Freight Agent Daily Routine and Sales Strategy.

Guess what? Being a successful freight broker agent or freight capacity agent just takes routine and strategy. If you are looking to become a freight agent the this article gives you a little more insight into what starting your sales process will be like.

There are always trucking agents wanted and some really good trucking company agent programs out there. But, you have to build a quality freight base with good, paying customers. If you are a freight brokerage agent you will have a little more difficult time in getting customers because you have a lot of competition and no actual capacity. However, do not fear as a freight broker agent you have to work a little harder but your rewards can be much greater if you are successful.

Today we want to discuss what your daily routine could be like as a freight agent working your sales pipeline and what your overall sales strategy might be.

Feel free to adjust to what suits you best, ultimately this freight agent training is just as good as your willingness to commit to it.

 Daily Routine.

1. Cold calls.
2. Follow up calls.
3. Revenue recovery program calls. Old customers
4. Newly secured accounts.
5. Follow up, follow up, follow up.

Where can you find new leads?

1. First, start with old leads. Who have you done business with in the past and are not currently doing business with?
2. Online databases.
   1. Thomasnet.com
   2. Alibaba.comcom
   3. Manufacturerusa.comcom
   4. Hoovers.com (paid)
3. 1. Associations.
   2. Bottle Water Association.
   3. Candy Association.
   4. Lumber Association.
   5. Steel Manufacturers Association.
   6. Etc…
4. Web searches. If you are looking for paper manufacturers in GA, do a general search for them.

80% of the sales will be made by 20% of the salespeople, where do you fall?

 

Sales Strategy.

Basics:

1. Build trust.
2. Identify what your customer needs/problems. (Qualifying questioning)
   1. Loads accepted and not picked up.
   2. Rates too high.
   3. Cannot find enough capacity.
   4. Struggling with a particular lane.
   5. Has a new lane opening up and needs help.
   6. Opening a new plant or distribution center and needs help covering loads.
3. Identify the why behind the need. Why do they want or expect these things?
4. If their expectations are not realistic, help them understand this and then help them readjust their expectations.
5. Work to find a solution to the customers realistic needs.
6. Confirm and close. Always push (politely) for a decision or an exact time for a follow up.

• Remember, we like people like us.
• We prefer to buy from people we like.
• If you want people to like and buy from you, be like them.

 

Basic Sales Process:

1. Pre-call planning.
2. Sales call opening.
3. Needs assessment.
4. Solution development.
5. Closing
6. Follow up.

Keys to a successful sales process:

1. A positive mental attitude.
2. Good health and neat appearance.
3. Complete and detailed product knowledge.
4. Ongoing prospecting and development of new business.
5. Effective presentation skills. Remember, generic presentations are not as effective as custom presentations fit to your customer.
6. The ability to handle objections and gain commitment.
7. Personal planning and time management.
8. Everyone you come in contact with could be a potential prospect.
9. Follow up, follow up, follow up.

What are the critical factors for successful sales:

1. Set SMART goals.
   1. Must be Specific.
   2. Must be Measurable.
   3. Must be Attainable.
   4. Must be Relevant.
   5. Must include a Time frame.
2. Track your progress in meeting your goals.
3. Prospecting. You have to have sufficient contacts to meet your goals.
4. Qualifying. You have to be able to qualify your opportunities to ensure you are spending your time on the customers you are most likely to close.
5. Identifying problems. Ask perceptive questions and follow up questions to determine key issues your customer is facing.
6. Making presentations. Have the ability to convince people to use the service you are selling.
7. Answering objections. You must be able to anticipate the customers concerns and satisfactorily answer their objections.
8. Follow through. Make sure everything that was promised was delivered. Your responsibility does not end when the sale is made. Remember, long-term relationships.
9. Referrals. Happy and satisfied customers tell their friends.

What are the seven unspoken questions your prospect wants you to answer:

1. Why are you calling me?
2. Which needs will you fill?
3. How will this help me?
4. What makes your company any different from the others?
5. When do you wish to see me and/or follow up?
6. What information do you need from me and how long will it take?
7. How will I remember this conversation?

Determining the prospects needs is critical for successful selling. Ask questions such as:

• Are you having trouble getting equipment out of any of your plants?
• What problems are causing you the most difficulty?
• If you have equipment shortages, will you lose customers?
• Are you having any difficulties covering your inbound lanes?
• Are late inbound or outbound deliveries disrupting your production schedule?
• Are you having any problem getting the size and type of equipment you require?
• Are late deliveries costing you orders or customers?

Other helpful strategies:

• Build and use a script. Know exactly what you are going to say before you call.
• Try to anticipate objections.
• Introduce yourself and your company. State the purpose of your call quickly.
• Verify the name of the prospect you are talking to. Ensure you are pronouncing the prospects full name correctly.
• Use the person’s name as much as seems appropriate.
• Courtesy, sincerity, and clarity of speech are essential to your success.
• Be aggressive without seeming to be so. Use questions that are open ended, seek responses and move the conversation in the direction you want it to move in.
• Avoid being pushy. No matter what the response from the prospect, you will not move the conversation forward by being rude or pushy.
• Repeat your name and company twice if possible during the conversation.
• Thank your prospect for their time regardless of how the call goes.
• Take regular breaks during the day. Talking on the telephone can be exhaustive.

You should always be interested in the reasons customers decide to do business with you. You should meticulously analyze why customers purchase from you. Find out what you did right or what you did different. What did you say and when did you say it. What was it that made one customer decide do to business with you and another not to. Always improve your presentation. Continue to use what works and change what does not.

When you fail (and you will) ask why? What went wrong? What did we not provide? What questions did we not ask? What solutions could we not provide? What did our competition do that we did not? Who was our competition?

“Do not try to reinvent the wheel, copy what successful sales people do.”

Transportation companies looking for agents. You have probably seen lots of these advertisements if you have been in business any time at all. Trucking companies looking agents will always be out there and there are too many to evaluate.

We want to make a suggestion to you if you are looking for a quality trucking or logistics company to sign on to. Please CLICK HERE for a top agent opportunity we recommend.

 

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