Truckload Authority - Winter 2014/15

Sponsored by SKYBITz
SKYBITz.com | 888.698.1733
If you choose print advertising, find out if the
publication has an online edition, too. The type of
publication is also important. Some “digest” style
trucking publications are aimed at drivers who
are searching for a new employer; recruiting advertisements
make up the bulk of their content.
Other publications, such as The Trucker newspaper,
work to build a loyal readership reaching
a higher caliber driver, some targeting drivers,
owner-operators and even industry management.
These publications may not produce as many immediate
responses, because readers are there
for education and entertainment rather than only
to find a new carrier, but don’t make the mistake
of thinking this group of drivers aren’t constantly
looking to better their careers and improve their
quality of life. If you present them with an effective
message and a legitimate opportunity to find better
success, they’ll remember and respond to your
ad once they seek additional information. Applications
from these drivers may be more desirable,
because they have taken the time to learn about
the industry and your company.
Radio and television advertising is generally
expensive but supporting programming that targets
the audience you want to reach can be effective.
Don’t fall prey to the stereotype, however,
that says all truck drivers like country music and
car racing.
The Internet offers a
large variety of modern
advertising options, but
restraint is prudent, according
to Jackson. “Too
often media buyers become
enamored with the
newest offerings on the
market,” he said. “They
begin drastically shifting
their media investments
in hopes they have discovered
the silver bullet
only to soon be faced
with the reality they overzealously
estimated the
benefits. The key is understanding that advertising
all works together. The objective is to generate
enough interest over time that potential applicants
will take direct action toward your company. There
is no magic medium. A congruent message,
sound placement and buying strategies, consistent
investment, hard work and a willingness to
exercise patience in your long-term approach will
yield winning results.”
Websites designed specifically for recruiting
truck drivers are a popular choice that some
carriers have found to be successful. There are,
however, a few things to consider when making a
decision on who to sign. Some, for example, offer
to send the user’s application to a large number
of carriers. Leads and applications of this type
are typically lower in quality, since the applicant
has no interest in working for you specifically but
is instead fishing for the best offer. Many carriers
avoid these applications and the host of “perpetually
dissatisfied” drivers who send them.
On the Internet, you can find a wide variety
of advertising options. Search-Engine Marketing
(SEM) is an efficient way to get your ad in front
of people who are most likely to want to see it.
Google, Yahoo! and Bing are among the largest
search engines and can put together a program
that does this. Google’s Adword program, for example,
brings your listing to the top when a user
searches for a topic containing a word or term you
specify. You can also purchase “sponsored” links
that appear in a manner you choose.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a tool
that Web developers use to get websites to show
up higher on the search results list by including
words and phrases that are more likely to get
picked up by search engines. Using SEO techniques
can help searchers find your website more
easily, but there’s another benefit. Websites that
want your advertising dollars should also be optimized
for search engines. If your company doesn’t
appear on the first page of search results, that
may not be a wise advertising spend.
Another Internet advertising option involves
tracking a user’s Web usage and selling ad space
accordingly. For example, if a job hunter has recently
visited the websites of several trucking
companies, the ad software would cause your ad
to come up on that person’s screen.
Geo-targeting is another option that some advertisers
offer. A carrier looking for drivers near a
terminal or in a particular geographic region can
purchase advertising that is directed at users in
those areas.
Retargeting or remarketing can help keep your
message in front of users until they’re ready to
make a decision.
When advertising on the Internet, information
is available on how many people clicked on your
“Certain messages will resonate well with America’s most
professional drivers while other messages will be met with cynicism
and skepticism. How do you create brand differentiation in a sea of
brands permeating recruiting media? It must begin with making sure your
message is congruent with your company culture.”
-Micah Jackson, Publisher & General Manager of The Trucker News Organization
ad, where they went and how long they stayed.
Google Analytics is one service that provides information
of this type.
The Internet offers many advertising options,
but don’t expect huge results from any one source.
“New technologies are changing driver recruitment
strategies,” Jackson explained. “Implementing
a number of them is wise, but be sober minded
in your expectations.”
New advertising avenues don’t change the basics,
either, Jackson said. “No matter the medium,
your message, reputation, company offerings and
skill of your recruiters to make a lasting connection
with that applicant will make the real difference.”
Encourage action:
Sales can’t be made until someone agrees
to buy. But, what’s a “sale” in driver recruiting? A
hire? An application? A phone call? Depending on
the structure of your recruiting department, any of
these can work and all can be useful. Ultimately,
of course, you’re after a hire, but that can’t happen
if you don’t get calls and applications.
When it comes to advertising, your goal is
one-on-one contact with the applicant. Whether
it’s a phone call, application, text, chat or other
method, your recruiters can’t close the deal without
communication. Your advertising must prompt
that communication. You can mention many good
things about your company, but if you don’t list a
phone number or website, you won’t get many responses.
If your ad contains a link to your website, there
should be some direction to go with it. “Learn more
here” or “Contact us at this link” could be a part of
the wording of the ad. It should NEVER take more
than one click to get to your application, so a link to
the app needs to be on every page of your website.
Studies have shown that the more clicks it takes to
get to your application, the more likely the visitor
will leave before getting there.
Your recruiting team should be equipped and
qualified to respond in a manner that’s comfortable
to the driver. If your team can’t receive or send a
text, for example, you’ll have to hope the driver who
responds decides to make a phone call.
If you ask the applicant to call, answer the
phone. Nothing says “your call isn’t important to us”
like a recorded message stating “your call is important
to us.” Half of your callers won’t stay on the line
for you to talk to.
Thirty years ago, faxing an application to a truck
stop for the driver to complete and fax back to you
was a fine idea. That technology has become outdated.
Everyone has access to the Internet, even if
it’s a truck stop kiosk, and free e-mail accounts are
widely available. An applicant who doesn’t have the
ability or initiative to complete an online application
isn’t worth your time.
Your website should
feature a “chat” button that
instantly connects the applicant
with a recruiter. A
request to chat should be
viewed with the same priority
as a phone call.
No matter which
method of communication
your team is equipped to
handle, tell the applicant
what you want them to do
in your advertising.
Skip the gimmicks:
Sign-on bonuses can
be an effective way of generating traffic to your
website or call center. There are, however, a couple
of drawbacks. Sign-on bonuses are rarely what
the name implies. Carriers often incur a credibility
problem when drivers learn that a “sign-on” bonus
is really a “sign-on and make it through orientation
and don’t have any accidents and don’t leave us,
voluntarily or otherwise for six months” bonus.
Then there’s the question of a carrier contributing
to its own turnover problem. After all, if you’re
targeting drivers who come to you for a bonus,
won’t they leave when someone else offers a better
bonus?
“We treat you like family” is a common advertising
refrain. Applicants know that at most familyowned
carriers, any family members are working
in office positions, not out on the road in trucks.
They also know that carriers who claim that they
won’t be “just a number” sometimes have a sixdigit
number on the fender of each tractor and that
“what’s your truck number?” will be the first question
asked by their driver manager.
Applicants respond best to straightforward
advertising that presents an honest portrayal of
what they’ll find at your carrier. Be upfront, find
the applicants you want, reach them where they
are, communicate in the way most comfortable
for them, encourage contact and your recruiting
team will have more success fighting the driver
shortage. After all, every team likes playing in a
full stadium.
28 Truckload Authority | www.Truckload.org TCA 2014-15