Need Help With Freight Broker Sales Pitch

Rejection is a part of it. Maybe 100 or 1,000 rejections for 1 customer. I reject 2 or 3 dozen load offers a day in a busy market with the truck posted up and the phone ringing. Or if calling about loads maybe twice that. It sucks. I don't envy you one bit. There are a lot of drivers who jokingly say they should get a fax machine and a phone line and start brokering for the easy money. But I've never seen any of them try it before... Good luck to you.

 

part of my experience as a recruiter in New York was to be aggressive and get very personable on the phone in convincing people.

A very good good tactic I had was calling twice as many people as the other recruiters - and not giving a (expletive) what people think.
Keep a log of how many calls you make, make a note of yes/no ratios.

You are focusing too much energy on what people think. And email? My email has become so swamped with sales offers etc that I don't even read them, email is annoying when you're a deskslave working 9-5 and struggling to stay awake because you're so bored.

And if your company forbids you to create a email campaign, dude you're working for the wrong company. Email campaigns DO work
If they're short and simple. Send me a msg I'll give you more ideas

 

No matter what the objection is I always have the same response. "Thanks for being honest I really appreciate you being open with me. With your permission, I would like to send you my contact info, in case your situation ever changes in the future. We are experts at covering last-minute loads so please keep me in mind in case you're ever in a bind." I get their email address and then contact them again on a weekly basis by phone and email. When they do get in a bind and I deliver on my promise to cover their load I've now got a new customer. Whenever you call someone always ask them open ended questions. A question they can answer yes or no to makes it easy for them to hang up the phone. An open ended question makes them think and then they do the selling for you. They will tell you what they are having problems with and what they are not.

 

How about this; the focus will be on the Freight: Who, What, Where, When & How

 

If you follow this advice, a must read is "The One Minute Manager"..... its a great book, and its a short and easy read as well!!!!
Good Luck

 

I get a 1-2 calls a day.. I split my business between 6 guys, each has certain merits and lanes they do well and 3 of them I started with because they cold called me...

I have ate a few rules, you answer wrong and I think you are a clown and I am done and hang up.
1 - when I ask you what lanes you do well? Dont tell me "all of them" or "everything in the lower 48". No one does all things well, it just sounds like you don't do anything well.
2 - when I tell you I do mostly multi pick multi drop loads, does that work? Don't tell me, I am really better at one pic, one drops... Yeah everyone is...
3 - next I say, I often have some ltls, and would need support there, this means selling the rest of the truck, ok? Don't say... Um, well we prefer full loads.. Yeah everyone does, but the guys that help me on the few random crappy ltls, they get TL.
4 - when I ask you to send me an email and copy someone else, include your insurance cert and an i9, a note reiterating your best lanes and so I have your email addy. That doesn't mean call him and tell him I said to "set you up"
5 - when you send your email, use a company email. Not yahoo or gmail or some goofy thing. Don't have a cartoon company name, or I figure you have no respect.

if if you get past my questions, I put your email in a little folder that I orgnaize by lane. When I am desperate and have something that needs wheels fast, something I don't usually do I pull out my folder and look for people to give a shot too. I also pull out the folder and might send a rate sheet to complete.

If if I send you a rate sheet, I expect it back in excel as I sent it to you complete with rates and miles.


maybe I seem a bit militant, but this weeds out the bs and everyone can enjoy a healthier business relationship where we all do well.

btw... I run reefers for fresh produce, I do a lot of kroger and walmart and other supermarkets chains. The lanes I run change with the produce seasons and what contracts I have with the supermarkets. I set up my lanes at the beginning of a season and stick with the same guys, so they can plan and be there when I need them. meaning I don't shop around every load, so I think my questions are fare. Though an ####### last week, told my assistant that his "gal" meaning me was busting balls... Hmm... He is now on my no way list.

to help on your other questions.... Some responses might be...

what makes you different... I am newer and hungry, I don't have alot of big accounts, so if you will give me a chance... I will be focused on doing a good job for you.

other lines are... Give me a shot at your most difficult lane, I will do a great job.

As as far as email goes... Don't spam please but once someone gives you their email addy, use it. Maybe one day a week a personal note, can I work up any rates for you. Once a week Helpful hints that you know going on in the industry... Something like... weather update, info on new truck laws etc.. Simple and just a few lines.... Don't send cartoons, jokes, booby pics etc... That will get you banned fast...

hope me this is hellful

 

I don't disagree with anything you've said except for one. What is wrong with Gmail? I know several larger companies that use it because it's free and you can use it with Outlook also.

As far as the email goes great advice use it wisely. Every Wednesday I send out a weekly email to my customers with a 2-3 sentence paragraph on something related to the industry. Today's was on fuel prices. I send them out individually not mass emails. I may have to send them mass when I become bigger than CH Robinson but will see. Other than that my customers get a phone call once or twice a month to discuss how things are going unless I need to talk to them about an issue.

 

When you get the shipping manager on the phone ask them how they do their shipping process, and if he replies that he or she is not interested in new brokers ask them why, and what it would take to become part of their network of carriers, just remember questions, questions, questions!!!! Tell him or her that you will beat any rate out there regardless, because as time goes on and the market changes so do rates, so while you may not make money initially, you will at least have your foot in the door, and as the market changes you will have the chance of increasing your margins and thus start making money. Remember, while honesty keeps the wheels rolling in this industry, also remember to FAKE IT TO YOU MAKE IT!!!! If they ask you a question you don't know, be honest and tell them you can find out and get right back to them. Remind them of your personal stake in your business, and that you care more of your customers than other larger brokerages, because the success of the call may decide if your bills get paid, while a broker at a larger company will always get their paycheck regardless of if they lock the customer down or not. Most of my success in cold calling has been later in the day when their less busy, often on a Thursday or Friday. Are you an agent?

 

Fake it till you make it really? That's the problem with the industry. I never tell any customer I will beat any rate most of the time I tell them I will try to match rates but I may be more. Pay me a few dollars more and I will have a truck there on time and able to cover your last minute shipments as well. I've figured out most brokers focus on shippers. The money is not in shipping but the one who transported it.