Are you finding it difficult to get box truck contracts? You may have just started your own box truck business but now it is time to make it profitable for you and you need to get more contracts in order to do that. Here’s how to get box truck contracts:
- Provide moving services
- Do local deliveries
- Market your brand
- Build a strong network to get in the good books
- Connect with companies like FedEx
- Use different platforms to reach out to more clients
You can get more box truck contracts by increasing the range of your services or actively reaching out through various media
So, read on to find out how you can use the aforementioned methods to get more box truck contracts!
How Can You Get More Box Truck Contracts?
Getting more box truck contracts would be no easy job and it would require some serious effort from your side to see positive results.
The problem with box trucks is that there is so much competition for you that you really have to make yourself stand out in a unique way in order to be seen.
Here are some ways you can do that:
#1 Utilize Load Boards
Load boards are basically online marketplaces that connect shippers with carriers. It is a well-known platform for truck owner-operators, shippers, and freight brokers.
In order to increase your reach and grab more contracts, you should utilize the load boards.
The load boards have over 900,000 loads posted on the platform daily and they help the truck owners and shippers to build a contract that can be long-term too if it gets successful.
Amazon relay has become a major player in this and allows for verified carriers to get shippers as clients.
#2 Use Truck Dispatchers To Find Load
Truck dispatchers function to explore these load boards and connect you with high-paying loads that are the most suitable for your services.
The truck dispatchers are usually experienced people who scour these different freight boards and negotiate prices on your behalf.
Various companies offer these truck dispatch services and they can help your truck always be in use by deploying these dispatcher services.
In addition to that, these companies are usually also willing to handle all the paperwork and all you will have to do would be to focus on driving.
These truck dispatcher companies obviously charge some money for their services but this can be a great investment if you’re looking to stay in this business for a long time.
» Read my blogpost about: How To: Start an Ice Vending Machine Business (Easy Guide)
#3 Start Providing Local Deliveries Services
You know how you order something that you want and someone in a truck comes and delivers that to your doorstep? You can use your box truck to do that!
Your box truck can work for companies that require delivery services and these can even lead to long-term contracts.
These companies require constant deliveries and you would find it to be easier working with them.
There are platforms such as GoShare, Lug, Dolly, etc that connect you with companies that require local delivery services, leading to profitable business for both sides.
This is one efficient way for you to get more contracts within a shorter time period.
#4 Become a Help In Moving
Another way to utilize your box truck is to help someone move.
With increasing urbanization, people are always moving in and out of houses and they require box truck services in order to do that.
You can easily load your spacious truck with their furniture and other appliances and help them move in and out of any place they would like.
You’ll be glad to know that there are platforms such as TaskRabbit and Thumbtack that can help you connect with people requiring moving services.
Even though these services won’t lead to long-term contracts, they can be a good source for a quick fix of money for you to provide your services.
#5 Market Yourself Well
This is an extremely important angle to get more contracts and if worked upon correctly, it can make your business shoot to the stars.
With increasing competition in box truck services, the game actually belongs to those who market themselves well.
Here are some tips you can use to devise an efficient marketing strategy:
Use Social Media
Social media is the most popular ever-growing platform in today’s era.
You can utilize this platform to market your brand. But the thing with social media is that nothing absolutely serious really sells on it.
You need to figure out what’s different about your brand and how can that appeal to the general public. For example, you can launch different packages of your service or devise clever or humorous ads that would make people want to learn more about you.
This was just a savvy way for you to market yourself. You can also just put on general ads on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, etc about the services you provide.
Yelp has also started to grow and people are usually looking for local businesses on this platform.
Set Up a Google My Business
If anyone wants to search about any business, their first action is to google it and then see if that business matches their requirements.
Your business could also pop up there if it’s been set up on Google My Business. A simple google search would reveal the steps of setting up a google my business, so let’s use this platform to discuss something else.
Once you’ve set up your business with Google My Business, you become much easier to find and people are most likely to hire you for the jobs that they require from you.
This can be an extremely helpful step for you to advertise your business and allow it to reach as many people as possible.
Create a Great Website
Another step to allow people to find your box trucking business on the internet is to create a website. However, creating a boring, uninviting website would not work.
Your website needs to be customer-friendly and it should also be easy to navigate. Your website should also list all the box trucking services you provide in a clear manner.
If you want to make a website for cheap then you can learn it yourself and do that but I would recommend that you should hire someone and invest in a website properly if you’re actually serious about this.
A website can help the customers judge if you are the right fit for them and a welcoming interface lets them stay there and increases your chances to get hired to provide your services.
This would be another step in becoming more approachable to your customers and they can find out more about your services that way too.
Allow Your Customers to Find You
Posting about your business on Yelp and other platforms helps your customers to come to you instead of you reaching out to them.
Let’s say that I want to have something delivered and require a box truck to do that, so I can just directly search that on Yelp and I can find your service over there. So this is another step that you can take to form your customer base.
#6 Use FedEx
FedEx sells delivery routes that you can buy to supply their packages to the territories located along that route.
You can buy that and this would be just a way to ensure that you never run out of business.
So your job would be to receive packages from FedEx and go along that route to deliver those packages in the territories along the delivery route that you bought.
You don’t have to worry about getting contracts because all of that would be handled by FedEx.
I have written a separate guide on How to Buy a FedEx Route to Make Money — Check it out!
Your job would be just to focus on the deliveries and ensure that you deliver them on time. This can turn into a profitable business and sustain you long-term.
#7 Buy a Bread Route
In a similar way that you bought a FedEx route, you can also buy a bread route.
A bread route is basically the route associated with the territories that which the bread is delivered.
When you buy a bread route, you would be responsible to deliver bread to the territories associated with that route.
This can also sustain your business and lead to a long-time contract.
Bread route business owners make around $4,000 to $6,500 monthly. I have written a helpful guide on Starting a Bread Route to Make Money
The terms for this would be very much similar to buying a FedEx route, you’ll just be responsible for delivering the bread and the rest would be handled by the bread company you would buy the route from.
#8 Reach Out to Companies
You wanna get more contracts? You need to put yourself out there.
You knock on doors of the companies to see if they require a delivery job that they can use your services for.
These can be hidden opportunities for you and you can call up these companies and let them know that you’re available too.
But of course, you need to do this smartly. Reach out to companies that partake heavily in deliveries or small businesses that are just starting up such as hardware stores.
Another step can be to reach out through printing flyers that state your services. All of these steps can lead to new opportunities and more contracts for you!
#9 Build a Strong Network
Building a strong network leads to better connections and communication.
What I mean by building a strong network is that as you continue working with your clients, handle them in a way that they would want to continue to work with you next time as well as recommend you if someone else needs the service.
If you reach out to people, your friends, and your family, to talk and recommend you in their circles, it can be really helpful.
So, if you focus on building a stronger, wider network then you can land more clients and get more truck contracts.
#10 Help Companies Advertise Through Mobile Billboards
A lot of companies want advertising and they use various means to market themselves. You can do that for a company by attaching an advertisement on your box truck.
This may seem a little bit different but it can actually work because people see your truck go by and they would often look at the advertisement.
Plus, your truck has the added advantage of being mobile, so it can actually appeal to a lot more people than a general stationary advertisement would.
» This could also be something for you: Are Food Trucks a Good Investment? What Experts Say
#11 Determine Your Target Clients
For a successful box truck business, determine your target clients. You have to know your audience before advertising anything to them.
If you’re trying to advertise yourself to a company that has no use with delivery or any of your services whatsoever then that is basically pointless, right?
But if you’re reaching out to companies that you have researched well about then you know that you have a chance to get hired and do some actual work for them.
You can also calculate your chances of getting hired based on their current workload and their current delivery team for that.
It is always helpful to do prior research on your target audience and then reach out.
In addition to that, you should also try to find out why people usually use the box trucks and try to market yourself on those platforms that have an abundance of such clients.
#12 Collaborate With Local Government Contractors
Whenever you’re starting up a business, you need new contracts and you can easily land federal or local governments contracts.
Local Government contracts allow you to start up and grow before you jump into the private contractors market.
This might also lead to building a stronger network and learning what works best for your business.
#13 Get In Touch With Freight Brokers
You can actually get in touch with people who connect the carriers and shippers.
They would obviously charge some money for their services but they can connect you with the shippers and that can often lead to long-term contracts.
Freight brokers are the middle man in your deals and they can help your business grow sooner than ever!
#14 Join Online Box Trucking Community Pages
There are online box trucking community pages that you can join and land some contracts from there.
These pages are another way to connect you with shippers and also give you a sense of community.
More than that, you can post about any problem you might be facing and your queries would be answered by like-minded individuals.
If you’re having a problem getting contracts, then you can post that on box trucking community groups and there would be people who might be able to help you out with something.
#15 Try Cold Emailing
Cold emailing is essentially sending emails to a receiver without any previous contact with them.
You can reach out to different people by sending them these cold emails and who knows someone might reach out to you.
Cold emailing often works, and a lot of companies deploy this mechanism to increase their customer turnover, and boy do they succeed!
How Do I Find Local Box Trucking Contracts With a Short Turnover?
You can find local box trucking contracts by reaching out directly to shippers. Through load boards or any other platform, you can contact the local shippers and start working with them. This removes the middle man and turns in great profit for you.
To reach out to local trucking contracts, you need to call, email, and send flyers to companies that actively partake in deliveries, and let them know that you’re available.
» I have also written this post, about: Top Easy Jobs That Pay Well | Get an Easier Career
Final Thoughts
Starting a business is easy. Running it successfully is what’s difficult. There are various methods you can use to increase your box truck contracts.
The success of your business depends on how heavily you’re mentally as well as financially invested in it and if you’re really giving it your all, then you should be able to see the results in no time.
Start today and use these methods to land more clients so that they can access your quality services!
