Growing Your Business

Regardless of what you think is happening with our economy, if you are going to grow your business you need to be a great salesperson. Far too many of the Owner/Operator's I speak with look down on the idea of selling themselves and their services, then, in the next breath, slam the broker (the person that went out and made the sale to the shipper).

Well guess what little buckaroo, salespeople are literally the engine of every economy and you have to decide if you want to become a great salesperson or hire a great one (the broker).

My company has developed The Trucking MBA specifically for those of you who want to become a great salesperson. Here are some points from The Trucking MBA program that address this goal:

1. Start thinking in terms of building a business. In the end, great salespeople are building a business. And to do this you need to be thinking beyond the sale and into how what you are doing in going to be sustainable.
2. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Build your business one customer at a time and every customer should help lead to another customer.
3. Be willing to invest time and money into networking. Join Traffic Clubs, help new carriers get up and rolling, and invest your time and energy into people that can help your business grow.
4. Forget that tired saying of "Under Promise and Over Deliver". Offer more than they ask for and deliver more than you offer.
5. Listen, listen, listen. You will be amazed at the amount of information you will gain when you let a person talk.
6. Nothing replaces face time. Technology is great but a hand written note is special. Set your sites on turning a bad situation around, then follow-up with a little something. Just set yourself apart.
7. Look for ways to make your sales efforts more efficient.
8. Eat, drink, sleep your business. The more you are open to opportunities the more opportunities that will come your way. Think deeply. Figure out what you can do that no one else can and capitalized on that. Just because it hasn't been done, doesn't mean it won't work. Don't let negative people and their negative thinking move into your head. And remember, there is no such thing as an "off" button when you own a business!
9. Never rely on the "economy" for outcomes but rely on your actions. Control the things that you CAN control.
10. Find mentors that believe the sky is the limit and are looking for ways to achieve it. Surround yourself with successful people and ask them for help! Most successful people are where they are because someone helped them get there. Most successful people want to give back by helping others be successful!
11. You can always do better. Give yourself time to look at your process and figure the where opportunities for improvement. Trust us, they are there.
12. That problem is your opportunity. How you react when things get tough will set you apart from your competitor. Stop grumbling about how the situation is unfair or how it is someone else's fault. Find a solution, implement it, and stay positive!
13. Don't forget to invest in your sales efforts. Professional business cards, website and email address (forget [email protected]), books, etc.
14. Look and act like the professional you want to be. Start acting like the person you want to be 5, 10, 20 years from you. Have the battle is believing in yourself.

One Final Point: Don't let someone's "decades of experience" define your standards. If I had listened to all the people that told how it needs to be done and that how I wanted to do it would never work, I would still be an independent O/O. Instead I am a small, but growing carrier (On June 8[SUP]th[/SUP], 2012 I will be at 11 drivers and my goal was to be at 10 by July 1[SUP]st[/SUP]).

Some of the most successful people I have met started out with what was considered to be a textbook example of how to fail in what they were doing. Those people didn't listen to the negativity and neither did I.

 

At present, it is a 2 1/2 day course that covers everything from cost of operation, getting the best rates, selling, marketing, market evaluation, bidding contracts, etc. Anyone that is or is thinking about becoming an O/O will benefit from this. It would even work well for someone that is on the broker side.

Going to have the first open class in July (date not set) and all the participant has to cover is hotel for couple nights.