Having verified third party reviews from your customers and partners allow you to stand out in a...
Shippers are always on the lookout for reliable brokers and carriers, but identifying which shippers are actively seeking new partners can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. In such a competitive field, your success hinges on your ability to understand shippers’ needs before your competitors do. That’s where intent data comes in. New to intent data? Check out our recently released guide on everything you need to know.
By capturing shippers’ online search activity, intent data enables brokers and carriers to identify new opportunities, engage shippers effectively, and close deals faster. Check out the top 5 ways intent data can give you an edge on the competition:
1. Find Shippers Looking For You
Not every shipper is in the market for a new logistics partner at any given time. Intent data helps you focus on those who are. By analyzing behaviors like searches for "Chicago trucking companies," "truckload rates," or visits to sites like CarrierSource, you can zero in on shippers currently facing gaps in their supply chain.
Edge: Focus your sales and marketing efforts on shippers who need your services now, saving significant time and resources.
2. Personalize Your Outreach
Shippers expect brokers and carriers to understand their unique needs. Intent data reveals exact details about what a shipper is searching for—whether it’s the lanes they’re trying to fill or the kind of equipment they are looking for. Armed with this knowledge, you can create emails, calls, or proposals that directly address their needs.
Edge: Stand out in an incredibly crowded inbox by delivering personalized communication that emphasizes how you can solve the exact needs of the shipper.
3. Shorten Your Sales Cycle
Intent data tells you more than just which shippers are searching—it also indicates where they are in their decision-making process. You can utilize intent signals to understand when a shipper is finalizing their choice of a logistics provider. With this insight, you can time your outreach perfectly and close the deal faster.
Edge: Spend less time going after cold leads and more time closing new business by targeting shippers that are looking for your services, right now.
4. Keep Tabs on Your Competitors
Intent data reveals where your competition is gaining traction. For example, you can identify increased interest in your competitors by monitoring signals such as higher shipper engagement with their websites, ads, or reviews. On platforms like CarrierSource, you can also track increased activity on their profiles. Armed with this knowledge, you can refine your strategy—whether it’s offering competitive pricing, emphasizing superior service, or directly targeting the shippers exploring your competitors.
Edge: Stay ahead of competitors by spotting what they’re doing and going after their potential customers.
5. Strengthen Existing Shipper Relationships
Intent data doesn’t just help you close new business—it can also improve existing shipper relationships. For example, if a current customer begins researching alternative providers, it might signal they are unhappy with your existing service. Proactively reaching out to address their concerns can help you retain that business. On the flip side, intent data can reveal upsell opportunities, such as interest in additional capacity or specialized services.
Edge: Retain valuable accounts and upsell existing customers with intent data.
Conclusion
For brokers and carriers, intent data isn’t just a tool—it’s a game-changer. By providing actionable insights into what shippers are searching for and when they’re searching for it, intent data enables you to work smarter, not harder.
Whether you’re looking to close new business, retain existing customers, or outsmart the competition, leveraging intent data can take your business to the next level. Want to learn more about intent data? Check out our “Guide to Intent Data” that breaks everything down.
Ready to put intent data to work for you? Reach out to us at support@carriersource.io to learn how you can access thousands of shippers looking for providers every month.
