3 Steps to Find and Land Your First Shipper Fast (Step-by-step)

Summary

In this video, freight brokers learn how to land their first shipper without prior experience by following three key steps. Step one focuses on hyper-local prospecting using Google Maps to find businesses that need shipping services, avoiding expensive tools. Step two involves a quick research drill to identify what the company ships, the equipment needed, and the right contact person. Step three is outreach, where brokers use a conversational approach to start relationships, secure quotes, and earn commissions by connecting shippers with carriers. The video emphasizes a simple, systematic method to generate leads and grow a freight brokerage business.

Takeaways

• 😀 Hyper-local prospecting using Google Maps is a powerful, free tool for finding potential shippers in your area.
• 😀 Avoid expensive lists and tools like Zoom Info at the start; instead, use simple strategies to gather valuable leads.
• 😀 Focus on local distributors, manufacturers, or businesses rather than large corporations that are already heavily targeted by other brokers.
• 😀 Organize prospecting data with ChatGPT to streamline lead management and easily create lists of potential clients.
• 😀 Use Google Earth to confirm whether a company is a good lead by visually verifying the presence of loading docks and freight-related equipment.
• 😀 Target industrial areas near highways or airports where businesses likely have heavy freight shipping needs.
• 😀 Research each lead carefully, especially to determine what they make, the type of equipment they need, and who the contact person is for shipping inquiries.
• 😀 LinkedIn is a key tool for finding the right contact person in logistics, such as the shipping manager or director of operations.
• 😀 When reaching out, don't ask immediately for freight; instead, focus on starting a conversation and understanding their shipping needs.
• 😀 Once you have details of a potential load, negotiate rates with carriers, adding a margin to earn a profit while coordinating the shipment.
• 😀 Building relationships with shippers can lead to recurring shipments, creating consistent income from one client, often reaching thousands of dollars in profit each week.

Q & A

What is the first step for a freight broker to land their first shipper?

The first step is hyper-local prospecting, which involves using Google Maps to find local distributors or companies that need shipping services. Focus on smaller, local businesses rather than large, well-known companies.

Why should beginners avoid using expensive tools like Zoom Info when starting out?

Beginners should avoid expensive tools because they are not necessary at the start. Instead, they can use free tools like Google Maps to find local leads and build a list of potential clients without spending money.

What is hyper-local prospecting and why is it effective?

Hyper-local prospecting is the strategy of searching for local businesses that need to ship physical products using Google Maps. It is effective because it helps identify smaller, less competitive companies that are more likely to need shipping services and are not already overwhelmed by multiple brokers.

How can you organize the data from Google Maps for prospecting?

You can copy the business information from Google Maps and use a tool like ChatGPT to help organize the data into a table. After that, you can transfer the list into a Google Spreadsheet for easy access and tracking.

What key information should a broker gather about a company before reaching out?

A broker should gather information on what the company manufactures, what equipment they need to ship their products, and who the right contact person is within the company, typically in logistics or operations.

How do you find the right contact person within a company?

You can use LinkedIn to search for the company's employees and look for titles like logistics manager, operations director, or warehouse manager. These are usually the people who handle shipping decisions.

What should you say on the first call to a potential shipper?

On the first call, the goal is to start a conversation, not immediately secure a load. You can introduce yourself, mention a local observation about their business, and ask how they are currently handling their shipments.

What is the role of the freight broker after securing a conversation with the shipper?

After securing a conversation, the freight broker's role is to get the details of the shipping lanes, including origin, destination, equipment needed, and shipping schedule. The broker then sources a carrier to move the load and negotiates the rates.

How does a freight broker make money from a load?

A freight broker makes money by negotiating two rates—one with the carrier to move the load and one with the shipper for the same load. The difference between these two rates is the broker’s profit margin.

What is the potential long-term revenue from a single shipper?

Once a broker locks in a shipper, they may need to ship regularly. For instance, a single shipper with five loads per week could generate around $1,500 in profit each week, amounting to $78,000 in annual profit.