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

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

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

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

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

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