Insider Secrets to Successful Freight Brokering

Freight Broker or Broker Agent

Some don't know where to start. Some start as an agent then later get their authority to work as a freight broker. Some stay working as agents. Working as an agent is not easier (as some believe) but it is the best way to start for some.

The decision depends upon where you are and what your short term and long term goals are. To learn about which option is best for you, go to http://atexfrei.ipower.com/brokeragent.shtml and http://atexfrei.ipower.com/Whatsthedifference.shtml

Go to my separate website http://www.atexbrokeragenttraining.com for more info on Broker Agent training.

Lastly, there are several other blog posts here related to broker agents. Go to the right hand side of this blog and look for the category, "Broker Agent Training".

Pepper Spray??

One thing you will NOT need as a freight broker or agent is pepper spray. Why do I say this? I just got off the phone with an individual. He was obviously unloading somewhere and I heard a voice in the background asking him, "Pepper spray?"

Yes, it may get tough out there on the road.

But as a freight broker or an agent, the only thing you might need in the summer is a fly swatter.

Have a good day.

Freight Broker Success

While it is relatively easy to become a freight broker, being a successful broker may be a different story. Many individuals get into this business, thinking all they have to do to find customers is to go to some websites or directories, click on a few buttons and find customers who will then give them load after load after load.

It is not all that easy because many people end up going to the same sources and end up calling upon potential customers who are being called upon by hundreds if not thousands of freight brokers.

Good marketing strategies need to be created. To learn more, check out the eBook on the right hand side of this blog. It's main thrust is creating successful strategies. Some of the principles can be applied to many other businesses but the primary focus is upon freight brokering.

Go now to the right side of this blog post. It sells for a tiny sum of $12.00.

Freight Broker Training Online?

It is sort of funny - when I started training, ALL of my competitors were doing live training in their facility. I was the only one doing training via telephone and the Internet with unlimited support after formal training.

Some competitors were telling their callers that "you cannot learn this over the telephone and Internet". Well, guess what? Nearly all of those who said it can't be done are doing some form of online or distance training. Guess what again? You CAN learn how to broker freight via telephone and the Internet.

Remember this - your entire freight broker business will most likely be based upon the telephone and Internet. If you can run a multi-million $$$ business via the telephone and Internet, you can surely take your training the same way.

Check out my website and learn about your training options PLUS learn how I get involved in your life and your business start-up like no one else. Go to: http://atexfrei.ipower.com

Freight Brokers Asking Questions

Ironically, most customers will not be asking a lot of questions when a freight broker calls on them for doing business. It is then up to the freight broker to start the ball rolling with questions.

If you, as a freight broker, do not know what questions to ask, you will not get far. You might as well start looking for other work.

Asking the right questions will do two things:

• It will help you gather important information on your customer,
• It will establish your credibility with your customer

Three questions you might want to ask are:

1. What kind of cargo do you ship?
2. Where do you normally pick up and drop?
3. Do you have unloading fees on your loads?

There are a ton of other questions. Get trained, get smart and build credibility. Go to: http://atexfrei.ipower.com

Want to Work as a Freight Broker from Canada?

There are probably few requirements for those who want to broker freight only in Canada. You would check with local and Province authorities. However, if you want to broker freight into and out of Canada, you will need to get your broker authority from the FMCSA in the USA.

When you get your proper broker authority from the USA, you can broker freight from Canada. I know - I have trained numerous  trucking companies for the freight brokerage.

If your address is Canada, you won't be able to undergo a credit check for your trust fund. Nevertheless, there are several trust fund alternatives for those who live in Canada.

Your trucks that you use (hire) will be able to pick up in Canada or the USA and deliver that load to Canada or the USA. Keep this in mind, those trucks will not be able to move cargo from point A in the USA to Point B in the USA.

None of these requirements are huge obstacles for brokers in Canada. Check out as much info as you can on the Internet. But, be careful. Some of it is blatantly misleading. Check out my free eBook, "Introduction to Freight Brokering". Get it at http://atexfrei.ipower.com

Call me after reading the eBook if you have questions.

Freight Brokers and Truckers

There are several important points that need to be made concerning freight brokers and truckers.

First, many truckers think that just because they are in trucking, they can easily become a freight broker. While this may be true for some, it is not industry-wide. Trucking and freight brokering are related in some ways; but in others, trucking and freight brokering are completely different.

Every so often a trucker will call me and say, "John, I have been in trucking for 15 years and deal with freight brokers. But I really don't know what they do or how they go about their business".

The smart truckers who want to supplement their trucking business by becoming a freight broker realize that they will have to learn some new stuff.

Second, as a freight broker, getting customers is one thing; finding trucks is another. Truck capacity is low. It is sometimes hard to find a truck when you want them and where you want them.

Smart freight brokers will put as much time and effort in locating available trucks as they do in finding customers. The best way to attract trucks, of course, is to offer loads that pay well. Many, if not most, truckers will go anywhere if they are getting good rates.

So, find good paying loads, yes. But strike out in other ways to get set up with as many truckers as you can.

Check out the follow article to learn how freight brokers work proactively. Go to: http://atexfrei.ipower.com/proactive.shtml

 

Freight Broker Opportunity for Veterans

Veterans often develop important skills that can be transfered to civilian life. Even the guy or gal out there in the thick of battle creates skills - skills of being resourceful, being alert, learning to take action when the options are unclear or uncertain and when fear starts to take over.

I was lucky during my Army stint during Viet Nam. I did not see battle; I did not even go to Viet Nam. Instead I went to Naval Justice School and then worked in California within the legal system. I was lucky.

My new skill I learned was to prepare a database of soldiers who were apprehended for going AWOL or for some other infraction. My database was a manual one; there were no personal computers in that time.

With just a bunch of 4 x 6 cards and a file box, I could enter information on every soldier - were they incarcerated or in pre-confinement? did they have their initial meeting with the defense attorney? were they able to view the documentation and charges against them? how many days of AWOL had they accumulated? how far along in the process of courts-martial were they? And so on.

This was my database and when Col. Jenkins called me to ask the status of a certain soldier, I could give him a detailed report in about 15 seconds.

I still use databases. In fact, in my freight broker training, I emphasize building databases of shippers and motor carriers. Believe me - these databases are a freight brokers' gold mine. Build them, nurture them and use them.

If you are a Veteran and would like to put your skills to work as a freight broker, there is a great discount waiting for you. Go here to learn more: http://atexfrei.ipower.com/imavetdiscountfbt.shtml

Freight Broker Load Boards

Some people miss the point on how to work the Load Boards as a freight broker. It is very simple.

First, let me tell you what you do NOT want to do. You do not want to get loads from the Load Boards. These loads are posted by other freight brokers. Why would you want to go to another freight broker to get a load? It defeats the purpose of getting your own authority.

Second, here is what you WANT to do. You want to go directly to the shipper to get loads. You need good marketing savvy here and it is not easy starting from scratch. After you get loads from shippers, THEN you go to the Load Boards to post you own loads.

These loads that you post are for truckers to call in to ask for more information.

So, it is essential that you understand the business model when working with shippers, carriers and the Load Boards.

Freight Brokers Dotting Their I's, Crossing Their T's

A freight broker business sometimes appears to be a simple business. You just find a shipper with cargo, you then find a truck to move the cargo and you then collect a commission for your match making skill. Simple? Well, not so fast.

There are a multitude of details and procedures that freight brokers need to perform. And these details and procedures need to be done in their proper sequence or else you will fall flat on your face.

One detail that comes to mind is in regard to the shipper's confirmation. Most shippers will send you their confirmation for the load you just covered with a truck. What if, however, a shipper tells you that they don't use confirmations? Do you have a contingent plan?

You better have a plan for this or else one day you will leave yourself hanging out to dry. This is just one detail that can trip you up.

Many people are attracted to this business because of the apparent simplicity. They sooner or later find out that they are in a "war"; and they eventually realize that they, themselves, are their biggest enemy if they don't know what they are doing.