A freight broker is someone who is able to supply a manufacturer or shipper with a carrier such as a truck driver to move the supply from one point to another. The shipper will pay a set wage per mile and the broker will find a trucker to do it for less. The different between the two amounts is the profit the broker will attain. However, the business may be profitable only if the broker has a solid clientele with a strong work ethic because without either, the freight broker will have no business.
1. Do the research. Research online, through books, talking to professionals to understand the business of freight brokering and the trucking industry. It is imperative to know the business before attempting to become a broker as it is a business hugely based on contacts and understanding the meticulous details of shipping.
2. Get educated. You can either learn the business by researching yourself and by working under other freight brokerage companies or you can attend classes to learn the basics. This will include all aspects of the freight brokerage industry such as sales and marketing, customer service, trucking transportation systems, bookkeeping, and all the insurance and licensing needed to become a freight broker.
3.Build a clientele. This step is probably the most important as it can make or break your business. You need to build a base of reliable truckers so that you can build your reputation to build clientele. Once you have contacts with reliable truckers, trucking companies, manufacturers, shipping yards, etc. will consistently give you more work. Customer service skills is also imperative in building any kind of relationship.
4.Make an office. Have a designated space in your home to do the work. Make sure to have all the office necessities such as privacy, computer, internet, copy/fax machine, multiple telephone lines, bookkeeping software, company website, and marketing materials.
5.Make time. Dedicate a certain amount of time to put in the work to be a freight broker. Make phone calls daily to build clientele while painstakingly maintaining the routes and jobs that are being performed to make sure they are completed in a timely fashion.
