The Sales Playbook for Recruitment Leaders to Scale from People to Systems Led Growth with Alex Elliott
Tue Apr 01 2025
Take my FREE test now and find out what is holding back your recruitment business. 👉 https://bit.ly/bdstrategyassessment
In this live episode of Recruiting Better, host Ben Browning is joined by Alex Elliott, the founder of Phase 6 Advisory and co-founder of Liquid Personnel, for a candid discussion at the Recruitment Expo in London.
Alex shares what it really takes to scale a recruitment business, breaking down why most agencies fail at business development and how the solution lies in shifting from a people-led culture to a systems-driven structure. From building a strong sales playbook to identifying ideal clients, understanding market problems, and creating repeatable processes, Alex draws on his own experiences scaling and exiting a successful recruitment business.
This episode is essential listening for any recruitment leader looking to bring clarity, structure, and commercial intelligence into their business development strategy.
Key Takeaways:
From People to Systems – Scale requires structured, system-led operations.
Master the 5 Sales Processes – Territory, call, account, opportunity, and coaching.
Start with the Real Problem – BD must solve actual business challenges, not just fill roles.
Make Your Playbook Usable – Keep it visual, practical, and accessible.
Expand, Don’t Just Manage – Grow client value with consistent strategic reviews.
Know Your ICP – Focus on clients you can truly help and grow with.
Coaching Should Drive Metrics – Tie development to measurable results.
Build Organizational Intelligence – Share internal know-how to scale smarter.
Noteworthy Quotes:
“You’ve got to go from being a people-led business to a systems-led business.” – Alex Elliott
“If your recruitment business stopped existing tomorrow, would your clients even notice?” – Ben Browning
“Jobs come from accounts. Accounts don’t come from jobs.” – Alex Elliott
“Great coaching should move a number. Otherwise, it’s just a chat.” – Alex Elliott
“Stop managing accounts—start expanding them.” – Ben Browning
Key Timestamps:
[00:00:00] – Episode Highlights & Call to Action
[00:01:40] – Introduction and Why Sales Playbooks Are Critical to Scaling
[00:05:21] – The Power of Visual and Physical Playbooks
[00:07:55] – The 5 Core Sales Processes Every Agency Needs
[00:10:34] – Coaching Rhythm & Measuring Performance with Numbers
[00:15:59] – Defining Tier 1 Clients Using Three Criteria
[00:18:35] – Understanding Buyer Personas and Tailoring Messaging
[00:23:50] – Maximizing Client Value: Tactical vs. Strategic Account Expansion
[00:26:04] – Building a Strategic Account Expansion Plan
[00:30:31] – Organizational Intelligence & Final Thoughts
Follow our guest Alex Elliott on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexelliott123/
Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/phase-6-advisory/
Website: https://www.liquidpersonnel.com/
Follow the Host Ben Browning on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbrowningrec/
Follow Recruiting Better Podcast on:
YouTube:a href="https://www.youtube.com/@recruitingbetter" rel="noopener noreferrer"...
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Take my FREE test now and find out what is holding back your recruitment business. 👉 https://bit.ly/bdstrategyassessment In this live episode of Recruiting Better, host Ben Browning is joined by Alex Elliott, the founder of Phase 6 Advisory and co-founder of Liquid Personnel, for a candid discussion at the Recruitment Expo in London. Alex shares what it really takes to scale a recruitment business, breaking down why most agencies fail at business development and how the solution lies in shifting from a people-led culture to a systems-driven structure. From building a strong sales playbook to identifying ideal clients, understanding market problems, and creating repeatable processes, Alex draws on his own experiences scaling and exiting a successful recruitment business. This episode is essential listening for any recruitment leader looking to bring clarity, structure, and commercial intelligence into their business development strategy. Key Takeaways: From People to Systems – Scale requires structured, system-led operations. Master the 5 Sales Processes – Territory, call, account, opportunity, and coaching. Start with the Real Problem – BD must solve actual business challenges, not just fill roles. Make Your Playbook Usable – Keep it visual, practical, and accessible. Expand, Don’t Just Manage – Grow client value with consistent strategic reviews. Know Your ICP – Focus on clients you can truly help and grow with. Coaching Should Drive Metrics – Tie development to measurable results. Build Organizational Intelligence – Share internal know-how to scale smarter. Noteworthy Quotes: “You’ve got to go from being a people-led business to a systems-led business.” – Alex Elliott “If your recruitment business stopped existing tomorrow, would your clients even notice?” – Ben Browning “Jobs come from accounts. Accounts don’t come from jobs.” – Alex Elliott “Great coaching should move a number. Otherwise, it’s just a chat.” – Alex Elliott “Stop managing accounts—start expanding them.” – Ben Browning Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] – Episode Highlights & Call to Action [00:01:40] – Introduction and Why Sales Playbooks Are Critical to Scaling [00:05:21] – The Power of Visual and Physical Playbooks [00:07:55] – The 5 Core Sales Processes Every Agency Needs [00:10:34] – Coaching Rhythm & Measuring Performance with Numbers [00:15:59] – Defining Tier 1 Clients Using Three Criteria [00:18:35] – Understanding Buyer Personas and Tailoring Messaging [00:23:50] – Maximizing Client Value: Tactical vs. Strategic Account Expansion [00:26:04] – Building a Strategic Account Expansion Plan [00:30:31] – Organizational Intelligence & Final Thoughts Follow our guest Alex Elliott on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexelliott123/ Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/phase-6-advisory/ Website: https://www.liquidpersonnel.com/ Follow the Host Ben Browning on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbrowningrec/ Follow Recruiting Better Podcast on: YouTube:a href="https://www.youtube.com/@recruitingbetter" rel="noopener noreferrer"...