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3.0 Getting Loads & Working with Shippers

Atex Freight Broker Training, Inc. –  El Paso, Texas

Lesson 3.0 Getting Loads & Working with Shippers

Overview – Lesson 3.0

Shipper Set-Up Package

Fax/email/upload set-up package to the shipper

Sending your set-up package

Customer Search Strategies – Part 1

Customer acquisition strategies is where you begin

Start with current contacts

Are these worth your while?

Seven steps in searching for shippers

Customer Search Strategies – Part 2

Here are a few specific sources

Google – keywords, using qualifiers

Be alert in your local area

Find successful companies – track spending habits of the masses

Finding customers in small, rural areas

What about the NAICS number system?

Google Adwords Keyword Planner

Giving Quotes

Why the shipper is asking for a quote

One method of how you should respond when shipper wants quotes on many loads

Taking the Order

Here are some of the types of information you will need when taking the order

Lastly, what is the rate the shipper wants to pay?

Before You Post the Load

Niches and Specialty Loads

Let’s get started! …

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Shipper Set-Up Package

Fax/email/upload set-up package to the shipper

  1. Fax/email cover sheet,
  2. Letter of introduction,   
  3. Grant Letter from FMCSA,
  4. Evidence of a surety bond or trust fund,
  5. Certificate of contingent cargo insurance, if applicable,
  6. IRS Form W-9,
  7. Statement of position,
  8. Shipper info request

Sending your set-up package

Fax, email or have a third party host these pages

Shipper will not return anything

Generally, you won’t have a Broker-Shipper Agreement

Use a credit service to check a shipper’s payment history

Customer Search Strategies – Part 1

Customer acquisition strategies is where you begin

Customer searches – how often?

Not knowing where and how to start

Don’t follow the herd

Traditional resources vs more creative ones 

IF you have contacts – shippers or carriers – start here

Start with contacts if you have some

Use Bills of Lading

If you don’t have contacts to start with …

HOWEVER – taking action and getting started SOMEWHERE, ANYWHERE

Are these worth your while?

Resources that have shippers seeking brokers

>>> Seamless AI

>>> Direct Freight

Use these as lead magnets?

Methods to reach out to your contacts and others

(1) personal visits. or

(2) using the telephone and internet – which is best?

Asking questions

Don’t have to “sell yourself”

Ask for an opportunity

Why would they give you an opportunity?

Seven steps in searching for shippers

1) Talking to the right person

2) Develop one or more calling strategies

3) Moving on or gathering information

4) Sending the set-up package

5) Following-up

6) Taking the order

7) Providing excellent service

Rinse and repeat —

Customer Search Strategies – Part 2

Specific sources

>>> ThomasNet (Thomas Register)

Avoid these mistakes …

  • Looking for the quick and easy way,
  • Looking for what you are familiar with,
  • Wanting to follow the herd.

>>> MacREA’s Bluebook

>>> Produce Industry Website Directory for Growers

>>> Produce Industry Website Directory for Associations

>>> North Carolina Strawberry Association

>>> The Packer Online

>>> United States Dept of Agriculture

>>> Facebook – Freight Brokers Shippers List

You have to join this FB group

>>> FreightWaves – direct shippers list

>>> LinkedIn – shipper list from brokers

>>> Blue Book Services

>>> Websters Online (WOL)

More resources – $$$

>>> Manufacturers’ News, Inc.

ShipperMate by Truckstop.com – Interesting

Google, Yahoo or Bing – keywords, using filters

“Unique” keywords

“Bird cage” manufacturers

“Animal trap” manufacturers

Try using >>> Google Maps

 Include these “filters”:

shippers,

growers,

wholesalers,

manufacturers, or

distributors

   Be alert in your local area

  • Driving around –
  • Retail stores –

“Going where the money is”

Find successful companies

Amazon – best sellers

Amazon – type in “amazon.com” in your browser

  1. Select Automotive Parts & Accessories, as an example,
  2. In the search box, type in “bestsellers”,
  3. Select any one of the top …
  4. Copy and paste part of the description into Google and add  the word –  “manufacturers” behind the keyword. 

eZine.com –

Scan for keywords and search for ideas

Finding customers in small, rural areas

  1. Identify the county seat in each county. Here’s an example, “county seat Williamson county Illinois”. In this example, “Marion” appears
  1. Go to a website like YellowPages.com or Yellowbook.com

Enter “manufacturers” in the search box and “Marion” (for Williamson County) in the location box.

Here are some test results – different search engines

Using “manufacturers” in the search box and entering Marion, IL

  • YellowPages.com yields >25 results.
  • Google Maps yields many results.

The NAICS number system for ideas

North American Industry Classification – NAICS

Six digit numbers – the first two digits identify the general business sector.

Browse the >>> NAICS website:

Choose the most recent Reference File

Select the manufacturing sector encompasses the number scheme 31-33.

You are not searching for retail stores

Giving Quotes and Bids

Many shippers will invite brokers to either bid on loads or provide quotes.

Annual bids

Random quotes

Why the shipper is asking for a quote or inviting bids

  1. Looking for new brokers,
  2. In the “ball park”,

Is it worthwhile?

Quotes for 10, 15, 25 or more loads

How to respond

What a broker needs to give a quote:

To give quotes or estimates, you need to know:

  • type of truck needed,
  • type of cargo being shipped,
  • picking up and delivering where?

Do you want to dictate to the shipper?

Taking the Order

Before you take an order

Detailed information brokers need when taking the order

  • Pickups and deliveries (Picks and drops).
  • When the cargo is ready for pick up.
  • Extra picks or drops?
  • Delivery appointment set up?
  • Name, address and phone number of consignee.
  • Type of equipment needed.
  • Unloading fees?
  • How much product is normally loaded, if applicable?
  • Temperature, if needing a reefer?
  • Special instructions – tarping, dunnage.

Here is a sample order form.

Lastly, what does the shipper want to pay?

Ask the shipper:

  • what do they want to pay, OR

(2)  tell the shipper that you’d like to “run the numbers”

Then …

(1) Calculate the number of miles on the load

(2) Come up with the dollar amount you are offering the truck and,

(3) Get the “rate per mile to the truck”

Before You Post the Load

BEFORE you post each load:

Know exactly what the shipper needs,

Know exactly what the shipper is paying for and not paying for.

Niches and Specialty Loads

Take whatever comes your way.

Forget about niches for now

Avoid “targeted” cargo

Summary:

  1. Priority – compile the set-up package,
  2. Get set-up first with contacts you know,
  3. Begin other searches,
  4. Be selective in giving quotes,
  5. Take the order,
  6. Before you post a load,
  7. Should you specialize?