Back to Basics: Effective Lead Generation in Logistics | Ep 28
On today's episode on Veritas Vantage, Supply Chain Leaders Brian Hastings and Justin Maines explore the importance of daily prospecting in the logistics industry, especially during a tough market. Learn various lead generation techniques, such as utilizing CRM systems, leveraging everyday interactions, and focusing on specific industries to refine your sales pitch. Discover how to consistently fill your sales pipeline and the significance of establishing a disciplined routine. Additionally, get insights on the value of understanding your client's needs to conduct effective cold calls and build lasting relationships. Stay tuned for more strategies on separating yourself from the competition in the next episode.
The Logistics & Leadership Podcast, powered by Veritas Logistics, redefines logistics and personal growth. Hosted by industry veterans and supply chain leaders Brian Hastings and Justin Maines, it shares their journey from humble beginnings to a $50 million company. Discover invaluable lessons in logistics, mental toughness, and embracing the entrepreneurial spirit. The show delves into personal and professional development, routine, and the power of betting on oneself. From inspiring stories to practical insights, this podcast is a must for aspiring entrepreneurs, logistics professionals, and anyone seeking to push limits and achieve success.
Timestamps:
(00:00) - Introduction to Effective Routines
(00:15) - Challenges in the Logistics Market
(00:40) - Lead Generation Strategies
(01:56) - Utilizing CRM for Lead Generation
(03:06) - Prospecting Techniques
(06:08) - Cold Calling Realities
(07:01) - Importance of Routine and Discipline
(07:44) - Upcoming Topics and Conclusion
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Transcript
Find a routine that works.
Speaker A:Yeah, that routine has got to include prospecting every single day.
Speaker B:About a month ago we did a TIA Lunch and Learn, you know, webinar series with the TIA education department and it was titled how to sell in a Soft Market.
Speaker B:And for those that don't know or for those that are outside the logistics industry, you know, our market is a little bit tougher to get new clients right now and so we wanted to help the industry out and help other logistics professionals land new business and close more deals.
Speaker B:When it comes to that, man, what like, what are like one question that we always get is the lead generation piece.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:So what are some ways that brokers can lead generate to help themselves out?
Speaker A:Yeah, it's something that you have to do very, very consistently.
Speaker A:You can't take a month off from prospecting in Legion and just expect to jump right back into it.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:You know, it's like exercise.
Speaker A:You're going to get out of shape and rusty if you don't do it.
Speaker A:So Legion, you mean I can't have.
Speaker B:Like a three hour workout, just one day a month?
Speaker A:That doesn't make up for being a slob for a month?
Speaker B:29 other days, man.
Speaker A:When it comes to Legion, it's everywhere.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Like you have to be open minded about where opportunities lie.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker A:You know, networking, driving, just look around, you know, going to the store, driving referrals.
Speaker A:Who do you currently work with?
Speaker A:You know, if you're in the industry and you're, you're brokering and you're working with shippers and you're doing a great job for them, ask them who they work with or ask them who they know.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker A:See what type of introductions they can make for you.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:You know, if you turn on the tv, you'll see a commercial.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Majority of the time they're moving products so legions everywhere.
Speaker A:And if you have a CRM, if you're a large part of a larger company and you have a CRM, which most companies do, you know, small to large, like most companies, sales companies have them.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Utilize your CRM.
Speaker A:There's a lot of leads that are already in there.
Speaker A:But when you're lead gen, you want to be focused on a specific industry so you're not all over the place when you're actually calling and selling.
Speaker A:So whether it's food and bev manufacturing, produce, building materials, that will help you focus your pitch and your approach because you'll be able to have a client profile on the challenges that they face and what type of value you can Bring to them.
Speaker A:So you know what, in terms of Legion, like, what.
Speaker A:What am I missing?
Speaker A:What other opportunities are there for Legion?
Speaker B:You nailed a ton of them, and I think there's a lot where they're right under our nose.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:Anytime that you go to the grocery store or you go to a retailer, those products have to get there somehow.
Speaker B:And 72% of this country has moved on a truck.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:So what does that mean?
Speaker B:Like, those products had to get in the store, on the shelf at the grocery store at some point.
Speaker B:I love this.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:I call it, like, back to basics.
Speaker B:Prospecting and taking that product, flipping it over, snapping a picture of the product, where they're from, calling them on the following Monday.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:I love that stuff.
Speaker B:I know you do it all the time at Costco.
Speaker A:My wife gets so pissed.
Speaker A:Same.
Speaker A:We go out to eat and start talking small, talking with people.
Speaker A:She's like, can you just, like, enjoy your time with me?
Speaker A:Finding out what they do for a living so you can ship their products, but go on.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:What do you do?
Speaker B:You a shipping manager?
Speaker A:Do you know any?
Speaker B:Right, right.
Speaker B:No, I think that that's the back to basic stuff is it's right in front of your notes.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B: emember, this was early, like: Speaker B:But that was always encouraged.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Go to the store, have a notepad, write stuff down.
Speaker B:Nowadays we have smartphones.
Speaker B:Back then, I probably had, like a flip phone.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:But like, you know, the smartphone, snapping a picture.
Speaker B:Now, at the end, like at the end of a grocery trip, I probably have 150 leads that I can call on Monday or do some more research to figure out what parent company are they with or, you know, where are they shipping product out of.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:So you have your leads.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Let's say you find your sweet spot.
Speaker A:You know, if you train, like most brokerage, you'll come in and train.
Speaker A:If you don't have experience, you'll learn under, you know, more tenured broker.
Speaker A:So if they're moving, you know, proteins or produce or whatever it may be, you tend to gravitate towards that commodity.
Speaker B:Right, Right.
Speaker A:So let's say you're running produce and you go and find 100 leads.
Speaker A:Produce all over the country.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:What's your next step?
Speaker B:Yeah, I think it's.
Speaker B:It's finding out how to get in touch with, you know, the logistics manager or the person that.
Speaker B:That handles the freight at those facilities.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And I think it is a process.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Having to figure out, you know, who those people are and if they are currently using asset base or brokers.
Speaker B:If they're using brokers, it's a plus.
Speaker B:And the next step is, you know, figuring out if it's the right fit for both companies aside, and then, you know, try to deliver some pricing or try to get some lanes to get pricing for them, you know, and start developing that.
Speaker B:That relationship partnership for the long run.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:I say this all the time, and our team's probably sick of hearing it, but if you cannot add value to an organization, there's no sense in talking.
Speaker C:Agreed.
Speaker A:So do your homework.
Speaker A:Do a little bit of legwork up front.
Speaker A:See if they're potentially a good fit.
Speaker A:Get them on the phone and listen.
Speaker A:Ask the right questions and listen.
Speaker A:If you're doing, if you're coming out of the gates firing away with a sales pitch when you don't know shit.
Speaker B:About them, they're going to hang up.
Speaker A:On you because you don't know anything about them.
Speaker A:So how are you knowing what to sell to?
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker A:So learning more about what exactly they need and tailoring your pitch to their specific needs is going to increase your likelihood for them to continue the conversation.
Speaker B:I agree.
Speaker B:And I love the fact that, you know, you're talking about, okay, am I prospecting food and beverage in the morning.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:Or I'm prospecting building materials in the afternoon?
Speaker B:Now, you know, some of the conversations that you can, that you're having and you have more continuity when you're making those cold dials.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:And don't get me wrong, cold call inside sales in the logistics industry, it's very hard.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:It is not a good, you know, probability or percentage game.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:You know, you make 100 calls, you might have, you know, five or 10 people that say, yeah, maybe call me a couple weeks from now and we can have a conversation.
Speaker B:Out of those five or 10, how many do you set up in a given month?
Speaker B:Maybe two or three.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:So it is a challenging game.
Speaker B:And I think that, you know, the more that, you know that on the front end and the more that you have those expectations, the more you can, you know, grind it out and know that there's, you know, greener pastures ahead.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And I think, I think the biggest part.
Speaker A:And we're going to spend a lot of time on, you know, the sales process.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:On another episode, I think that's, that's a, That's a bigger conversation.
Speaker A:So we're not going to spend too much time right now.
Speaker A:But I think the biggest thing you can do to help yourself is find a routine that works.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And that routine has got to include prospecting every single day.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:You have to be disciplined whether you're, you're blocking it into 30 minute blocks or if you know from 1 to 3pm you're prospecting every single day.
Speaker A:But be disciplined with that.
Speaker A:That way your, your pipeline's always filled.
Speaker A:And you said it.
Speaker A:You know, if you make you have a hundred opportunities, you're probably going to close a small percentage of those.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:So when your pipeline is constantly filled, you're always going to have clients coming in as long as you're doing the right things.
Speaker A:But sometimes, you know, doing, doing the basics doesn't get you across the finish line.
Speaker B:Correct.
Speaker A:On the next episode, I want to talk about some strategies on how you can separate yourself from the competition.
Speaker A:Be different.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And increase your likelihood of success.
Speaker B:So you're talking about like 25 bucks with shipping and everything included to try to land a customer and set yourself outside the box, even with like the thing of Woodford.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:So what's that?
Speaker B:40 bucks to land a massive account that could produce millions of dollars in potential gross sales.
