No matter what you have scheduled for any particular day there is one part of your job you should do every day – prospecting. There are no sales without customers and there are no customers without frequent prospecting. To keep your trucks full of freight, you have to keep prospects in your pipeline. Set a daily or weekly minimum number of cold calls or prospecting contacts for yourself – your success depends on it.
There are many resources that cover the best ways to be successful in prospecting, and some of our top tips are below:
1. Talk to and develop relationships with everyone you meet in your industry. Make sure your competitors know you and what you do. Share information. Never give away company secrets, but sometimes you can help each other achieve goals and gain new business you might not have uncovered without the others help.
2. Join clubs and organizations. You never know where your next big shipper will come from.
3. Subscribe to industry publications. Read your local newspapers, business publications, and national publications. There are many online resources and articles that will provide excellent industry insight.
4. Attend trade shows and seminars. Those that are aimed at trucking and freight, as well as major tradeshows that are specific to certain industries, are a great place to start.
5. Give speeches every chance you get. Don’t sell from the podium, but positioning yourself as an industry expert will benefit you in the long run.
6. Develop and practice networking skills – the most powerful business tool. Mastering networking is the difference between a mediocre and magnificent career.
7. Surround yourself with successful people. It’s the best way to learn how to be successful.