Freight Broker Boot Camp

The biggest freight broker cold calling challenge is getting your prospects attention. After all, how can you stand out from the crowd if you sound like every other freight broker.

Not getting your prospects attention in the first 3-5 seconds is a primary reason for rejection when cold calling.

When I started out in the freight industry in 2003, I wasn’t sure about the best way to go about cold calling. After all, interrupting prospects in the middle of their day can be challenging.

Little did I know that cold-calling is like searching for gold. You have to dig through a lot of dirt to find a nugget. But just like gold, the value can be incredible.

Fact is, even a small shipping client can be worth $10,000+ per year in profit in your pocket. With medium to large shippers generating $100,000 to $1,000,000 or more in profit per annually.

Now many years later, cold calling still packs a punch in the age of digital everything. It cuts through the clutter of emails and social media to land you directly in the ears of potential clients. 

This is not your usual shot-in-the-dark cold calling, though. I’m here to equip you with my tried-and-tested techniques for gaining more shippers as a freight broker or freight agent.

Assuming you can get past the fear of rejection?

I’ll teach you what to do before, during and after the call to stand out from the crowd without wasting a lot of time and too much unnecessary hard work.

Does Cold Calling Still Work For Freight Brokers?

Yes! Allow me to explain.

Nearly half, 49% of clients prefer a phone call as the first point of connect, according to research by the RAIN Group. Cold calls give you immediate feedback, help with cost savings, and are harder to ignore than cold emails. 

For freight brokers, cold calling still remains the gold standard to break the ice with potential shippers and acquire new business. 

Cold calls act as the initial outreach. Through these phone calls, you hook potential customers and add them to your sales funnel for further nurturing.

Yeah, it isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. Even I agree that it can be a grind especially for new shippers with no prior experience. Rejections pile up, and staying motivated takes work. 

But remember, fear thrives in the place of inaction. Don’t let fear and hesitation hold you back. We’ll get you crushing those calls in no time.

Freight Broker Cold Calling in 3 Simple Steps

Step 1: The preparation

Before you set out on a cold calling spree, you need to prepare properly. First, you need a list of prospects including their phone number and email address. You can start by picking a freight niche by targeting qualified contacts in that niche.

For example:

– Logistics Managers in the Steel Industry

– Shipping Managers in the Bottled Beverage Industry

– Supply Chain Managers in the Oil & Gas Industry

After you have a lead list, you need to gather sales intelligence on each prospect before the call. Don’t worry it’s not that difficult and should only take you a few minutes for each prospect.

3 Easy Ways to Gather Sales Intelligence On Prospects

– Researching their company and industry on Google

– Check their company website for the latest company news/updates

– Search for the shipping contact on LinkedIn to learn more about their work and education history and beyond.

Step 2: The call

The secret to a successful cold call is to get your prospect’s attention in the first 5-10 seconds. For this, you’ll need to ditch the generic “Hi, I’m a freight broker, and I want to move your loads?” 

Instead, create a compelling sales pitch that they may have never heard of before that will allow you to stand out from the crowd.

Freight Broker Cold Call Script Leveraging Sales Intelligence

Example: XYZ Widget Manufacturing

Sales Intelligence: Press release about XYZ Widget recently acquiring a competitor, Joe’s Widget Factory.

“Hey Jim, it’s Dennis Brown from ABC Logistics. Just wanted to congratulate you guys on acquiring “company name”. [pause] I know how difficult merging two companies can be, especially when it comes to logistics. Can I ask you a quick question? [pause/confirm] How do you think the changes might impact your department in the next 3-6 months?”

Next, briefly explain why you’re calling and what you hope to achieve. You need to keep things professional and set clear expectations.

The easiest way to spark a conversation is to ask a thought provoking questions or share a relevant industry tidbit. Show them you’re not just another salesperson, but someone who understands their business.

Another great sign of a successful cold call is a two-way, engaging conversation. Do not dominate the call. Ask for their input or perspective. However, be enthusiastic. Project approachability, active listening, and genuine interest in helping. 

Above all, be confident. Don’t fade away into the conversation. Reassure the prospect that you understand their needs, and that you’re the right person to get the job done.

Here are a few questions to consider asking.

• “Many of our customers have reported issues with X. How’s this affecting you?”
• “How much time do you spend weekly fixing issues related to your current providers?”
• “How do you see your needs changing in the next 6-12 months?”

Open-ended questions keep the conversation flowing freely. Use them.

Lastly, if you feel a good connection, feel free to go for the ask. A simple “Do you have upcoming loads or lanes you’d like to quote for you?” is all it takes. 

P.S. Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need to talk only about business in the first call. Although it would be great if you closed the sales in just one call, that rarely happens. Instead, build rapport and trust with the prospect and slowly introduce them into your services

Step 3: After the call

The process doesn’t end the moment the call ends. Following up is an important part of the cold call process. A quick email after the call that summarizes your conversation goes a long way.

Whether your call outcome was positive or negative, stay in touch. Keep communication channels open and reinforce a good first impression.

Jot down key details about your client and your conversation. Even if you didn’t land the sale, note their pain points and where they hesitated. Know that rejections are part of the process. 

However, if you won them over, note down what sealed the deal. Write down anything you can about their business and what they look for in a freight brokerage partner. Before your next call, review these notes for a smoother conversation. 

Proven Tips for Successful Freight Broker Cold Calls

Cold calling is NOT just a numbers game. It’s a combination of quantity and quality. But the question remains, how do you perfect your cold calls?

From my decades of experience as a successful freight broker, here are some great tips that always help me nail my cold calls:

1) Make a good first impression

They say you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. In many cases, the first impression the prospect gets from you makes or breaks the deal. Introduce yourself, your company, and the reason you called with professionalism.

Stas show that if you include your reason for calling right at the start, your call success rates increase by 2.1%. 

You must keep your voice friendly but confident. On a cold call, you lose all of the power of eye contact, body language, and gestures; your voice is all you have. Speak in a way that projects your confidence and lets the person on the other end know that you know what you’re talking about.

The key is to speak with them, not at them.

Suggestion: Practice your cold call scripts and record them on your phone. That way, you can work on perfecting your cold call to help ensure you make a good first impression.

2) Focus on your prospect, not just closing the sale. 

Once you have their attention, listen actively as they answer your questions. Concentrate on what the prospect is saying, understand their shipping needs, and respond thoughtfully. Ask open-ended questions that will nudge them to share more about their logistical challenges and requirements. 

For instance, “Many of our customers have reported issues with X. How’s this affecting you?”

Mindsets matter a lot as well. Don’t make the call “sell, sell, sell” mentality. You should aim to offer solutions, not pressure them into a quick buy. 

Remember, a client who takes ten touches to convert is better than a one-call wonder who will jump ship the next time a competitor calls. Focus on building relationships with those who value good service. 

3) Don’t forget to establish the next step

Establishing the next step, before you end the call is critical if you don’t want to end up in limbo. Without scheduling a follow up step or call it could take dozens of calls or emails to reconnect with your prospect.

At the end of the call, be sure to agree on the next steps and ask for the prospect’s permission to proceed. 

For example, something like “Would it be okay to schedule a quick call to discuss the rate proposal I’ll be sending you later today?” gives both parties control over the next steps.

5) Practice and refine your script

Don’t underestimate the power of a refined and well-prepared script. It acts as a guide for your cold calls and ensures you cover all important points and stay on track. Communicating your message clearly and confidently is key in cold calling, and scripts help you do that. 

Practice your script until you sound confident and natural and don’t need to keep it in front of your eyes. You must not sound robotic. You need to adapt your responses according to the prospect’s responses. 

Try engaging in role-playing exercises with friends, colleagues, or mentors. They are a great way to simulate real conversations to refine your delivery and handle unexpected questions or objections.

Record your practice calls and review them to find areas for improvement. There’s always scope for improving your tone, pacing, and how you handle objections.

I’ve prepared a sample script for you on which I myself base a lot of my cold calls. 

Get Your Next Shipper With Cold Calling Done Right

The world of logistics is constantly changing, but cold calling has stood the test of time. But let’s be honest, it has changed and its it’s not easy. The secret to winning in cold calls is being different while building trust and confidence.

If this article helped you out, I’d really appreciate a share on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below.

P.S. i’ve helped over 1,000 students learn how to get shippers in my Freight Broker Sales Accelerator. I teach the same freight broker sales system that allowed me to do over $200 million as a freight broker. The program is typically sold out but you can join the WAITLIST here!