How to Be Successful in Logistics Sales

1. Have a Multichannel Sales Approach 

Engaging with leads in various ways increases your likelihood of converting new customers and being successful in logistics sales. A multichannel sales approach utilizes calls, emails, in-person meetings, virtual meetings, social media, and more to connect with clients. This is important for several reasons. First, a multichannel sales approach increases your visibility. With regular communication, your name and company become more familiar. Throughout the week, you can stay on their radar with scheduled events, such as virtual or in-person meetings, and unscheduled communication through email and phone calls.

Additionally, every lead has a unique communication style. It would help if you began by communicating in various ways before you find what is most effective with each potential customer. For example, email may be efficient for some, while others easily overlook an email in their cluttered inbox. Some potential customers value face-to-face interaction, while others prefer the time-saving nature of a phone call. You greatly increase your potential for success when you employ the full arsenal of means of communication.

2. Have Great Resiliency

It can feel like a maze to figure out how to be successful in logistics sales. A key ingredient to success is to simply keep going. Many of our modern technologies train us to expect instant gratification, but sales can be a slow process. That is not necessarily a sign that something is wrong! In fact, approximately 54% of initial meetings required more than five touchpoints, and another 10% of salespeople reported that it took them 10 or more touches. Cultivate a resilient logistics sales team that can bounce back, adapt, and persevere.

3. Use Logistics-Specific Technology Tools

While success in logistics sales may take some time, there are tools available to make the process more efficient. Juggling a list of leads and multiple means of communication can get confusing. A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software helps organize your interactions with leads in a single application that your whole team can access. Better yet, you can invest in a CRM specifically designed for logistics, like SCRM. You don’t have to customize SCRM to suit your needs because it comes with logistics-specific features that other CRMs don’t have.

For example, a CRM built for logistics can help you with the following:

a. Track Logistics Sales Performance

A dashboard for sales in logistics helps you visualize all your logistics sales data. Most CRMs have dashboards that track sales data, but a logistics CRM incorporates industry-specific data, like lanes won, profit margin by lane type, lanes win ratio, and shipment frequency. Monitoring this data enables you to create sales reports, analyze areas of improvement, and set more relevant goals.

b. Manage Leads and Customers

You can manage all your leads and customers in one place, so no one gets forgotten. You can easily access all of their details, your history of communication, and any past quotes. Consistent communication and routine follow-ups are key to success in logistics sales, and a logistics CRM enables you to provide the best customer service experience possible. You can also track your success with clients by specific markers, like shipment frequency or lanes won by mode of transportation.

c. Create Competitive Logistics Quotes Quickly

Instead of taking the time to research and create every quote from scratch, you can create a detailed and accurate quote within minutes with SCRM’s quotation tool. What used to take hours will now take mere minutes.

Many CRMs have a built-in quoting tool, but SCRM incorporates features relevant to logistics. You can create a customized quote that includes multiple services and multiple lanes for FTL, LTL, IM, FCL, LCL, air, etc. The quoting tool provides real-time market conditions to make the most accurate quote possible, without going to another website or application. It also allows you to add a breakdown of all relevant details for every lane, including cargo details, routing, accessorial, charges, and comments. All these features are then formatted into a detailed, professional quote or a summarized version for clients that prefer that.

To see how you can benefit from a CRM designed for logistics, schedule a demo of SCRM here.

4. Pitch the Right Message

Evaluating the content of your sales pitch is one step toward learning how to be successful in logistics sales. If you aren’t pitching the right message, your conversion rate is going to be low. When preparing a sales pitch, put yourself in your lead’s shoes. Research their company and learn their pain points, so that you can tailor your pitch to the benefits that are most important to them. Share real-world examples and case studies to build credibility and underline the value of your services. Finally, remember to include a call to action that gives your lead a concrete next step to take.

5. Be Responsive

If a lead reaches out with a question or a client reaches out with a concern, do your research to address the issue and respond immediately. When a client requests a quote, fast track this to the top of your priority list. If you create and send a quote within the same day of request, there’s a 75% chance of winning it. You build your reputation and increase customer retention when you prioritize quotes. As detailed above, a CRM for freight brokers can help you create professional quotes in minutes.

6. Standardize Your Sales Process

If your sales data and KPIs are satisfactory, you want to crystallize what you are doing well so that you can consistently replicate the process—and reap its rewards. Once you have determined that you’re pitching the right message, incorporating a multichannel sales approach, and utilizing logistics-specific technology tools, it is time to standardize your sales process.

7. Measure Results

To learn how to be successful in logistics sales and determine if your strategies are effective, you must measure your results. A CRM can help you track results and see which salespeople are meeting expectations and what strategies have been most successful. Gather data on your sales team as a whole and each individual team member to determine what strategies are most effective and what needs improvement.

To see a full list of key performance indicators that are most relevant to improving your revenues and profit, check out this blog post about logistics KPIs.

Conclusion

At this point, you have read some of the effective ways on how to be successful in logistics sales. If you know what is and isn’t working for your logistics sales team, you greatly increase your likelihood for success. With this awareness, you can address the aspects of the sales process that truly need your attention, and then you can enjoy the fruit of your labor. Start by employing a multichannel sales approach, utilizing logistics-specific technology tools, and pitching the right message. Throughout the process, be resilient and responsive. Once you begin achieving success, standardize your sales process and continue to measure results so you can target new areas for growth.

If you’re looking for a way to measure data and create professional quotes, be sure to choose a CRM truly built for logistics.

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