The economic forecasts for the second half of this year do not look too promising.  While there are a few positive signs in the United States (e.g. auto sales, new home construction), the overall trend line still remains slow or stagnating growth.

The Great Recession of a few years ago taught transportation company leaders the value in running a lean operation, to focus on the most profitable markets, to improve yield management and to hold back on making asset purchases.  A recent Harvard Business Review article (CEOs Need to Get Serious About Sales by Ram Trichur, Maria Valdivieso de Uster, and Jon Vander Ark, July 10, 2012), argues that effective sales management is still overlooked by many CEO’s including trucking company CEO’s.  Here are a few thoughts on how to increase the productivity of a freight sales team.

Direct the team to the most profitable lanes and markets

What can trucking company leaders do to energize their sales efforts in a stagnating economy?  First, they need to make sure their sales efforts are very focused and productive.  This starts with sharing the company’s vision and profitable routes with their sales team and ensuring that the team is directed to generating the type of business the company needs most.  An unfocused sales team is an unproductive sales team. 

Think “Network” rather than “Lanes”