Heavy duty trucking is not the flashiest business on the block. Trucks are huge, loud, and omnipresent, but sometimes the most ever-present thing in our lives becomes invisible to us. If you own a trucking business, the last thing you want to be is invisible. Logistics is a cutthroat field. Though there is more need of logistics than ever before, there is serious competition for the “last mile.”
Technological innovations including autonomous vehicles and big data are poised to flip trucking on its head. The road ahead seems windier than ever. How, then, do you ensure that your trucking business is best poised for the future, and ready to be noticed? Below, we’ve got three great tips on how to market your trucking business.
Put your name where people are looking
People find out about your business through word of mouth. Plastering your banner on the side of one of your rigs may be a way to get your name out there, but more and more, people find the goods and services they need through the search box. If you are not online, you won’t be found, and if you are not found, you are not going to do any business whatsoever.
How, then, do you master the search engine game? The marketing pros at Straight Marketing LLC suggest building a digital profile through what’s known as search engine optimization, or SEO. SEO includes everything from becoming a Google verified business (where you claim a business as your own and file all of the correct information for indexing on platforms such as Google Maps) to link-building and content creation that drive searchers to your site. Whether you are hoping for local, regional, or national business, having a sophisticated plan for SEO will help you find customers, and customers find you.
Make your way to trade shows
A conference is a great way to network, whether that means drumming up new business, keeping in touch with your peers, or testing out your newest ideas. Trade shows are especially useful if you are looking to sell a product or service. The Trade Show News Network notes that 81 percent of trade show attendees have buying authority. Trade show are the hunting ground for people in the logistics business looking for new partners. Trucking conferences fit all sorts of niches, from gatherings of logistics software specialists to mechanics to advocates for women in trucking. As you probably already know as a trucking business owner, taking your show on the road can be lucrative.
Bid for an efficiency upgrade
Anyone who owns a trucking business is probably a very busy person. The time you realistically have to focus on marketing is probably in the low single percents. For that reason, we recommend upgrading your business intelligence, making the investment necessary to spend more time on back-office tasks that will pay off in the long run.
If your payroll books are not digital yet, they should be. Moving from paper to digital accounting creates a streamlined system where everything is stored in more-or-less permanently. This productivity increase can also help you save money and reduce the incidence of humor error. We recommend looking into digital HR and payroll services such as Gusto or ADP.
You should also consider FleetPal, a software solution for heavy-duty trucking industry which includes a suite of cloud-based software that provides asset maintenance technology. FleetPal’s tools are built to help you manage your trucks and repair shop more efficiently. Their tools can help you track and schedule maintenance needs, categorize service events, and even track warranties. By moving all of these back-office needs on to the cloud, this software helps heavy-duty trucking businesses run more efficiently and intelligently.
