In The News
The Top 7 EO Articles from 2020 to Help You Get the New Year Off to a Fast Start
It’s that time of year again.
A time to reflect on what went well in 2020 - and what didn’t.
A time to look forward and strategize about what you can do differently to take your business and career to the next level in 2021.
But where should you begin your research to get you where you want to be as quickly as possible?
At ExpeditersOnline.com, we’ve curated 2020’s top seven articles to help point you in the right direction.
Are You An Effective Negotiator?
Before accepting a load, buying a new truck, or signing any contract for your expedite business, make sure that you’re happy with the terms.
But when presented with an unfair offer, how should you respond? Do you have the negotiation chops to arrive at a more favorable agreement?
Try this quiz to find out.
Read: https://www.expeditersonline.com/trucking-news/in-the-news/are-you-an-effective-negotiator-10000.htm
7-Point Checklist for Choosing an Expedite Carrier in Today’s Market
The trucking industry, including the expedite market, has endured a tumultuous year as several high-profile and smaller carriers have shut their doors.
So, if you’re an owner-operator or fleet owner, it’s more important than ever to align yourself with a carrier that best fits your business—and is built to weather the storms.
What should you look for in a carrier? Here is a seven-point checklist to help you cover your bases.
How to Tell You’re Ready for Truck Ownership
The expedited trucking business can be lucrative for owner-operators. But it takes a lot of hard work, discipline, and knowledge of the business to succeed for the long haul as a truck owner.
How can you tell if you’re ready for truck ownership before you take the plunge?
Use these 3 “M’s” as your guide.
How Professionalism Can Help You Grow Your Expedite Business
When freight begins to slow, struggling owner-operators don’t understand why they’re sitting while other trucks seem to be moving and getting good loads.
They point the finger at their carrier without realizing that they also play a role in marketing themselves to keep their truck rolling.
So, how do you effectively market yourself as an expediter? Start by being a professional.
That’s the biggest piece of advice that long-time expedite owner-operator Linda Caffee gave me when I spoke with her earlier this year.
But what does that mean—to be professional? Caffee offered these four tips.
How Expediters Can Effectively Navigate Cash Challenges in Today’s Market
In the early weeks of the COVID-19 crisis, many expediters stayed busy. And now with the new coronavirus vaccines ready for transport, the expedite market is poised for another near-term freight surge.
But after the need for urgent deliveries slow down, will you have enough cash to get through a potential lull?
Or if, God forbid, you test positive for the coronavirus and need to self-quarantine, unable to earn revenue for the next two to three weeks, what’s your cash strategy to keep your business afloat?
Here are five tips to help you effectively manage your cash to survive - and thrive - in an uncertain market.
If You’re an Expediter, You’re in Sales
You may not want to hear this because salespeople get a bad rap.
After all, how many of us have dealt with the stereotypical used car salesman? Who wants to be associated with that, right?
But here’s the reality: Whatever our role is in expediting—driver, owner-operator, fleet owner, recruiter, and (of course) journalist–we’re all selling something—an idea, point of view, proposal, product or service—whether we want to call it “sales” or not.
When we learn how to “sell”—in the right way, with the right motives—we’re able to influence the people who can help us create the business, career, and lifestyle we want.
So, instead of being ashamed or bashful about your sales role in the expedite business, embrace it by adopting these four traits of world-class salespeople.
How to Know When You Should Accept a Load (and When You Shouldn't)
What can you do to more consistently choose the right loads that put your business on the road to long-term financial success?
I spoke with Frank Rebelo, an owner-operator with his wife Stephanie, and a partner with Hyfield Trucking, to get his take. Frank recommends keeping these three factors in mind.