So you’re in the trucking aftermarket, but you’re not Peterbilt. Or any other big brand name OEM. Then you know how hard it can be to compete with them. Customers constantly compare you to them and you find yourself explaining how you are different, or maybe convincing them you’re the same!
That’s why it’s so important to constantly update your sales … and your marketing. Your competitors are coming for you.
4 of the Top 10 Best Marketing and Sales Strategies for Trucking Aftermarkets
(Find the other other six in the slide deck below)
Remember, these are specifically for you, in the aftermarket space. Here’s how to find better leads and prospects for your business:
1. Sell More to Your Current Customers
For instance, your customer, Dylan, needs a replacement front-drive axle. You know he’s a long-haul owner-operator, so he might need a new rear drive axle as well, or even new brakes.
But he didn’t ask you for that. He might be trying to buy that part from a competitor.
Customers who buy your products and services don’t buy from you exclusively. That means, there’s still opportunity for your team. Have your salespeople recommend products or services related to the ones your customers are purchasing.
The Goals:
- Grow wallet share.
- Take business from competitors.
- Make money without exhausting yourself.
2. Expand Areas Before Creating New Ones
You’ve milked your AOR for all its worth. It only makes sense that you want to find new customers. But if you expand your AOR too far, you’ll need a brand new retail location.
Those cost money and their success isn’t guaranteed. Instead of expanding to the point of creating a brand new location, expand your current AOR just a bit.
Don’t waste your money!
Adding a mile or two to your current trading area can help you find new prospects and businesses you might not have known about previously. And you can do it all without breaking the bank on a new retailer. When your current list of prospects feels like it’s run dry, this allows your team to find new sales opportunities.
The Goals:
- Find new buyers.
- Expand your business.
- Save money.
3. Communicate Buyer Information with Your Team
By now, you’ve probably heard of customer relationship management tools, or CRMs. These tools allow you to collect and manage information about your current clients and potential buyers, but more importantly, they allow you to share that information with the rest of your team.
But a lot of companies in aftermarkets still aren’t using them.
Let’s say one of your past customers, Randy, bought a new brake pad for their truck. It’s been over a year now, and no one’s followed up with Randy to see how that brake pad is working, or even worse, no one’s bothered to see if Randy could use anything else from your product line.
Now grab a CRM and hop in a time machine. When Randy buys his brake pad, your sales team tracks when he made the purchase, what piece of equipment he bought it for, and even more information, like what other pieces of equipment he might own.
Your team can now create a system to follow-up with Randy, and all your other customers, after a set amount of time. And using the CRM, they can see all of that information and pick-up the conversation right where they left off and direct it toward the products you sell.
Don’t lose out to the competition. Keep your sales team organized and prepared with a CRM.
The Goals:
- Stop on top of sales.
- Build better customer relationships.
- Stay ahead of the competition.
4. Use Expert Data for Prospect Research
No one’s arguing the power of a good handshake. But using expert data products, like RigDig BI, can help you know which hands to shake, saving you time, energy, and unnecessary hand cramps. These data tools give you information on equipment owners to let you know when their tractors, trucks, or construction equipment might need some maintenance or new parts.
Remove all the guesswork!
See which brands of equipment they currently own, how old that equipment is, and where in your AOR they’re located. Quickly find new buyers who are looking for an aftermarket expert.
Do you have a few extra minutes in your day? Do some demos of data products, so at least, you know what’s out there, and you don’t become a dinosaur.
You can start with RigDig BI and 15 minutes for a demo.
The Goals:
- Heighten your sales strategies.
- Find buyers more quickly.
- Save your company time and effort.
