How to Increase Sales in Logistics Business? [A 7-step guide]

The logistics industry is an ever-growing sector. When businesses grow, so does the need for shipping, storing, delivery, and warehouses. As per a report by IBEF, India’s current logistics market stands at $215 billion and is growing rapidly.

Forecasters predict that logistics will grow by leaps and bounds in the near future due to the increasing demand and use of online shopping. Furthermore, the amalgamation of technology and streamlined operational conduct will give it a push for handling expanded quantities of goods. However, even after the thrust of technology, some logistics companies fumble to find a clear line between consistent profits and zero losses.

The strategies that make the ruling companies stand out are created through research and planning, along with some insider tips of the industry. If you are also looking to establish your company's name in the global and local market, follow these tips on how to increase sales in the logistics business.

Step 1: A Robust Plan For Sales Prediction

How to increase sales of logistics business? If you have strategies in place to hold the current sales and help track down prospects for the future, this is not a tedious task. Just like goals for other processes, your sales process should also be SMART. It stands for:

• S - Specific goals that can be tracked with each sale made and every lead that is nurtured and transformed.
• M- Measurable goals that are in numeric value in terms of hours, price, sales, product number, and revenue generated.
• A- Achievable sales that are backed by resources, process, and lead generation process.
• R- Realistic goals that make pragmatic sense and aim for the heights, but make sure you have churned out a strategy to achieve it first.
• T- Timely goals that can be monitored with a timesheet where each weekly goal contributes to the monthly goals, which lead to the accomplishment of annual goals.

Step 2: The Refined Lead Generation Process

Leads are the fuel for the logistics business. SBA studies show that 627,000 businesses emerge every year. Hence, the next step in how to increase sales in the logistics business is to always keep scouring the digital space for new prospects and convert them into leads through a smooth process. The process can be as following:

• Lead generation- This is where implementation of outbound and inbound marketing strategies takes place. You will need to create a comprehensive list of all the people you want to do business with and start pursuing them both directly and indirectly through various mediums.
• Lead filtering- Once you have collected data for significant leads through the first step, compare them with your customer persona and qualify them for customer transformation.
• Funnel assessment- In this step, you have to determine the stage of the funnel they currently stand-in. The funnel has the following stages: awareness, consideration, conversion, loyalty.
• Proposal- During this stage, your goal is to convince the customer, get them a proposal as per their requirements and handle negotiations if needed.
• Close the deal- Once the customer is satisfied with your offer, you have to deliver the service and work with them by providing excellent service.

Step 3: Establish A Long-Term Relationship

You can penetrate the logistics market as a top-tier service provider by satisfying your customers and creating retaining relationships. To achieve the loyalty of customers, you will need to create more credibility in the market by abiding by social responsibility and being candid of your processes.

How to increase sales in the logistics business through customer loyalty?

• Make sure every product in your storage facility reaches the final destination on time and delays have a rock-solid alibi to support them.
• Managing the inventory mindfully and giving special offers and after-sales services to your customers for an unparalleled customer experience.

Step 4: Emphasise Modifying Your Website

In the modern age, your ideal customer spends at least 145 minutes on average on the internet. Considering this figure, you have a great chance at creating sales through a website, granted that you please the search engine’s algorithm too.

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is how conglomerates drive sales by directing their customers to the website via search. Important aspects of this include on-page SEO, off-page SEO, and technical SEO. For example, if you have a blog for “3 steps to choose a logistic partner”, chances are your blog will be visible to the customer whenever they search for “Steps to find a logistic partner”. Hence, this will create a research-driven sale. So focus on visuals, modifications, and a glorifying but candid representation of your company to generate more sales in your logistics business.

Step 5: A Productive Competitors’ Analysis

What makes your rivals’ logistics business unique? Answering this question will help you understand the loopholes in your strategy. Doing this analysis will allow you to create an offer that is distinctive but far more compelling than your competitors.

Once you have found your competitors, take notes of their offers, marketing tactics, customer reviews, and related services. Then conduct a SWOT analysis for your sales strategy to know what your strong points are.

Here are some questions you should ask yourself for an effective competitors analysis:

• Which logistic service demanded the most?
• How does their customer service operate?
• What are your competitors' interaction patterns with customers?
• What is the value they provide to their customers?

You should also focus on the local and global positioning of the other logistic business to determine:

• How do they make consistent sales?
• What is their sales strategy for their tie-up with the most prominent brands or customers?

Step 6: Create Your USP

The unique value proposition is the centre of attraction for any brand. When you offer something more than other businesses, people tend to lean towards doing business with you. For example, you can roll out exclusive offers for new and existing customers during festivals and give them a reason to hold on to your service.

Every logistic business provides the same services, but it is important to understand that you have to stand out to sustain yourself in the saturated market. To track the effectiveness of your proposition, you should monitor the analytics of the website and your sales through an accountability expert.

Step 7: Use Visuals

There are many platforms where you can create videos and visual offerings for your leads and customers. This is also a form of marketing where you give the customer an impression that they are a part of the process and indulge them into choosing you for the business.

How to increase sales in the logistics business through effective visuals? You can create videos around your customers’ journey, a clip of how you handle orders, or how efficient your storage facility is. Additionally, you can invite your existing customers as a guest on your videos where they explain what they like about your business.

Conclusion

These strategies on how to increase sales in the logistics business will boost your efforts with minimum stress and give you an edge in the industry. Driving sales in the logistic business is easy if you follow a roadmap consisting of short-term and long-term goals.

There are some exciting opportunities in the logistics business, and all these methods will help you salvage the real potential of your business. You can get sales through both organic and paid media if you are using the right mediums. Additionally, focus on your suppliers, and keep up with the new technology for your industry.

Stay updated with new business ideas & business tips with OkCredit blogs in English, Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi & more!
Download OkCredit now & get rid of your bookkeeping hassles.
OkCredit is 100% Made in India.

FAQs

Q. How to identify my target customers?

Ans. Your logistics business has an ideal customer who is readily looking for delivery and inventory management processes for their product/service.

You can find them based on the following statistic:

• Size of the company.
• Their product/service.
• Area.
• Wholesale/retailers/ or MNC

Q. What is inbound marketing?

Ans. Inbound marketing strategy drives sales through organic means. This is a complex process that takes time but also helps create a pipeline that never dries. So, leveraging organic means is the modern way to create consistent leads.

Q. What is outbound marketing?

Ans. Here the customers come to you through emails, ads, offers, and other such mediums where you present your services in front of them. Some outbound marketing examples are cold calls, cold emails, telemarketing, hoardings, pop-ups, paid adverts, and collaborations with celebrities.

Q. How do we ensure customer satisfaction?

Ans. Customer satisfaction is an integrated factor for increasing sales. Here are some ways to ensure the same:

• Smooth onboarding process.
• Facilitating quick returns and refunds.
• Impeccable dispute dissolution team.
• Compensating for damages.