Freight broker tips: Avoiding burnout in sales - SONAR (2024)

FAQs

Freight broker tips: Avoiding burnout in sales - SONAR? ›

Brokering freight can be super stressful. We handle situations that require critical thinking, strategic moves, and a whole lot of knowledge. We're not just sitting around—we're constantly in touch with customers, shippers, consignees, dispatchers and drivers for multiple shipments all day.

Brokering freight can be super stressful. We handle situations that require critical thinking, strategic moves, and a whole lot of knowledge. We're not just sitting around—we're constantly in touch with customers, shippers, consignees, dispatchers and drivers for multiple shipments all day.

Start social media accounts for your brokerage on platforms like Linkedin, Facebook, and Instagram to find potential clients and referrals. Include in your profile bio a one-liner about your areas of specialty, locations you service, and if you have a particular niche e.g. oversized loads to reach your target audience.

Freight brokers typically earn between 10% to 30% profit margins on a shipment, depending upon the mode of transportation, the complexity and distance.

So you might be wondering: is there a demand for freight brokers? Is there still a place for freight brokers in today's ever-changing environment? At Tallgrass Freight, we believe the answer is a resounding yes. The role of freight brokers in the trucking industry has grown dramatically since the early 2000s.

With the right training program, you can easily learn how to launch your business, find freight, set up your back office, manage credit and expenditures, scale your operations, and much more. Becoming a self-employed freight broker increases your ability to earn a better salary than working for somebody else.

My name is [your name], and I am an Independent Freight Agent for Kopf Logistics Group in Elkhart, Indiana. I am calling today because I would love to introduce myself and our company to you and hopefully have the opportunity to work with you on lanes that could use our assistance.

How to make sales as a freight broker? ›

A strong work ethic and discipline are the magic ingredients for a successful freight brokerage. Many sales calls do not result in deals, and building a solid network takes time and energy. The key to success is showing up every day, even when difficult. With persistence, you will get where you want to be.

One of the essential things freight brokers can do to generate leads is follow up with potential clients. This means staying in contact with them after they've expressed interest in your services and keeping track of their needs so you can provide relevant information when it becomes available.

Freight type

For example, refrigerated loads (a.k.a. reefers) will generally earn more money than van freight because they require a specialized truck. Similarly, flatbed loads often have higher rates because they are heavier or larger than the average load.

The brokerage industry can be rewarding, but also demanding and stressful. You may face long hours, tight deadlines, high expectations, and intense competition.

What Does a Career as a Freight Broker Entail? Freight brokers spend their days fostering connections and looking at ways to get cargo from its starting point to its destination as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. The broker is a middleman that makes what could be a complex transaction become simple.

Freight brokers make their money in the margin between the amount they charge each shipper (their customer) and what they pay the carrier (the truck driver) for every shipment. Although it varies from one transaction to the next, healthy freight brokers typically claim a net margin of 3-8 percent on each load.