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| Customers dont just fall out of the sky ... it takes effort to develop your own client base . |
Whether you’re an independent owner operator in the trucking industry or operate a fleet of trucks, finding and securing your own customers will be more profitable than utilizing brokerage services for the mass majority of your business. The assistance of a broker can come in handy when needed, however, if you really want to capitalize on your profits, an area to explore could include finding a customer base and marketing your services to potential shippers. By relying solely on brokers and load boards to move freight, many trucking companies are missing out on a large portion of income that could have been theirs to keep. Going the extra mile and spending the time it takes to develop this business can offer many financial rewards. One may ask… how do I go about finding my own customers in the trucking business?
When my wife and I began our business in 1996, we visited our local library to research companies which offered the proper materials to be transported on a flatbed trailer. Our goal was to concentrate on two major cities in which we were going to work. We only had one truck at the time and our thoughts were to develop long -term relationships with a few customers on both ends. We found obtaining 3 to 5 customers in each of those two cities kept our truck moving freight daily. Our library visits often included many hours of research in magazines, business/trade publications and gathering information within the “Standard Industry Codes”. Today, the SIC code information on companies can be found on the internet. This can be a valuable tool as specific information can be found in regards to a company’s product or material, address, phone number, years in business, credit rating, size and number of employees etc.… Also, the CEO or other contacts of reference to staff members may be listed. The SIC codes offer access to many types of businesses and allow for detailed searches to be catered to those companies in which you plan to market your services.
Other valuable sources of research could include your local “retailers or distributors”. These stores carry all types of products from garden items to various home essentials which are transported to their establishments every day. The materials at these locations all provide a label which shows where the product originated. We would simply look for cities that we wanted to serve. Often times the phone number was located on the label as well. Seasonal items can also be a big money maker during times when for example: Pumpkins and Christmas trees need to be moved by a certain time frame. If you live near farms or your route/lane runs nearby where these items are grown, you can call or make a visit to market your services to these potential customers.
Once you have developed your own customers, it’s important to maintain those long term business relationships. You can do this by calling, visiting them in person or sending a gift on occasion. Always be sure to check in and follow up on your service to make sure you are meeting your customer’s expectations in regards to your service. By staying in touch and communicating, you can take care of any issues quickly that may require your attention.
Finding and maintaining your own customer base is often the path less traveled, however it’s the road that can lead to higher profitability.