When you hear “recruiting,” you may not think about marketing efforts. Instead, you think about a business looking to fill a job position. Most people think of marketing or advertising as annoying or not having any boundaries. However, marketing represents an essential part of selling products, bringing new truck drivers into the trucking industry, and endorsing a service.
The truck driver marketing strategy typically stays the same for most trucking companies. However, the problem that arises with marketing can be complicated and filled with numerous strategies and methods. The first step to your marketing strategy is to do a study to learn which type of individuals are interested in trucking and then create your marketing materials around the benefits to attract this specific group.
Simple Marketing Strategy for the Trucking Industry
Below is an outline of some simple marketing tips that can help you draw in and maintain truck drivers:
- Who are you recruiting?
This may be a simple question to answer since the trucking industry is always seeking out new drivers. However, many marketing campaigns do not advertise who specifically they are looking for. Marketing campaigns must stay on topic to find the targeted audience, which can be licensed truck drivers or those looking at making truck driving their career.Once you know who you are targeting, which is the truck-driving demographic, you can begin creating marketing techniques to relay your message. Marketing material can include articles and blog posts, social media ads, classified ads, or promotional products.
- Stay Truthful
When recruiting new drivers, you must be honest about the industry and your trucking business specifics and expectations. You cannot sell your business as a cereal company would to children or parents by advertising it is good for them. If truck drivers are misled, they may not stay after signing on if they do not receive what they were promised. Be truthful, and you will have a higher rate of drivers signing on and staying with your trucking company.Explaining to new truck drivers how the trucking industry is a demanding career and the crazy lifestyle a trucker lives would be an excellent place to start. Inform potential truck drivers that after graduating from trucking school, they will have to sign with a “starter company.” A starter company will help the driver finish their training, so they can move on to a more developed and well-known trucking company. Starter companies are self-insured, which will allow the driver to avoid 2-3 years of driving experience that most companies with carrier insurance require. Explain to your recruit how over-the-road driving works and that they may be away from their family for a few nights a week or even longer. Most truck drivers just out of school will not land local CDL jobs. - Be Specific
A truck driver’s skills could include owner-operator, team, over-the-road, long-haul, hazardous material, and certification-specific. When trucking firms are looking for a driver with a particular skill, they must add this to their marketing campaign. Choose the type of media outlet this specific skill set driver will use and focus your advertising in that area. - Online and Offline Marketing
Online marketing came into full force about two decades ago when the internet became popular. Online marketing can consist of websites, blogs, and social media. Offline marketing involves physical advertising such as flyers or job postings; it can also include promotional products like trucker hats.Offline marketing may be considered old-fashioned; however, when used effectively, it can still be a successful marketing tactic. Online marketing does have an advantage since it is not limited to only physical areas.
Honesty and integrity go a long way when recruiting new truck drivers into your trucking company. Your marketing strategy should be straightforward for all potential employees or owner-operators.
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