A Good Question
I recently received this question I thought I’d blog for any of you out there who might be asking the same question.
I am very interested in taking the Brooke Freight Broker training class. I have done allot of research into the transportation industry and am familiar with much of it given my experience as Director of Operations at a publishing firm for 20 years. I was responsible for all aspects of distribution and logistics. The prospect of working in this industry as a freight broker / agent and being able to have it as a home based business is very intriguing - particularly from where I live.
My first question is whether or not you felt any advantage to taking the "live" class in Dallas versus the on-line course through Gatlin Education. Both appear to be excellent, yet the live class is one week where the on-line course would last much longer at 150 hours. Cost is a bit of a factor as well, but I am willing to pay for the quality course.
My second question is whether or not you recommend being a freight broker agent first rather than jumping in head first as a broker. My desire is to be a broker. Is it difficult to leave a brokerage house as an agent to start your own brokerage house? Are there non-compete issues?
Any advise or direction you could give me would be extremely helpful and appreciated. I look forward to taking your training course very soon.
Blessings,
Stephen D.
Sisters, OR
Stephen,
http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
Choosing a course all depends on how you think you learn most effectively. The live class is more interactive. The on-line course is more detailed. The live class is available in more locations than Dallas. See the website for a , and keep checking back because we are adding new classes as the need arises. We currently have live courses in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, Ontario, California, Jacksonville, Florida, Charlotte, North Carolina, Rochester, New York, and Indianapolis, Indiana.
One of the things we hear from graduates is how much they enjoyed meeting other students and keeping in touch with them as they each start their own business. We have super instructors, so having face-to-face interaction with them is beneficial. The online course is very convenient, very thorough and you can take it at your own pace. I know our live course graduates feel a bit of information overload by the end of the week.
Honestly the best case is to take the two-week course (Freight Broker Basic, then hands on Freight Broker Advanced) and then the on-line course. The hands on Advanced Course is offered after the basic when requested by graduates. We will have more information on that in the near future.
Upon graduation you will be set and be ready to compete in this industry.
I’ll answer your second question tomorrow. Thanks for the inquiry.
Moving Forward,
Jeff
Sales Tips and Tricks
Need a few more tips to close out more sales? Could you use some motivational speak? Then sign up for one of our Super Sales Days.
The Thursday of our Freight Broker Training Course will be opened up to all sales professionals who want to learn and be motivated by the Top Gun sales professionals Jeff Ashcraft , Lance White and me, Jeff Roach. We each approach sales with our own style, befitting our unique personalities and professional experience.
The one day Super Sales Day will be held on the Thursday of the class date of the basic course every Month. Our beautiful auditorium has a back seating area ideal for additional students on that one day. So if you are in sales and need a day of motivation, and sales tips from seasoned guys with an entertaining style then join us. Freight Brokers will benefit greatly but the techniques are applicable to all sales fields.
I started my sales career selling door to door in my neighborhood as a kid. I just about always got the top sales award for selling whatever the school fund rasier was that year. I still use the same techniques, just honed a bit for my more sophisticated audience. Jeff Ashcraft works for one of the largest truckload Brokers in the nation. His career started as a car salesman. Lance background includes sales in the financial arena and business ownership.
First Super Salesday will be Thursday, January 24, 2008 in Dallas. To sign up, view our schedule or for questions go to our website or call 214-206-1169.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
The Thursday of our Freight Broker Training Course will be opened up to all sales professionals who want to learn and be motivated by the Top Gun sales professionals Jeff Ashcraft , Lance White and me, Jeff Roach. We each approach sales with our own style, befitting our unique personalities and professional experience.
The one day Super Sales Day will be held on the Thursday of the class date of the basic course every Month. Our beautiful auditorium has a back seating area ideal for additional students on that one day. So if you are in sales and need a day of motivation, and sales tips from seasoned guys with an entertaining style then join us. Freight Brokers will benefit greatly but the techniques are applicable to all sales fields.
I started my sales career selling door to door in my neighborhood as a kid. I just about always got the top sales award for selling whatever the school fund rasier was that year. I still use the same techniques, just honed a bit for my more sophisticated audience. Jeff Ashcraft works for one of the largest truckload Brokers in the nation. His career started as a car salesman. Lance background includes sales in the financial arena and business ownership.
First Super Salesday will be Thursday, January 24, 2008 in Dallas. To sign up, view our schedule or for questions go to our website or call 214-206-1169.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
Step out on a Limb
Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires...courage.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Each day in my email inbox I get two encouragements to think on throughout that day. I get a quote (like the one above) each day from ZigZiglar.com and a Bible verse from BibleoftheDay.com. I need encouragement to have courage for the day Starting your own business takes courage. Courage to start, courage to continue on and courage to finish strong each day strong. I pray each day to do only what God would have me do that day…and to do it to the best of my ability.
Today I encourage you to be proactive and develop your people skills
Go the extra mile. Be proactive. Don’t wait for others to think of reasons they should use you. After you begin building up a relationship with a traffic manager, study what you can about their organization - then go in and proactively ask a lot of questions, then listen - try to determine what their transportation needs and challenges are, and any problems or obstacles that they run into. I repeat: listen. Do you think of salesmen as good listeners? Or good talkers, persuaders? You earn the right to talk and persuade after you’ve listened proactively and learned about what your prospect wants.
Act with a sense of urgency. Let them know you want to earn their business.
-Great People Skills:
What are you building? TRUST. You build trust by doing what you say you’re going to do when you say you’re going to do it. Tell your prospect up front that you can only control one thing in this business. That is your ability to establish trust with both the shipper and the carrier by looking out for both of their best interests. The other thing that you can control is communication. Most shippers want more than anything someone they can trust, who will be fair to them, and will deliver what they promised – service and communication. Your PRODUCT is your ability to build trust, and your ability to communicate the status of the shipment from pick-up to delivery.
During the holiday season you can practice your proactive people skills on friends and family. Be proactive by starting an intriguing conversation. Develop people skills by approaching the one in the room who is the hardest to talk to (perhaps a teen). Ask open-ended questions. (those are questions that require more than a yes or a no answer). Conversation ideas: current events, holiday plans, reflections on 2007, children, hobbies, interests, resolutions, best Christmas gift ever, etc. Some people are comfortable talking about personal issues right off; others need to warm up to you by talking more “weather” kind of talk. As you go through the day, make mental note of what happened to you, that day that might make for interesting conversation because your listener can relate or will find humorous.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Each day in my email inbox I get two encouragements to think on throughout that day. I get a quote (like the one above) each day from ZigZiglar.com and a Bible verse from BibleoftheDay.com. I need encouragement to have courage for the day Starting your own business takes courage. Courage to start, courage to continue on and courage to finish strong each day strong. I pray each day to do only what God would have me do that day…and to do it to the best of my ability.
Today I encourage you to be proactive and develop your people skills
Go the extra mile. Be proactive. Don’t wait for others to think of reasons they should use you. After you begin building up a relationship with a traffic manager, study what you can about their organization - then go in and proactively ask a lot of questions, then listen - try to determine what their transportation needs and challenges are, and any problems or obstacles that they run into. I repeat: listen. Do you think of salesmen as good listeners? Or good talkers, persuaders? You earn the right to talk and persuade after you’ve listened proactively and learned about what your prospect wants.
Act with a sense of urgency. Let them know you want to earn their business.
-Great People Skills:
What are you building? TRUST. You build trust by doing what you say you’re going to do when you say you’re going to do it. Tell your prospect up front that you can only control one thing in this business. That is your ability to establish trust with both the shipper and the carrier by looking out for both of their best interests. The other thing that you can control is communication. Most shippers want more than anything someone they can trust, who will be fair to them, and will deliver what they promised – service and communication. Your PRODUCT is your ability to build trust, and your ability to communicate the status of the shipment from pick-up to delivery.
During the holiday season you can practice your proactive people skills on friends and family. Be proactive by starting an intriguing conversation. Develop people skills by approaching the one in the room who is the hardest to talk to (perhaps a teen). Ask open-ended questions. (those are questions that require more than a yes or a no answer). Conversation ideas: current events, holiday plans, reflections on 2007, children, hobbies, interests, resolutions, best Christmas gift ever, etc. Some people are comfortable talking about personal issues right off; others need to warm up to you by talking more “weather” kind of talk. As you go through the day, make mental note of what happened to you, that day that might make for interesting conversation because your listener can relate or will find humorous.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
The Key to Self Motivation is You
Last week I wrote about a Freight Broker’s need to be organized, disciplined, patient, focused and diligent. You must also develop self-motivation, resourcefulness and be persuasive. ¬
As a freight broker or even as an agent you are the one that has to get yourself going everyday. You also need to be self-motivated in order to discipline yourself to constantly make the calls necessary to secure and build your business. Just because you finish the freight broker course and hang your shingle out, the business won’t just start coming to you. YOU go out to them. As you get to know prospects and their needs, you can begin to persuade them why they should want to use you. You need to believe in yourself first for others to believe in you. You need to be resourceful. Be creative and think of ways that you can help make their job easier, and services that you can offer. Set yourself apart from your competition by offering more and offering unique services if at all possible. Remember that you are a service company, so the more ways that you can think of to bring added values and extra personal customer service to your prospective clients, the better chance you have of winning them over, and the more they will be happy to pay the price for your service. I can’t emphasize enough that winning in this industry is a process that takes time. Focus on daily progress, not perfection. Just like running a marathon- ten more yards every day for a year, and you’re ready to do the marathon.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining ,com
As a freight broker or even as an agent you are the one that has to get yourself going everyday. You also need to be self-motivated in order to discipline yourself to constantly make the calls necessary to secure and build your business. Just because you finish the freight broker course and hang your shingle out, the business won’t just start coming to you. YOU go out to them. As you get to know prospects and their needs, you can begin to persuade them why they should want to use you. You need to believe in yourself first for others to believe in you. You need to be resourceful. Be creative and think of ways that you can help make their job easier, and services that you can offer. Set yourself apart from your competition by offering more and offering unique services if at all possible. Remember that you are a service company, so the more ways that you can think of to bring added values and extra personal customer service to your prospective clients, the better chance you have of winning them over, and the more they will be happy to pay the price for your service. I can’t emphasize enough that winning in this industry is a process that takes time. Focus on daily progress, not perfection. Just like running a marathon- ten more yards every day for a year, and you’re ready to do the marathon.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining ,com
The Harvest Takes Time
We live in a get rich quick, I want it today, instant gratification society. Making money as a freight broker or agent takes time. I tell all my students to have at least 6 months of living expenses saved up before starting their business. You can comfortably live off those savings while you take the time to plant sales seeds, water then harvest some loads.
Be patient, diligent and focused
You have to be patient, especially during the initial start-up phase of your brokerage or agency. Just as in any new business, it takes time to begin building up your clients, so it will be awhile before your revenue begins coming in. Think of the your personal relationships. They took time to develop. Some friends you’ve made along the way have stuck, some have not. Business relationships work much the same. It takes time for you to find customers who fit with your style and for customers to have faith in you.
You have to be focused and diligent during this time. As I wrote about yesterday, keep good records of correspondences. You must focus in on making as many calls as you can, to begin building up these relationships that are going to make your business successful. The sale itself takes patience. It takes about eight to nine touches for a customer to make a change – this includes phone calls, emails, rate quotes sent, cards, personal visit, etcetera. You have to be top of mind when they have a critical load.
Attitude is everything, but perseverance is a close second.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.justintimefreight.com
Be patient, diligent and focused
You have to be patient, especially during the initial start-up phase of your brokerage or agency. Just as in any new business, it takes time to begin building up your clients, so it will be awhile before your revenue begins coming in. Think of the your personal relationships. They took time to develop. Some friends you’ve made along the way have stuck, some have not. Business relationships work much the same. It takes time for you to find customers who fit with your style and for customers to have faith in you.
You have to be focused and diligent during this time. As I wrote about yesterday, keep good records of correspondences. You must focus in on making as many calls as you can, to begin building up these relationships that are going to make your business successful. The sale itself takes patience. It takes about eight to nine touches for a customer to make a change – this includes phone calls, emails, rate quotes sent, cards, personal visit, etcetera. You have to be top of mind when they have a critical load.
Attitude is everything, but perseverance is a close second.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.justintimefreight.com
The Organized Freight Broker/Agent
A successful freight broker or agent is detail oriented and organized. I am not organized by nature so I have to work hard at sticking with my systems. A prospect will not feel confidant in giving you his business if they don’t think you can keep up with the details. After all they pay extra to a freight broker to handle details that others let slip. Be a detailed record keeper.
You must be able to keep good records, such as:
*Contact records from your calls
*Records of rate quotes and dates you sent out
*Dispatch records
*Motor carrier records, including their 1099 information,
Types of equipment, insurance certificates and safety records
*Shipper records and details
*Contracts with your carriers/customers/agents if you’re a
Broker
*Your filing systems should be set up so that your information
Is easily accessible at your fingertips
Most brokerage operations software programs that you can purchase have systems built in to make you more organized. They supply forms, dispatch records, etc that keep you organized and professional.
Learn your software so you can use it to the greatest advantage. Keep as much as you can on your computer and back it up. Papers are easily misplaced. I often write something on a piece of paper then type it into my to do list on my computer. I’ll more likely remember if I’ve written and typed the item.
So my tip for the day is to look at your desk, how can it be better organized with the things you use the most at your fingertips. Clutter makes you feel unorganized, reducing clutter helps you work with more efficiently.
Moving forward
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
You must be able to keep good records, such as:
*Contact records from your calls
*Records of rate quotes and dates you sent out
*Dispatch records
*Motor carrier records, including their 1099 information,
Types of equipment, insurance certificates and safety records
*Shipper records and details
*Contracts with your carriers/customers/agents if you’re a
Broker
*Your filing systems should be set up so that your information
Is easily accessible at your fingertips
Most brokerage operations software programs that you can purchase have systems built in to make you more organized. They supply forms, dispatch records, etc that keep you organized and professional.
Learn your software so you can use it to the greatest advantage. Keep as much as you can on your computer and back it up. Papers are easily misplaced. I often write something on a piece of paper then type it into my to do list on my computer. I’ll more likely remember if I’ve written and typed the item.
So my tip for the day is to look at your desk, how can it be better organized with the things you use the most at your fingertips. Clutter makes you feel unorganized, reducing clutter helps you work with more efficiently.
Moving forward
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Sales Intensive
We’ve been brainstorming on what intensive class would be most beneficial for students, graduates and others. The answer is a crash sales class. Obviously, if you don’t have sales, you don’t have a business.
So the Thursday of our Freight Broker Training Course will be opened up to all sales professionals who want to learn and be motivated by the Top Gun sales professionals Jeff Ashcraft , Lance White and me. We each approach sales with our own style, befitting our unique personalities and professional experience.
The one day Super Sales Day will be held on the Thursday of the class date of the basic course every Month. Our beautiful auditorium has a back seating area ideal for additional students on that one day. So if you are in sales and need a day of motivation, and sales tips from seasoned guys with an entertaining style join us. Freight Brokers will benefit greatly but the techniques are applicable to all sales fields.
I started my sales career selling door to door in my neighborhood as a kid. I just about always got the top sales award for selling whatever the school fund rasier was that year. I still use the same techniques, just honed a bit for my more sophisticated audience,
First Super Salesday will be Thursday, January 24, 2008 in Dallas. To sign up, view our schedule or for questions go to our website or call 214-206-1169.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
So the Thursday of our Freight Broker Training Course will be opened up to all sales professionals who want to learn and be motivated by the Top Gun sales professionals Jeff Ashcraft , Lance White and me. We each approach sales with our own style, befitting our unique personalities and professional experience.
The one day Super Sales Day will be held on the Thursday of the class date of the basic course every Month. Our beautiful auditorium has a back seating area ideal for additional students on that one day. So if you are in sales and need a day of motivation, and sales tips from seasoned guys with an entertaining style join us. Freight Brokers will benefit greatly but the techniques are applicable to all sales fields.
I started my sales career selling door to door in my neighborhood as a kid. I just about always got the top sales award for selling whatever the school fund rasier was that year. I still use the same techniques, just honed a bit for my more sophisticated audience,
First Super Salesday will be Thursday, January 24, 2008 in Dallas. To sign up, view our schedule or for questions go to our website or call 214-206-1169.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
Positive Pump
I was thinking through the phrases that pump me up every day to do my best, one day at a time. Actions start with thinking. Positive thoughts lead to positive actions. So fill your brain with thoughts of success on all levels. The result will be positive actions. Even the junk that comes into our life can become a positive.
You are a consultant for both the shipper and the carrier.
You are a winner!
No happy takers – only happy givers
Attitude is everything
Perseverance is a close second
Focus on progress not perfection
Choose Faith over Fear
Faith enables
Fear disables
Set goals for every area of your life. Write them down
Spiritual, Financial, Relationship, Family, Career Goals.
Do one thing every day to reach those Goals.
If you want to have Friends – be Friendly
Choose to be a winner, stay true to your values.
People do business with people with of Character-not
Characters!!! Be yourself. That is the way God made you
And you are perfectly made!
Walk, Run, Run Faster – you are the only one that can use your God given abilities. You have the same right to success as everyone else. Never let anyone else determine your future.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
You are a consultant for both the shipper and the carrier.
You are a winner!
No happy takers – only happy givers
Attitude is everything
Perseverance is a close second
Focus on progress not perfection
Choose Faith over Fear
Faith enables
Fear disables
Set goals for every area of your life. Write them down
Spiritual, Financial, Relationship, Family, Career Goals.
Do one thing every day to reach those Goals.
If you want to have Friends – be Friendly
Choose to be a winner, stay true to your values.
People do business with people with of Character-not
Characters!!! Be yourself. That is the way God made you
And you are perfectly made!
Walk, Run, Run Faster – you are the only one that can use your God given abilities. You have the same right to success as everyone else. Never let anyone else determine your future.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Advanced Training
By popular demand…and because I love doing it, BTTS is bringing back our advanced course. The advanced course is for any graduate of the basic course, either live or on line. I have been working in this business for decades and certainly can’t pass on all my knowledge in the regular course so I have developed an advanced course. The course is always the week following a basic course in Dallas. You can take the courses back to back or work a bit with the knowledge you learn in the basic course then schedule an advanced course. It's a four day course - strictly hands on with me working with me making calls - prospecting - rating - booking loads - No frills - all work.
Course details:
Monday through Thursday the week following the basic course (see website course schedule)
Instructor: Jeff Roach
Ratio: 4 to one.
Price: $3999.00 per person
You can only take this course if you have taken the basic course.
Come hang out with me and learn lots more through working the business. Call me with any questions 214-206-1169.
In addition to adding new locations in 2008 we will add new learning opportunities with our illustrious instructors, highlighting their uniques wealth of knowledge.
Moving forward
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Course details:
Monday through Thursday the week following the basic course (see website course schedule)
Instructor: Jeff Roach
Ratio: 4 to one.
Price: $3999.00 per person
You can only take this course if you have taken the basic course.
Come hang out with me and learn lots more through working the business. Call me with any questions 214-206-1169.
In addition to adding new locations in 2008 we will add new learning opportunities with our illustrious instructors, highlighting their uniques wealth of knowledge.
Moving forward
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Where's the Beginning of a circle?
I found these quotes that gave me some great inspiration for the day. There are going to be things that gotta be done every day that you just don’t want to do. When you trudge ahead knowing the task will get you closer to your goal then you find satisfaction. It is an adjusted perspective that makes the difference.
“The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore will become endurable as you parade through each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you closer to fulfilling your dreams!”
~ Og Mandino, author of The Greatest Salesman in the World ~
“A human being is happiest and most successful when dedicated to a cause outside his own individual, selfish satisfaction!”
~ Dr. Benjamin Spock ~
“The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning!”
~ Ivy Baker ~
Happy Friday.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
P.S. Check out our new locations. We’re expanding to better serve you.
“The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore will become endurable as you parade through each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you closer to fulfilling your dreams!”
~ Og Mandino, author of The Greatest Salesman in the World ~
“A human being is happiest and most successful when dedicated to a cause outside his own individual, selfish satisfaction!”
~ Dr. Benjamin Spock ~
“The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning!”
~ Ivy Baker ~
Happy Friday.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
P.S. Check out our new locations. We’re expanding to better serve you.
Attention to Detail
It is easy and sometimes actually productive to get stuck in a routine. But you need to shake up your routine to see outside your box. Think through your routine for the day. Is everything you do beneficial for your bottom line or for the betterment of mankind? Try something new on a regular basis. Soon you’ll discover a small idea that grows into something great.
Look over your image. Does it fit with who you are and how you want your business to be perceived? Is your image professional or sloppy. High brow or casual. Friendly or snooty. Your image is seen in the way you dress, the look of your marketing materials and your business correspondences. As freight brokers our sense of urgency is critical to our shippers. They hire us because we can save their neck by making their shipment a high priority. Here are a few questions to consider:
Are your business forms are written clearly?
Do your web site, letterhead and cards match?
Remember time is worth more than money
Always consider ways to offer even more convenience
Stay open later
Always answer the phone
Take credit cards
If possible use toll free numbers
Join affiliations and associations
Think strategic alliances
Under promise and over deliver
Never apologize for price
Consider trade shows not in your Industry
The more you learn – the more you earn
I’m not asking you to try to be someone you’re not. God made you exactly the way He meant for you to be. Find success in who you are while looking for ways to better yourself. Although when I started, I was working out of my garage on a shoe string budget I had 1000s of professional business cards, letterhead and brochures printed. The expense was really an investment in my future. It showed my prospects I was serious about success. I wasn't a fly by night business. I wasn't trying to mask my garage office but rather project my commitment to my business.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Look over your image. Does it fit with who you are and how you want your business to be perceived? Is your image professional or sloppy. High brow or casual. Friendly or snooty. Your image is seen in the way you dress, the look of your marketing materials and your business correspondences. As freight brokers our sense of urgency is critical to our shippers. They hire us because we can save their neck by making their shipment a high priority. Here are a few questions to consider:
Are your business forms are written clearly?
Do your web site, letterhead and cards match?
Remember time is worth more than money
Always consider ways to offer even more convenience
Stay open later
Always answer the phone
Take credit cards
If possible use toll free numbers
Join affiliations and associations
Think strategic alliances
Under promise and over deliver
Never apologize for price
Consider trade shows not in your Industry
The more you learn – the more you earn
I’m not asking you to try to be someone you’re not. God made you exactly the way He meant for you to be. Find success in who you are while looking for ways to better yourself. Although when I started, I was working out of my garage on a shoe string budget I had 1000s of professional business cards, letterhead and brochures printed. The expense was really an investment in my future. It showed my prospects I was serious about success. I wasn't a fly by night business. I wasn't trying to mask my garage office but rather project my commitment to my business.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Powerful Words
The most worthless emotion................Self-pity
The most prized possession................Integrity
The most beautiful attire................ ...A SMILE!
The m ost powerful channel of communication..... ...Prayer
The most contagious spirit............ .....Enthusiasm
The most important thing in life....... ........GOD
Everyone needs this list to live by...pass it along!!!
The most prized possession................Integrity
The most beautiful attire................ ...A SMILE!
The m ost powerful channel of communication..... ...Prayer
The most contagious spirit............ .....Enthusiasm
The most important thing in life....... ........GOD
Everyone needs this list to live by...pass it along!!!
Obliterate Objection
Found this great article on not only address objections but actually eliminating objections from business know how
Learn to overcome objections
by Janet Attard
One of the most difficult aspects of selling for most people is dealing with objections. Business owners who aren't used to sales situations assume the client's initial no means they aren't interested at all in the product or service. Experienced sales people think of the initial "No" as a first objection. Instead of giving up and going away, they probe to find out why the prospect said no and work to resolve any questions the customer has.
Typical of the unspoken objections are concerns about the risk of a purchase (risk to the buyer's business, career or budget if your product or service doesn't do what you claim), the difficulty in implementing the decision (will they have to make changes in the procedures they now use to accomplish some task), the true value of your product or service (will it really save or make the money you claim), your ability as a small business to deliver on time (or to deliver at all!), and your ability to provide service after the sale.
You will win more sales if you learn to probe for these underlying objections and develop strategies for dealing with them. Don't present your response to objections as a defense of your company or product. Structure your responses to show the benefits to the customer. Is the customer's real worry that your business is too small and he'll look bad to his boss if you don't deliver on time? Don't say your small size doesn't matter. Instead, assure him that you have extensive resources at your command and can pull together exactly the right team to get his project done on time and within budget. Or, remind him of the cost savings his company will enjoy because you can keep your overhead costs low. Is price the real concern? If so, go over what it is that the client expects you to deliver, ask what price point would get the sale? If they come back with a lower figure, work at negotiating a price you can both agree on.
Practice your responses in advance. Have a spouse or friend play the role of the client and throw objections your way until you can answer them with ease.
Go to the link above to read more.
Moving Forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Learn to overcome objections
by Janet Attard
One of the most difficult aspects of selling for most people is dealing with objections. Business owners who aren't used to sales situations assume the client's initial no means they aren't interested at all in the product or service. Experienced sales people think of the initial "No" as a first objection. Instead of giving up and going away, they probe to find out why the prospect said no and work to resolve any questions the customer has.
Typical of the unspoken objections are concerns about the risk of a purchase (risk to the buyer's business, career or budget if your product or service doesn't do what you claim), the difficulty in implementing the decision (will they have to make changes in the procedures they now use to accomplish some task), the true value of your product or service (will it really save or make the money you claim), your ability as a small business to deliver on time (or to deliver at all!), and your ability to provide service after the sale.
You will win more sales if you learn to probe for these underlying objections and develop strategies for dealing with them. Don't present your response to objections as a defense of your company or product. Structure your responses to show the benefits to the customer. Is the customer's real worry that your business is too small and he'll look bad to his boss if you don't deliver on time? Don't say your small size doesn't matter. Instead, assure him that you have extensive resources at your command and can pull together exactly the right team to get his project done on time and within budget. Or, remind him of the cost savings his company will enjoy because you can keep your overhead costs low. Is price the real concern? If so, go over what it is that the client expects you to deliver, ask what price point would get the sale? If they come back with a lower figure, work at negotiating a price you can both agree on.
Practice your responses in advance. Have a spouse or friend play the role of the client and throw objections your way until you can answer them with ease.
Go to the link above to read more.
Moving Forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
New Class Locations
As 2007 winds down and 2008 revs up take to to reflect about the past, and dream about the future. I get jazzed by seeing new freight brokers find success after graduating from our course. So I’ve decided to expand our reach adding new class locations and an industry giant instructor. Join us in INDY or NY.
Indianapolis, Indiana Freight Broker Training
January 28 – February 1, 2008
Taught by industry leader Jeff Ashcraft (see Friday’s blog)
Entrepreneur Business Center
55 South State, f3rd Floor
Indianapolis, IN 46201
Close to all downtown hotels
Rochester, New York Freight Broker Training
February 25 – 29, 2008
Taught by Doug Dillon of G First Logistics
Monroe Community College
1000 East Henrietta Rd
Rochester, NY 14623
Closest hotel: Courtyard 585-292-1000
Register today online or call 214-206-1169 to reserve your space and for more information. We expect these new locations to book up fast!
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Indianapolis, Indiana Freight Broker Training
January 28 – February 1, 2008
Taught by industry leader Jeff Ashcraft (see Friday’s blog)
Entrepreneur Business Center
55 South State, f3rd Floor
Indianapolis, IN 46201
Close to all downtown hotels
Rochester, New York Freight Broker Training
February 25 – 29, 2008
Taught by Doug Dillon of G First Logistics
Monroe Community College
1000 East Henrietta Rd
Rochester, NY 14623
Closest hotel: Courtyard 585-292-1000
Register today online or call 214-206-1169 to reserve your space and for more information. We expect these new locations to book up fast!
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Now there are two Jeffs
I am proud to announce my alliance with one of our industry leaders, Jeff Ashcraft. He is joining the Brooke Transportation training team as an instructor in some of our new locations. We are currently updating our website to include his Indianapolis class as well as other locations as soon as we get the logistics worked out. Here’s a brief rundown on his credentials:
Jeff Ashcraft cut his teeth in transportation selling cars, quickly becoming a top sales manager. He then moved over to the freight brokerage side of things. Over the years he has earned expert status in the transportation industry. He teaches from his wealth of experience as a salesman, sales manager, freight broker, and all assets of freight broker operations. Students will catch his passion for the brokerage business as well as the opportunity to be their own boss. He shares specific lessons both good and bad that he has learned throughout his career. Jeff helps students apply the lessons he learned to starting their own careers as a freight broker and a business owner. Brooke Transportation Training Solutions is expanding across the nation with the addition of Jeff as an instructor. A more detailed biography on Jeff will be on our website soon.
So if you’re looking to be trained by the best in freight brokerage, sign up for Jeff’s next course or choose a live class in Dallas, Jacksonville or online through Gatlin Education.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Jeff Ashcraft cut his teeth in transportation selling cars, quickly becoming a top sales manager. He then moved over to the freight brokerage side of things. Over the years he has earned expert status in the transportation industry. He teaches from his wealth of experience as a salesman, sales manager, freight broker, and all assets of freight broker operations. Students will catch his passion for the brokerage business as well as the opportunity to be their own boss. He shares specific lessons both good and bad that he has learned throughout his career. Jeff helps students apply the lessons he learned to starting their own careers as a freight broker and a business owner. Brooke Transportation Training Solutions is expanding across the nation with the addition of Jeff as an instructor. A more detailed biography on Jeff will be on our website soon.
So if you’re looking to be trained by the best in freight brokerage, sign up for Jeff’s next course or choose a live class in Dallas, Jacksonville or online through Gatlin Education.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
The Clock Vs. The Buck
We are incredibly rich in the world’s economy. Yet we run around like chickens with our heads cut off in a state of frustration when we get caught at a traffic light or have to wait in the Express line (what does the word express mean?).
In your world what is more important: time or money? In your customer’s world what is more important: time or money. Money is important but you can always earn more of that. You cannot get back wasted time. And as the cliché says time is money. The precious commodity of time makes our service as freight brokers even more critical.
Time is Far More Valuable Than Money. A customer’s business is on the line with every delivery. Can you imagine going to Christmas shop and the shelves are empty because the truck didn’t show in time? Help your prospects understand the value of your service. You started out by calling them and telling them you specialize in expedited critical care freight services – white glove treatment. Your rate has to be higher to be able to find a truck when no one else can. You tell your customer this is your niche during the building stage of the relationship. What are you building? Trust – that’s right.
You build trust by doing what you say your going to do when you say your going to do it. Tell your prospect up front that you can control only one thing in this business. That is your ability to establish trust with both the shipper and the carrier by looking out for both of their best interest with excellent communication all along the way. I can’t and you can’t drive the truck. With man and machine things break, but you can for sure communicate with the shipper. Most shippers want more than anything to have someone they can trust and someone who can deliver what they promised. Service and Communication. Your product is your ability to build trust and your ability to communicate the status of that load from pick up to delivery.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
In your world what is more important: time or money? In your customer’s world what is more important: time or money. Money is important but you can always earn more of that. You cannot get back wasted time. And as the cliché says time is money. The precious commodity of time makes our service as freight brokers even more critical.
Time is Far More Valuable Than Money. A customer’s business is on the line with every delivery. Can you imagine going to Christmas shop and the shelves are empty because the truck didn’t show in time? Help your prospects understand the value of your service. You started out by calling them and telling them you specialize in expedited critical care freight services – white glove treatment. Your rate has to be higher to be able to find a truck when no one else can. You tell your customer this is your niche during the building stage of the relationship. What are you building? Trust – that’s right.
You build trust by doing what you say your going to do when you say your going to do it. Tell your prospect up front that you can control only one thing in this business. That is your ability to establish trust with both the shipper and the carrier by looking out for both of their best interest with excellent communication all along the way. I can’t and you can’t drive the truck. With man and machine things break, but you can for sure communicate with the shipper. Most shippers want more than anything to have someone they can trust and someone who can deliver what they promised. Service and Communication. Your product is your ability to build trust and your ability to communicate the status of that load from pick up to delivery.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Career Advice
People pay me for career advice. I do my best to help people start over in business. I get to experience with them the rise of their companies from the blood, sweat and tears of their hard work. It is incredibly cool for someone to call me a year after they graduate to share with me their success. Their story is not, “I'm a millionaire”. It's “I am supporting myself moving five loads a day and I am happy.”
So what I am going to do today is share with you what Joy is all about and what I think about some stuff that has to do with stuff other than making money. I thought it may be too spiritual in nature then realized it was my blog and is about me so hey - deal with it...LOL
Regardless of what anyone thinks we should be in life, we should be honest and see clearly where we are. If we are in a place we don't want to be - we can make decisions to move in a different direction.
Every day ask God to give you the desires of your heart. It is impossible to earn his blessings. He wants to make you happy like you want to make your children happy except with God he is love with a much bigger concept of love than we can fathom. He is the perfect father. I wish my children could experience me as the perfect father but they can't. There is only one perfect father and he is God.
He wants you to have the desires of your heart. He gives you a roadmap and also gives grace realizing that we are human and we are not going to be perfect. Don't try to be. It will drive you insane and everyone who knows you already knows you’re not perfect. None of us are. It is the pursuit of perfection that causes addictions. Perfect is not an option in life. Give yourself a break. We are our own worse critic.
Give yourself permission to fail. Try new stuff. If you’re not failing at something - you’re not trying enough new stuff.
What GOD does not want is for you to be always unhappy, without joy and love.
You do have the right to be happy.
Get real and get honest and you will have a testimonial that will move people.
God knows what you need - he just wants you to be thankful, to ask, then wait and see what path he takes you down.
It may not be the path you planned or expected but trust me - He will lead, if you release everything to him. (Choose faith - Fear and Faith are exact opposites - where there is fear there is no faith.
Ask God for faith in the fearful areas of your life and then hold on for dear life. Enjoy the ride, week-to-week, day-to-day, and moment-to-moment. Once this day is gone -it's gone forever. Time can't be replaced. Make the most of your time. Why not? We are not here simply to consume - we are here to give. There are no happy takers, only happy givers. Attitude is everything; perseverance is a close second and focus on progress not perfection. I wish I could say I was a great example of doing everything right, I am not but I am very certain that these words are true.
It's not the messenger - it’s the message that is important. This message is to all of our daily readers. Our blog readership is substantial. I am honored and humbled.
I think this is what we are supposed to do and I also think we should laugh, smile and hope for the best. Take personal responsibility and live.
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
So what I am going to do today is share with you what Joy is all about and what I think about some stuff that has to do with stuff other than making money. I thought it may be too spiritual in nature then realized it was my blog and is about me so hey - deal with it...LOL
Regardless of what anyone thinks we should be in life, we should be honest and see clearly where we are. If we are in a place we don't want to be - we can make decisions to move in a different direction.
Every day ask God to give you the desires of your heart. It is impossible to earn his blessings. He wants to make you happy like you want to make your children happy except with God he is love with a much bigger concept of love than we can fathom. He is the perfect father. I wish my children could experience me as the perfect father but they can't. There is only one perfect father and he is God.
He wants you to have the desires of your heart. He gives you a roadmap and also gives grace realizing that we are human and we are not going to be perfect. Don't try to be. It will drive you insane and everyone who knows you already knows you’re not perfect. None of us are. It is the pursuit of perfection that causes addictions. Perfect is not an option in life. Give yourself a break. We are our own worse critic.
Give yourself permission to fail. Try new stuff. If you’re not failing at something - you’re not trying enough new stuff.
What GOD does not want is for you to be always unhappy, without joy and love.
You do have the right to be happy.
Get real and get honest and you will have a testimonial that will move people.
God knows what you need - he just wants you to be thankful, to ask, then wait and see what path he takes you down.
It may not be the path you planned or expected but trust me - He will lead, if you release everything to him. (Choose faith - Fear and Faith are exact opposites - where there is fear there is no faith.
Ask God for faith in the fearful areas of your life and then hold on for dear life. Enjoy the ride, week-to-week, day-to-day, and moment-to-moment. Once this day is gone -it's gone forever. Time can't be replaced. Make the most of your time. Why not? We are not here simply to consume - we are here to give. There are no happy takers, only happy givers. Attitude is everything; perseverance is a close second and focus on progress not perfection. I wish I could say I was a great example of doing everything right, I am not but I am very certain that these words are true.
It's not the messenger - it’s the message that is important. This message is to all of our daily readers. Our blog readership is substantial. I am honored and humbled.
I think this is what we are supposed to do and I also think we should laugh, smile and hope for the best. Take personal responsibility and live.
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
Double Brokered or Double Crossed?
Here's an excellent article I copied from this book I own. I recommend all brokers have this book for reference.
Carrier411 Article
by William J. Augello, Esq.
Adjunct Professor, University of Arizona
James E. Rogers College of Law
"What protection does a broker have against being held liable for negligent hiring of a trucker when the carrier selected by the broker double brokered or gave the load to a different trucker, without the broker's knowledge or consent, and the hired trucker caused an accident?"
If the broker diligently checked the motor carrier's FMCSA safety record, safety rating, registration and insurance filings before hiring it, the broker probably would be protected. A plaintiff's attorney, however, would probably allege that the broker failed to be assured that the carrier would not substitute a different carrier with an unknown safety record.
Double brokering of freight has become an all-too-frequent practice, probably due to the truck and driver shortages. It seriously complicates the legal issues when an accident occurs en route. To understand these issues, one must start with the basic contract of carriage.
When a broker calls a carrier and the carrier agrees to haul the load, a contract of carriage is formed between the carrier and the broker, whether it is in writing or not. The original carrier agrees to assume liability for the safe and timely delivery of the load with reasonable dispatch. The fact that the carrier hires a different trucker to deliver the load does not change the contract of carriage. The original carrier is still liable to the shipper and to the broker for its own acts and omissions. It is also liable for the acts and omissions of its agent, the second carrier hired by the original carrier. Nor does it change the broker's common law responsibility to use due diligence in checking into the original carrier's safety record and other factors required by law.
The carrier may lawfully trip-lease equipment, or use longer term leased equipment, owner-operators or company equipment. When a second carrier is hired, it is in privity of contract with the first carrier, not the broker or shipper.
Once the second carrier accepts the load, it is also responsible for that load until delivered. In truck accident cases resulting in personal injuries and death, the courts may look to the name on the tractor cab to identify the carrier that had control over the performance of that truck and hold that carrier liable for any damages incurred as a result of the operation of that truck. It is commonly referred to as the "logo liability" rule. The paperwork may also have a bearing on who controlled the performance of the services at the time of an accident. It is important, therefore, that brokers not allow their name to be shown as the "carrier" on bills of lading, rate quote sheets, dispatch memos and other documents.
The FMCSA's regulations clearly state that: "Motor carriers, or persons who are employees or bona fide agents of carriers, are not brokers within the meaning of this section when they arrange or offer to arrange the transportation of shipments which they are authorized to transport and which they have accepted and legally bound themselves to transport." 49 C.F.R. § 371.2 (a).
Therefore, brokers should obtain documentation from the carrier indicating that it agrees to transport a load under its registered motor carrier authority, and that it agrees to be legally bound to deliver that load safely.
The party that hired the second carrier should be the party held responsible for the careful selection of that carrier. One exception may be when there is evidence that the broker knew and condoned the carrier's habitual substitution of another trucker without the broker having performed an investigation of the second trucker's safety record.
If an accident occurs and the evidence reveals that the second carrier had a poor safety record, a plaintiff's lawyer will argue that the broker was negligent in hiring that carrier, because the broker knew that unsafe truckers could be hired under this arrangement.
Suppose the broker used a contract that prohibited substitution of carriers and double brokering without the broker's written permission. Will that provide a complete defense to the broker? Probably not if the broker did nothing to ensure that the carrier lived up to that stipulation. The problem is that most brokers do not follow up on the terms of their contracts. Worse yet, a greater number have no contract at all!
Another problem is presented when the broker deals with a carrier that also holds a broker's license under the same name. Typically, the carrier does not disclose whether it is accepting a load as a carrier or a broker.
The FMCSA's regulations, however, require that a broker that engages in any other business (motor carrier business, for instance) must segregate its brokerage business from its other activities. 49 C.F.R. § 371.13.
Another section states that "Each party to a brokered transaction has the right to review the record of the transaction required to be kept by these rules." 49 C.F.R. § 371.3 (c).
Therefore, brokers should insist that carriers accept loads only under their motor carrier authority, and that their records be made available to prove it. Once the carrier agrees to deal with the broker as the carrier, it may not avoid being held liable for its selection of the truckers and drivers used to conduct the over-the-road operations of the broker's loads.
The same reasoning would also apply to the carrier's collection of the freight charges. If the carrier extended credit to the broker rather than to the shipper, it would have no legal right to seek payment from the shipper if the shipper paid the broker.
The carrier's written agreement to designate the broker as its agent for the collection of the freight charges must also be included in the broker-carrier contract. Another essential clause relates to indemnification of the broker. Brokers that operate without a carefully drawn contract today, in light of these concerns, particularly the Maryland District court's decision in Schramm v. Foster, are inviting financial disaster.
Keeping Current with Changes in Transportation Law
In view of the rapidly changing environment, personnel in charge of transportation and logistics must keep current with the changes in law, regulations, court decisions, contracts and more. Mr. Augello's text Transportation, Logistics and the Law is being supplemented annually to meet this objective. Order the text and supplements online at www.transportlawtexts.com or call 1-888-798-1530.
About the Author
William J. Augello is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Arizona teaching transportation law and is on the Faculty and Board of Directors of the Institute of Logistical Management. His new text Transportation, Logistics and the Law (Second Edition) draws on his 53-year career as a practicing attorney specializing in transportation and administrative law.
He may be reached at williamaugello@comcast.net or 1-520-744-4309 (MST).
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
Carrier411 Article
by William J. Augello, Esq.
Adjunct Professor, University of Arizona
James E. Rogers College of Law
"What protection does a broker have against being held liable for negligent hiring of a trucker when the carrier selected by the broker double brokered or gave the load to a different trucker, without the broker's knowledge or consent, and the hired trucker caused an accident?"
If the broker diligently checked the motor carrier's FMCSA safety record, safety rating, registration and insurance filings before hiring it, the broker probably would be protected. A plaintiff's attorney, however, would probably allege that the broker failed to be assured that the carrier would not substitute a different carrier with an unknown safety record.
Double brokering of freight has become an all-too-frequent practice, probably due to the truck and driver shortages. It seriously complicates the legal issues when an accident occurs en route. To understand these issues, one must start with the basic contract of carriage.
When a broker calls a carrier and the carrier agrees to haul the load, a contract of carriage is formed between the carrier and the broker, whether it is in writing or not. The original carrier agrees to assume liability for the safe and timely delivery of the load with reasonable dispatch. The fact that the carrier hires a different trucker to deliver the load does not change the contract of carriage. The original carrier is still liable to the shipper and to the broker for its own acts and omissions. It is also liable for the acts and omissions of its agent, the second carrier hired by the original carrier. Nor does it change the broker's common law responsibility to use due diligence in checking into the original carrier's safety record and other factors required by law.
The carrier may lawfully trip-lease equipment, or use longer term leased equipment, owner-operators or company equipment. When a second carrier is hired, it is in privity of contract with the first carrier, not the broker or shipper.
Once the second carrier accepts the load, it is also responsible for that load until delivered. In truck accident cases resulting in personal injuries and death, the courts may look to the name on the tractor cab to identify the carrier that had control over the performance of that truck and hold that carrier liable for any damages incurred as a result of the operation of that truck. It is commonly referred to as the "logo liability" rule. The paperwork may also have a bearing on who controlled the performance of the services at the time of an accident. It is important, therefore, that brokers not allow their name to be shown as the "carrier" on bills of lading, rate quote sheets, dispatch memos and other documents.
The FMCSA's regulations clearly state that: "Motor carriers, or persons who are employees or bona fide agents of carriers, are not brokers within the meaning of this section when they arrange or offer to arrange the transportation of shipments which they are authorized to transport and which they have accepted and legally bound themselves to transport." 49 C.F.R. § 371.2 (a).
Therefore, brokers should obtain documentation from the carrier indicating that it agrees to transport a load under its registered motor carrier authority, and that it agrees to be legally bound to deliver that load safely.
The party that hired the second carrier should be the party held responsible for the careful selection of that carrier. One exception may be when there is evidence that the broker knew and condoned the carrier's habitual substitution of another trucker without the broker having performed an investigation of the second trucker's safety record.
If an accident occurs and the evidence reveals that the second carrier had a poor safety record, a plaintiff's lawyer will argue that the broker was negligent in hiring that carrier, because the broker knew that unsafe truckers could be hired under this arrangement.
Suppose the broker used a contract that prohibited substitution of carriers and double brokering without the broker's written permission. Will that provide a complete defense to the broker? Probably not if the broker did nothing to ensure that the carrier lived up to that stipulation. The problem is that most brokers do not follow up on the terms of their contracts. Worse yet, a greater number have no contract at all!
Another problem is presented when the broker deals with a carrier that also holds a broker's license under the same name. Typically, the carrier does not disclose whether it is accepting a load as a carrier or a broker.
The FMCSA's regulations, however, require that a broker that engages in any other business (motor carrier business, for instance) must segregate its brokerage business from its other activities. 49 C.F.R. § 371.13.
Another section states that "Each party to a brokered transaction has the right to review the record of the transaction required to be kept by these rules." 49 C.F.R. § 371.3 (c).
Therefore, brokers should insist that carriers accept loads only under their motor carrier authority, and that their records be made available to prove it. Once the carrier agrees to deal with the broker as the carrier, it may not avoid being held liable for its selection of the truckers and drivers used to conduct the over-the-road operations of the broker's loads.
The same reasoning would also apply to the carrier's collection of the freight charges. If the carrier extended credit to the broker rather than to the shipper, it would have no legal right to seek payment from the shipper if the shipper paid the broker.
The carrier's written agreement to designate the broker as its agent for the collection of the freight charges must also be included in the broker-carrier contract. Another essential clause relates to indemnification of the broker. Brokers that operate without a carefully drawn contract today, in light of these concerns, particularly the Maryland District court's decision in Schramm v. Foster, are inviting financial disaster.
Keeping Current with Changes in Transportation Law
In view of the rapidly changing environment, personnel in charge of transportation and logistics must keep current with the changes in law, regulations, court decisions, contracts and more. Mr. Augello's text Transportation, Logistics and the Law is being supplemented annually to meet this objective. Order the text and supplements online at www.transportlawtexts.com or call 1-888-798-1530.
About the Author
William J. Augello is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Arizona teaching transportation law and is on the Faculty and Board of Directors of the Institute of Logistical Management. His new text Transportation, Logistics and the Law (Second Edition) draws on his 53-year career as a practicing attorney specializing in transportation and administrative law.
He may be reached at williamaugello@comcast.net or 1-520-744-4309 (MST).
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
Know Your Competition
Welcome back from a holiday full of thankfulness. Be thankful for your competition...they can teach you lots about how to be a successful broker
A new broker has to know the competition. Your competition knows more than you. You’ll be competing against that knowledge, their time in business and their “name” in the business. Even though it may not be easy, there are several ways to get to know your competition without getting the CIA involved. We go into more detail in our course but here’s some basic tactics:
1. Look up freight broker and trucking companies with your search engine. Read their web sites and glean any useful information that you can from the site. Useful information may include: company size, number of trucks, number of agents, years in business, niche markets or specialties, what lanes they run, how many offices they have and where, and if they are both a carrier and a broker.
2. Ask your prospects and your established customers when you call on them who they use or have used in the past. Find out what they liked and disliked about that broker or carrier and how their rates compare. Ask about their service and how they handled problems and if they still use that broker, why or why not.
3. Ask your carriers about the other brokers that they use, who are the big broker players in the industry and how they compare to the smaller brokers. Ask who the carriers prefer to haul for and why. Find out who pays a higher rate and who pays on time. Network in the industry.
4. Hire seasoned agents who have been in the business for several years. They are a wealth of knowledge about the competition as well as the carriers out there.
Don't be afraid to ask a prospect who they currently use, especially if they tell you that they are satisfied with their current broker or carrier. Tell them that is great - that you are new to the business, and would like to ask them why they like that broker. Ask what they’d look for in a new broker if they needed to find another one.
Knowing your competition is essential. As you become aware of who your main competitors are with your prospects and clients, and how they run their operations, it will influence your rate quotes. Your rate quotes will sometimes depend on your current competition for that particular project. Extra services that you provide may be determined by your competition. The ability to work with a particular shipper may be determined by your competition. In this business as in any other sales business, the top sales people always take the extra time and effort to research the competition. The good general always takes the time to know his enemy.
Moving Forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
A new broker has to know the competition. Your competition knows more than you. You’ll be competing against that knowledge, their time in business and their “name” in the business. Even though it may not be easy, there are several ways to get to know your competition without getting the CIA involved. We go into more detail in our course but here’s some basic tactics:
1. Look up freight broker and trucking companies with your search engine. Read their web sites and glean any useful information that you can from the site. Useful information may include: company size, number of trucks, number of agents, years in business, niche markets or specialties, what lanes they run, how many offices they have and where, and if they are both a carrier and a broker.
2. Ask your prospects and your established customers when you call on them who they use or have used in the past. Find out what they liked and disliked about that broker or carrier and how their rates compare. Ask about their service and how they handled problems and if they still use that broker, why or why not.
3. Ask your carriers about the other brokers that they use, who are the big broker players in the industry and how they compare to the smaller brokers. Ask who the carriers prefer to haul for and why. Find out who pays a higher rate and who pays on time. Network in the industry.
4. Hire seasoned agents who have been in the business for several years. They are a wealth of knowledge about the competition as well as the carriers out there.
Don't be afraid to ask a prospect who they currently use, especially if they tell you that they are satisfied with their current broker or carrier. Tell them that is great - that you are new to the business, and would like to ask them why they like that broker. Ask what they’d look for in a new broker if they needed to find another one.
Knowing your competition is essential. As you become aware of who your main competitors are with your prospects and clients, and how they run their operations, it will influence your rate quotes. Your rate quotes will sometimes depend on your current competition for that particular project. Extra services that you provide may be determined by your competition. The ability to work with a particular shipper may be determined by your competition. In this business as in any other sales business, the top sales people always take the extra time and effort to research the competition. The good general always takes the time to know his enemy.
Moving Forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Who Needs a Thanks?
Attitude of Gratitude
I thought this excerpt from Bryan Flanagan was quite fitting for this week of Thanksgiving.
It is from his book, Now go Sell Somebody Something. He is one of our ingenius guest speakers.
"Who gave you your first break?
Was it an educator or a coach, a Sunday School teacher, a boss, an associate? Do you remember who had a positive impact early in your business career? What was his or her name?
How did he contribute to your growth and development?
What did she say that you really remember?
How did he know that you needed to hear those exact words just at the right time?
Who came to your rescue when you needed it most?
Who provided the arms to hold you, the ears to listen, and the heart to accept and not judge when you needed it?
Who ventured out to rescue you and then brought you safely back to shore?
Do you remember those people who helped you most in life?
Did you remember to thank them for their help?
If you did not, you made a mistake.
It's not too late to thank them.
Take the time TODAY to thank them.
Thank them and express your gratitude. If you do not, you are making another mistake. Now go sell somebody something."
Moving forward....
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
I thought this excerpt from Bryan Flanagan was quite fitting for this week of Thanksgiving.
It is from his book, Now go Sell Somebody Something. He is one of our ingenius guest speakers.
"Who gave you your first break?
Was it an educator or a coach, a Sunday School teacher, a boss, an associate? Do you remember who had a positive impact early in your business career? What was his or her name?
How did he contribute to your growth and development?
What did she say that you really remember?
How did he know that you needed to hear those exact words just at the right time?
Who came to your rescue when you needed it most?
Who provided the arms to hold you, the ears to listen, and the heart to accept and not judge when you needed it?
Who ventured out to rescue you and then brought you safely back to shore?
Do you remember those people who helped you most in life?
Did you remember to thank them for their help?
If you did not, you made a mistake.
It's not too late to thank them.
Take the time TODAY to thank them.
Thank them and express your gratitude. If you do not, you are making another mistake. Now go sell somebody something."
Moving forward....
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
Suceed Today
Why do some seem to succeed easily while others give up trying? Today I read “Blessed or happy are the poor in spirit. “ poor in spirit is the opposite of spiritually proud or self sufficient. I’m thinking you are happy when you give up control (which you never actually have) and enjoy the ride.
As a trainer I meet so many people with so much potential. We develop a bit of a bond in the week of intense training of our freight broker school. So when they want to share something of their journey as a freight broker they often ring me.
I have been getting both hero stories and stories of people throwing in the towel. I want to just roll up and die when someone quits. I want to jump for joy when someone shares success stories.
I guess blessed are the pure in spirit - the humble - but hey show up. You certainly can’t get anywhere if you don’t try, fail some but keep trying. The poor in spirit aren’t too proud to pick themselves up, dust themselves off and try again after a failed attempt. I tell all my students make 50 phone calls a day, every day. You have to make a game of it, a goal, and celebrate the victory of making that many calls, even if none seem to be potential business. The calling helps you polish your calling style, find the kinds of clients who fit with who you are and gives you opportunity to talk with people you’d never have an opportunity to talk with otherwise.
It is hard for me to realize that is hard for some. I thrive on calling on people and trying to make a connection. I think too often a student will quit right before he makes the call that will turn his day.
Brett Farve has more touchdowns than any quarterback but also has the record for the most interceptions. He leaves it all on the field. That is the perspective I want to share. Give it all you got. Because we really do get what we give. Not right away but down the line. Give others time to talk, they will eventually listen to you when the time comes.
Get in the game - the glory goes to those in the game - throw some interceptions and I promise in the process you will throw some touchdowns.
In an interview on Monday football featuring Brett Farve - his wife described them not as heros but as survivors. Go out not to conquer the world but survive by recognizing any gift or talent you have is given to be used, not left unopened, and untried. It is awesome to see someone figure out their gift, then succeed because they get vulnerable and try to use their gift, not accepting defeat but pushing on to success.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach – President
www.brooketraining.com
As a trainer I meet so many people with so much potential. We develop a bit of a bond in the week of intense training of our freight broker school. So when they want to share something of their journey as a freight broker they often ring me.
I have been getting both hero stories and stories of people throwing in the towel. I want to just roll up and die when someone quits. I want to jump for joy when someone shares success stories.
I guess blessed are the pure in spirit - the humble - but hey show up. You certainly can’t get anywhere if you don’t try, fail some but keep trying. The poor in spirit aren’t too proud to pick themselves up, dust themselves off and try again after a failed attempt. I tell all my students make 50 phone calls a day, every day. You have to make a game of it, a goal, and celebrate the victory of making that many calls, even if none seem to be potential business. The calling helps you polish your calling style, find the kinds of clients who fit with who you are and gives you opportunity to talk with people you’d never have an opportunity to talk with otherwise.
It is hard for me to realize that is hard for some. I thrive on calling on people and trying to make a connection. I think too often a student will quit right before he makes the call that will turn his day.
Brett Farve has more touchdowns than any quarterback but also has the record for the most interceptions. He leaves it all on the field. That is the perspective I want to share. Give it all you got. Because we really do get what we give. Not right away but down the line. Give others time to talk, they will eventually listen to you when the time comes.
Get in the game - the glory goes to those in the game - throw some interceptions and I promise in the process you will throw some touchdowns.
In an interview on Monday football featuring Brett Farve - his wife described them not as heros but as survivors. Go out not to conquer the world but survive by recognizing any gift or talent you have is given to be used, not left unopened, and untried. It is awesome to see someone figure out their gift, then succeed because they get vulnerable and try to use their gift, not accepting defeat but pushing on to success.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach – President
www.brooketraining.com
What expense can you turn into a profit?
Convert an Expense to a Profit
I read any and all business advice I can get my hands on and see how I can apply it to my own business now or in the future. In Freight Brokering the biggest waste I have is probably paper. I recycle my paper at my local schools so they get a little extra cash from the recycle man. I’ve read lots of uses for used truck tires. Think how you can apply this to our industry. Today's entry comes from businessknowhow.com
by Janet Attard
That's not as crazy as it sounds. Numerous businesses have done just that by thinking outside of the box. One expense that often can be converted to profits is the cost of disposing of waste products or scraps. Instead of throwing away scraps or, worse, paying someone to cart them away, consider whether there is some other use for the material.
A Texas manufacturer, for instance, turned a $35,000 expense for removing wood scraps into a $15,000 profit by processing them into a bedding material for use in poultry farms and horse stables.
Home businesses can often turn expenses and waste materials into profits, too. One person who does is Charlotte Cox of Charlotte's Dress Designs in Cleveland, Texas. Charlotte makes dresses and craft items. Instead of throwing away the leftover fabric or craft items, or stuffing them away in a closet, Charlotte packages the leftovers for resale. She puts them in clear plastic bags, labels them and prices them, then takes them to shows when she displays her craft items.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
I read any and all business advice I can get my hands on and see how I can apply it to my own business now or in the future. In Freight Brokering the biggest waste I have is probably paper. I recycle my paper at my local schools so they get a little extra cash from the recycle man. I’ve read lots of uses for used truck tires. Think how you can apply this to our industry. Today's entry comes from businessknowhow.com
by Janet Attard
That's not as crazy as it sounds. Numerous businesses have done just that by thinking outside of the box. One expense that often can be converted to profits is the cost of disposing of waste products or scraps. Instead of throwing away scraps or, worse, paying someone to cart them away, consider whether there is some other use for the material.
A Texas manufacturer, for instance, turned a $35,000 expense for removing wood scraps into a $15,000 profit by processing them into a bedding material for use in poultry farms and horse stables.
Home businesses can often turn expenses and waste materials into profits, too. One person who does is Charlotte Cox of Charlotte's Dress Designs in Cleveland, Texas. Charlotte makes dresses and craft items. Instead of throwing away the leftover fabric or craft items, or stuffing them away in a closet, Charlotte packages the leftovers for resale. She puts them in clear plastic bags, labels them and prices them, then takes them to shows when she displays her craft items.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
Fast Food World
People want their needs met fast. We live in a fast food world. Technology is continually making things faster. Count the number of express signs you see today - express lube, express checkout, express lane, etc. Think about it. How fast is fast enough? Everyone wants his or her needs met fast. The need for speed is driving much of the business world’s innovations. Everything is going mobile. I just read that the “hover craft” as seen in the Back to the Future Movies is available for purchase. So now instead of taking the express lane, you can fly over all the traffic in sky express.
This fast food world is the best time to be a broker/agent. The sooner the better when the shipper calls and tells you he has a load left over and can’t find a truck. If you can find that truck you are going to make a customer for life. Building relationships with shippers can be slow but if you address their distress needs, fast you will quickly solidify a burgeoning relationship.
You and I want our calls answered by a real human being.
We all want our orders processed in lighting speed.
Complaints should be handled first … and fast
Get the bad news out first thing.
Speed holds on to existing customers.
Listen and handle it fast – whatever the situation.
Convey your reverence for their time.
Knock yourself out showing how much you respect their time.
Research shows that customers hate waiting more than
anything else.
Moving forward (fast),
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
This fast food world is the best time to be a broker/agent. The sooner the better when the shipper calls and tells you he has a load left over and can’t find a truck. If you can find that truck you are going to make a customer for life. Building relationships with shippers can be slow but if you address their distress needs, fast you will quickly solidify a burgeoning relationship.
You and I want our calls answered by a real human being.
We all want our orders processed in lighting speed.
Complaints should be handled first … and fast
Get the bad news out first thing.
Speed holds on to existing customers.
Listen and handle it fast – whatever the situation.
Convey your reverence for their time.
Knock yourself out showing how much you respect their time.
Research shows that customers hate waiting more than
anything else.
Moving forward (fast),
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
How to Network
Networking is essential as a freight broker or agent. Networking is simply building alliances with companies who have complementary services, attending events with potential customers and vendors, and meeting with other small business owners. Join your local chamber of commerce, trade associations and professional clubs. As a broker or agent, you may work much of the time by yourself. Networking gives you opportunity to talk with others, exchange ideas and talk through issues that may come up with others that have already worked it out.
In our technologically advanced society having a network of others who are working on a similar computer system is priceless. Dynamic networking will also help keep you motivated to success.
One source for networking is trade shows. There are transportation and logistics trade shows that you can attend, where you can meet new vendors, see what’s new in the industry, and while you are there you can check up on what some of your competitors are doing. You can network with carriers at trucking trade shows, and align yourself with companies that are selling complementary products and services to yours.
A great type of trade show to attend is a show that your prospective clients would attend – such as a trade show for manufacturers, or a show for the niche market that you have chosen (such as a trade show for food companies, if this is your niche; or a trade show specifically in an industry sector that you are already doing business in or want to pursue). The best one would be a show that has no other transportation service companies; this would be a good trade show to purchase a booth to advertise for your service; network as much as possible, and hand out your business cards and any advertising fliers or brochures.
Network with people and companies that can educate and coach you in the brokering industry or in sales. Continually adding to your knowledge in the field will add value to your business as a consultant. Anytime you can take a class and network with educators in your industry, you are ahead of the game. You can also take classes and network with sales consultants and coaches. You could take a class in the skill of negotiating, improve that skill and improve your bottom line as a broker/agent.
When you go out to a client’s office, your goal should be to network and get to know everyone that you can in their organization. Meet the receptionist, the accounting clerk – begin to call them by name. Humor and enthusiasm are the fastest ways to break down walls, and get to know people.
Network to find out the internal decision-making process in the company, and the chain of command. Do focus on your primary contact, the the decision-maker who routes the truckload or large shipments. Work also to get to know their boss, their boss’s boss, their assistants, the company owner, etcetera. They may have a traffic manager, but someone else above them (or below them) may really be calling the day-to-day shots.
Get to know their company philosophies, their goals, and where individual employees are headed. You can get creative – maybe take donuts or pizza out to the warehouse, and get to know the warehouse guys. Brainstorm with them about their shipping issues, or just get to know them. If their traffic manager gets transferred to another department or leaves the company, you will be glad that you have built up a relationship with the next person in line that takes their place. And you know the company really likes you when you finally get invited to the company Christmas party, or an appreciation party for vendor partners! Don’t be in a rush, all of this is a process; building up trust and relationships takes time and extra effort.
If appropriate, when you go to a client’s plant, network with other vendors who provide products or services for them. You may have other similar clients, and could both probably benefit from introducing each other to new clients. That is an example of the type of strategic alliance that you’ll want to consider. Remember though, that if you are networking to create a strategic alliance with another company, it is important that you have similar value systems for the relationship to be truly successful.
I thrive on networking. It gives me a chance to tell all my corny jokes and build relationships, thus keeping my work day worth getting up for.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
In our technologically advanced society having a network of others who are working on a similar computer system is priceless. Dynamic networking will also help keep you motivated to success.
One source for networking is trade shows. There are transportation and logistics trade shows that you can attend, where you can meet new vendors, see what’s new in the industry, and while you are there you can check up on what some of your competitors are doing. You can network with carriers at trucking trade shows, and align yourself with companies that are selling complementary products and services to yours.
A great type of trade show to attend is a show that your prospective clients would attend – such as a trade show for manufacturers, or a show for the niche market that you have chosen (such as a trade show for food companies, if this is your niche; or a trade show specifically in an industry sector that you are already doing business in or want to pursue). The best one would be a show that has no other transportation service companies; this would be a good trade show to purchase a booth to advertise for your service; network as much as possible, and hand out your business cards and any advertising fliers or brochures.
Network with people and companies that can educate and coach you in the brokering industry or in sales. Continually adding to your knowledge in the field will add value to your business as a consultant. Anytime you can take a class and network with educators in your industry, you are ahead of the game. You can also take classes and network with sales consultants and coaches. You could take a class in the skill of negotiating, improve that skill and improve your bottom line as a broker/agent.
When you go out to a client’s office, your goal should be to network and get to know everyone that you can in their organization. Meet the receptionist, the accounting clerk – begin to call them by name. Humor and enthusiasm are the fastest ways to break down walls, and get to know people.
Network to find out the internal decision-making process in the company, and the chain of command. Do focus on your primary contact, the the decision-maker who routes the truckload or large shipments. Work also to get to know their boss, their boss’s boss, their assistants, the company owner, etcetera. They may have a traffic manager, but someone else above them (or below them) may really be calling the day-to-day shots.
Get to know their company philosophies, their goals, and where individual employees are headed. You can get creative – maybe take donuts or pizza out to the warehouse, and get to know the warehouse guys. Brainstorm with them about their shipping issues, or just get to know them. If their traffic manager gets transferred to another department or leaves the company, you will be glad that you have built up a relationship with the next person in line that takes their place. And you know the company really likes you when you finally get invited to the company Christmas party, or an appreciation party for vendor partners! Don’t be in a rush, all of this is a process; building up trust and relationships takes time and extra effort.
If appropriate, when you go to a client’s plant, network with other vendors who provide products or services for them. You may have other similar clients, and could both probably benefit from introducing each other to new clients. That is an example of the type of strategic alliance that you’ll want to consider. Remember though, that if you are networking to create a strategic alliance with another company, it is important that you have similar value systems for the relationship to be truly successful.
I thrive on networking. It gives me a chance to tell all my corny jokes and build relationships, thus keeping my work day worth getting up for.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Tough Jobs
“When we accept the tough jobs as a challenge to our ability and wade into them with joy and enthusiasm, miracles can happen!”
~ From the Salesman’s Book of Wisdom, by Criswell Freeman ~
What tough jobs plaque you? When I face a tough job my tendency is NOT to “wade into them with joy”…nope I want to either put off the tough stuff, delegate it out to some poor soul or run the other direction. So when I read this quote I had to rethink my approach. I’ve had seasons when I get to my dreaded list first. After tackling a rough task I feet accomplished and competent. When I avoid, I feel defeated and incapable. So why do I put off the tough stuff? Human nature I guess. This quote has reminded me to take on some hard stuff, first thing then I will be stronger for the rest of the day.
Or watch an episode of “The World’s Dirtiest Jobs” then you’ll realize you don’t really have any tough jobs.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
~ From the Salesman’s Book of Wisdom, by Criswell Freeman ~
What tough jobs plaque you? When I face a tough job my tendency is NOT to “wade into them with joy”…nope I want to either put off the tough stuff, delegate it out to some poor soul or run the other direction. So when I read this quote I had to rethink my approach. I’ve had seasons when I get to my dreaded list first. After tackling a rough task I feet accomplished and competent. When I avoid, I feel defeated and incapable. So why do I put off the tough stuff? Human nature I guess. This quote has reminded me to take on some hard stuff, first thing then I will be stronger for the rest of the day.
Or watch an episode of “The World’s Dirtiest Jobs” then you’ll realize you don’t really have any tough jobs.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
10/07 Dallas Testimonials
As an instructor it is quite fulfilling to hear that students found the class very helpful. We had one student with zero industry info and one with years in the industry. Both felt they were ready to hit the ground running in freight brokering. Now that is why I do what I do. Yesterday I blogged testimonials about our fine Florida instructors. Here’s what our recent Dallas class grads had to say about class in Texas.
Coming into this class my knowledge of this industry was zero. After a week I feel I’m now ready and knowledgeable to start my own Brokerage. Aside from what I learned about eh trucking industry Brooke has taught me a lot about selling, running any type of business and important principles to be successful. Brooke is very good at motivating and directing you on the right path. Mike B 10/07
After 8 ½ years as a truck driver, 5 as an owner/operator and a year in shipping and receiving, I decided to start as an agent or broker and take this course…I’m very happy, it helped me very much. I recommend this to all who want to start in this business. Very knowledgeable presentation in al the areas you need to know. Nicolae 10/07
Class was very informative. Looking forward to putting the knowledge to use. Matt H 10/07
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Coming into this class my knowledge of this industry was zero. After a week I feel I’m now ready and knowledgeable to start my own Brokerage. Aside from what I learned about eh trucking industry Brooke has taught me a lot about selling, running any type of business and important principles to be successful. Brooke is very good at motivating and directing you on the right path. Mike B 10/07
After 8 ½ years as a truck driver, 5 as an owner/operator and a year in shipping and receiving, I decided to start as an agent or broker and take this course…I’m very happy, it helped me very much. I recommend this to all who want to start in this business. Very knowledgeable presentation in al the areas you need to know. Nicolae 10/07
Class was very informative. Looking forward to putting the knowledge to use. Matt H 10/07
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Accolades
Ron and Susie Moore teach our Jacksonville Florida freight broker course as well as travel to other locations. Here are the rave reviews from the last couple of classes they expertly taught. We don't write these or edit out any negative comments. This is what their students wrote on the last day of class:
9/07 Ontario California testimonials
I had a great time in the class. Very informative. There is too much information to digest in one week but the Booklet and the online course help a lot, if you go back and review. Loved the presentations from the different companies (on free Friday). I got to know so many people and facts in the business that I had no idea existed. Armand S.
The class has been very informative and interesting. Ron and Susie were very helpful and enthusiastic. They have a lot of experience and knowledge. Gabriela Z.
I enjoyed it! Daryl B.
Ron is not just an instructor but also a person with experience in the industry. Well worth the money. Mark B.
Learned so much. Thank you. Juana M
The Brooke team is extremely helpful. Any question I had was answered before I even thought about it. Albert A.
10/17 Jacksonville class
As a student of Brooke training and pretty new to the industry I learned a lot over the 5-day course. I will surely use all the tools Ron and Susie gave me. Thanks for all the hard work. Dwayne T.
Over the past 30 years I have taken various college courses. This course ranks higher in material presented in one week than anything I’ve ever participated in. Very knowledgeable instructors. Susie Moore is by far one of the best in the country in presentation ability. Class money was well spent. I know my future endeavor as a freight broker agent is on the fast track. David N.
I have enjoyed this week very much. I feel like I can move forward towards my goals. Thank you Ron and Susie—you were great! Marjorie C.
Thanks Moores for doing a job above and beyond.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
9/07 Ontario California testimonials
I had a great time in the class. Very informative. There is too much information to digest in one week but the Booklet and the online course help a lot, if you go back and review. Loved the presentations from the different companies (on free Friday). I got to know so many people and facts in the business that I had no idea existed. Armand S.
The class has been very informative and interesting. Ron and Susie were very helpful and enthusiastic. They have a lot of experience and knowledge. Gabriela Z.
I enjoyed it! Daryl B.
Ron is not just an instructor but also a person with experience in the industry. Well worth the money. Mark B.
Learned so much. Thank you. Juana M
The Brooke team is extremely helpful. Any question I had was answered before I even thought about it. Albert A.
10/17 Jacksonville class
As a student of Brooke training and pretty new to the industry I learned a lot over the 5-day course. I will surely use all the tools Ron and Susie gave me. Thanks for all the hard work. Dwayne T.
Over the past 30 years I have taken various college courses. This course ranks higher in material presented in one week than anything I’ve ever participated in. Very knowledgeable instructors. Susie Moore is by far one of the best in the country in presentation ability. Class money was well spent. I know my future endeavor as a freight broker agent is on the fast track. David N.
I have enjoyed this week very much. I feel like I can move forward towards my goals. Thank you Ron and Susie—you were great! Marjorie C.
Thanks Moores for doing a job above and beyond.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
A Good Question
I received this frequently asked question via my blog comments section.
Hi Jeff,
I have been impressed with your training program and other information about you that I have been researching online.
I am considering a career as a Freight Broker and want to know if your courses address Ship Brokers. It appears your focus is on Trucking. Can you tell me if your course covers ship and airfreight as well as managing trucks?
Thanks,
Robin Sewell
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Robin,
Thank you so much for the compliment. I will answer your question.
A freight broker, also known as a property broker, handles domestic transportation. A freight forwarder handles international air and ocean. Freight Brokers do not have the authority to broker international ocean and air shipments. This is a very common question we get. Both our live courses and our on-line course teach students in detail about how to be a freight broker. Our Live and on-line course is compact and specific in training students to become freight brokers, not freight forwarders. So we do not address international shipping.
Here’s some info from the “frequently asked questions” section of our website that may be of help.
1. What is a Property Broker?
A Property Broker is the term established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a division of the United States Department of Transportation, to describe licensed individuals, or companies, who help make a shipper and an authorized carrier successful in the transporting of freight.
2. What are the requirements of an FMCSA Property Broker?
Each company or entity is required to obtain a "surety bond" with an approved bank or insurance company, and maintain "process service" agents in all 48 contiguous states.
3. What is a surety bond?
Each company or entity must prove they are capable of paying the various truck lines, airlines, railroads, or any other entity being used by the broker.
An individual's credit, and/or financial strength, is investigated with extreme thoroughness. Only then is a "bond" issued.
Accordingly, if for some reason the broker fails to pay the transportation company, the bonding company must pay. As you can imagine, the bonding company is very careful about who they insure.
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
Hi Jeff,
I have been impressed with your training program and other information about you that I have been researching online.
I am considering a career as a Freight Broker and want to know if your courses address Ship Brokers. It appears your focus is on Trucking. Can you tell me if your course covers ship and airfreight as well as managing trucks?
Thanks,
Robin Sewell
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Robin,
Thank you so much for the compliment. I will answer your question.
A freight broker, also known as a property broker, handles domestic transportation. A freight forwarder handles international air and ocean. Freight Brokers do not have the authority to broker international ocean and air shipments. This is a very common question we get. Both our live courses and our on-line course teach students in detail about how to be a freight broker. Our Live and on-line course is compact and specific in training students to become freight brokers, not freight forwarders. So we do not address international shipping.
Here’s some info from the “frequently asked questions” section of our website that may be of help.
1. What is a Property Broker?
A Property Broker is the term established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a division of the United States Department of Transportation, to describe licensed individuals, or companies, who help make a shipper and an authorized carrier successful in the transporting of freight.
2. What are the requirements of an FMCSA Property Broker?
Each company or entity is required to obtain a "surety bond" with an approved bank or insurance company, and maintain "process service" agents in all 48 contiguous states.
3. What is a surety bond?
Each company or entity must prove they are capable of paying the various truck lines, airlines, railroads, or any other entity being used by the broker.
An individual's credit, and/or financial strength, is investigated with extreme thoroughness. Only then is a "bond" issued.
Accordingly, if for some reason the broker fails to pay the transportation company, the bonding company must pay. As you can imagine, the bonding company is very careful about who they insure.
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
Make My Travel Plans
Yesterday I mentioned we have scheduled 2008 freight broker training classes and want to know where else we should plan a class. So, my blogger friends, please answer my brief survey then email back to jroach@transportationtraining.com.
Your input does not obligate you, it is simply a way for me to plan more efficiently
Question:
Where should we open our next transportation training school? ________________________________________________
What dates would be best for you to attend a class?_______________
May we contact you?____________________________________
What other training would interest you? _____________________
How did you find us? _______________________________________
________________________________________________________
Comments:____________________________________________
Your Email__________________
Phone__________________
Name___________________
This course is free to qualified vets. Financial aid is available to all others.
Thank you!!
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
Your input does not obligate you, it is simply a way for me to plan more efficiently
Question:
Where should we open our next transportation training school? ________________________________________________
What dates would be best for you to attend a class?_______________
May we contact you?____________________________________
What other training would interest you? _____________________
How did you find us? _______________________________________
________________________________________________________
Comments:____________________________________________
Your Email__________________
Phone__________________
Name___________________
This course is free to qualified vets. Financial aid is available to all others.
Thank you!!
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
Blog break
I took a little vacation from blogging for various reasons but hope to get back to regularly sharing tips, questions from students and other stuff I find interesting. We’ve been busy calendaring our live freight broker classes for 2008. We will be having classes in some new locations. If you would like us to plan a class in your area, let me know. If I get enough interest, we’ll put one together.
Each new year brings new challenges, new blessings and new beginnings. Even though it’s only October I’ve been taking time to think through the new year as we schedule our courses. My favorite thing to do is teach. I find it important to continue freight brokering so I truly know of what I teach. I also have company administration tasks that nag me. I know I am blessed to have the luxury of setting my own schedule, of working anywhere and earning a good living without a lot of the stress of the corporate world.
Take some time yourself to reflect on where you are and where you want to be. A key to a great life is contentment where you are while you reach for more. Set some goals but enjoy the journey. Dream of a future but don’t waste today.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Each new year brings new challenges, new blessings and new beginnings. Even though it’s only October I’ve been taking time to think through the new year as we schedule our courses. My favorite thing to do is teach. I find it important to continue freight brokering so I truly know of what I teach. I also have company administration tasks that nag me. I know I am blessed to have the luxury of setting my own schedule, of working anywhere and earning a good living without a lot of the stress of the corporate world.
Take some time yourself to reflect on where you are and where you want to be. A key to a great life is contentment where you are while you reach for more. Set some goals but enjoy the journey. Dream of a future but don’t waste today.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Slow Dance
SLOW DANCE (written by a teen with terminal cancer)
Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round?
Or
Listened to the rain slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or
Gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Do you run through each day on the fly?
When you ask “How are you?” do you hear the reply?
When the day is done do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last
Ever told your child, we'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste, not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch, let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time to call and say,"Hi"
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short
The music won't last
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....Thrown away.
Life is not a race, Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round?
Or
Listened to the rain slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or
Gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Do you run through each day on the fly?
When you ask “How are you?” do you hear the reply?
When the day is done do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last
Ever told your child, we'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste, not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch, let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time to call and say,"Hi"
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short
The music won't last
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....Thrown away.
Life is not a race, Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Freight Broker School Quotes
Last week I had a blast at our monthly live course in Dallas. Here’s what some of the students said about their experience:
As an owner operator and a traffic manager this course brought the picture together for me. Thanks. Timothy K. McGriff 9/07
This class was very informative not only for transportation but sales and business as well. You can really use this information in daily life, no matter what you do.
Butch Duckworth 9/07
Definitely informative. I feel more prepared to be an agent. Darrel Jones 9/07
The entire week has been very enlightening. Not only have I received valuable information regarding brokerage operations and transportation, I have gained quite a wealth of motivational and inspirational strength. Lance (White) was great – very knowledgeable of the industry!! Kay Jackson 9/07
I look forward to hearing from these graduates as they start using their new knowledge.
Our Freight Broker training course can be taken live in Dallas, Jacksonville and some other locations periodically or online through Gatlin Education, the largest provider of online education in the nation. You can sign up for any of thousands of online Gatlin courses through us as well.
Dream a little then do something to pursue that dream.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.transportationtraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
As an owner operator and a traffic manager this course brought the picture together for me. Thanks. Timothy K. McGriff 9/07
This class was very informative not only for transportation but sales and business as well. You can really use this information in daily life, no matter what you do.
Butch Duckworth 9/07
Definitely informative. I feel more prepared to be an agent. Darrel Jones 9/07
The entire week has been very enlightening. Not only have I received valuable information regarding brokerage operations and transportation, I have gained quite a wealth of motivational and inspirational strength. Lance (White) was great – very knowledgeable of the industry!! Kay Jackson 9/07
I look forward to hearing from these graduates as they start using their new knowledge.
Our Freight Broker training course can be taken live in Dallas, Jacksonville and some other locations periodically or online through Gatlin Education, the largest provider of online education in the nation. You can sign up for any of thousands of online Gatlin courses through us as well.
Dream a little then do something to pursue that dream.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.transportationtraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
From Objective to Goal
In freight brokering as in any new business the task of getting a thriving business thriving can be daunting. So how do you handle life and sales one day at a time?
Set realistic Short Term Objectives to Reach Long Term Goals.
I tell my students all the time, plan on making 50 calls a day for 6 months before you start seeing results. Short term objective: 10 calls this hour with one potential call back. Long term goal: a relationship with a potential shipper. Just gotta get some first downs before you'll score a goal.
Choose a niche were you will be calling like-minded people and the calling will be fun. Have you ever met a stranger who had something in common with you. In no time you feel like long time friends. As you call, make notes on what you talked about so when you call back you remember where the conversation went. Let them know you’ll be calling back to see if you can help them in any way.
I’ve blogged about my international students who have built a very viable market with those from their nationality. My buddy and co-teacher Lance hits if off with anyone who loves football because he was a football star in college. (Lance White was inducted into the Hall of Fame this weekend). You get the picture. Life is so much more than making money. Find purpose in helping others with the help of the Almighty. The money will come.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
Set realistic Short Term Objectives to Reach Long Term Goals.
I tell my students all the time, plan on making 50 calls a day for 6 months before you start seeing results. Short term objective: 10 calls this hour with one potential call back. Long term goal: a relationship with a potential shipper. Just gotta get some first downs before you'll score a goal.
Choose a niche were you will be calling like-minded people and the calling will be fun. Have you ever met a stranger who had something in common with you. In no time you feel like long time friends. As you call, make notes on what you talked about so when you call back you remember where the conversation went. Let them know you’ll be calling back to see if you can help them in any way.
I’ve blogged about my international students who have built a very viable market with those from their nationality. My buddy and co-teacher Lance hits if off with anyone who loves football because he was a football star in college. (Lance White was inducted into the Hall of Fame this weekend). You get the picture. Life is so much more than making money. Find purpose in helping others with the help of the Almighty. The money will come.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
Your Reward Will Come
Here’s a cool true story sent to me by my business associate Tom president of Aljex software.
“ I started in freight brokering a long time ago. It taught me a big lesson about sales. I was about 20 years old. I had already worked in a freight broker’s office for a couple of years at that time. I knew that if we had the right freight, we could do a great job moving it. My boss had previously done all the sales. I thought if he could do it, I could do it. As a matter of fact, I thought it would be pretty easy.
I started sales with two basic techniques. Plan A was to make calls, try and get appointments, and with an appointment go see the prospect. Plan B was to just go door to door, and try to see the person immediately, and if not, at least find out who to call and get their phone number.
In the following 6 or 7 months, I did plan A, plan B and Plan C, D, E and anything else I could think of. I was working like a maniac, but not getting a lot of results. My boss didn’t think I could sell, (because I had so little business) and I was threatened with getting fired pretty much every week. It was painful. I was working so hard, and so many people were promising me that they were going to try us out, but didn’t. I was afraid I’d get fired before it all panned out. And the thought crossed my mind: Maybe I can’t do it?
One day, I decided to take off. It was depressing to make so many sales calls and get so little result. I went skiing with a friend. During the day, I took a break and called into the office. My boss was all excited. “Where were you?” he asked. “You had three new customers ship today!!” He said, “Pharmacia (my biggest prospect) just gave us three loads to Texas, and three loads to California.”
It was the day that changed everything for me. One day. From that point on, I had business, and more and more of my prospects started trying us out, and became regular customers. I eventually opened up my own freight brokerage with my clients. The best part was I kept some of those first clients for over 17 years. Getting started takes time. If you have the right product to sell, you can be very successful if you really give it your best effort.” http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
“ I started in freight brokering a long time ago. It taught me a big lesson about sales. I was about 20 years old. I had already worked in a freight broker’s office for a couple of years at that time. I knew that if we had the right freight, we could do a great job moving it. My boss had previously done all the sales. I thought if he could do it, I could do it. As a matter of fact, I thought it would be pretty easy.
I started sales with two basic techniques. Plan A was to make calls, try and get appointments, and with an appointment go see the prospect. Plan B was to just go door to door, and try to see the person immediately, and if not, at least find out who to call and get their phone number.
In the following 6 or 7 months, I did plan A, plan B and Plan C, D, E and anything else I could think of. I was working like a maniac, but not getting a lot of results. My boss didn’t think I could sell, (because I had so little business) and I was threatened with getting fired pretty much every week. It was painful. I was working so hard, and so many people were promising me that they were going to try us out, but didn’t. I was afraid I’d get fired before it all panned out. And the thought crossed my mind: Maybe I can’t do it?
One day, I decided to take off. It was depressing to make so many sales calls and get so little result. I went skiing with a friend. During the day, I took a break and called into the office. My boss was all excited. “Where were you?” he asked. “You had three new customers ship today!!” He said, “Pharmacia (my biggest prospect) just gave us three loads to Texas, and three loads to California.”
It was the day that changed everything for me. One day. From that point on, I had business, and more and more of my prospects started trying us out, and became regular customers. I eventually opened up my own freight brokerage with my clients. The best part was I kept some of those first clients for over 17 years. Getting started takes time. If you have the right product to sell, you can be very successful if you really give it your best effort.” http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
Need Help??
Today we’re finishing up another great week of live freight broker training. We are putting together the calendar with new locations for the live class for 2008 and continuing to teach freight brokers of the future through our Gatlin online course.
We also truly enjoy coming to you to help you gear up for success. We can set up your brokerage, train you and your employess and consult on any issue.
Every successful business has a learning curve and growth issues. Whether you are just starting or experience growth pains and need a hand contact me at (214) 206-1169.
If you are interested in opening your own freight brokerage and a freight broker training school, we have a train the trainer program and a licensing agreement.
For a one-day sales seminar with Bryan Flannigan contact us for more details. This is for groups of 100 or more.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
We also truly enjoy coming to you to help you gear up for success. We can set up your brokerage, train you and your employess and consult on any issue.
Every successful business has a learning curve and growth issues. Whether you are just starting or experience growth pains and need a hand contact me at (214) 206-1169.
If you are interested in opening your own freight brokerage and a freight broker training school, we have a train the trainer program and a licensing agreement.
For a one-day sales seminar with Bryan Flannigan contact us for more details. This is for groups of 100 or more.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
A Learning Loan is an Investment in You
My financial counselor is very anti debt. There are few things he deems worthy of a debt burden. Yet he totally believes in getting a loan for education, for a better future. We will help you get a loan for freight broker training or any Gatlin online education program. Education is an investment in you, with great dividends.
1. Dream a little about what you want to learn
2. Find the course that teaches your dream job
3. Locate a school (our courses are offered through colleges nationwide)
4. Apply for a loan
You must already have the name of the sponsoring educational institution before applying for a loan. click here to locate a school in your area. If you need further assistance, please contact Gatlin Education Services (817-870-2870).
With Gatlin’s Education Loan Program you can pay as you go. We spread your payments out over 12 months at 9%. You typically know within a week if you are approved for a loan towards career training.
Once you are approved for funding, you will be required to mail your signed contract and your deposit to TFC credit. As soon as your deposit is received, we will process your registration. We will take care of the entire registration process - there's nothing else you need to do!
To apply, simply complete the online application at collegeloanapplication.com.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
1. Dream a little about what you want to learn
2. Find the course that teaches your dream job
3. Locate a school (our courses are offered through colleges nationwide)
4. Apply for a loan
You must already have the name of the sponsoring educational institution before applying for a loan. click here to locate a school in your area. If you need further assistance, please contact Gatlin Education Services (817-870-2870).
With Gatlin’s Education Loan Program you can pay as you go. We spread your payments out over 12 months at 9%. You typically know within a week if you are approved for a loan towards career training.
Once you are approved for funding, you will be required to mail your signed contract and your deposit to TFC credit. As soon as your deposit is received, we will process your registration. We will take care of the entire registration process - there's nothing else you need to do!
To apply, simply complete the online application at collegeloanapplication.com.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Search Engine Popularity
Today I submit an article from my search marketing guru. I'm not that smart so I surround myself with people that know their stuff, like Daryl. I stick to what I know (which is sales and freight brokering) and depend on them to help me with what I don't know.
Which search engines are most popular today.
by Daryl Clark
Originally, the Internet was designed as a way for university scholars and other researchers to share information and data. That activity, though still with us, now plays a minor role in the continuing development and further commercialization of the Internet.
Last year, Yahoo quietly celebrated its 10th anniversary. The understated publicity was notable, especially when contrasted with the ultra-brash proclamations from Internet companies prior to the dot.com bust of 2001. Many purists for whom academic research was the heart and soul of the early Internet are doubtless grinding their teeth over its galloping commercialization these last few years. Like it or not, however, commercialization of the Internet is here to stay.
Eleven years ago, the most popular search engine was AltaVista and the most popular directory was Yahoo. In the interim, some of the other popular search engines like MetaCrawler and Excite disappeared and/or were reborn. Just like any other relatively new industry, the search engine industry has experienced a tremendous amount of consolidation.
Yahoo now owns AltaVista, All the Web, and Overture, (renamed Yahoo Search Marketing Solutions). MSN was using Yahoo’s Search Marketing to provide their “sponsored” results but now they have their own pay per click division. Google has a pay-for-placement service, called AdWords. Which search engines are most popular today?
According to Hitwise.com in June of 2007, the popularity break down for the top four search engines were as follows:
1. Google 63.92%
2. Yahoo 21.31.0%
3. MSN 7.73%
4. Ask.com 3.42%
As you can see, more people use Google than any other search engine. In fact Google’s market share of search has grown 20% in the past two years. Lots of users evidently prefer Google because they consider Google’s results more relevant to their search objectives.
Each of the major search engines uses a pay-for-placement model along with a free (organic) search component. When your search yields items headed “Sponsored Results,” those are companies paying to be found under the search terms that you chose. Relevancy can be a matter of commercialization. As companies agree to pay more for top search results, the consumer’s typical search may turn up fewer and fewer companies to choose from, as a direct consequence of the expanding budgets going to pay-for-placement.
Regardless of which search engine you choose, your top concern as a consumer is to get the most relevant results. While continued commercialization of search engines is inevitable, ultimately it is the consumer who determines future trends. Your Internet search decisions today will ultimately anoint the search engine leader of tomorrow.
Moving forward
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Which search engines are most popular today.
by Daryl Clark
Originally, the Internet was designed as a way for university scholars and other researchers to share information and data. That activity, though still with us, now plays a minor role in the continuing development and further commercialization of the Internet.
Last year, Yahoo quietly celebrated its 10th anniversary. The understated publicity was notable, especially when contrasted with the ultra-brash proclamations from Internet companies prior to the dot.com bust of 2001. Many purists for whom academic research was the heart and soul of the early Internet are doubtless grinding their teeth over its galloping commercialization these last few years. Like it or not, however, commercialization of the Internet is here to stay.
Eleven years ago, the most popular search engine was AltaVista and the most popular directory was Yahoo. In the interim, some of the other popular search engines like MetaCrawler and Excite disappeared and/or were reborn. Just like any other relatively new industry, the search engine industry has experienced a tremendous amount of consolidation.
Yahoo now owns AltaVista, All the Web, and Overture, (renamed Yahoo Search Marketing Solutions). MSN was using Yahoo’s Search Marketing to provide their “sponsored” results but now they have their own pay per click division. Google has a pay-for-placement service, called AdWords. Which search engines are most popular today?
According to Hitwise.com in June of 2007, the popularity break down for the top four search engines were as follows:
1. Google 63.92%
2. Yahoo 21.31.0%
3. MSN 7.73%
4. Ask.com 3.42%
As you can see, more people use Google than any other search engine. In fact Google’s market share of search has grown 20% in the past two years. Lots of users evidently prefer Google because they consider Google’s results more relevant to their search objectives.
Each of the major search engines uses a pay-for-placement model along with a free (organic) search component. When your search yields items headed “Sponsored Results,” those are companies paying to be found under the search terms that you chose. Relevancy can be a matter of commercialization. As companies agree to pay more for top search results, the consumer’s typical search may turn up fewer and fewer companies to choose from, as a direct consequence of the expanding budgets going to pay-for-placement.
Regardless of which search engine you choose, your top concern as a consumer is to get the most relevant results. While continued commercialization of search engines is inevitable, ultimately it is the consumer who determines future trends. Your Internet search decisions today will ultimately anoint the search engine leader of tomorrow.
Moving forward
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Trade School vs. Seminar
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions, as I discussed yesterday is a trade school by definition. Our school is NOT a seminar. Although our live training is short (a week long) it gives you more than a seminar. Seminars are here today and gone tomorrow. They typically hone your skills, rather than teach an entire industry.
This is a perfect real home based business for those who need or want to earn a real income from home. Our graduates have fascinating stories because many of them are disabled or have a family situation that requires they work from home. This is not a get rich quick deal. To succeed in this career you need passion to serve both shippers and carriers. Students must have realistic goals
upon graduation.
Starting as a freight broker agent requires knowledge and a relationship to
brokers who will allow you to work under their authority, license and bond,
provide tech support and on-going training. That is the solution we provide in our trade school. Other trade schools may take a year to prepare for your new career. Ours takes 3-6 months of hard work every day on the job all day to
up and going, just like any small business. You make an investment in training, learn more and work hard under another broker and within a year you should start to see lucrative deals come through. Successful graduates have a great attitude, perseverance and focus on improving daily. Commit to helping and serving your customers and you will have a profitable home-based business.
People ask me all the time - how much do you make? I tell them
It is up to them to determine whom much they want to make. It requires the
most tenacious type person who is serious about owning their own company and
working hard. The good news is, being an agent requires very little start up $ and all of the brokers that come and recruit from our graduates provide on-going training and support after graduation. Although it is your own business- you are not alone.
Jeff
Jeff Roach - President Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com www.justintimefreight.com
This is a perfect real home based business for those who need or want to earn a real income from home. Our graduates have fascinating stories because many of them are disabled or have a family situation that requires they work from home. This is not a get rich quick deal. To succeed in this career you need passion to serve both shippers and carriers. Students must have realistic goals
upon graduation.
Starting as a freight broker agent requires knowledge and a relationship to
brokers who will allow you to work under their authority, license and bond,
provide tech support and on-going training. That is the solution we provide in our trade school. Other trade schools may take a year to prepare for your new career. Ours takes 3-6 months of hard work every day on the job all day to
up and going, just like any small business. You make an investment in training, learn more and work hard under another broker and within a year you should start to see lucrative deals come through. Successful graduates have a great attitude, perseverance and focus on improving daily. Commit to helping and serving your customers and you will have a profitable home-based business.
People ask me all the time - how much do you make? I tell them
It is up to them to determine whom much they want to make. It requires the
most tenacious type person who is serious about owning their own company and
working hard. The good news is, being an agent requires very little start up $ and all of the brokers that come and recruit from our graduates provide on-going training and support after graduation. Although it is your own business- you are not alone.
Jeff
Jeff Roach - President Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com www.justintimefreight.com
What is a trade school?
According to wise geek , a vocational or trade school is a school which focuses on providing graduates with marketable skills. After graduating from a trade school, an individual will be able to immediately enter the job market with his or her skills, and be able to receive a high rate of compensation.
Brooke Transportation Training is a trade school. We aim to make our school as effective as possible by setting up a working brokerage during the week of school. Brooke does not have a working brokerage so we are not helping ourselves by training agents. Our largest group of students are disabled vets and others with disabilities that the government pays us for training. Our school is highly regulated in order to qualify as a certified vet training institution.
I am an agent for Doug Dillon at Gfirst Logistics. He is one of my previous students and an approved instructor. I choose to be an agent for Doug to stay in the game and to service the customers I have made over the years. I would never endorse one broker over another. I introduce my students to have many choices on free Friday resource, the last day of training. One size does not fit all. Different people will fit in different places. Recruiters, large and small brokers and well known and not so well known brokers come to our resource day to talk with our student. They know we teach the right stuff. Our graduates are truly prepared to hit the ground running. We are protective of our graduates in that we only allow companies we trust to recruit students. We provide knowledge and opportunity.
Brooke receives no placement money from any broker nor is officially associated with any broker. It is a blast to get to know all the students that come my way and help them blaze a new career path. That is why I do what I do.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Brooke Transportation Training is a trade school. We aim to make our school as effective as possible by setting up a working brokerage during the week of school. Brooke does not have a working brokerage so we are not helping ourselves by training agents. Our largest group of students are disabled vets and others with disabilities that the government pays us for training. Our school is highly regulated in order to qualify as a certified vet training institution.
I am an agent for Doug Dillon at Gfirst Logistics. He is one of my previous students and an approved instructor. I choose to be an agent for Doug to stay in the game and to service the customers I have made over the years. I would never endorse one broker over another. I introduce my students to have many choices on free Friday resource, the last day of training. One size does not fit all. Different people will fit in different places. Recruiters, large and small brokers and well known and not so well known brokers come to our resource day to talk with our student. They know we teach the right stuff. Our graduates are truly prepared to hit the ground running. We are protective of our graduates in that we only allow companies we trust to recruit students. We provide knowledge and opportunity.
Brooke receives no placement money from any broker nor is officially associated with any broker. It is a blast to get to know all the students that come my way and help them blaze a new career path. That is why I do what I do.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Broker or Agent?
Yesterday I told you Barbara’s story of becoming a freight broker agent.
Most students come to Brooke Transportation Training thinking they are going to open and operate their own freight brokerage. Most change their mind along the way and decide to be an agent under another brokerage. In either case, you are your own boss. But as an agent you have some back up. It is similar to being an insurance agent. You can be John Smith Insurance or John Smith agent for State Farm insurance. We invite brokerages to come in on Friday of our class and talk to the students about their opportunities. We have the biggest names in the industries as well as smaller brokerages present their opportunities.
Barbara raves over how choosing to be an agent for G First was absolutely a God send for her. She says be careful when you are picking an agent. “Doug (at G First) is the reason I made it. Doug has been a huge part of my success. My move from Las Vegas to Missouri did not go at all as smooth as I hoped. When I was overwhelmed with the move, he kept my business running. He closed a big deal I’d been working on for months. For six months I kept calling on this company and couldn’t get past the gatekeeper. Only Twice was I let through to talk directly to the shipper. The shipper finally gave us I load while I was out. Doug took care of the work. My advice is to pick a broker you can count on. Team effort keeps the team together.”
Those are words from someone who has lived it. Have a great weekend and never stop chasing those dreams.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
Most students come to Brooke Transportation Training thinking they are going to open and operate their own freight brokerage. Most change their mind along the way and decide to be an agent under another brokerage. In either case, you are your own boss. But as an agent you have some back up. It is similar to being an insurance agent. You can be John Smith Insurance or John Smith agent for State Farm insurance. We invite brokerages to come in on Friday of our class and talk to the students about their opportunities. We have the biggest names in the industries as well as smaller brokerages present their opportunities.
Barbara raves over how choosing to be an agent for G First was absolutely a God send for her. She says be careful when you are picking an agent. “Doug (at G First) is the reason I made it. Doug has been a huge part of my success. My move from Las Vegas to Missouri did not go at all as smooth as I hoped. When I was overwhelmed with the move, he kept my business running. He closed a big deal I’d been working on for months. For six months I kept calling on this company and couldn’t get past the gatekeeper. Only Twice was I let through to talk directly to the shipper. The shipper finally gave us I load while I was out. Doug took care of the work. My advice is to pick a broker you can count on. Team effort keeps the team together.”
Those are words from someone who has lived it. Have a great weekend and never stop chasing those dreams.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
8 Child Success
I’m amazed by the diversity of individuals that go through Brooke Training and become successful agents. Here’s one woman’s story.
Barbara and her husband have a passion for kiddos. They have adopted eight beautiful children. Barbara has been a stay at home mom for years and loves every minute of it. What she and hubby didn’t like was living in Las Vegas. Their dream was to move to Missouri with their clan but they lacked the money. She had to find a way to earn some money from home while raising her family. What to do? Barbara thought and prayed and her sister came to her mind. Sis is a freight broker agent in Utah. Barbara decided to go work with her sister to see if she might be able to do the same work. She thought she could, so next step was real training. Barbara searched online and found Brooke Transportation Training. She called me and soon signed up for class.
“Going to class has so hard because in 23 years I’d never left my family. It was very scary for me. I can be overcome by anxiety. But because I knew this is what I was supposed to do, I went. I got a lot out of school. And I met Doug Dillon at GFirst. Deciding to be an agent for him was the best for me.” Barbara says
That was a year ago. Today Barbara is turning a good profit as a freight broker agent, loving living in Missouri with her family. I asked her what motivates her to push on through the cold calling rejection. She says sometimes she just takes a breather. She depends on faith, hugging her babies, fishing and crafts to clear her mind and start back on her work fresh. The flexibility of her hours make all that possible.
Barbara comes in and speaks to our class when she can and share with the students thoughts on what has helped her succeed. More of that tomorrow.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
Barbara and her husband have a passion for kiddos. They have adopted eight beautiful children. Barbara has been a stay at home mom for years and loves every minute of it. What she and hubby didn’t like was living in Las Vegas. Their dream was to move to Missouri with their clan but they lacked the money. She had to find a way to earn some money from home while raising her family. What to do? Barbara thought and prayed and her sister came to her mind. Sis is a freight broker agent in Utah. Barbara decided to go work with her sister to see if she might be able to do the same work. She thought she could, so next step was real training. Barbara searched online and found Brooke Transportation Training. She called me and soon signed up for class.
“Going to class has so hard because in 23 years I’d never left my family. It was very scary for me. I can be overcome by anxiety. But because I knew this is what I was supposed to do, I went. I got a lot out of school. And I met Doug Dillon at GFirst. Deciding to be an agent for him was the best for me.” Barbara says
That was a year ago. Today Barbara is turning a good profit as a freight broker agent, loving living in Missouri with her family. I asked her what motivates her to push on through the cold calling rejection. She says sometimes she just takes a breather. She depends on faith, hugging her babies, fishing and crafts to clear her mind and start back on her work fresh. The flexibility of her hours make all that possible.
Barbara comes in and speaks to our class when she can and share with the students thoughts on what has helped her succeed. More of that tomorrow.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
Krish Dhanam was born in India traveled across the ocean to pull himself up by the bootstraps in America. His words always help me think outside my white bread, Texas bred upbringing. Here are a few thought provoking paragraphs from his book The American Dream from an Indian Heart.
Do Not Blame Your Past for Your Present (page 76-77)
Fundamental to all acknowledgement of change is an understanding that you are not a victim. In essence, this is asking a lot of those of you who are truly victims, victims of incest, abuse, poverty and other birth or inflicted defects that hampered you from having a normal childhood. However, in the grand scheme of things, unless you learn to let go of blaming yourself for the past, you are not ready to begin the journey of enjoying the future.
In this entire book you will not find another statement that might anger more people than this one. Asking people to forge and forgive their past is amongst the most sacrilegious requests that you can make in America today. The whole platform of advocacy is built on the premise of past pain. The funniest part of this is that an entire industry has seemingly prospered with the sole purpose of catering to this platform of pain advocacy. If you walked into the nations’ capitol today and asked people to just get over it, you would be branded a right wing conspirator of hate and would be hung in the media as an uncompassionate and intolerant human being.
If you are from Haiti or Honduras, Eritrea or Ethiopia, can have an accent and the stereotype of your people as cab drivers and convenience store workers, do not worry…While it is true that a large number of Indians do own motels and many Haitians drive cabs, the reality is that the combined economic impact of this group of people is staggering. These people have made peace with their past and draw on a deep sense of purpose and drive to make a difference in their present so the future they create for their family is secure.
Thought provoking??
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Do Not Blame Your Past for Your Present (page 76-77)
Fundamental to all acknowledgement of change is an understanding that you are not a victim. In essence, this is asking a lot of those of you who are truly victims, victims of incest, abuse, poverty and other birth or inflicted defects that hampered you from having a normal childhood. However, in the grand scheme of things, unless you learn to let go of blaming yourself for the past, you are not ready to begin the journey of enjoying the future.
In this entire book you will not find another statement that might anger more people than this one. Asking people to forge and forgive their past is amongst the most sacrilegious requests that you can make in America today. The whole platform of advocacy is built on the premise of past pain. The funniest part of this is that an entire industry has seemingly prospered with the sole purpose of catering to this platform of pain advocacy. If you walked into the nations’ capitol today and asked people to just get over it, you would be branded a right wing conspirator of hate and would be hung in the media as an uncompassionate and intolerant human being.
If you are from Haiti or Honduras, Eritrea or Ethiopia, can have an accent and the stereotype of your people as cab drivers and convenience store workers, do not worry…While it is true that a large number of Indians do own motels and many Haitians drive cabs, the reality is that the combined economic impact of this group of people is staggering. These people have made peace with their past and draw on a deep sense of purpose and drive to make a difference in their present so the future they create for their family is secure.
Thought provoking??
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Keep things in perspective
In our training we try to keep everything in perspective. While we train others to plan for a grand future we also remind them to remember, appreciate and make the most of today.
Toby Slough, one of our guest speakers challenged us to contemplate what we would do if we knew for sure we only had 30 days left here on Earth. As you can imagine- the atmosphere and the noise level changed in an instant. Two minutes earlier we were planning out the rest of our life and learning a new career.
After Toby’s probing question, we focused on all the things money can't buy. We reflected on our life, who we’d want to see and reconcile with. We longed to forgive those who have hurt us – and be forgiven.
As I thought about this question I thought about
my marriage
my children
my mom and dad
Mr. and Mrs. White and their sons
People who love me and that I love
Friends that never judge and that are always there no matter what
I have this one friend that will meet me for a slurpie at 7 eleven at 2am if I need a friend to talk to. I have Dan from college that has always been there. I would want Ed, Bryan and Krish my mentors, their advice to me is golden. And of course my beautiful bridce who stands by her man.
Funny thing. I never once thought about the money my graduates make but the friends that I have made through education. I can't say thanks enough to Steve Gatlin for sharing the future of e-learning with me. WOW
Above all, thanks to God for allowing me to do what I do for a living.
JR
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
Toby Slough, one of our guest speakers challenged us to contemplate what we would do if we knew for sure we only had 30 days left here on Earth. As you can imagine- the atmosphere and the noise level changed in an instant. Two minutes earlier we were planning out the rest of our life and learning a new career.
After Toby’s probing question, we focused on all the things money can't buy. We reflected on our life, who we’d want to see and reconcile with. We longed to forgive those who have hurt us – and be forgiven.
As I thought about this question I thought about
my marriage
my children
my mom and dad
Mr. and Mrs. White and their sons
People who love me and that I love
Friends that never judge and that are always there no matter what
I have this one friend that will meet me for a slurpie at 7 eleven at 2am if I need a friend to talk to. I have Dan from college that has always been there. I would want Ed, Bryan and Krish my mentors, their advice to me is golden. And of course my beautiful bridce who stands by her man.
Funny thing. I never once thought about the money my graduates make but the friends that I have made through education. I can't say thanks enough to Steve Gatlin for sharing the future of e-learning with me. WOW
Above all, thanks to God for allowing me to do what I do for a living.
JR
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
Why or Why Not People Buy
There are truly only four reasons people will not buy from you:
No trust
No need
No hurry
No money
Here are six motives for buying from Daryl Clark
1. A desire for gain
We are more likely to buy if we believe we will get something valuable and tangible in return--such as increased wealth, slimmer thighs, a better job, or more friends.
2. A desire for comfort or convenience
We are more likely to purchase a product or service if it will make us more comfortable or improve our lives by saving us time, effort, or energy.
3. A desire for security or protection
We are more likely to buy something if we are convinced it will make us and those around us safer.
4. A desire to enhance status
We are more likely to buy a product or service if owning it will impress others or make others think better of us.
5. A desire for internal satisfaction
We are more likely to buy a product or service if we feel it will make us happy, beloved, confident, intelligent, or content.
No trust
No need
No hurry
No money
Here are six motives for buying from Daryl Clark
1. A desire for gain
We are more likely to buy if we believe we will get something valuable and tangible in return--such as increased wealth, slimmer thighs, a better job, or more friends.
2. A desire for comfort or convenience
We are more likely to purchase a product or service if it will make us more comfortable or improve our lives by saving us time, effort, or energy.
3. A desire for security or protection
We are more likely to buy something if we are convinced it will make us and those around us safer.
4. A desire to enhance status
We are more likely to buy a product or service if owning it will impress others or make others think better of us.
5. A desire for internal satisfaction
We are more likely to buy a product or service if we feel it will make us happy, beloved, confident, intelligent, or content.
Let me Tell you about my friend
My buddy Lance White has been helping me out since I started Brooke Training. We just added his bio to our website as one of instructors. Here’s an excerpt just to let you know that I have instructors that really know their stuff. I know some stuff, but Lance he really knows stuff.
Lance White exemplifies passion and commitment to freight broker students by sharing some great victories as well as a few battle scars. Lance shares from his wealth of experience. He knows how to build a successful business because he has done it. He learned stamina, working through pain and a plethora of life lessons as a football hero.
Lance's experience prior to coming to Brooke involved lots of money, personality and sales. He has a background in home loans, homebuilding and company ownership. He passes on to students what it takes to start your own business then adjust during the growing pains.
Lance recently attended a dynamic training program called Discovery. He gained empowerment to live life to its fullest potential. He teaches students and anyone who will listen this NEW way of life not only through his voice, but also mostly through his actions.
That a bit about my good friend Lance. Have a great weekend!
Moving forward,
Jeff Raach
www.brooketraining.com
Lance White exemplifies passion and commitment to freight broker students by sharing some great victories as well as a few battle scars. Lance shares from his wealth of experience. He knows how to build a successful business because he has done it. He learned stamina, working through pain and a plethora of life lessons as a football hero.
Lance's experience prior to coming to Brooke involved lots of money, personality and sales. He has a background in home loans, homebuilding and company ownership. He passes on to students what it takes to start your own business then adjust during the growing pains.
Lance recently attended a dynamic training program called Discovery. He gained empowerment to live life to its fullest potential. He teaches students and anyone who will listen this NEW way of life not only through his voice, but also mostly through his actions.
That a bit about my good friend Lance. Have a great weekend!
Moving forward,
Jeff Raach
www.brooketraining.com
The Future
Today’s blog is a continuation of the information presented by Midwest Transportation Consortium presenter Jay Thompson, president of Transportation Business Associates. The transportation industry is on a strong upward growth pattern. Take time to strategize how you will stay ahead of the curve. Jay says successful companies must:
• Focus on targeted shippers
• Manage growth (unlike late ’90’s)
• Address personnel ($$ vs. home vs. work)
• Increase utilization (from 50% of available tonnage space & the miles per week)
• Utilize Information Technology (integration)
• Make the most of strategic relationships
We live in the information age
• Internet is largest innovation since printing press (the first information age)
• Affects every part of our life and work
• Allows information to be freely shared
• Replacing TV, radio, newspapers…
• Offers E-mail, information, low cost purchases…
• “Bigger” issue is what information to share
• WE must decide how to best tie it all together
The Internet is the CB Radio of this age
- Like a CB, information must be qualified (fleets, trucks, dealers, traffic…)
- Use it as a tool in conjunction with what and whom you already know
- However, personal relationships for business will be more important than ever
Information Technology for Trucking
Internet (Information, features / benefits, low cost purchases...)
Satellite / terrestrial communication (Trip notification, E-mail, load tracking, problems…)
Onboard electronics (Diagnostics, parameters...)
Revenue (Load costing, closest equipment, traffic lanes…)
Fleet software (Routing, mileage & cost summaries…)
Day-to-day operations (Productivity programs, notification…)
Equipment (Spec it to mission / operation)
Fuel (Where and how to purchase – different options)
Insurance (Health/life/collision/bobtail/workers compensation)
Financing (How to get best from industry & fleet programs)
Maintenance (Servicing and tires – fleet / OEM programs)
License and permits (Programs available)
Repairs (Information & planning – programs, dealers…)
Banking (Billing, direct deposit, automatic payment, debits…)
Retirement planning (Ask questions and help do something)
Accountants / computer programs (Pricing & services options)
Planning (Key business practice – benchmarking)
Industry Support Programs (Strategic alliances)
Examples From A Typical Company
• TRIP GENERATION - Trip costing, loaded & deadhead miles, routing
• ACCOUNTING - Billing, accounts receivable / accounts payable, checkbook,
operational information, advances, payroll, accountant tax information
• ON ROAD – Truck feedback, fuel prices, advances, directions, traffic, port
bypass
• ROAD & FUEL TAX - Separate calculation program
• LOG VERIFICATION - Audits, reports
• AGENT / BROKER FREIGHT - Agents process, DAT
• DRIVER SCREENING - DAC type program
• SPREADSHEET TYPE PROGRAMS - Cost analysis, maintenance
• INFORMATION PRODUCTS - Internet, satellite, relays
Key Trends
• INTEGRATION – functional & information (adapting reality to information)
• Customer needs assessments and software flexibility versus selling generic products
• Seamless information flow with shippers, consignees & all interested parties
• Paperless BOL, signature capture, automatic billing…
• GPS tied into truck for mapping, directions…
– transmission tied into other services
• Trailer / load tracking focus – security, planning, demurrage, used as storage, etc.
• Mobile devices for voice / e-mail for operators (retention issue)
• Mobile Internet – in dash – weather, news, sports, routing, mapping, etc.
Personal Keys To Success
• Focus on what you like doing best
• Work hard at it (work yourself out of job)
• You will be noticed & things will open up
• Take advantage of opportunities
• Networking is more important than ever
Some Final Thoughts
• You are OUR future!
• Listen before acting (take a walk first)
• Look at things historically - with a fresh eye
• Clearly define the situation
• Articulate vision – “Mission Statement”
• Don’t coast – if so – you are going down hill
That’s a lot to mull over. It is easy to get bogged down with the day-to-day but oh so important to think toward the future. I read that all industries go through a revolution every 8 – 10 years so we’re not alone. In training I have to keep up to be able to teach my students the way things are really done. Join me in the exciting journey.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
• Focus on targeted shippers
• Manage growth (unlike late ’90’s)
• Address personnel ($$ vs. home vs. work)
• Increase utilization (from 50% of available tonnage space & the miles per week)
• Utilize Information Technology (integration)
• Make the most of strategic relationships
We live in the information age
• Internet is largest innovation since printing press (the first information age)
• Affects every part of our life and work
• Allows information to be freely shared
• Replacing TV, radio, newspapers…
• Offers E-mail, information, low cost purchases…
• “Bigger” issue is what information to share
• WE must decide how to best tie it all together
The Internet is the CB Radio of this age
- Like a CB, information must be qualified (fleets, trucks, dealers, traffic…)
- Use it as a tool in conjunction with what and whom you already know
- However, personal relationships for business will be more important than ever
Information Technology for Trucking
Internet (Information, features / benefits, low cost purchases...)
Satellite / terrestrial communication (Trip notification, E-mail, load tracking, problems…)
Onboard electronics (Diagnostics, parameters...)
Revenue (Load costing, closest equipment, traffic lanes…)
Fleet software (Routing, mileage & cost summaries…)
Day-to-day operations (Productivity programs, notification…)
Equipment (Spec it to mission / operation)
Fuel (Where and how to purchase – different options)
Insurance (Health/life/collision/bobtail/workers compensation)
Financing (How to get best from industry & fleet programs)
Maintenance (Servicing and tires – fleet / OEM programs)
License and permits (Programs available)
Repairs (Information & planning – programs, dealers…)
Banking (Billing, direct deposit, automatic payment, debits…)
Retirement planning (Ask questions and help do something)
Accountants / computer programs (Pricing & services options)
Planning (Key business practice – benchmarking)
Industry Support Programs (Strategic alliances)
Examples From A Typical Company
• TRIP GENERATION - Trip costing, loaded & deadhead miles, routing
• ACCOUNTING - Billing, accounts receivable / accounts payable, checkbook,
operational information, advances, payroll, accountant tax information
• ON ROAD – Truck feedback, fuel prices, advances, directions, traffic, port
bypass
• ROAD & FUEL TAX - Separate calculation program
• LOG VERIFICATION - Audits, reports
• AGENT / BROKER FREIGHT - Agents process, DAT
• DRIVER SCREENING - DAC type program
• SPREADSHEET TYPE PROGRAMS - Cost analysis, maintenance
• INFORMATION PRODUCTS - Internet, satellite, relays
Key Trends
• INTEGRATION – functional & information (adapting reality to information)
• Customer needs assessments and software flexibility versus selling generic products
• Seamless information flow with shippers, consignees & all interested parties
• Paperless BOL, signature capture, automatic billing…
• GPS tied into truck for mapping, directions…
– transmission tied into other services
• Trailer / load tracking focus – security, planning, demurrage, used as storage, etc.
• Mobile devices for voice / e-mail for operators (retention issue)
• Mobile Internet – in dash – weather, news, sports, routing, mapping, etc.
Personal Keys To Success
• Focus on what you like doing best
• Work hard at it (work yourself out of job)
• You will be noticed & things will open up
• Take advantage of opportunities
• Networking is more important than ever
Some Final Thoughts
• You are OUR future!
• Listen before acting (take a walk first)
• Look at things historically - with a fresh eye
• Clearly define the situation
• Articulate vision – “Mission Statement”
• Don’t coast – if so – you are going down hill
That’s a lot to mull over. It is easy to get bogged down with the day-to-day but oh so important to think toward the future. I read that all industries go through a revolution every 8 – 10 years so we’re not alone. In training I have to keep up to be able to teach my students the way things are really done. Join me in the exciting journey.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Industry Forecast
I just read some interesting transportation industry stats and forecasts that I thought you’d enjoy pondering. These figures came from the Midwest Transportation Consortium presenter Jay Thompson, president of Transportation Business Associates. Growth projection in our industry is 100% in the next 20 years. Great news but also a daunting future to manage so do all you can to be prepared.
Transportation Overview
• Overall market is about 20% of US economy
• Breakdown $$: Highway - 75%; Rail - 10%;
Water - 5%; Air - 5%; Pipeline - 3%
• Breakdown Tonnage: Rail - 35%; Highway -
30%; Pipeline - 20%; Water - 15%
• Growth projections very positive
--100% in next 20 yrs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
What Will Drive Growth…
• Driven in part by commodities (food, manufacturing, housing…)
• Weakening dollar helps (exports…)
• Capacity is an on-going issue (revenue & customer focus)
• Logistics / JIT focus will continue
• Intermodal is a major growth area
• Functional integration is key (just like with IT)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Top Transportation Issues
• Revenue (lanes, pricing, surcharge…)
• Productivity (biggest impact on profits) – 1 to 3+
• People (largest overall cost) – 30%
• Equipment (largest fixed cost) – 15%
• Fuel (largest operating cost) – 20% normalized
• Risk Mitigation (insurance, compliance…) – 10%
• Government (taxes, emissions, etc.) – implied ½
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tomorrow I’ll share how successful companies will adjust and use cutting edge technology to profit in the future.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
Transportation Overview
• Overall market is about 20% of US economy
• Breakdown $$: Highway - 75%; Rail - 10%;
Water - 5%; Air - 5%; Pipeline - 3%
• Breakdown Tonnage: Rail - 35%; Highway -
30%; Pipeline - 20%; Water - 15%
• Growth projections very positive
--100% in next 20 yrs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
What Will Drive Growth…
• Driven in part by commodities (food, manufacturing, housing…)
• Weakening dollar helps (exports…)
• Capacity is an on-going issue (revenue & customer focus)
• Logistics / JIT focus will continue
• Intermodal is a major growth area
• Functional integration is key (just like with IT)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Top Transportation Issues
• Revenue (lanes, pricing, surcharge…)
• Productivity (biggest impact on profits) – 1 to 3+
• People (largest overall cost) – 30%
• Equipment (largest fixed cost) – 15%
• Fuel (largest operating cost) – 20% normalized
• Risk Mitigation (insurance, compliance…) – 10%
• Government (taxes, emissions, etc.) – implied ½
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tomorrow I’ll share how successful companies will adjust and use cutting edge technology to profit in the future.
Moving forward,
Jeff Roach
www.brooketraining.com
How to fill your cup every day
It's 4am and I am going to go walk and workout. But before the sweat, I always try to read at least 30 minutes in the morning. I gain inspiration for the day, something to think about while I exercise. This morning I read from Bryan Flanagan's book Now go sell somebody something. Bryan is one of those guys who really could sell ice to an Eskimo...Pay attention to what Bryan says about LOVE in this excerpt from the book:
“You can fill your cup with all the good things that each sales day offers if you will just take the time to LEARN, LAUGH, and LOVE.
There is always something else to LEARN or to improve upon in the field of selling. Perhaps it’s how to listen more effectively, better manage or network. School is never out for pros!
LAUGHter is the shortest distance between two people. Find your laughing place. “What lies at the bottom of the ocean and twitches? A nervous wreck!” Don’t become one. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
LOVE may not make the world go round, but it does make the trip worthwhile! Love is the most talked about but least understood subject. Here are some absolutes you can count on: Love is patient and kind, love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love patiently accepts all things. It always hopes and always remains strong.”
Everyone who attends my training course gets this book for free as a gift from me. I think it is the single most powerful tool to start your day off positive. I read from Bryan's book daily.
I also read the Bible and the newspaper daily so I can see what both sides are up to. Zig Ziglar gets credit for that one.. - how true.
Remember the three L's and everything will be fine.
Live
Laugh
Love
Fill your cup early and often and enjoy today. Live in the moment. Laugh at yourself , Love always...Until you learn to be happy today, you will never be happy tomorrow.
The cool thing about life is every day is really a clean slate - make today count. Do something for someone without anyone knowing about it. Be gracious and grateful.
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
“You can fill your cup with all the good things that each sales day offers if you will just take the time to LEARN, LAUGH, and LOVE.
There is always something else to LEARN or to improve upon in the field of selling. Perhaps it’s how to listen more effectively, better manage or network. School is never out for pros!
LAUGHter is the shortest distance between two people. Find your laughing place. “What lies at the bottom of the ocean and twitches? A nervous wreck!” Don’t become one. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
LOVE may not make the world go round, but it does make the trip worthwhile! Love is the most talked about but least understood subject. Here are some absolutes you can count on: Love is patient and kind, love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love patiently accepts all things. It always hopes and always remains strong.”
Everyone who attends my training course gets this book for free as a gift from me. I think it is the single most powerful tool to start your day off positive. I read from Bryan's book daily.
I also read the Bible and the newspaper daily so I can see what both sides are up to. Zig Ziglar gets credit for that one.. - how true.
Remember the three L's and everything will be fine.
Live
Laugh
Love
Fill your cup early and often and enjoy today. Live in the moment. Laugh at yourself , Love always...Until you learn to be happy today, you will never be happy tomorrow.
The cool thing about life is every day is really a clean slate - make today count. Do something for someone without anyone knowing about it. Be gracious and grateful.
Jeff Roach - President
Brooke Transportation Training Solutions
jroach@transportationtraining.com
www.transportationtraining.com
www.brooketraining.com
www.justintimefreight.com
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