Are you prepared for your top customer to stop shipping with you?

We recently asked some of our top agents how they keep their businesses moving forward when times are tough. The biggest takeaway was simple but powerful; sales prospecting never ends.

THE SWEET SPOT

All too often we find ourselves in a “sweet spot.” You’ve built your business up with several steady customers and the daily loads come in like clockwork. You’ve worked hard, real hard to get what you have. Life is good and monthly cash flow is strong! It’s very easy to slow down or even stop sales prospecting for new business. I mean, come on, you’re too busy talking with the customers you currently have and booking their loads, right?

WHAT’S YOUR BACKUP PLAN?

Do you ever think about what would happen if your very best customer for whatever reason stopped moving freight with you? 

Are you prepared and do you have a backup plan?  

Many Freight Agents found the first several months of the Covid-19 pandemic a cold reminder of why they should always be sales prospecting for new business. Many very successful Freight Agents lost customers almost immediately due to the disruption in the market. Some Freight Agents’ businesses completely failed. 

Beyond the Covid pandemic, shortages of crucial materials or parts around the world happen from time to time. It can and does happen, many times, without or very little warning. 

Whether you’ve fallen victim to this or wish not to, there are things you can do today to be prepared. Remember, no business is immune to disruption.

NEVER STOP SALES PROSPECTING FOR NEW BUSINESS

Sales prospecting can be one of the most challenging parts of your business, so it’s easy to see why it can sometimes fall on the back burner once you’re comfortable. If you’ve found your sweet spot and slowed down, then start today working on generating new business through sales prospecting. You may say, “I don’t have time.” But, even if you dedicate just one hour a day to finding new business, you are going to come out ahead. 

Freight Agents must have the mindset to always be looking for new business. Without a pipeline of leads, you are not adding business from new customers. There are plenty of opportunities out there and many sales prospecting methods to drum up new business. Here are some tried and true methods that work. The Freight Agents I know that do this in their business are some of the most productive Freight Agents in the industry.

PREDICTING AND DUPLICATING YOUR BUSINESS

What if you could predict the outcome of your daily sales prospecting? Let’s use cold calling as an example. If you keep track of your numbers, you will get better. The key to making sales prospecting work well is knowing your numbers. Knowing your numbers creates predictability within your business. 

For example, can you prospect each day 1 pm – 2 pm and predict what is going to happen? Yes, you can if you track your numbers. But the key to a good business is the ability to duplicate an activity and get the same kind of response.

If you look at the diagram below, you’ll see a Freight Agent’s list of prospects that they have been calling on. In this example, you can see that the Freight Agent is calling on three prospective customers. They have made 35 dials and had 10 conversations with these customers. The result of these numbers has landed them one customer. This Freight Agent knows moving forward that it should take them that number of dials and conversations to land a new customer.

Tracking your numbers is very important because it will tell you the levels of your efficiency.  Set a daily or weekly schedule to spend some time sales prospecting and you will start to build momentum. Your confidence in this will grow, and you will improve, and start adding more customers. Try this for the next 30 days and see what happens. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the direction you are headed! 

ASK FOR REFERRALS

Referrals can be one of your easiest and most powerful sales prospecting techniques. Statistics show that 93 percent of consumers trust recommendations from colleagues, friends, and family. 

Spend some time reaching out to your past and current satisfied customers to ask for referrals, however, make sure you have a good relationship with them. It’s best to reach out to the ones you’ve helped just as much as they’re about to help you. 

A great tip for successfully gaining customer referrals is to get the timing down right. Choosing to reach out for a referral shortly after you’ve impactfully helped a customer with their logistics is ideal as they will be more likely to return the favor with any referrals they may have.

ALWAYS FOLLOW UP

Cold emails or calls that go unanswered or returned can quickly turn into a beneficial conversation if you follow up. Not following up is giving up and greatly decreases your chances of getting a reply. Perhaps when you initially reached out, your prospective customer was busy, forgot about your reach out, or simply didn’t need your services at the time. Following up not only reminds your prospective customer of your available services but broadens your awareness with them. 

In a recent study on sales prospecting, it was found that the most successful cadence based on email replies is six touches throughout three weeks. So unless your prospective customer has asked that you do not call or email them, continue reaching out and try to connect with them. 

ENGAGE IN SOCIAL MEDIA

Everyone uses social media and it’s a great way to find and gain new customers. Statistics show that those who tap in social media for their sales are 40 percent more likely to hit their revenue targets than those who don’t use it. 

There are many ways to use social media to your advantage. First off, you can showcase your expertise. Customers are looking for experts in logistics and supply chain solutions. They want to know who they work with can be a trusted resource for them. Showcase your knowledge by sharing and commenting on relevant industry articles, important freight market news, or any of your company’s high-quality content. Doing so can show potential customers that you know your stuff and can be a reliable source of support for their company. 

And make as many connections on your professional social media accounts as possible. The more connections you have, the more chances for new customers. 

Connect with the customers you close deals with or anyone you know in your industry. Connections with your current customers are a great way to find and gain referrals. Having a mutual connection with your prospects will automatically warm up your outreach and better yet, help spark a conversation with them from the start. 

KEEP YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESSFUL

Continued efforts for sales prospecting is a necessary evil for keeping a successful business. It’s the surest way to generate more business opportunities, close more deals, and keep your revenue incoming. 

If you’re bogged down by back-end tasks and need more time in your day to add in sales prospecting, consider joining Trinity’s Authorized Agent network. Trinity Logistics has over 30 years of experience aiding in the success of our freight agent businesses, with many new freight agents seeing a 50 percent increase over a two-year period from joining. 

Join our Authorized Agent network today and gain more time to generate more revenue. We’ll focus on everything else. 

When it comes to planning for success, taking that first step is always the hardest. This is where building habits come into play. Building habits of growth and success into your day will position your business to see results. A research study by Duke University found that 40 percent of the actions people performed each day weren’t actual decisions but habits. That data is pretty staggering! From our seats, we’ve noticed that our most successful freight agents have developed certain habits that propel them to success.

So, what ARE the habits of successful Freight Agents? While there are so many ways to build positive, growth-driven habits into your business, the key is to start with one. Find one habit below that you can start doing to help lead your business towards the path of success.

BE PROACTIVE

The key to continued growth and success is being proactive. If you don’t focus on growing your business, then your business is most likely shrinking. No matter how you choose to sell, it would help if you proactively surround yourself with potential customers and carriers, looking for opportunities to provide them value. 

BE A GOOD LISTENER

Being a good listener is a vital habit for an independent Freight Agent’s success. Listening well to the specific details around any shipment is essential and can make a huge difference. Making sure you fully understand what is going on and what is needed will allow you to better serve your clients. And when problems happen, fully listening to the issues with the intent of understanding will promote an environment of mutual respect and take your customer service even further 

PLAN EVERY DAY

One of the best habits is to have a plan made every day. It may sound simple (most habits are), but many can end up getting stuck in a routine of going through the motions, and lose sight of what they are trying to accomplish. Instead, start every day by planning what goals you’re crushing today and how they fit into your long-term picture. 

NEVER STOP LEARNING

The best Freight Agents never stop learning. If there is one thing that successful Freight Agents know it is that they don’t know everything! Habitually find time to listen to podcasts, read, take a class or webinar. Subscribe to industry newsletters or take advantage of any Freight Agent opportunities provided by your brokerage. The freight industry is constantly changing. From new regulations to new technology, you need to stay educated to be successful.

BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS

Successful Freight Agents understand that their relationships are what keeps their businesses thriving. Strong relationships will have your shippers, carriers, and brokerage support members looking forward to working with you. Logistics is truly a Team effort, so make sure you put effort into those relationships. By building natural relationships, you’ll have mutual trust and always be top of mind. Psst..you’re good listening habit will help a lot here! 

NEVER STOP NETWORKING

You may have an excellent book of business, with great repeat customers, but you should never get too comfortable. No company is immune to the ebbs and flows of the logistics industry and you never know when some of your current business slows due to shutdowns, new personnel, or other reasons out of your control. Because of this, it’s important never to stop networking and looking for new customers. Ask your current customers for any referrals, be present at tradeshows or keep memberships with certain trade organizations to help connect with others in your industry. 

BE A STRONG AND QUICK COMMUNICATOR

Most successful Freight Agents take time each day to communicate progress on any loads and speak to any current or upcoming changes. Make sure you always communicate both the good and bad news as it will continue to build trust. When bad news comes along, make sure you proactively communicate it and come ready with solutions. Most people appreciate the effort in communicating versus being left in the dark. 

SPEND TIME USING SOCIAL MEDIA

While this may not sound like a good habit to develop, social media is quickly becoming a great way to market yourself as an expert in the industry and network for new business. LinkedIn is a great place to get started if you haven’t already. You can use your brokerage’s marketing content and brand to help grow your presence as an industry expert online. Be sure to post regularly and engage in conversations online. Keep your online content and engagement professional, just as you would if you were in person.

SET SOME GOALS

You know you want to be successful, but what is it that defines that success for you? Determine what that is for your long-term goal and then make smaller goals to help you reach your end goal. Make sure your goals are SMART and follow through. And most importantly, continue to re-evaluate your goals so you can continue to grow. 

DO WHAT SCARES YOU

Growth cannot happen without being uncomfortable. Take small steps towards something that makes you uncomfortable. The more you do it, the more comfortable you’ll grow to be, as well as more successful. Do you hate cold calling? Maybe start with a small goal of two per day. Do you want to do more face-to-face client visits? Start with the one closest to you. Take one small step towards something that is daunting in your business. The momentum from one small step leads to another and another!

FIND YOUR PURPOSE

Most successful people have a higher purpose than just the need to be successful. Knowing your purpose helps you push through the more challenging times and motivates you to accomplish your goal. Having a clear sight of what you want to do and why will only make your habits more positive and purposeful. 

LEAN ON YOUR TEAM

Even though your role may be as an “independent Freight Agent”, it doesn’t mean you have to go at it alone. Make sure you find a brokerage that offers you the support you need so you can grow and be successful.

WE’RE HERE TO HELP YOU SUCCEED

As independent Freight Agents, the fires of the day can sometimes take away from your personal and professional development. It’s important to us at Trinity to help our freight agents find ways to keep their business growing, while still having the ability to handle the operations of the typical “day in logistics”.

Here at Trinity, we understand that running your business is hard work, so we have an entire Team here to help you. We have over 30 years of experience aiding the success of our Authorized Agents, with many seeing a 25 to 45 percent increase in their business over a two-year period from joining our network. 

Let us help you get back to doing what you do best, serving your customers while receiving world-class support that puts you ahead of the competition. After joining, you’ll have access to a dedicated Agent Support Team to help you with your goals, business efficiency, development, growth, and encouragement. You’ll have full administrative support, many educational opportunities, and best-in-class technology available to serve you, your customers, and carriers. 

We’re also ready to help you build the habits mentioned in this article into your daily routine. If you’re ready to be a successful Freight Agent with Trinity, join our Authorized Agent network today and get ready to see some growth.