Freight Brokerage Business Freight brokers make a good living by setting companies up with dependable shippers. There are a few key steps that you should follow to start your own freight brokerage business and get in on your share of this billion dollar industry.
Incorporate your business, so that clients know that you are legitimate and will be more willing to take you seriously. Don’t skip this step just to save money. Since you are new to the industry, you will need to make yourself look as experienced and professional as possible.
Set up an office space. If you don’t have the capital to rent office space, you can put it somewhere in your home. Make sure the spot is secluded and quiet, so that you don’t have interruptions when talking to clients.
Give your business a corporate identity by creating a website, logo, letterhead, and business cards. You also need to set up a separate phone line in your business name, if your office is in your home.
Get clients. You can try different marketing strategies to bring them in, including both online and offline methods. Ideas include a direct mail campaign, a sponsored ad with major search engines, banner advertisements, a half to full page phone book ad and small business magazine ads, just to name a few. Any business that sells a product, is a potential customer for you and you should not limit yourself to any one type of business.
Find shippers. You can call companies within your client’s area to get pricing information. If you have several shipments in one area, you can also inquire about bulk pricing. It is best to try and establish a relationship with any shipper that you might use often, as that company will be more likely to ‘reward’ you with all of your business via price discounts.
Invest a percentage of your profits into expanding your business. You can work on getting a real office space (if you have been working out of your home) and hiring your first batch of employees. The larger your client base grows, the larger your company can grow.
