How to Choose a BD Partner for Your Staffing Firm: 9 Questions to Ask

1. What are you measured on?

If the answer is meetings, opens or "leads," expect exactly that. You want a partner that reports through to job orders, placements and gross profit, even if they can't control every step.

2. Do you use our ATS and CRM?

A partner who never sees your candidates, past placements or client history is working with the same public data as every other agency. Your private data is your edge. Ask how they use it.

3. Can you show us our market before we sign?

Ask for three real accounts in your niche and city, who to call at each, and why now. A partner who can't do that on a call won't do it in month three.

4. How do you decide who to contact?

"Everyone with a hiring title" is not an answer. Listen for the person who can approve an outside agency, and how they verify it.

5. Who approves what goes out under our name?

Your reputation is in every message. Insist that your team approves plays and messaging, and can see everything that is sent.

6. Whose domains and data are these?

Sending domains, inboxes, lists, scoring and playbooks should be registered to your firm. If you part ways, you should leave with all of it.

7. How do you protect our primary domain?

Cold volume should never run from the domain your clients and candidates email. Ask exactly how they separate it. Our deliverability guide covers the non-negotiables.

8. What will you tell us if our niche is too thin?

Some markets don't have enough signals to support a big program. A good partner tells you up front. A bad one takes the retainer and finds out with you.

9. What happens if we part ways?

Get the answer in writing: what you keep, what transfers, and how long it takes.

Red flags

• A guaranteed number of meetings.
• No interest in your ATS, CRM or placement history.
• A list size quoted before anyone understands your desk.
• Messages you can't see before they go out.
• Reporting that stops at "meetings booked."

See how the common options compare in lead-gen agencies vs revenue infrastructure and hiring an SDR vs building a system.