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Today, we are continuing our Standing Out in 2026 series. If you have been following along, you will know we started with mindset, then last week we talked about being more active and more visible.
This week, we are talking about something that could be the fastest way to generate business this year, and yet it is one of the most neglected areas we see in recruitment businesses.
We are talking about your database. Your past clients. Your old contacts. The people sitting in your CRM and your LinkedIn connections who already know who you are.
Here is the thing: most recruitment business owners are so focused on finding new leads that they completely ignore the warm relationships they have already built. And that is like leaving money on the table.
So today, we are going to talk about why your database is a goldmine, why it gets neglected, and how to re-engage those contacts in a way that feels natural, not awkward.
So, let’s get into it.
The Hidden Goldmine
Let us start with a question. How many contacts do you have across your CRM and your LinkedIn connections right now?
We are talking about past clients, placed candidates, people you have spoken to over the years, connections you have made at events, and all those LinkedIn connections you have built up over time.
For most recruitment business owners, that number is in the hundreds, often thousands. Some of you listening right now have 5,000, 10,000, or even more LinkedIn connections alone. And yet, when we ask how many of those people have heard from you in the last three months, the answer is usually… not many.
Here is why this matters so much.
Database re-engagement is one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies available to you. These people already know who you are. They have worked with you, or at least had a conversation with you. They accepted your LinkedIn connection request. They do not need to be convinced that you are legitimate. The trust-building work has already been done.
Email marketing has one of the highest returns on investment of any marketing channel, and the reason is simple: your list is an owned asset. You are not paying for ads. You are not fighting an algorithm. You are simply staying in touch with people who have already raised their hands and said, “I am interested in what you do.”
One of our clients did exactly this. He focused on re-engaging his database with insight-focused emails, and within three months of sending his first campaign, he had secured £120,000 in new roles with a client he had not spoken to in ages.
That is not a typo. £120,000 from people who were already in his database, just waiting to hear from him.
The Awareness Cascade
Let us talk about why these contacts are so much more valuable than cold leads.
Think about the journey someone goes through before they decide to work with a recruiter.
At the top, you have people who do not know you exist. They are completely cold. They have never heard your name, never seen your content, never had a conversation with you.
Then you have people who are aware of you. They have seen your name around. Maybe they follow you on LinkedIn. Perhaps they met you at an event once. They know who you are, but they are not actively thinking about you.
Then you have warm people. They have worked with you before or had a proper conversation. They trust you. They are not in buying mode right now.
And finally, you have hot people. They have a need right now, and they are ready to pick up the phone.
Here is the key insight: the people in your CRM and your LinkedIn connections are already warm. They are much further down that awareness cascade than any cold lead you could find. Which means they are far easier to convert when the time is right.
The only thing you need to do is stay front of mind, so that when they do have a hiring need or they are ready to make a career move, you are the name that pops into their head.
Why This Gets Neglected
So if your database is such a valuable asset, why do so many recruitment business owners neglect it?
We see a few patterns here.
First, there is the obsession with the new. Something is exciting about finding new leads. It feels like progress. Reaching out to the same people again can feel like you are going backwards. But that is completely the wrong way to think about it. Those existing contacts are not old news. They are warm relationships waiting to be activated.
Second, there is a lack of systems. Most recruitment business owners do not have a process for staying in touch with their database and LinkedIn connections at scale. They might reach out to individual contacts when they remember, but there is no consistent rhythm. No automated sequences. No regular touchpoints. And without a system, it just does not happen.
Third, and this is a big one, there is the fear of being annoying. People worry that if they email their database or message their LinkedIn connections, they will be seen as pushy or salesy. They do not want to bother people. So they stay quiet. But here is the reality: if you are sending genuinely useful content, you are not being annoying. You are being helpful. People only get annoyed when you send them stuff that is irrelevant or purely self-promotional.
And fourth, there is the data decay problem. Contacts go stale. People change jobs. Email addresses bounce. If you have not cleaned up your database in years, it can feel overwhelming just knowing where to start. The same goes for LinkedIn connections you made years ago and never followed up with.
The Cost of Neglecting Your Database
Let us talk about what happens when you do not stay in touch.
That client you placed three candidates with two years ago? They have probably had vacancies since then. But if they have not heard from you, they might have used someone else. Not because you did a bad job, but simply because you were not front of mind when the need arose.
That candidate you placed five years ago who is now a hiring manager? They could be sending work your way. But if they have forgotten about you, that referral is going to someone else.
That LinkedIn connection who accepted your request three years ago, and you never messaged them again? They might have the perfect vacancy for you right now, but they do not even remember who you are.
Every relationship that goes cold is a potential opportunity lost. And the frustrating thing is, these are not strangers. These are people who already know you, like you, and have worked with you or connected with you. The barrier to re-engagement is so much lower than starting from scratch with a cold lead.
We see this pattern constantly. A recruitment business owner is so busy chasing new clients that they forget to nurture the ones they already have. Then, when the market gets tougher, they realise they have no warm pipeline. They have to start building relationships from zero, at exactly the moment when they are under pressure. That is a stressful place to be.
What Effective Re-engagement Looks Like
So, how do you re-engage your database without feeling awkward or salesy?
The key is to lead with value, not with a pitch.
Nobody wants to receive an email or a LinkedIn message that says, “Hi, just checking in to see if you have any vacancies.” That is not valuable. That is just asking for something.
Instead, think about what you can give. What insights do you have about their market? What trends are you seeing? What challenges are other companies in their sector facing? What would be genuinely useful for them to know?
The most effective email strategies we see are insight-focused newsletters that position you as a market observer rather than just a vacancy broadcaster. Share hiring trends. Talk about salary movements. Discuss regulatory changes affecting their niche. Give them something worth reading.
Another approach that works brilliantly is plain-text messages from individual consultants, whether via email or a LinkedIn direct message. Not templated marketing emails with fancy graphics, but genuine, personal messages that share a specific story or insight. These tend to get much higher reply to rates because they feel like real one-to-one communication.
And if you want to get more sophisticated, behaviour-triggered sequences work really well. For example, if someone downloads a salary guide from your website, that could trigger a three-part email sequence with related insights, a case study, and then an invitation to a call. It feels timely and relevant, not pushy.
Re-engaging Past Clients Specifically
Let’s talk specifically about past clients, because they deserve special attention.
These are people who have already paid you money. They trusted you enough to hand over a fee. That is a significant relationship.
And yet, so many recruiters make a placement and then disappear. They move on to the next search, the next client, the next fee. The relationship goes quiet until someone happens to remember to pick up the phone.
Here is a simple question: when was the last time you reached out to a past client to see how things are going? Not to pitch. Not to ask for work. To maintain the relationship.
A quick check in every few months keeps you front of mind. You could share a relevant article. Congratulate them on the company news. Ask how the person you placed is getting on. These small touchpoints add up over time.
And do not forget the referral potential. A happy past client is one of the best sources of new business. But they will only refer you if they remember you. Staying in touch keeps that door open.
What to Say When You Have Not Been in Touch
Now, let us address the elephant in the room. What do you say when you have not been in touch for ages?
This is what stops many people. They feel awkward reaching out after a long gap. They worry it will seem strange or opportunistic.
Here is our advice: do not overthink it.
You do not need to apologise for being quiet. You do not need to explain why you have not been in touch. Just reach out with something of value.
It could be as simple as: “Hi Sarah, I was thinking about you this week when I saw this article about changes in the finance sector. Thought it might be relevant to what you are dealing with right now. Hope you are well.”
Or: “Hi David, I have been doing some research on hiring trends in your sector and thought you might find this interesting. Let me know if you would like to have a chat about what we are seeing in the market.”
The key is to make it about them, not about you. Lead with value. Be genuinely helpful. The conversation will flow naturally from there.
And honestly, most people will not even notice how long it has been. They are busy with their own lives. They will just be pleased to hear from you.
Building a System That Works
The real secret to database re-engagement is having a system. Because if it depends on you remembering to do it, it will not happen consistently.
At a minimum, you want regular communication going out to your list. That might be a monthly newsletter with market insights. It might be a quarterly update on trends in their sector. It does not need to be complicated. It just needs to happen.
For your LinkedIn connections, think about how you can incorporate regular touchpoints into your routine. Commenting on their posts. Sending a quick message when you see they have been promoted or their company is in the news. These small interactions keep the relationship alive.
Beyond that, think about segmentation. Not everyone in your database needs the same message. Your clients care about different things than your candidates. People in finance have concerns other than those in tech. The more relevant you can make your communication, the better it will land.
You do not need fancy technology to do this. Basic email tools can handle simple segmentation based on industry, job level, or how they entered your database. Even just splitting your list into clients and candidates is a good start.
The goal is to create a rhythm of communication that keeps you visible without requiring you to think about it every day. Set up the system, generate the content, and let it run.
Let us wrap up with this thought.
Your database is not just a list of names. It is a collection of relationships you have built over years, sometimes decades. Every contact in your CRM, every LinkedIn connection, represents a conversation you have had, a placement you have made, a connection you have formed.
Those relationships are valuable. But they only stay useful if you nurture them.
The recruitment businesses that will stand out in 2026 are the ones that treat their database as the asset it is. They stay in touch. They add value. They keep those relationships warm so that when the time is right, they are the obvious choice.
So here is our challenge for you this week. Pick ten contacts from your CRM or LinkedIn connections who you have not spoken to in the last six months. Reach out to each of them with something of value. Not a pitch. Just a genuine touchpoint.
You might be surprised at how many conversations start. And how much business comes from simply staying in touch.
That is it for today’s episode. Thank you so much for listening.
Next week, we will be wrapping up this Standing Out series with an episode all about creating longer-form content that works harder for you. If you have ever thought about starting a podcast, writing a report, or building content that you can leverage across multiple channels, you will want to catch that one.
Until then, go and re-engage those warm relationships. Your future self will thank you.
See you next time.
Thanks Denise
How We Can Help
If you know you need to do more with your database but are not sure where to start, that is something we help with in Superfast Circle.
Our members get done-for-you email content they can personalise and send to their list. They get the systems and templates that make regular communication straightforward. And they get the support of a community that understands exactly what it is like to run a small recruitment business.
If you would like to find out more about how we can help you turn your database into a consistent source of business, book a call with us at superfastrecruitment.co.uk/call. We would love to chat about where you are right now and where you want to be.
