Running a business can be like a long-distance swimming race:
there are points when your energy is sapped, the competition is ahead of
you, and you need to consider whether you will sink or swim.
Everyone wants to stay afloat in the transportation game, and preferably surge ahead of the competition. Here are some tips to help you do just that.
Targeted Marketing
One obvious way to get ahead of the competition is wise marketing. But just what kind of wisdom suits your business is not so obvious. Many haulage companies will be attracted to the flashy, large-scale and traditional marketing methods, in a bid to outshine their competition with a campaign of indisputable brilliance. This is all well and good, but it can be a considerable strain on your wallet for a considerably uncertain reward. A wiser option may be a more targeted one. Putting time and energy into working out the niche market for your particular brand allows you to use specific marketing channels, such as social media or viral marketing, to create your own voice amongst an appropriate client base.
Online Reputation
This is also a reason why haulage companies can benefit from building their reputation online. There is perhaps a stereotype that positions the transport industry on the opposite end of the spectrum from social media corporations. The boutique, desk-bound and screen-savvy online crowd can seem far removed from the hands-on, ever-moving traditional hauliers. But it does not take much to be astute about developing an online presence, and in the end this is simply a modern and effective means of creating and nurturing a standing amongst people in your marketplace. Online exchanges, for example, are a fantastic way to build your brand across a base of clients and competitors.
Diverse and Specialised Services
There are so many types of goods and so much variety in forms of cargo across the transportation industry, so it is little wonder that many haulage companies specialise. But giving thought to how you may specialise your service in such a way that puts you ahead of the competition can help you corner a market. There are many specialised types of delivery and many diverse clients who are looking for not just a job to be done, but to create a relationship with their service provider.
Outsourcing Labour
There will always be times when the competition seems too fierce and the best course of action seems like retreat. But it serves haulage companies well to pull up their socks and seek alternative means to rising to the challenge. This can involve outsourcing work to other drivers who can help you meet demand when you are stretched. This is not only a way to fill a gap, it can be a pre-emptive means to bolster your business and build long-term working partnerships.
Everyone wants to stay afloat in the transportation game, and preferably surge ahead of the competition. Here are some tips to help you do just that.
Targeted Marketing
One obvious way to get ahead of the competition is wise marketing. But just what kind of wisdom suits your business is not so obvious. Many haulage companies will be attracted to the flashy, large-scale and traditional marketing methods, in a bid to outshine their competition with a campaign of indisputable brilliance. This is all well and good, but it can be a considerable strain on your wallet for a considerably uncertain reward. A wiser option may be a more targeted one. Putting time and energy into working out the niche market for your particular brand allows you to use specific marketing channels, such as social media or viral marketing, to create your own voice amongst an appropriate client base.
Online Reputation
This is also a reason why haulage companies can benefit from building their reputation online. There is perhaps a stereotype that positions the transport industry on the opposite end of the spectrum from social media corporations. The boutique, desk-bound and screen-savvy online crowd can seem far removed from the hands-on, ever-moving traditional hauliers. But it does not take much to be astute about developing an online presence, and in the end this is simply a modern and effective means of creating and nurturing a standing amongst people in your marketplace. Online exchanges, for example, are a fantastic way to build your brand across a base of clients and competitors.
Diverse and Specialised Services
There are so many types of goods and so much variety in forms of cargo across the transportation industry, so it is little wonder that many haulage companies specialise. But giving thought to how you may specialise your service in such a way that puts you ahead of the competition can help you corner a market. There are many specialised types of delivery and many diverse clients who are looking for not just a job to be done, but to create a relationship with their service provider.
Outsourcing Labour
There will always be times when the competition seems too fierce and the best course of action seems like retreat. But it serves haulage companies well to pull up their socks and seek alternative means to rising to the challenge. This can involve outsourcing work to other drivers who can help you meet demand when you are stretched. This is not only a way to fill a gap, it can be a pre-emptive means to bolster your business and build long-term working partnerships.
Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the
leading online trade network for the road transport industry across the
UK and Europe. It provides services for matching haulage companies
or drivers with jobs and to buy and sell road transport and haulage
work in the domestic and international markets. Over 3,000 transport
exchange businesses are networked together through their website,
trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.
