In 2018, retail sales hit $6 trillion. This was a new record, and sales haven’t shown any sign of letting up since. But as any expert in retail distribution can tell you, it would be impossible for retail sales to be as strong as they are without solid trucking companies. For trucking companies, retail sales offer valuable contracts, and these contracts cannot be obtained without strong marketing. With that being said, let’s explore a few tips on building a marketing campaign for your trucking company.
1. Ads in Trade Publications
A lot of small businesses, including trucking businesses, market themselves effectively simply by advertising in trade publications. Trade publications for trucking companies will, after all, be seen by retailers that are looking for trucking businesses to execute their contracts. This is a direct way to advertise to them. Additionally, trucking trends are often discussed in trade publications, and this is a great time for specific trucking companies to expand on how their businesses are up to date and ready to go. As of February 7, 2020, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association put in new requirements for professional truckers’ licensure, for example. In a part of the trade publication discussing a change like this, a trucking company that made changes in response to the updates could expand on how their business has fared since those changes were made. In the same sense, trucking companies that specialize in transporting one specific type of product can focus on more niche trade publications. There are plenty of options to be considered.
2. Trade Association Events
At the same time, trade association events are great ways for trucking companies to market themselves. Specifically, owners and employees at these companies can get in touch with potential clients in person, and really sell themselves. Additionally, important topics are discussed at these types of events. Right now, roughly 3 million people are injured in car accidents on American roads each year. These accidents are largely preventable, and some of them do involve trucks. These types of issues and how to prevent them from happening are often discussed at such events. Therefore, going to trade association events is also a great learning opportunity for the owners of trucking companies. They can additionally network, rubbing elbows with the owners of other trucking companies or even companies that are adjacent, like tire companies and truck salesmen. You never know when this kind of networking can come in handy, and at the very least small trucking business owners can focus on learning what the competition has to offer as well.
3. Social Media
Social media is a remarkable marketing tool in this day and age, and it sometimes isn’t even all that expensive. It doesn’t often cost much to have good social media posts crafted, in the grand scheme of things. Investing in social media will allow people to become more aware of your trucking business and what it has to offer. Additionally, social media can figure into branding, giving businesses voices where they would typically be silent. Consumers also like social media because it provides them with a direct channel through which they can reach out to people within the company and ask questions. They feel more connected to the company in question, and those in charge of the company care about their customer experiences. Therefore, employing the right social media strategy can make a major long term difference.
There is much to learn about marketing a trucking company online and in print, as well as in person. Certainly, online marketing strategies will soon become even more of the norm than they already are. It’s crucial for business owners to understand no matter what that in order to keep their trucking companies relevant and competitive, they need to focus on modern, cutting-edge marketing strategies.
