Freight Broker Boot Camp

In this freight broker training article, I discuss how to get shippers as a freight broker, particularly if you are targeting BIG shippers.

I share a proven outreach and relationship building method I have personally used to get BIG shippers. But not just me, some of the world’s most successful billionaires and Fortune 500 companies use this same strategy to land top clients.

FACT: Not all shipping clients have the same impact on your freight broker business. A shipper that moves 100 full truckloads per per day has a much bigger potential than one moving only one full truckload per day.

In this post, we’ll look at the powerful “Dream 100” technique, that when properly implemented, can help freight brokers create strong relationships with high-impact customers.

What is the “Dream 100” and Why Should I Care?

Chet Holmes’ approach in the publishing industry is a great example of the Dream 100 strategy in action. To turn around one of Charlie Munger’s failing magazine businesses, Holmes identified the top 167 advertisers from a pool of 2,200 potential advertisers in the space.

These 167 companies brought in 95% of the advertising dollars spent within this niche. Here, Chet’s market research provided essential information on industry trends and purchase history.

This information on current customers in the magazine advertising space helped him identify the most effective ways to use resources and provided a good opportunity to focus his client search.

Holmes used the “Lumpy Mail” method, delivering these advertisers interesting and attention-grabbing mail every two weeks. The accomplished this by sending non standard envelopes/packages, the packages were “lumpy” and harder to simply toss into the garbage.

Below are some great examples of lumpy mail and why it can be so effective at getting a prospects attention. NOTE: All the examples below are considered self mailing, thus saving money on packaging and shipping.

Also, the irregular size and shape of the lumpy mail make the packages more likely to be opened out of curiosity. This strategy, combined with regular follow-up, raised awareness and intrigue for potential clients.

While the results were not immediate (zero clients in the first month), by the sixth month, they had won 29 of the 167 advertisers. Chet continued this strategy and eventually, all 167 advertisers started advertising in the magazine, saving the previously struggling magazine.

Chet’s ability to turn around a struggling magazine by using the Dream 100 strategy, shows the great opportunity available to any freight broker or freight agent willing to deploy it.

How To Get Shippers As A Freight Broker Using Dream 100

The Dream 100 strategy involves a targeted and focused approach to gaining new customers. Instead of casting a wide net and attempting to connect with every possible shipping client using a shot gun approach.

The Dream 100 strategy indentifies and prioritizes the top 100 shippers in their niche that have the highest potential return on investment (ROI).

In contrast to other strategies that cast a wide net, this strategy emphasizes nurturing relationships with new leads. This strategy can be especially anyone not interested in or able to make hundreds of cold calls.

The Dream 100 strategy is a great way to get shippers in the transportation industry, where specialization is essential. Each freight niche has major players that can have a big impact on sales. For example, shippers in the food & beverage, fresh produce, oil and gas, building materials, steel, etc. niches.

The Dream 100 involves identifying these key players, who can supply consistent freight and therefore have the greatest potential to impact your freight brokerage’s overall revenue.

Recognizing that not all clients within a niche are equal is a critical component of the Dream 100 strategy. Top freight brokers understand that a shipper who can provide ten loads per day, can have a significantly greater impact than the one who can only provide a single shipment per week.

Understanding this dynamic is critical to the successful execution of the Dream 100 strategy and increasing sales for your freight brokerage business.

6 Simple Steps To Get Shippers Using The Dream 100 Strategy

Implementing the Dream 100 strategy requires a systematic approach outlined below:

1. Identify Your Niche: Define the specific type of freight or types of products your brokerage will focus on. Understanding your focus, whether it’s construction, food and beverage, automotive, etc., is the first step and one of the best ways to begin building your list of potential shippers.
2. Build a List: Make a comprehensive list of all potential clients in your chosen niche. This step requires doing due diligence in reviewing the market research, industry publications, and networking within the shipping industry to hone in on your target market.
3. Break it down to the Dream 100: Evaluate and pick the top 100 clients who have the potential to have a significant impact on your company’s success. Consider load frequency, total value to the sector, the possibility of long-term relationships, etc. when narrowing down your list.
4. Identify Decision-Makers: Identify the main decision-makers within each of the Dream 100 companies. Making direct touch points with the appropriate person is critical for successful outreach.
5. Gather Contact Information: Obtain correct and up-to-date contact information for your list of decision-makers. Detailed information including mailing addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses may all be included in your search. You should also consider expanding your contact information search to include social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
6. Develop a Strategic Outreach Plan: Create a comprehensive outreach plan that is in line with the Dream 100 strategy. This could include a mix of traditional means like phone calls and direct mail as well as modern approaches like email campaigns and social media interaction as a starting point.

Looking for more ideas of how to get shippers as a freight broker using Dream 100 lump mail strategy?

What is the Potential ROI For Freight Brokers and Agents?

Consider the following scenario:

You are a freight brokerage startup with $500,000 in sales year one with average profit of 15% or $60,000. You decide to implement the Dream 100 strategy, devoting your efforts over the next year to connecting with all 100 clients on your list. If you get 10 of these high-impact clients, each bringing daily loads, the effect on your business could be huge.

Let’s run the numbers: Assuming a $1,500 average load and 20 loads per month per client, that’s $30,000 per month per client. With just ten clients, you increase sales by $300,000 a month. Even at a conservative 15% profit margin, that amounts to an additional $45,000 in gross profit per month.

In this example a small startup freight broker grew from $60,000 in gross profit per year to over $45,000 per month in gross profit by leveraging the Dream 100 strategy.

Disclaimer: The example above is not a financial projection of potential income or earnings. We do not claim, and you should not assume, that you will replicate these results. Your individual results may vary.

Conclusion

As a freight broker, it’s important to understand not all clients have the same impact on your business. We discussed the Dream 100 strategy as a powerful approach for customer acquisition and long-term success.

Popularized by business experts like Chet Holmes, the Dream 100 strategy encourages brokers to focus on the top 100 shippers that have the greatest potential impact on their business.

While Dream 100 strategy takes time, dedication, and a willingness to be different, the potential impact on your freight brokerage is undeniable.

The Dream 100 strategy provides freight brokers with a powerful tool for growing their business by focusing their efforts on building meaningful relationships with potential high-value shippers.

The hypothetical examples discussed above show the massive impact of getting even a small percentage of your Dream 100 shippers. These examples highlight the strategic advantage of quality over quantity.

Think about implementing the Dream 100 strategy in your freight brokerage to help transform your business.

Need Help Getting Shippers? Let Me Coach You. Join my Freight Broker Sales Accelerator WAITLIST.

Cheers,

Dennis Brown
Owner/Trainer, www.FreightBrokerBootcamp.com