No matter what you have scheduled for your 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. A qualified prospect is anybody who ships or receives freight or makes those decisions for other locations.
Our biggest tips for prospecting are:
1. Talk to and develop relationships with everyone you meet in our industry.
2. Join clubs and organizations. You never know where your next big shipper will come from.
3. Subscribe to industry news publications. Check out publications like Transport Topics, JOC, Transport and Logistics News, Armstrong & Associates, and Inbound Logistics, among others to keep up to date on what’s happening in the industry. Read through trade publications that would apply to your largest customers (automotive, plastics, medical suppliers, etc.).
4. Attend trade shows and seminars. Those that are aimed at trucking and air freight, as well as major tradeshows specific to your biggest customers’ industries.
5. Give speeches every chance you get. Don’t sell from the podium, but make sure everyone gets one of your business cards.
6. Take the time to write an occasional article and submit to any publication that might print your ideas, even letters to the editor. This is another way for you to be recognized as an expert.
7. Offer help and resources at fundraisers, telethons, and charity drives.
8. Develop and practice networking skills – one of the most powerful business tools.
9. Surround yourself with successful people.
Check back next Tuesday for more tips on Selling SunteckTTS. The full playlist of videos can be found on our YouTube channel.