Mastering the art of persuasion in freight broker sales is no small feat. Objections are inevitable, but with the right strategies, you can turn resistance into opportunities for successful sales. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to decode sales resistance, craft your objection-overcoming arsenal, shift the conversation, build trust, navigate specific objections, and follow a step-by-step guide on how to overcome any freight broker sales objection to close deals effectively.
Key Takeaways
- Overcome freight broker sales objections by showing respect, understanding customer needs and remaining professional.
- Create an objection overcoming arsenal to identify pain points and craft efficient responses.
- Build trust through transparency, expertise and quality services while adapting your approach for cost/necessity/timing issues.
Decoding Sales Resistance in Freight Brokerage
Understandably, prospects may exhibit a defensive posture when initially approached by a freight broker. Resistance is a natural part of the sales process, but it’s key to overcome objections to guide the prospect towards a successful close. Showing respect for the customers’ viewpoints and asking questions to understand the real issue can help freight brokers transform objections into opportunities. This way, they can assess if their services align well with the prospect’s needs.
Occasionally, brokers may encounter insurmountable objections. In such cases, it’s important to acknowledge that the service is not suitable for the prospect’s needs. Accepting that not every prospect will align with the company’s offerings helps brokers maintain professionalism and keeps possibilities for future collaborations alive.
Crafting Your Objection Overcoming Arsenal
For handling objections in freight sales effectively, developing a comprehensive list of common objections along with their suitable responses is beneficial. This will enable freight brokers to confidently handle most objections they encounter during the sales process.
Freight brokers should aim to identify the real pain point of the prospect before attempting to resolve any objections. Thorough preparation is key to addressing objections effectively. Observing colleagues’ phone calls can provide new brokers with valuable insights on how to respond to objections and craft their own answers.
Categorizing objections can make the process of overcoming them more efficient. The first objection in the list of four categories of common objections typically encountered in freight brokerage include:
- Price
- Procrastination
- Purchaser
- Provider
By understanding the root cause of objections and overcoming objections, brokers can ask probing questions to gain further insight into the customer’s needs and tailor their responses accordingly.
Strategies to Shift the Conversation
Implementing tactics to steer the conversation towards solutions can help address concerns before they become roadblocks. Posing open-ended, probing questions and validating the prospect’s concerns can help brokers direct the conversation towards potential resolutions and appropriate responses.
For instance, when addressing the objection of “we’re not looking to add any new brokers”, inquire about the service of their current providers and the procedure for adding new ones. Suggesting to be an option for the next time such a situation arises demonstrates an understanding of the prospect’s needs and keeps opportunities for future collaboration alive.
Acknowledging a prospect’s concerns is key as it fosters an atmosphere of trust and understanding, paving the way for more productive dialogues about potential solutions. By employing open-ended, investigative inquiries to gain insight, brokers can address the fundamental issues of a prospect and better position themselves to offer relevant solutions.
Building Trust Through Transparency and Expertise
Gaining credibility and trust with prospects is fundamental in the freight brokerage industry. By showcasing industry knowledge, transparency, and a genuine interest in their needs, brokers can create a solid foundation for a successful working relationship. As a freight agent, offering quality service to the customer, rather than just ensuring their trucks are full, shows that their best interests are your priority. Working with reliable freight agents can further enhance the trust and credibility of your services.
Emphasizing your company’s unique value proposition can also help build trust. Armstrong provides its agent partners with:
- Remarkable commission benefits
- No fees
- Personalized support to aid their business growth
- Web-based technical solutions
By highlighting such benefits and leveraging the expertise of experienced professionals like Jennifer Koskie, who has 15 years of experience in the supply chain field, brokers can demonstrate their commitment to delivering exceptional service and support.
Navigating Specific Objections in Freight Brokerage
Every industry faces its unique objections, and freight brokerage is no different. Objections typically encountered in this field revolve around cost, necessity, and timing. Adapting your approach accordingly is imperative to handle these effectively.
For example, if a prospect states that their freight is custom or customer routed, inquire if their customers have difficulty obtaining their own trucks and request their customers’ information to make contact. Alternatively, you can provide your information to the prospect in the event of any changes.
If faced with the objection “I do not use brokers” or “I only use asset-based carriers”, stress that your company is a logistics firm that can outperform an asset-based carrier. By focusing on the prospect’s objectives of timely pickup and delivery at the most cost-effective rate, you can effectively address this objection.
To address objections regarding a dedicated fleet, ask if they ever have more capacity than they require or if they struggle to find back hauls for any lanes. By offering to manage those lanes or suggesting that they fill them with your services, you demonstrate your willingness to be a valuable resource should their situation change.
From First Contact to Closing: A Step-by-Step Guide
The sales journey in freight brokerage entails several steps:
- Conducting market research
- Prospecting
- Qualifying leads
- Initiating contact
- Proposing solutions
- Negotiating rates
- Closing the deal
- Offering continuous customer service.
There are various ways to initiate first contact, such as through cold calling or personalized emails. The goal is to establish a connection and demonstrate value to the prospect. Following up post the initial contact is vital for sustaining communication and employing various methods to engage with leads.
Negotiation is a critical aspect of freight broker sales. For effective negotiation, it’s important to:
- Establish strong relationships
- Highlight the value of your product or service
- Secure written rate confirmation
- Use suitable resources
- Understand the value of the shipment
- Remain composed during negotiations
Closing the deal depends on addressing all customer hesitations and reservations and reaching a consensus on the terms and conditions of the transaction. Providing ongoing customer service entails promptly responding to customer inquiries, giving regular updates on shipments, and extending extra services like tracking and reporting.
Summary
In conclusion, mastering the art of persuasion in freight broker sales is achievable by decoding sales resistance, crafting an objection-overcoming arsenal, implementing strategies to shift the conversation, building trust through transparency and expertise, navigating specific objections, and following a step-by-step guide from first contact to closing. By applying these strategies, you can transform objections into opportunities and pave your way to success in the freight brokerage industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 4 steps to overcoming sales objections?
To overcome sales objections, utilize the RAIN Group’s 4-step process: Recognize, Acknowledge, Investigate, and Negotiate. By following these steps, you will be better prepared to tackle objections and increase your closing rate.
What are the 4 P’s of objections in sales?
The 4 P’s of objections in sales are Personalization, Perceived Value, Performance Value, and Proof – which are key points for a sales rep to focus on to close a sale.
How do you overcome money objections in sales?
To overcome money objections in sales, practice active listening and repeating back to the prospect, validate their concerns, ask follow-up questions, leverage social proof, set specific follow up times, and anticipate objections.
How do you respond to not interested sales?
When a prospect says they’re not interested, the best response is to focus on keeping the conversation going and expressing empathy. Validate their concerns, humanize the call, and let them know you understand how they feel. Show them you’re not trying to sell them anything, but instead offer them a resource to help in their future decision-making.
What is the importance of understanding the psychology behind objections in freight broker sales?
Understanding the psychology behind objections in freight broker sales is essential for turning resistance into opportunities for successful outcomes. It allows brokers to identify potential obstacles, plan effective strategies, and anticipate customer needs.
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