A typical broker can lose 20-30 hours per week prospecting new business.
That's time that could be spent closing customers and solidifying your existing relationships.
If the prospecting process seems like a try-to-get-lucky shit-shoot, you're not alone.
But good news: with CargoPro, it isn't.
This article contains a step-by-step guide to data-driven prospecting using the CargoPro Dashboard.
There are millions of companies with freight needs in the US, and it only takes one good customer to make a "million dollar broker", so the odds are in your favor.
But why is prospecting is so difficult? And how do we make it easy?
Challenge #1: Volume
In such a massive market, where do you start carving out your book of business?
Ever heard of "analysis paralysis"? With so many potential customers, finding where to start can be rough.
And here's the kicker: if a company is on your radar, odds are every broker in the industry and their mother also knows about them.
Here's how to isolate a list of rock solid leads that fit your ideal customer profile based on their existing freight (and find the companies that no one else knows about):
Set filters. CargoPro filters are designed to characterize a broker's "ideal customer". Total and average shipments filter for company freight volume. Brokers can also filter by activity at ports, countries, or specific commodities.
Generate report.
It takes 1 minute to generate a report of thousands of companies based on existing freight. By setting parameters based on last shipment date, total shipments, average monthly volume, port, country, and commodity, you can filter report results to view only companies which fit your "ideal customer" profile.
Challenge #2: Intel
How can you turn that "cold-call" into a "warm lead"?
No one appreciates fishing for business.
The first contact with a prospect is your most important. It's your opportunity to demonstrate value, understand their needs, and let the customer know exactly how you're about to make their lives easier (and why it's worth paying you so much $$).
If you have to use that call to qualify the customer, you're wasting your time and theirs.
Here's how you can take 60 seconds to gather intel on your future customer's freight movement, volume, product, and location before picking up the phone:
This company has heavily cyclical freight volume (all of their imports arrive at port between June and December every year). All loads arrive from South America (Panama and Mexico) with the majority of shipments landing at Long Beach, California from Panama. This company does not export goods, and they import fruit exclusively (mostly mandarins, oranges, and other citrus).
So, at a glance, we've identified a need for
ocean freight from South America
transit freight over the California/Mexico border
drayage at multiple California ports
domestic shipment of non-durable goods originating in California
For 50-200 containers per month between the months of June and December.
Now, who do we talk to?
Challenge #3: Contacts
Let's not shout into the void... how do you find quality contacts to close this customer?
No one loves ripping cold-calls all day (and if they do, watch out...you're dealing with a psychopath). BUT it is still the most effective way of building new business as a freight broker... unless your contacts a garbage (which is usually the true).
You could play the "numbers game" and hope that one of those phone numbers on the list of leads you bought is actually the person you need to talk to...
OR you could pull the exact name, email, phone number, and extension for the party responsible for existing and incoming freight:
In 10 seconds, CargoPro users know exactly who to talk to, their phone number and email address.
Ready to close? Go get em'
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