Prospecting for New Business
Part 1 of 4 Part series
Customer Acquisition & Management
Customer Acquisition &
Management Series
• Prospecting for New
Business
• Developing the Customer
Opportunity
• Overcoming Objections &
Developing the Landstar
Solution
• Customer Retention &
Growth
Overview/Agenda
The Sales
Cycle
Setting Goals
Finding Leads
Researching
Leads
Getting Past
the
Gatekeeper
Identifying
the Decision
Maker
Call Planning
ABC’s
Developing
your Pipeline
Stay
Motivated!
3
The Sales Cycle
Customer
Retention/Growth,
Strategic Sales, Referrals
Close/Implement the
Solution
Find &
Research
Leads
Understanding
Objectives, Call Planning
Uncover
Needs,
Develop
Solutions
Setting Goals
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Set Goals for your activity
Stay on target
Repeat the sales process!
Benchmark your results:
– Example based on $250,000 revenue goal:
$250,000 / $1611.00 (avg freight bill) =
155 loads/year or
13 loads/month or
3 loads/week!
Popular Websites
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www.thomasnet.com – free lead source
www.salesgenie.com – must enroll
www.manta.com – free lead source
www.google.com
www.machinerytrader.com – Heavy haul
www.justsell.com – sales resource
www.morebusiness.com – business resource
www.referenceusa.com – go thru local library (if on
own, could cost)
www.truckstop.com – use ShipperMate (cost beyond
Landstar subscription)
Other Lead Resources
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Dunn & Bradstreet (fee based)
Industrial & Trade Associations
Business Organizations, Chamber of Commerce
Network: Who do you know past & present?
Trade Shows
Media – news, television, radio
Industry Publications
Manufacturer’s guide
Competitors
There are opportunities everywhere; keep your ears open and
your eyes peeled!
Researching Leads
• Use the internet – research leads then plan your call!
• Company websites
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Company history
Mission statement
Press releases
Product and service offerings
Contact links like “about us” or “contact us”
• Competitor websites
• 3 Things you should know after research: What the
company was doing, is doing, and will be doing.
Getting Past the Gatekeeper
Q: Who are the gatekeepers?
A: Anyone or anything between you & the
Decision Maker:
– Receptionists, administrative assistants
– Other employees
– voicemail
Q: How do you get past the gatekeeper?
A: Any way you can!!!
Getting Past the Gatekeeper
• Be creative, but always remain professional &
courteous
• Start from the top down when asking to speak
to a contact
• Ask for a different department (Accounts
Receivable) then ask to be transferred
• If you get voicemail with a person’s name (no
title or department), call back & ask for that
person by name
• Speak with receptionists or sales persons – they
know who the decision makers are and may
offer valuable inside information
Identifying the Decision
Maker
Q: How do you find the decision maker?
A: Use knowledge you gained through research and
ask pertinent questions.
• One method is to start from the top down – ask
for the top level executive for that company. The
key is to reach the highest level person possible.
• Don’t start with dispatchers, but don’t discount
them either – they may become your champion
further into the sales process.
• Know the name and title of the person to whom
you are speaking and understand his/her role in
the organization – in a smaller organization, the
dispatch person may be the boss filling in!
Identifying the Decision
Maker
• Understand that as you move along in the
sales process you may discover:
– Your initial contact wasn’t the true decisionmaker, or
– Your initial contact is one of a few decisionmakers, or
– Your decision-makers may vary in different
business segments, or due to changes being made
within their organization
Call Planning
• Determine your objective: What do you want
to see as your end result?
• Take note of known facts about the company
to develop questions specific to the role of
your contact, the company, or the industry
Call Planning
• At minimum, a good call should contain 3
components:
– Acknowledgement, a
– Benefit statement, and a
– Commitment
Acknowledgement
• Short and to-the-point, professional, and
courteous
• Include your name and company
• Include a known fact or item of interest to the
potential customer
If you decide to leave a voicemail, be
prepared and keep it brief!
Benefit Statement
• Benefit statements create value for the
buyer but beware – what you perceive to
have value may be different from the
other person on the other end!
• Know the issues within the customer’s
industry and learn what solutions
Landstar has successfully employed to
meet similar needs for other customers
• Regional Sales Managers, Landstar
Corporate and other agents are good
resources for this information
Benefit Statement
• Know what’s happening that may
affect your prospect or customer – new
product offerings, increased
production, new distribution centers or
facilities
• Knowledge is power! Let the person on
the other end of the line know you
care about developing a solution to
meet their needs.
Benefit Statement
• If appropriate, transition into questions:
– How soon will the new facility / distribution center
be open?
– How soon is your new product launch?
– How will that impact you?
Listen for verbal cues, pauses, tone of
voice, etc.
Listen & Learn
Commitment
• Know your desired outcome and ask for a
commitment from your prospect or
customer that will move the sales process
forward – a follow up conversation,
phone conference, meeting.
• If your contact is busy, be prepared to
offer alternative date/times – don’t be
vague. If they ask, “Can you call back
later?”, don’t tell them you’ll call next
week.
Commitment
• Be specific and ask, “Will next Friday at 2pm
work better for you?”
• Then make a time commitment in return: “I
appreciate your busy schedule and will keep it
brief, no more than 15 minutes.”
your time commitment should be
appropriate for the nature of the action
Developing a Pipeline
• Pipeline is a sales term for tracking
customer opportunities. It’s your
record management system.
• Track your sales calls. Include date,
time, your contact’s full name,
topic of discussion.
• Make sure to take note of any lane
detail, customer needs, or follow
up action required
Customer Pipeline
• Customer Resource Management (CRM)
systems are helpful – find one that works for
you!
Stay Motivated!
• Websites:
– Sign up to receive daily sales quotes, prospects,
newsletters, and other sales tools at www.justsell.com
– Sign up to receive “Sales Caffeine”, a weekly
newsletter at www.gitomer.com
• Movies:
– The Pursuit of Happyness
• Audio:
– Over the Top – Zig Ziglar
– The Psychology of Achievement – Brian Tracy
Stay Motivated!
• Books:
– The Little Red Book of Selling –
Jeffrey Gitomer
– Raving Fans – Ken Blanchard
– Spin Selling – Neil Rackham
– What Clients Love: A Field Guide
to Growing your Business –
Harry Beckwith
– The One Minute Sales Person –
Spencer Johnson
Stay Motivated!
• Persistence & Good Habits Make the
Difference!
“Obstacles can’t stop you. Problems can’t stop
you. Most of all, other people can’t stop you.
Only YOU can stop YOU” – Jeffrey Gitomer
Customer Acquisition &
Management Series
• Prospecting for New
Business
• Developing the Customer
Opportunity
• Overcoming Objections &
Developing the Landstar
Solution
• Customer Retention &
Growth
Developing the Customer
Opportunity
Part 2 of 4 Part series
Customer Acquisition & Management
Customer Acquisition &
Management Series
• Prospecting for New
Business
• Developing the Customer
Opportunity
• Overcoming Objections &
Developing the Landstar
Solution
• Customer Retention &
Growth
Overview/Agenda
Review Part 1
The Sales
Cycle
Decision
Makers in
Depth
The 1st
Appointment
Build Rapport
Establish
Credibility
Needs
Assessment
Qualifying the
Opportunity
30
Let’s Review!
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The Sales Cycle
Setting Goals / Benchmarking
Finding & Researching Leads
Getting Past the Gatekeeper
Identifying the Decision Maker
Call Planning – ABC’s
Tracking your sales activity – Pipeline
Staying Motivated!
The Sales Cycle
Part 4
Customer
Retention/Growth,
Strategic Sales, Referrals
Find &
Research
Leads
Part 1
Part 1
Close/Implement the
Solution
Understanding
Objectives, Call Planning
Part 3
Uncover
Needs,
Develop
Solutions
Parts 2 & 3
Hierarchy of Decision Makers
CEO,
• Vary by industry, size of
President,
organization or the business
Executive
segment within the
Level
organization.
• Hierarchy of decision makers VP & Director
Level
is universal.
• Always try to reach the
highest level contact
Managerial Level
possible.
Manager & Director/VP Titles
Traffic,
Shipping/
Receiving,
Warehousing
Freight
Operations,
Operations,
Quality
Assurance,
Sales,
Marketing,
Purchasing/
Procurement
New Business
Development,
Product
Development,
Supply Chain
The First Appointment
Can be face-to-face, phone, or web
conference
Research will identify primary
areas of concern
Manager will be more
concerned with day-to-day
operations
Director/VP has more of a
“big picture” focus
The First Appointment
Your objective is two-fold:
• Build rapport and establish
credibility
• Assess the needs of your prospect
and qualify the opportunity
Building Rapport
• You build rapport in a matter of
minutes – first impressions last,
so make them count!
• Find common ground, but be
sincere – don’t reach!
Building Rapport
• Be prompt, appear
professional and
confident.
• Believe in Landstar,
believe in yourself – be
proud to represent
Landstar!
• Start on a personal level,
use ice breakers
• Use humor appropriately
Establish Credibility
• Establish credibility quickly – this is not the
time to sell your prospect
• Do not ask “What does your company do?” –
you should already know from research
• Let them know they are dealing with a
professional
– Snapshot of your background/experience
– Solid working knowledge of Landstar
Needs Assessment
• Needs assessment questions should
gather detailed information and
naturally progress to Qualifying
questions
– Open ended questions shouldn’t be
leading or based on assumptions
– Stop & Listen, take notes!
– Avoid YES and NO (closed) questions
– Move the conversation forward
Needs Assessment Questions
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What prompted you to meet with me today?
What are your expectations or requirements?
How do you measure that?
What has worked well in the past? Or Who
have you had success with in the past?
Who have you had difficulties with in the past?
What does that mean?
How does that process work now? Or What
challenges, if any, does that process create?
What other issues are important to you? Or
What other challenges do you face?
What is holding you back from reaching your
production / operational / revenue goals?
Multiple locations – which others are you in
charge of?
What can I do to help you so that you don’t
have to fight fires as often?
Needs Assessment Questions
 If you don’t solve [insert challenge here], what kind of
difficulties will you face going forward?
 If you could make this happen, what would it mean to your
company?
 What holds you back from getting things done more
efficiently?
 How much time do you spend [insert activity here]?
 What would improve if you reduced this time?
 What is the most common question you get from your
staff? Your customers?
 What kind of growth are you expecting in the next 12
months?
 What kind of infrastructure changes will you need to
support this growth?
 What are your goals and aspirations about what you want
to change about your supply chain and logistics
management?
Qualifying the Opportunity
• Qualifying questions will help uncover
areas of opportunity – these are the
“payoff” questions
• If the answers need more explanation,
ask “How so?” or “Can you tell me a
little more about that?”
Keep the tone conversational and avoid asking too
many questions. It may take just one or two open-ended
questions for your prospect to share all the information you
need to help them.
Qualifying Questions
 What is your timeline for implementing ____?
 What budget has been established for this?
 Who else might be involved in this decision?
 What other items should we discuss?
 What else should I be aware of?
 What do you see as the next action step?
 What information can I provide to move forward?
Concluding the Meeting
• Last Question: ask for the
opportunity to meet again to
discuss solutions to meet their
needs
• It’s OK to let the prospect
know that you want to fully
understand their unique set of
challenges in order to offer
solutions that are best for
them; solutions that will help
them achieve their goals.
Moving Forward
• Every action should move the sales
process forward
• Your prospect has to perceive value to
your service and has to “move
forward” in the sales process at the
same pace as you.
• If you move forward before you have
their buy in you may have to reestablish your credibility.
Trial Close Questions
Who should I contact to follow up (get
correct name, phone, email)?
When is the best time for us to meet
again?
Let’s get started on some tough lanes!
Which ones should we focus on first?
Do you have time to give me a tour of
your dock/yard or should I call
someone else to schedule? (I want to
understand your operations)
Practice
• Try out “practice” questions on co-workers,
associates, family, and friends
• “Role play” first appointments in front of the
mirror
• Ask you Regional Manager or Agent Advisor to
do a quick “run through” of a first
appointment; ask for feedback or suggestions
Stay Motivated!
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways
that won’t work”
“Our greatest weakness lies in
giving up. The most certain way to succeed is
always to try just one more time” – Thomas
A. Edison
Customer Acquisition &
Management Series
• Prospecting for New
Business
• Developing the Customer
Opportunity
• Overcoming Objections &
Developing the Landstar
Solution
• Customer Retention &
Growth
Overcoming Objections &
Developing the Landstar Solution
Part 3 of 4 Part series
Customer Acquisition & Management
Customer Acquisition &
Management Series
• Prospecting for New
Business
• Developing the Customer
Opportunity
• Overcoming Objections &
Developing the Landstar
Solution
• Customer Retention &
Growth
Overview/Agenda
Review Part 2
The Sales
Cycle
Why Buyers
Object
Opportunity in
Disguise
Common
Objections
Overcoming
Objections
Developing
Landstar
Solution
Close!
Implement
Solution
53
Let’s Review!
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The Sales Cycle
Decision Makers in depth
The First Appointment
Building Rapport
Establishing Credibility
Needs Assessment
Qualifying the
Opportunity
• Practice Makes Progress
The Sales Cycle
Part 4
Customer
Retention/Growth,
Strategic Sales, Referrals
Find &
Research
Leads
Part 1
Part 1
Close/Implement the
Solution
Understanding
Objectives, Call Planning
Part 3
Uncover
Needs,
Develop
Solutions
Parts 2 & 3
Why Buyers Object
• They don’t want to risk their credibility by making a
bad decision
• They don’t have the authority to make the decision
• They don’t perceive value in your product or service
• They don’t perceive a need to change
Opportunity in Disguise
• Objections are inherent in the sales
process. Don’t be afraid of objections
– welcome them!
• Translation: your prospect has some
concerns that need to be addressed.
The good news is, your prospect is
waiting to hear how you can help
them.
Common Objections
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Price
Quality of service
Happy with current situation
Under contract
Lack of time
Price Objection
Q: Why is the price objection
most common?
A: It’s easy for the prospect.
To successfully overcome the price objection you
must:
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Validate the prospect’s concerns
Change the perceived value of your service
Price Objection Cont.
“Your price is too high”
• Landstar is a financially stable company. We’re
here today and will be here tomorrow. Our
rates reflect our commitment to service and
safety. Rate slashing only hurts the market
which can and will affect you, the shipper, and
your customers
Service Levels
“We’re concerned with service levels”
• Our price comes with a truck
• Landstar safety and service ratings reflect
our commitment to service excellence.
• Your business is of equal importance to us.
– I may not be the biggest, but I’ll be the most
committed to your success!
– “Commitment is what transforms a promise
into reality” – Abraham Lincoln
Accountability
“You don’t have control over your
trucks”
• Artificial concept: forced dispatch
• Made to go vs. want to go
• Our capacity providers have a vested
interest in your business, and will
take the time and care to handle your
freight safely.
Satisfied or Complacent?
“We’re happy with our current situation”
• Compliment the prospect on doing a
great job with his/her supplier selection.
• Ask what they like about the current
carrier(s). Then ask what they would
change (opportunity!).
• Offer to be an additional resource for the
prospect.
Time
“I don’t have time to review our current situation”
• Ask what consumes the bulk of their time
(opportunity!). Offer to be an additional
resource for the prospect.
Authority – or lack thereof
“I can’t make the decision”
• Ask them how they would do
it if they had the choice
• Enlist their opinion – get an
idea of obstacles & more
ammunition, so to speak,
when you do get to the
decision maker
Already using Landstar?
“I’m already doing business with another agent”
• Thank them for their business
• Ask for the name and # of the agent
Under Contract
“We’re under contract”
• When is the contract up for review?
• Can Landstar participate as a potential
carrier?
• What steps can I take now for Landstar to
be approved for bidding purposes?
• Can I touch base with you periodically
should anything change?
• Can I send any new information that may
assist you with your next carrier selection?
You are a SERVICE provider
• Become a consultant; you’ll be more likely
to secure a strong hold on the account if
the customer views you as a problem
solver.
– Dynamic Service Offerings
– Operational Support
– Be confident in your ability to handle any
challenge!
– Present a solution that is truly valuable and
unique!
Develop the Landstar Solution
• Now that you’ve identified the issues most
important to your prospect (opportunity)
and have overcome their objections (create
interest), tell them how you can help them
(solution) and what makes your solution
unique (create value).
Develop the Landstar Solution
Services
Sales/Operational Support
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Truckload
Partial & LTL
Expedited
Intermodal
International/Ocean/Air
Heavy Haul/Oversized
Hazmat
High Risk/High Value
Spot trailers
EDI capable
Warehousing
Alaska/Hawaii
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Regional Management
Agent Development
Pricing
Heavy Haul (o/s rates)
Business Unit Specialists
Safety officers/MUST
Customs Help (Canada)
Managed Business (regular lanes)
Operations (emergency load assist)
Landstar Mexican Operations
(LMO)
Emergency Ops support 24/7
Automotive Ops support 24/7
MyLandstarAgent
Corporate Sales Resources
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Northern Div – Arlen Dickstein
Southern Div – Bill Yost & Dana Lentz
Western Div – David Carpenter & John Sikorski
Mexico – Rod Theunissen
Intermodal – David Herrod
OD/Specialized– David Phillips & Mark McCoy
Agent Testimonials
• Many successful Landstar agents are successful
because of the solutions they create and the
level of service they consistently provide
Innovative Technology
• Satellite track-and-trace
• Special GPS tracking hidden in pallets for high
risk/high value electronics; even if trailer
stolen @ truck stop, could still be tracked
Find a Niche
Customer
needs O/D
shipped
international
I don’t
have
expertise
Ask BUS
to help
Hire Ops
Staff
Research
Bid Award –
Grow
Business
Service-Oriented
• Machinery getting
damaged in transit
• Customer required 100%
tarping
• Agent took action
• Hand selected drivers
• Personally trained
• On-site coordination
Consultative
• M.U.S.T. visit
– Witness load securement first hand
– Solve a problem!
• Customer Lost Traffic Manager,
needed transportation expert
– Relied on him for advice
– Took on operations (more work)
– Account grew steadily to singlesource
Capacity Go-To Person
• We’ve got trucks!
• Get creative with lanes to attract
capacity
• Utilize the network of agent freight
• Relationships w/ Capacity
Close – Implement Solution
• Ask for the business!
• When can we get started?
• What steps can I take to set Landstar up in
your system today?
• Are there any lanes / Do you have any freight
I can help you with today to give us a try?
• What else can I provide for us to get started
today?
• I believe what I’ve presented today will help
you solve “x”. What can I do for you short
term?
Implement the Solution
• Negotiation: understand what, if any, concessions
you are able to make prior to asking for the
business
• Don’t overpromise! Okay to say you have to
check into it
Be careful of bobble-head syndrome: a
head-nod acknowledging what he/she is saying may
be perceived as a “yes”!
No Buy In?
• If the answer is “No” to any of these
questions, back to step one: research!
– Did I address all of their concerns, or
find their real objections?
– Did I include all parties involved in the
decision making process?
– Did I understand their concerns?
– Did my solution make sense, add value,
or solve a problem?
Customer Acquisition &
Management Series
• Prospecting for New
Business
• Developing the Customer
Opportunity
• Overcoming Objections &
Developing the Landstar
Solution
• Customer Retention &
Growth
Stay Motivated!
“Think of yourself as on the
threshold of unparalleled success. A
whole, clear, glorious life lies before
you. Achieve! Achieve!”
- Andrew Carnegie, Businessman
Customer Retention &
Growth
Part 4 of 4 Part series
Customer Acquisition & Management
Customer Acquisition &
Management Series
• Prospecting for New
Business
• Developing the Customer
Opportunity
• Overcoming Objections &
Developing the Landstar
Solution
• Customer Retention &
Growth
Overview/Agenda
Review Part 3
Customer
Retention
Account
Management
Inspire
Respect &
Trust
Grow Your
Business
Capitalize on
Referrals
Strategic Sales
Landstar
Success
Stories
86
Let’s Review!
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The Sales Cycle
Why Buyers Object
Opportunity in Disguise
Common Objections
Overcoming Objections
Developing the Landstar Solution
Closing, Implementing the
Solution
The Sales Cycle
Part 4
Customer
Retention/Growth,
Strategic Sales, Referrals
Find &
Research
Leads
Part 1
Part 1
Close/Implement the
Solution
Understanding
Objectives, Call Planning
Part 3
Uncover
Needs,
Develop
Solutions
Parts 2 & 3
Customer Retention
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Customer Attrition Rate/Churn Rate = % of customers lost
Average 12-30% annually by service related industry
80/20 Rule
Cost of attaining new business > cost to retain existing
business
Main Factors
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Price
Competitive Issues
Inconvenience
Core competency failures
Service encounter failures
Failed employee response
to service failures
• Ethical problems
• Involuntary changes
(Not ranked in order)
Account Management
• Customer Service after the
sale
• Constantly take the pulse of
your customer(s)
• Track all customer
communications
• Setup 30/60/90 day
performance reviews
• Strive to constantly exceed
customer expectations
rather than meeting
current needs
Differentiate Yourself!
Consistently providing outstanding customer
service will not only set you apart, but will
further ensure customer loyalty.
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Available = 24/7, 365
Approachable = be receptive
Accountable = take ownership
Action = resolve issues quickly & equitably
Inspire Respect & Trust
• Follow up
• Show gratitude
• Keep current
Grow Your Business
The fastest way to grow your business is to
leverage your existing customer base
• Call consignees – do they have outbound freight?
• Network
– Customer appreciation event
– Safety events
• Referrals
“Who” Leads
• Who are the top 5 customers of that 1 customer?
• Who are all of the suppliers of that 1 client?
• Who is shipping everything in those doors? Out
those doors?
• Who are the top 5 competitors of that 1
customer?
Harvesting Customers
Existing
Customer
Customer’s
Partner
Inbound
Partner’s
Outbound
Partner’s
Consignee
And so on…
Capitalize on Referrals
• Top 5 customers
• Responses = good
indication of your
business
relationship
• Should be reciprocal
• Intro phone call,
email, or other form
Strategy
• Plan: a “how”, a means of getting from
here to there
• Pattern: of actions over time
• Position: where you are now and the
decisions made to get you to this point
• Perspective: that is, vision and
direction of where you want to go
Internal Changes
• Hire outside sales representatives
• Add operational staff: $2M revenue is the
suggested benchmark
• Hire satellite agents with an existing customer base
• Team up with another Landstar agent if you have a
preference of sales or operations
Consult with Regional Manger to
customize a strategy that best fits YOU.
Strategic Sales
4 C’s:
• Comprehensive: far reaching, all inclusive
• Consultative: provide solutions
• Collaborative: synergistic
• Cooperative: work together for common
goal
Sustainable Competitive
Advantage
• Implement plan of action
• Target wide and deep
• Goal: sustainable competitive advantage
Understanding the customer’s business structure
and where your contact(s) fall within that structure will help you
plan your strategy
How Deep Can You Go?
Holding
Company
Parent
Company
Subsidiary
Subsidiary
Business Unit
or Segment
Branch
Branch
Single Source Success
Truckload
Intermodal
TMS
Logistics Management
Inbound & Outbound
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National accounts
Truckload capacity
Drop trailers
Shuttle drivers
Yard management
Summary
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Customer service = vital
Leverage current customer base
Think strategically
Provide solutions that add value
Additional Resources
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www.ducttapemarketing.com
www.allbusiness.com
www.toolkit.com
www.inc.com/sales
www.thesalesresourcecenter.com
• And a reminder of what we’ve mentioned before:
• www.justsell.com
• www.gitomer.com
• www.linkedin.com
Customer Acquisition &
Management Series
• Prospecting for New
Business
• Developing the Customer
Opportunity
• Overcoming Objections &
Developing the Landstar
Solution
• Customer Retention &
Growth