Look for physical freight.
Manufacturers, distributors, food producers, building-material suppliers, industrial companies, and businesses with shipping or receiving operations are strong starting points.
FREE FREIGHT PROSPECTING RESOURCES
BUILD THE HABIT BEFORE YOU BUILD THE BOOK.
Before you make the call,
know what you're looking for.
Use these free tools to research better prospects, reach the right people, prepare your opening, and follow up with purpose.
01 — FIND BETTER PROSPECTS
How to find potential shippers.
Start with companies whose operation gives you a reason to believe freight is moving—not random names pulled from a list.
Find a transportation angle.
Look for multiple facilities, expansion, high-volume production, regional distribution, recurring inbound materials, or outbound finished goods.
Match the opportunity to your equipment.
Your prospecting should make sense for what you can actually move. Research the product, likely shipment type, geography, and facility footprint before you call.
Quick rule: Don't ask, “Who has freight?” Ask, “What companies regularly ship products that fit my operation?”
02 — REACH THE RIGHT PERSON
Who should I ask for?
Job titles vary by company, so don't get stuck searching for one exact title. You're looking for the person involved in transportation decisions, carrier relationships, or shipping operations.
Transportation Manager
Logistics Manager
Shipping Manager
Supply Chain Manager
Warehouse Manager
Operations Manager
Traffic Manager
Procurement / Transportation
WHEN YOU REACH THE GATEKEEPER
“Hi, I'm trying to find the person who handles transportation or outside carriers for your location. Would you be able to point me in the right direction?”
Keep it simple. Your first goal is not to sell the gatekeeper—it's to get direction.
03 — PREPARE BEFORE YOU DIAL
The First-Call Checklist
Take five minutes to prepare. A little research helps you sound intentional instead of random.
1Research the companyWhat do they make, distribute, or receive?
2Identify the facilityWhich location are you actually calling about?
3Find the likely decision-makerName, title, phone, and email if available.
4Know your equipment fitWhy could your operation make sense for their freight?
5Prepare one clean openingWho you are, why you're calling, and one useful question.
6Know your next stepIf they say no, ask when to follow up or who else to contact.
04 — WHAT DO I SAY?
A simple opening beats a perfect script.
Your goal is to start a conversation—not deliver a speech. Keep your opening short enough that the decision-maker can actually respond.
STARTER SCRIPT
“Hi, my name is Aretha. I'm a transportation provider, and I'll keep this short. I wanted to see if you work with transportation brokers or outside carriers for your freight.”
If they say yes, move into discovery. If they say no, ask whether there is another facility, season, or situation where outside capacity is considered.
05 — DISCOVERY
5 questions to ask a decision-maker.
01
What areas do you typically ship to or receive freight from?
02
What type of equipment do you use most often?
03
About how frequently are you shipping—daily, weekly, or seasonally?
04
Do you primarily use dedicated carriers, brokers, spot coverage, or a mix?
05
When you add a new transportation provider, what does your onboarding or vetting process look like?
You don't need to force all five questions into every conversation. Listen first and use the questions that fit naturally.
06 — FOLLOW UP
Don't let good prospects disappear.
A “not right now” is different from a permanent no. Track every meaningful conversation so you know exactly when and why to call again.
Minimum fields: Company, location, decision-maker, phone/email, last contact, what you learned, next follow-up date, and next action.
PROSPECTLAST TOUCHNEXT STEP
ABC ManufacturingSept. 6Follow up in 30 days
Regional Foods Co.Sept. 4Email carrier packet
Industrial Supply Inc.Sept. 2Call before peak season
Example only — build your tracker in the CRM, spreadsheet, or system you will actually use consistently.
READY FOR THE FULL PROCESS?
Free resources can get you started.
The First Call shows you how it all fits together.
Go deeper on prospect research, decision-makers, cold calling, follow-up, and building a repeatable prospecting process.