Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/721587
LEARN MORE. MAKE MORE. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT WEBINAR SERIES REGISTER FOR OUR FREE WEBINARS TRUCKSTOP.COM/ EVENTS PAT DICKARD KNOWS BY PAT DICKARD CORPORATE TRAINER, TRUCKSTOP.COM W e are always talking about how the new rule changes will affect the trucker, but what about the shipper and broker? Whether they like it or not, tightening of rules that affect the carrier is going to have an effect on them and most likely in a negative way. As crazy as it may sound, this is the perfect opportunity for a carrier to increase business, to grow and be more profitable than ever. Allow me to explain. Most truckers are very complacent. ey are happy with their truck, their lanes of operating, their income, and so on. ey feel so satisfied with their own abilities or situation that they feel they do not need to try any harder. e only thing that can jolt them into reality is when all this wonderful life is threatened to go away. Which is exactly what all the changes and tightening of the rules is doing. It is your worst nightmare with monsters that wish to put you out of business. Now is the time to change your attitude, your method of negotiating for a load or loads. Now is the time to direct your attention to building a relationship that goes way beyond this one load. Keep in mind that the shipper is giving you control of a very important part of their process. Your job goes beyond just hauling the freight. Your job should also include identifying problem areas and alleviating that pain with cost effective solutions. e biggest difference between successful people and unsuccessful people isn't intelligence or opportunity or resources. It's the belief that they can make their goals happen. Yet, believing, especially in yourself, is much easier said than done. Selling your company's services is believing; and before your client decides to buy your service, they will buy your belief that you can solve their problems. If you aren't excited about it, why should someone else be? So, say it with confidence; show the prospect you believe in what you are saying. Remember that people buy for their reasons, not yours. You must be committed to finding out their needs. Research your prospect e more research you do, the higher your success rate will be. You must be committed to finding out the needs of your prospective clients. Rushing around the Internet 10 minutes before you have an appointment with a potential client, will not cut it. Good sales people utilize all of their downtime to skim newspapers, industry magazines and websites on the tablets and mobiles. Ensure you learn what may be the prospect's strategic issues, aims, priorities and problems. Glean information from carriers that have hauled for the company or in that lane. Turn all this new way of thinking into a means to build your business way beyond your wildest dreams. A New Way of Thinking