{"id":339,"date":"2016-12-07T15:25:39","date_gmt":"2016-12-07T23:25:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/67.192.94.222\/blog\/?p=339"},"modified":"2016-12-07T15:25:39","modified_gmt":"2016-12-07T23:25:39","slug":"online-marketing-tips-freight-brokers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shipmynt.com\/blog\/online-marketing-tips-freight-brokers\/","title":{"rendered":"Online Marketing Tips for Freight Brokers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Businesses across all industries depend on technology, and freight brokerage is no different. To be successful in today\u2019s market, freight brokers must be familiar with online marketing and mounting successful online campaigns. If your freight company doesn\u2019t use online marketing, familiarize yourself with the basics to maintain a competitive edge.<\/p>\n

Use TOMA<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

TOMA stands for \u201ctop of mind awareness.\u201d<\/a> In other words, your company name should be the first one shippers or other customers consider. The most successful freight brokers build their marketing strategies around TOMA. There are a few simple, but important, steps.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

First, develop a core idea about what your business offers. Ask yourself what makes your freight company different from competitors. It could be your timing, the way you pack and ship items, your rapport with shippers, or the technology you use. Once you have a core idea, build marketing campaigns around it. When customers think of your company, they will think automatically about what makes your business unique.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Second, speak directly to your customers. Today\u2019s freight and shipping customers are inundated with advertising. Every company promises to save the most money and time, or to treat their freight with the most care and respect. You must go beyond these basic promises, and find what sets you apart from competitors.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Third, personalize your message. Make it interesting, funny, or memorable in some way. Tailor your marketing campaigns to reach specific audiences. For example, if most of your customers live in one U.S. region, talk about how your freight company deals with weather hazards there. If your customers deal in certain items, use facts or stories about those items to get their attention. Then let your customers know how important they are.<\/p>\n

Use Action Words<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

Decisions are made in the moment. To engage and keep customers, picture them at that moment of decision-making. They may be teetering on the edge. If so, a well-placed command might make a difference. Use action words in your marketing campaign. A phrase like \u201cContact us today\u201d gets much use for a good reason \u2013 it works.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Additionally, make all your words count. Use strong verbs in your advertising. Don\u2019t say, \u201cWe will get your freight to its destination on time.\u201d \u201cGet\u201d is a weak verb, and the rest of the sentence takes away from it. Instead, try something like, \u201cHauling fast, day or night.\u201d This puts the action at the front of the sentence. It also conveys commitment to timeliness with a catchy phrase.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When brainstorming strong verbs and adjectives, consider the associations you want customers to make. In other words, what\u2019s the first thing you want them to think when they see your advertising? Let\u2019s say your customers are concerned about the condition of their deliveries. Your language should convey commitment to careful packaging, thorough inspections, and safe delivery. If you serve many rural customers, they may be concerned you cannot locate them to make deliveries. Discussions of quality GPS tracking and other technologies will alleviate this concern. So, too, will advertising that promises your drivers\u2019 commitments to finding every location, no matter how long it takes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Stay Consistent, but Be Creative<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

Your marketing program must be consistent. If your advertising style changes every week, shippers and other customers will get confused. They also may become weary of your advertising and move to the next company. To avoid this, keep the basics in mind. Even if your advertising\u2019s content changes, your mission statement, slogans, and overall services should not.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, you must also be creative. Customers rely on the basics, but they want to be entertained or amazed when they see them. Update your website regularly \u2013 once every few months is a good rule of thumb. While your website\u2019s text should use basic, readable fonts and colors, don\u2019t be afraid to add vivid graphics, videos, and sound bites. Give your customers something to see, hear, and interact with \u2013 and not just read off a screen.<\/p>\n

Keep Technology Skills Up-to-Date<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

Not everyone is comfortable with technology \u2013 and that\u2019s okay. However, we live in a digital world. Make new technologies work for you, not against you. Offer training for your marketing team and other employees. Consider mounting a \u201chotline\u201d where employees can have technology questions answered. Read technology and business news so you know what works (and doesn\u2019t work) in marketing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Additionally, ensure your technology, especially your desktop and mobile websites, is safe from penalties. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is crucial to marketing freight brokering. SEO keeps you safe from penalties by Google and other search engine algorithms that demote your page. Poor SEO means poor rankings. Check links periodically to ensure none are broken. Update links as new, reputable sources become available. Build good relationships with technology providers, such as GPS systems. These will help you get discounts, training, and other help when you need it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Online marketing isn\u2019t the future \u2013 it\u2019s now. For freight brokers to stay competitive, they must engage in strategic online marketing techniques to ensure they stay in line with their industry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Businesses across all industries depend on technology, and freight brokerage is no different. To be successful in today\u2019s market, freight brokers must be familiar with online marketing and mounting successful online campaigns. If your freight company doesn\u2019t use online marketing, familiarize yourself with the basics to maintain a competitive edge. Use TOMA TOMA stands for … Continue reading Online Marketing Tips for Freight Brokers<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":340,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.shipmynt.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/shipmynt_blogpostimage1_120616.jpg?fit=1600%2C1067&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7fVNJ-5t","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":308,"url":"https:\/\/www.shipmynt.com\/blog\/freight-brokers-customer-service-and-lead-generation\/","url_meta":{"origin":339,"position":0},"title":"Freight Brokers, Customer Service, and Lead Generation","author":"SHIPMYNT Customer Service","date":"October 26, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Freight brokers are a vital part of our trucking industry. 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