Freight Broker Motivation

In our training we try to load our students up with motivation in becoming an excellent freight broker.  A key to being a success is staying inspired.  I am big fan of Zig Ziglar.  I use his quotes as words to live by.  I encourage my students, my friends, my family, my new acquaintance at Starbucks, well anyone who will listen, to heed Zig's wise advice.  Zig is no longer with us in body but he lives on with his legacy of great motivational quotes and his model of a life well lived.

So what are a few Zig words that are crucial to life and in being a great freight broker?

"You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough people get want they want."  Zig Ziglar

The key to finding success as a freight broker or freight broker agent is helping shippers get what they want. As well as helping carriers get what they want.  Shippers want their goods moved when they need, where they need at a price they need.  Carriers want their trucks full both to and from a destination and to be paid fairly in a timely manner.  That is freight brokering in a nutshell. 

A big component of a freight broker's job is listening to both sides and then negotiating a fair deal.  The first deal is the hardest because you haven't built up a reputation.  As you do a good job for one customer you will have confidence to move forward.  Your reputation in the industry is built one job at a time. 

Our tendency is to start the day thinking "what do I want today?"  According to Zig we should start the day thinking through who we can help get what they want.  Continue on the path of helping others and you will realize you have what you want. 

Moving forward,

Jeff Roach
www.transportationtraining.com

Marketing Trends

Freight Brokers and Freight Broker agents need a Business to Business marketing plan to succeed.  I decided to post this article I read this morning to all you upstart entrepreneurs that read my blog.  My favorite point is #5.  Human to human marketing.  Kind of old school but so refreshing.  Let's get back some personal interaction in our business dealings. 

What's  Trending in B2B Marketing by Peter Foubert

There’s a lot of blogging and writing going on about inbound marketing and related topics. Everybody seems to have an opinion and they’re all keen on making predictions. But what is really happening out there? These are some of our own experiences:

1. It may not be new, but content marketing is getting more and more important. However, a lot of companies are struggling to consistently create valuable content through a variety of channels. Content writers who know their way around social media, blogs and PR have a bright future and if you find one… keep them!
2. Content marketing also becomes the primary influencer of search visibility. Therefore the social sharing of articles, blogs, or product reviews will determine the quality and search engine page results. Seen in that light, visual content will become crucial.
3. Online advertising will increase, due to new techniques like ad retargeting and programmatic advertising. Since Facebook is significantly decreasing organic reach, paid advertising will increase. Object-based campaigns with a focus on specific actions such as website clicks, app downloads, and email opt-ins will become more important.
4. According to Forbes, by 2017 87% of connected device sales will be tablets and smartphones. So mobile optimization will continue to rise. Responsive sites or mobile apps, but also mobile-optimized content adapted to the length of time and context in which people use their mobile devices. And again, mobile usability is relevant for optimal search results…
5. Human-to-human marketing becomes the “new” standard. More and more B2B marketers begin to value the art of storytelling… finally! Their consumers wish to interact with other humans, not with businesses or corporations. Therefore spendings on personalized marketing campaigns will increase significantly.
6. The increase of marketing software will stimulate microtargeting and hyper segmentation. User experiences will be used to customize websites, content, landing pages, call-to-actions and “thank you” pages. Boundaries between marketing, sales and IT are fading dramatically. 

As said before, these are just some personal observations and we would love to hear yours. Sharing is caring right?

Moving forward,

Jeff Roach
www.transportationtraining.com
214-206-1169

I Gained Confidence to Work from Home

We just finished another wonderful class of basic freight brokering.  In these testimonials our students gained confidence, tools, great instruction, motivation...well, you read for yourself:  

When I got to class I had no idea where to start.  With the help of Brooke Transportation School I now know where to start, what to look for, and what is expected of me by a shipper or carrier.  Brooke connects real world experience with the actual freight broker business.  Helping me get the confidence and reassurance to branch out and work from home. Being the first from the family to do my own thing and getting all the necessary tools  and ideas for me and my future as a broker. --Saul  G. Torres

 …They had a wealth of info.   Brooke instructors are  THEE BEST!  I learned more  than I  have learned from some instructors in college.  Each person makes sure that you’re getting the most out of attending  Brooke Transportation School!! They really care! --Kellie  Gaston


I did  the research on Brooke Transportation School.  I can say my research came out to be everything I expected.  When I arrived to the school, some things were unclear about agents and  brokers.  But by the end of the fifth day.  I was well motivated and overly excited to get started with working as an agent with Brooke Training and knowledge. --Terry  Ketchaver
 

Brooke  Training course was very informative.  Being in this industry for a few years, I really respect the info I was given throughout the  course.  From a carrier standpoint, this course changed my view of the industry…for the better!  Really opened my eyes to the possibilities and amazing  opportunities of the transportation “world”.  A plus from Ohio--Antonio Underwood

 

 When I  first started the class I was very skeptical… wasn’t sure what to expect.  Spending $2.500.00 wasn’t easy especially when all my friends who were in the business told me it takes more than five days, more  like years to learn this business.  Still I came and guess what I would do it again.  Love Brooke Transportation, Thank you for the Great Training.


Making a live sales call was a rewarding experience, the coaching and instruction is  vital to success.  Although earning revenue is necessary, I like the importance put on other components of their  lives. --Paul  Hill


 I wasn’t sure what to expect before I attended the class.  I  knew I would be taught Freight Brokering but I got a lot more out of it  than that.  They taught life lessons that you can use in  all aspects of life.  Fantastic  instructor!!!!! --Jerry  Lorton

Great  class.  Met my expectations.  Wonderful instruction.  The instructors make the program  great… think outside the box.   I’m looking forward to the advanced class. --Seth  Ochoa

As a  small part of the transportation business I was looking forward to learning  more information.  This has been a very important and resourceful step in what I want to accomplish.  Everyone  that I met and spoke to has been very influential.  The Brooke presenter has been a very good instructor and friend.  He taught me a lot of what I needed to know for my start as a broker.   In my experience with Brooke Transportation, it’s been an eye opener and blessing just to be here.  Looking forward to moving on to be the best that I can in the present, and the future of my  career.  Again thanks for all the info. --Jose  Ruiz, Jr.

 
We enjoy every month getting to know a new group of students who want to learn our proven process in becoming a successful freight broker or freight broker agent.  This month's graduates were amazing.  We appreciate their encouraging words.  I know I'm doing exactly what I should be doing as a freight broker trainer.  

Moving forward,

Jeff Roach

www.transportationtraining.com

Freight Broker Agent Success

Here's the story of one of our successful freight broker course graduates.  Brandi Patterson went from from interior design to freight broker, what a career switch!   Here's a video telling her story.

We are so proud of the success Brandi has had since graduating from Brooke's freight broker training.  Ready to jump start your career as a freight broker?   Give me a call.  214-206-1169


Moving forward,


Jeff Roach
www.transportationtraining.com

Get Smart

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(Adapted from Interaction Training blog post.)

The more we learn the more we will earn (most likely).  Learning gives us new skills that we can use to earn more, or be more effective in our other endeavors.  But we won’t truly learn unless we are first interested, engaged and see some value in what is being taught.

We forget most of what we hear.  Or perhaps we don’t really hear it in the first place.  We seldom remember the exchange of everyday conversation because our brain is chock-full of stuff already.  Conversations are all around us.  Stories are being shown on televisions and computers on walls of stores, coffee shops and restaurants.  People are engaging in conversation while walking by us or sitting next to us.  There are a whole lot of words being put in the air all day, every day. 

If the exchange is meaningful or helpful to you then there is a better than average chance you can recall it.  Engagement, getting involved in the conversation, creates a very distinct file in the brain.

When we only read, look, or listen, that information is instantly processed and filed away in our brain under the junk file marked MISC. It is very hard to recover information in this file of the brain because it is overloaded and info is tossed in there in no particular order. Like taking your trash and junk to the landfill. If you cleaned out that file, you could sort it into four piles: Don’t care, Don’t Understand, Won’t Ever Use, or I Need This. The last pile will be the smallest.

In training, the amount of information that needs to be transferred to learning is staggering if you look at the whole picture. The trainer must breakdown the required knowledge, skills, and attitudes into training modules that call for engagement, relatable stories, and discussion.

So when you look for opportunities to enlarge your base of knowledge make sure the info is taught in a way that is engaging to you.  Otherwise you will waste your time and money in a course that slips out of your brain just about as fast as you heard it. 

The instructors at Brooke Transportation Training are amazingly engaging.  I’ve heard their spiels for years and I still find them interesting, informative and entertaining.  Join us at a class near you.

Moving forward,

Jeff Roach

www.transportationtraining.com

Succeed with Excellence

Brooke Transportation Training Solutions is dedicated to giving our students the information they need to hit the ground running as a freight broker or freight broker agent.  We have students who have been in the transportation industries for years as well as those with no experience.  The interaction between students is invigorating.

We not only teach the skills but more importantly aim to instill a strong, positive work ethic that will motivate each graduate to succeed with excellence. Every month we have a live one week basic course followed by a second week advanced course in several locations through out the United States.  Freight Brokers in training can choose our online course that anyone can take anywhere from their computer. 

Our lead instructor, Vinny, walked two students through our advanced Freight Broker Training Course this past week.  Here is what the two said about their experience.


Vinny, I liked this class because I learned a lot of information and what you gave us was good to know and a lot of help.  Thank you very much.
--Harvey Torre



Vinny is very educated and makes a great teacher.  He takes the time to make sure you understand, going back over (information) as many times as needed.  He is a great motivator and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with him. 

--Steve Large

We count it a priviledge to train professionals in the transportation industry.  Those who work hard will find the industry very rewarding, meet many interesting characters along the way and be prosperous in many ways.  If you are interested I would truly enjoy chatting with you.  214-206-1169

Moving forward,

Jeff Roach

www.transportationtraining.com

Trucking Profits

This is a post from our friends at ask the trucker:

In an ideal world, carriers, shippers and freight brokers would all be working well together making sure that all are fairly compensated for the roles they play in moving freight across the country. Unfortunately that’s not what happens, and there are a variety of reasons.

FACT: Shippers, Freight Brokers and Carriers are needed to ship freight from point A to point B. There are many who would argue that only Shippers and Carriers are needed, however, many others strongly believe that customers and carriers would not have the immediate resources nor the manpower to keep things operating efficiently if not for honest and knowledgeable freight brokers:

• 75% of the loads are moved by brokers.

In either case, it is essential that Carriers and Freight Brokers have a complete understanding of Trucking Logistics in order to be able to operate efficiently and ethically. If not, they could be setting themselves up for either vulnerability, blame, suspicion, deception, or even failure.

• Below are what we believe are the major causes for either the limited success of Owner Operators or possible failure:

1) A lack of understanding of the Trucking Industry and Logistics (for both Carrier and Broker)
2) Lack of business skills to make educated decisions, thus compromising their ability to maximize profits.
3) Unethical business tactics by either shipper, carrier or broker.
For this article we will be addressing categories 1 and 2. As far as #3, one reason people operate an unethical business is due to the lack lack of business understanding, thus resulting in desperation, deceit and sometimes even fraud, but for now, I will leave that topic for others to discuss.

• Roles and Responsibility

Carriers - It is the responsibility of the carriers to understand the synergy among brokers, shippers, and carriers. Carriers must understand their own business model as well as industry logistics itself, not just “avoiding” cheap freight, but understanding what constitutes a load as being classified as “cheap freight.” They must understand how to choose a broker who is honest, ethical, and will work for them. A Brokerage is basically a carriers sales force, by keeping them loaded vs. having to constantly seek loads on a regular basis, while they also are providing reliable service for their customer, the shipper.
Brokers - A good Broker does their homework and are professionals asking carriers what they need. They understand their lanes, their equipment, and become partners with them towards the same goal which is moving freight and focusing on a successful business relationship. Brokers need to focus on carrier shipper relationships and fine tune their industry knowledge and skills, negotiating fair deals for all involved in the transactions. Brokers and agents do not “take money away from carriers.” They provide a service for their shipping customers and the carriers involved in the logistics of the transaction.
Shippers – Lets face it, shippers are in business to make money and their goal is to move freight at the lowest possible price. It’s not their job to make sure the carrier is making a profit, that’s the carriers responsibility. It’s also not their responsibility to make sure that the broker is treating the carrier fairly, that’s the broker and carriers job. Another thing to keep in mind is that the role of a good Freight Broker is NOT to find the shipper the cheapest possible carrier to move their freight but rather to establish a relationship with a reliable carrier and to get the shippers to pay what the haul is actually worth.

• With all this being said, what are the Solutions to:

1) Increasing Owner Operator profits and Success
2) Ensuring Freight Brokers and Agents maintain successful and profitable Customer Relationships for all those involved.

• THE SOLUTION

Going back to the early part of this article, stating the major causes for either limited success for Owner Operators or worse than that, failure, we confirm that the following 2 reasons are most responsible for this outcome.
1) A lack of understanding of the Trucking Industry and Logistics
2) The need for additional business skills, creating the ability to make better and more informed decisions, thus maximizing profits.

In order for Owner Operators to successfully run their business they must understand their business and the Logistics of the trucking industry. Many professional drivers seem to “blame” another segment of the industry for their inability to be successful. Too many believe that just having “years of experience” within trucking, will be sufficient when making the leap as a highly profitable Business Owner. For some it is enough, and they do well. For others it is not. And even for those who are already highly successful, additional education has been able to take them to the next level.
After researching and then speaking extensively with Jeff Roach of Brooke Transportation Training, we believe their Program is among the most complete, informative, and of the Highest Quality of Training available. Eighty Percent of their Schools’ students are Carriers and Owner Operators. Mr. Roaches’ passion for the trucking industry, includes his positive vision to see the success of others,  evident in his statements to us:

“I have been fortunate to meet drivers who attend my career school for freight brokers and agents. …I can honestly say the driver does all the work and gets the least amount of respect. I want every small carrier out there considering this business to know the truth.” Jeff Roach- Brooke Transportation Training

“My students are not anti broker – they are anti crooked people.”
A quote Mr Roach lives by from Zig Zigler:
“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”

For those of who would like to ensure your success and maximize profitability as an Owner Operator by extending your knowledge and abilities, we highly recommend Brooke Transportation Training.
Course Benefits for all segments of the Transportation Industry

• Heighten your knowledge and thus your success as an owner operator by understanding in detail all aspects the Transportation Industry; Even if you are already successful, it will take you to the next level.
• Choosing the right Freight Broker
• Know what loads to accept and those to turn down.
• Learn how to add a Freight brokerage to your trucking company
• Become a Freight Broker or Freight Agent
• Freight Brokers and Agent who would like to have an expanded understanding of the Freight Brokering industry and ultimately increase sales.

Partial List of Student Benefits

• Choosing an ethical and legitimate broker
• Becoming an ethical and legitimate broker
• Becoming the kind of Carrier or Broker who is sought after
• Understanding the trucking industry logistics in DETAIL:
  rating, dispatch, claims management, billing, AP, AR, Collections,Sales, Marketing, Legal, Staffing, MAP 21,
• Trends effecting the industry- where it is today and where it’s going?
  Understanding current origin and destination rates
  Become educated about the market including the cargo, demand and availability

Thank you, Ask the trucker.com for including me in this insightful article.

Moving forward,

Jeff Roach  214-206-1169
www.transportationtraining.comtransportationtraining.com