The way buyers purchase high-value logistics products and services has changed dramatically in the last 10 years, but too many logistics businesses haven’t adapted their marketing and sales efforts to reflect how today’s logistics decision makers buy.
Marketing has become a game of Hide-and-Seek – but in reverse.
I was talking recently to my colleague Joe Lynch, who produces the Logistics of Logistics podcast. We got on the subject of marketing being a logistics company’s best sales person and Joe suggested “Let’s do a podcast on that.” So we did. Check out this recent episode of the Logistics of Logistics podcast.
Every couple of years, Logistics Marketing Advisors does a survey of professionals who make or influence purchasing decisions on logistics products or services. This year, we surveyed 100 buyers online and then followed up with direct interviews with 10 of these respondents to dig a little deeper.
Recently I had a chance to do a Q&A with my colleague, Brian Carroll, consultant and author of Lead Generation for the Complex Sale. I have followed Brian’s B2B Lead Blog for years and was interested in his latest focus area, empathetic marketing.
Too few logistics businesses practice “outside-in marketing.” Instead, they focus their marketing on the services and key features they (and 500 other companies) offer. That’s a great strategy if your marketing goal is to blend in and go unnoticed.
This week’s logistics sales tip: change your approach from “selling” to pure, selfless, ask-nothing-in-return “helping.” You’ll build stronger, longer-lasting relationships with prospects, get more referrals and, ultimately, close more business.
The biggest obstacle to winning logistics sales opportunities is not your 3PL competitor, it’s your prospect’s fear of change. The dreaded status quo.
As someone who markets and sells logistics services, imagine the value of gaining insights into the selling process from the logistics buyers themselves. Insights like:
When selling logistics services, do you ever wonder if the words you use in your sales and marketing materials really matter?
What if we showed up at an initial meeting with a company and spent 100% of the time understanding what they care about? No power point slides. No stories about the industry award you just won. No selling, period.
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