Selling logistics (3PL) services is getting tougher with growing competition in the logistics industry. 3PL experts agree that pricing remains a vital factor in attracting customers to their business. Customers seek 3PL services because they believe service providers can run their transportation and warehouses more efficiently and effectively for a reasonable price. Every 3PL provider faces the challenge to retain existing customers while attracting new clients. The pressure is on! Traditional outbound marketing strategies like radio/TV advertisements, telemarketing, and cold calling aren’t working anymore.
With the current market conditions necessitating a shift in the marketing approach, now is the time for 3PL providers to migrate to inbound marketing. If you’re new to the concept, inbound marketing focuses on creating quality content that pulls customers toward your product or service. This approach generates great leads, which makes selling 3PL services easier. Lead generation stimulates potential customers’ interest in your product or service and converts them into leads. For transportation business, a lead could be a warehousing or manufacturing company within 30-mile radius of their current shipping lanes. A lead well planned and executed can play a major factor in boosting the 3PL sales.
With today’s buying power in the hands of the customer, customers are actively using popular search engines like Google, social networking platforms Twitter, Facebook and online forums like 3PL News to research the best companies, products and services. As a seller, the goal is to ensure your company ranks in the top search results and captures the buyer’s attention. A solid lead generation strategy establishes credibility and builds a continuous relationship with buyers. It is an effective and proven technique of turning invaluable leads into sales opportunities. Read on to find out the best lead generation tactics every 3PL marketer should use.
1. Create various opt-in opportunities on the site Not all visitors coming to your site are aware of the products or services offered or the benefits of choosing your company over others. To show visitors what you have to offer, load up the site with ample opt-in opportunities including newsletter sign ups, popups to allow notifications when new blog post is released etc., making it irresistible for the visitor to ignore.
Most opt-in opportunities found in the sidebar of the page are easily ignored by the visitors as the focus remains on the main content. Moving the opt-in buttons from a sidebar to a pop-up box is an effective way to engage these visitors and turn them into valuable leads. For visitors who are new to your site, ensure you supply downloadable white papers, eBooks, infographics, and slide decks to facilitate a better understanding of your brand. For existing customers and leads, guiding them to contact sales, test out your products or services with a free trial or view a live demo does wonders to prove your brand’s credibility and acquire more leads.
2. Redirect calls-to-action (CTA) to clear and suitable landing pages To convert visitors to leads, it is not only important to attract them to click on the CTA buttons but also extremely important to guarantee the CTA is linked to a dedicated landing page. A landing page is a web page that captures the visitor’s information through a conversion form.
For example, let’s say a manufacturer looking for transportation facilities stumbled on your site. He went straight to the services option to find the best fit for his business. Between the Truckload and Less Than Truckload (LTL) option he clicks the CTA for Truckload to learn more about the service. The landing page provides additional information on pricing and freight consolidation, which convinces him that it is valuable and worth requesting a quote for. He fills in his information on the request a quote form, making him a viable lead. Good news, you have a lead who wants you to follow up with him.
3. Leverage social media to generate leads Popular social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are not just used to expand your network or grow your brand awareness. Social media has proven to do more than just connect with people. With retailers updating customers with their latest products on social media and influencing their buying decisions, it is indispensable that third parties with similar access to technology keep up with their customers’ needs. In general, 78% of customers agree that their purchasing decisions are highly influenced by the posts, updates and tweets sent out by companies.
With the emergence of online marketing, 3PL firms must act as industry leaders and be more accessible to their customers. Studies show that 63% of customers are highly likely to purchase a service/product with positive online reviews over products with no reviews or online presence at all. Although there are various factors buyers look into when selecting a 3PL, social media is definitely a game changer, as it is an essential element of technology. For example, popular logistics companies like C.H.Robinson use Twitter to push their transportation services to the target audience.
There you have it, the three most effective lead generation tactics every 3PL marketer should employ. These are just a few of the many strategies out there to generate great leads. Keep creating ample opt-ins on your site, placing CTAs strategically, providing irresistible offers, creating invaluable landing pages and promoting your business on social media to maintain communication with your target audience. Always be on the lookout for great leads with a purpose of developing a sales pipeline. Interested in learning more about Logistics Marketing? Contact us today!
