment, training & development, employee engagement, HR consulting, employment law, employee outplacement – my HR marketing update will help.

For more tips and ideas, visit the blog to grow your HR business faster.