Haulage business is very competitive and if you are already in the business, you should expect more competition because a lot more people are beginning to realize the huge potentials of this business.
Haulage business is not just easy to start but it is also a very rewarding business; the kind of business that most people are attracted to.
Therefore, to thrive in this business, you must always stay ahead of the competitors. You must position your business in such a way that even if there are 1,000 others in the industry, your own business would still be a top choice for clients.
You don’t have to invest a million dollars or be the largest haulage company in the country to be able to beat competitors; even your small haulage business can be exceptional.
The mistake that a lot of haulage business owners make is that they see haulage as a very casual business with no need for branding or strategizing.
That is a very wrong mentality to have in this century because every business is important; even your home-based business can benefit from proper branding and packaging.
I guess right now you are wondering “How can I brand my haulage business?” Well, it’s quite simple. I have outlined 10 different ways which you can brand your haulage business and stand out from the crowd. Some of them include-:
10 Ways to Brand Your Haulage Business and Stand Out from the Crowd
1. Brand Recognition
First, you have to build recognition for your brand. You must package your haulage business in such a way that anyone who sees your trucks or your staff would know that it belongs to ‘so and so’ haulage company. Y
ou should have your own brand logos and Colours which you would paint your trucks. You should also have slogans for your business which would reflect your customer service orientation and attention to safety.
These things may not seem important to you but it sure makes a difference to people observing your business on the outside. It would reflect the level of seriousness and focus of your business and also convince potential clients to do business with you.
2. Have a Customer Service Team
Another good way to brand your haulage business and stand out from the crowd is to have a customer service team who would be on hand to provide response to enquiries and provide solutions to customer’s challenges.
For instance, clients may want to find out vital information about your business or even track their goods and it would be really nice if they can always have helpful and courteous people to talk to at all times.
3. Build a Reputation for your Business
You can only stand out from the crowd if your business has a very good reputation. Therefore, you have to ensure that you build a very good reputation for your business. Your clients must be able to trust you to deliver as and when due. This also has a lot to do with your drivers.
In haulage business, your drivers are the face of your business; you are not on the road all the time; your drivers are. You may not even have direct contact with your clients but your drivers would.
Therefore, you must pay great attention to the type of drivers you employ. Ensure that they are professionals who are well trained and properly behaved.
They should also have a uniform and must be neatly dressed at all times. You should have ways of monitoring them and ensuring they stick to traffic rules and regulations. They must also ensure that their vehicles are always clean and properly maintained.
4. Employ Marketers
Another way to brand your business is to employ marketers for your haulage business. Your marketers would not only help to bring more customers for your business, they would also have direct contact with clients and know what the clients want and how to better serve them.
5. Have a Website
There are so many things a website can do for your business. Having a website improves visibility and makes it easier for more customers to reach you through search engine optimization.
A lot of people constantly rely on the internet for business transactions; they search for contractors on the internet, find out about the reputation of a business on the internet and even hire contractors on the internet.
If I live in Abuja and I need goods moved from Lagos to Abuja, I may not be able to come down to Abuja to find haulage contractors each time I need to move stuffs and most likely, I would want to look for reliable people via the internet who have good reputation and could be trusted to deliver my goods safely. Of course, I would only work with a company that is serious enough to have a website.
6. Use Social Network
You may be thinking “What does a social network account have to do with my haulage business.” Well, it has a whole lot to do with it. You would be surprised at the level of trading that goes on social networks. People not only use social network to advertise their business, they also transact businesses on social networks.
7. Public Relations and Community Development
Be a socially responsible brand. Let people see that your company is not only interested in making money but also interested in developing the community and protecting the environment. You can give scholarships, build boreholes, organize seminars; just do anything you can afford as an act of corporate social responsibility.
8. Customer-Oriented
You must also run your business in such a way that your clients see you as their partner not just a contractor. You must be interested in supporting your clients in anyway you can to ensure that their businesses prosper.
9. Efficient Services and Delivery
In this business, time is of the essence. You would be conveying all sorts of important goods and raw materials which need to get to their destination in a timely manner. Therefore, you must train your staff and drivers to be very efficient and time conscious so that your clients can rely on you to always deliver as agreed.
10. Discounts and Loyalty Programs
Lastly, you can introduce some special rewards and discounts for your clients to encourage them to continue to patronize you.