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 BrowningKey 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 ThoughtsFollow 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:https://www.youtube.com/@recruitingbetterEmail: [email protected]: https://www.linkedin.com/company/recruiting-better/Website: https://recruitingbetter.substack.com/