One of the best ways for a small motor carrier to advertise their services is by post their available trucks onto a load board. But how do you get your truck post to stand out in a crowd? And how can you make the most efficient use of your time?
Below are some of the tricks I’ve used and that work well for me.
Post your truck and find new business partners on the largest digital freight marketplace.
1. Email is your friend
Owner-operators frequently tell me that they wait till they are available before posting their truck. That’s because they don’t want to receive phone calls while they are not prepared. That’s understandable, but you don’t have to wait to get the word out there that you’ll have an available truck. An easy fix is to post your truck using your email address, not your phone number.
I prefer to post my truck with my email contact as soon as I begin my 10-hour reset break. Within the comments, I include what time I will be available, including if I will be empty or not. Utilizing email can also help you gauge the market without the phone calls.
Once you have posted your truck, send out an email announcement to all the preferred brokers you have operated for in the past and let them know you have an available truck. Posting this way is like employing a team of broker agents to work for you for free while you sleep.
2. Add a destination
I strive to be as transparent as I can on what I am looking for, including the destination. All carriers will haul anything and go anywhere for the right amount of money. I assure you this is seldom what a broker is ever looking for. Furthermore, when a truck is posted without a destination, it can seem to the broker like a desperate carrier that will accept whatever they can get to get moving.
You want the ability to be choosy in what load you accept. If you post your truck hours or even days before you need the load, you can afford to be particular.
3. Use the comments section
What do you need the broker to know? In just a few words, let them know in the comments field. Brokers like to know if you are empty or what time you be empty. When I post for power only loads, I add that my rates are based on roundtrip. If I want to go home, I include my rate.
