Know Your Customers

The best way to be responsive to your customers is to know them.  As you work with a shipper you get to know the way they go about business.  You can then anticipate when they need your assistance in shipping.   You will know their busy season and when they slow down.  You can then gear up ahead of time knowing you will be working hard that season.  You can also hopefully enjoy the break when things are slow. 

The freight broker should act as an extension of a customer's shipping department.  As you work with a customer over time, trust should develop and grow.  Trust is critical in building a long history with a client.  Prices can be negotiated but trust cannot.  Once a trust is broken it is almost impossible to rebuild that relationship, in business as in life.

Learn about a customer's business.  The more knowledgeable you are about what they do the more you will have to discuss with them when you interact.  That knowledge will help you know how to best meet their shipping needs.

Some customers may become friends, fishing or golfing buddies.  Over time I have become true friends with some of my customers.

It is a great time to be in the transportation industry.  It is a great time to start building relationships.

Moving forward,

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

My Days Are Numbered

I don't know how may days I have.  But we all know that we only have a certain amount of time to live.  The time I have to spend with my family is limited.  The time I have to work, to play and to be lazy are all limited.  I have to figure out the balance every day to make the most of that day.  I like to look at limited time, as a motivator.  I am motivated to make the most of the time I have.



One of the best things I do for my business and to make the most of each day, is staying positive. In freight brokering as in any sales job, you have to make a lot of calls that don’t lead to a sale. This can be frustrating if you focus on those negatives. Instead, realize each “no” is one step closer to a “yes”. Each “no” may one day lead to a “yes” if I don’t burn bridges. I learned today that our days are measured. So make the most of each day by focusing on the great in the day. Being my own boss is great. Having 3 granddaughters is great. Enjoying a beautiful wife and three daughters is super great.

Remember not to worry - you are not in control anyway. I have learned that God is in control from start to finish. He even knows how much time we have on this earth. Zig Ziglar says you’re going to be dead a lot longer than your going to be alive...LOL. Zig also often said: You really can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.  Peace! God is with you. He has plans to bless you. I didn't make this stuff up to make you feel better. It's all in the Good book.

It does make me feel better to appreciate what I have and whom I have in my life. I feel comfort knowing that. I hope you do too.

Moving forward,

Jeff Roach
www.transportationtraining.com

Get Rich

I grew up financially challenged.  But we were rich in experiences, rich in family and rich in love.  I have amazing parents who worked hard at their jobs and raised us well but they weren't rich in the world's eyes. 

I did spend a season of my career focusing on the dollar.  Then I realized that is not where the true richness of life comes.  The Christmas season is a time to focus on the richness of your life.  Not rich in money but rather rich in savoring life, your blessings.  I founded my school on the idea that you can make a good income by focusing on integrity and helping your customer get what they need to succeed.   I started working out of my garage and made a million.  Not overnight but I have made more than a million as a freight broker.  I truly love this industry. So how did I do it?

First, don’t count on making money right away but know that if you make 50 calls you have a chance to at least make 250.00 that day.  In the sales world we are taught it takes 10 pitches before you make a sale.  Mentally be prepared to make those calls for 3 months, that is 3000 prospect calls.  Have 6 months living expenses put away.  Every big success story kept at it for 5 years.  Keep at something for 5 years you will succeed.  In our get rich quick, instant gratitude living from paycheck to paycheck society 5 years seems like an eternity, but stay working hard and you will profit.

In our course we have the flying 5 buck activity.  I ask a student to come to the front of the class, pick up the phone, then hang it up.  I then explained that if 50 calls = $250.00 each call is worth $5.00.  A “yes” or a “no” call pay the same. I then ask the student to start making calls. Every time they make one -I throw a five dollar bill on the table.  When cash starts flying the student’s phone calling fear turns to making as many calls as they can.

It is so funny because their fear disappears and they just go straight to making as many calls as they can.

Come to class learn that and more.  Invest in yourself, it will pay off. 

I want to educate and motivate the go getters and the go givers.
 
Moving forward,

Jeff  Roach

www.transportationtraining.com

Learning A Career wearing PJs.

Online Courses allow you to learn anywhere you have a computer with internet access.  You can lay in your bed with a laptop and actually prepare for a new career.  Instead of watching another worthless show on television, James decided to watch our freight broker training onlinecourse.   

James, a recent student sent me an email about his experience taking the Basic Freight Broker courseonline.  He points out specific modules he enjoyed and references the areas my wife Janis and I recorded.   Here’s an edited version of what James said:

“…I enjoyed the method by which you have developed the (basic freight broker) course. In the second module, Lessons 38, 44 & 45...those are the ones with Jeff speaking. I absolutely love them. Lesson 38 was straight, hard-core sales.  

 Module 44 and  45 was the best example of a phone call ever put on tape. Jeff had no tension in his voice, stuck to his main objective and had Janis involved. I believe she would accept higher rates. That was great.
 
New to the business, in my mind I needed to hear the phone call. It was knowledge based. It made me write down more questions for my own research.

Thanks I enjoyed it.

James Y. "

Thanks James, for taking our course.  And thanks for sending us this email on what you thought of the learning experience.  Don’t know if you actually took the course in your pajamas, but you could have.    We wish you lots of success and know we are just a phone call away, when you have a question or need encouragement in your grand new adventure in freight brokering.

BrookeTransportation Training developed an online version of their Basic FreightBroker Training Course to give more people access to their freight broker training.  The course teaches a successful process Brooke has used for decades as freight brokers.  The course was made available through hundreds of universities across the country with their online learning partner.  Anyone can sign up for the class through the pajama learning link on transportationtraining.com.

Moving forward,

Jeff Roach

www.transportationtraining.com