In recent years, freight forwarding has been one of the major leaders in the warehousing and logistics industry in Singapore. In fact, the role that freight forwarding plays has increased significantly due to a number of different factors. Some of the more noteworthy include the expansion of oil and gas projects, e-commerce, food products, electronics industry, new infrastructural developments in Singapore and pharmaceutical and biotech technologies. All of which have had significant input into shaping the future of this industry. It is also important to note that one particular area of freight that has completely dominated this market is sea freight movement.
To that end, it is essential that freight forwarding services in Singapore are aware of the vast amount of opportunities available to them today. In specific, as it relates to digital marketing campaigns opening up more doors of exposure and profitability.
There have been tremendous changes in commerce in the past few decades. Major advancements in technology can be seen in major industries such as transport and telecommunication. It is now easier than ever to conduct businesses across multiple countries. Some people focus solely on imports/exports. In this post, we are going to look at how to market freight forwarding services in Singapore.
Nowadays, one can easily move products across countries, as long as you follow the right procedure. Freight forwarding basically involves helping shippers by arranging storage and transit of products. Some of the services freight forwarding company offers include cargo instance, warehousing and handling of shipping and export paperwork.
Freight forwarders are the connection between the shipper and various transport services such as trucking and air freight. Considering the ease in movement of goods between countries, more entrepreneurs are venturing onto this business. One of the main problems they face is marketing. Only those who are able to promote their freight forwarding companies well succeed.
Let’s have a look at some challenges in the industry.
Inadequate market analysis
Market analysis doesn’t only apply to freight forwarding but also all other businesses. Before starting a business, you have to assess the market trends. The first thing you can focus on is the services offered by other freight forwarders. Look at what your potential competitors are doing and draw a plan to offer better services.
Secondly, you need to know your potential customers. Find out what exactly they are looking for in a freight forwarding firm. Some look for the most affordable services while others prefer one which offers the best customer service. You should also know the external and internal factors that can affect the business. There are many other components of the market you will have to assess in order to craft the best strategies.
Untrained personnel
You freight forwarding company won’t make much progress if the employees do not have the necessary skills. Most shippers find the process of moving their goods from one place to another a daunting task. They will therefore seek the services of someone who can do the job better than them.
When the staff is not well-trained, there will be limitations on how much you can grow as a business. When they find themselves in situations they can’t handle, clients are lost. A freight forwarding firm performs better if all the employees have enough knowledge and experience.
Changes in the marketing sector
If you discover that your marketing efforts are not yielding any fruits, it is time to reflect. The marketing world has undergone so many changes in the past two decades. The rise in e-commerce is one of the reasons why your marketing techniques might not be working anymore.
A large part of the population has access to the internet and can acquire most of the services/products there. With the rise in freight forwarding firms, the transport of goods from one region/country is easier. Competition for clients is high.
That being said, here are some proven ways to market freight forwarding services in Singapore.
Be smart with pricing
There are customers who won’t really care about the services you offer. Once you contact them they will inquire about your prices. High prices are a turn off. With so many freight companies available, you could easily lose a client because of your charges.
How can you get your pricing right? First, you need to understand that not all customers are the same. As you negotiate with a customer, get to know what exactly they need from you. Look at what your competitors are charging for that service and give a reasonable number.
There are many other factors to consider. If for instance you are charging higher services for a particular service, tell the customer how they are going to benefit from it. You must demonstrate that they will get value for their money.
Expand to other locations
We mentioned earlier that there is a lot of competition in the freight forwarding industry. The good news is, you can always outsmart your competitors if you make the right moves. If you have already started the business, set up warehouses and offices in other countries/regions.
When your company covers more countries, the number of customers will increase. If you don’t have a budget for that worry not. You can expand slowly. This way, you will always be a head of most of your competitors.
- Keep the customer satisfied
When running a logistics company, keep in mind that your sole purpose is to solve a problem. If your only intention is to make more profit, your business won’t experience any growth. Serving customers is like marketing your services them. You can include various divisions such as supply chain and express to cater to all audience segments.
- Network
This is a great marketing technique that many people in the logistics industry overlook. Do not look at other freight forwarding companies as competitors. If you partner with some of them, you will gain a lot. You can reach out to this companies by looking up contacts and attending logistics events. As your network grows, so will the number of clients seeking your services.
Promotion of Services with the Use of Innovative Tracking Systems and the Digital Age
Because of all of the latest changes in the freight forwarding industry in Singapore, local companies and international companies alike are expecting more and more data about their shipments. Tracking freight from one destination to another is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for those who want to remain on the cutting edge. Because customers are now concerned about the overall safety of their freight when in transit to its final destination, they are always looking for freight forwarder service systems that will provide detailed information via the Internet and different types of smart devices.
With this in mind, freight forwarders in Singapore can take advantage of these changing consumer demands by developing online marketing strategies that will distinguish their services from others in the same industry.
Creating Successful Campaigns with the Use of a Multi-Faceted Strategy
When marketers design their strategies, it is important that they analyze the different types of resources that they have available. In many cases, the team may want to use all of the ammunition that they can secure to build a successful campaign. For instance, when the site for a freight forwarding services is launched, one of their first objectives may be to ensure the site can maintain a top spot on major search engines like Google. In order to accomplish this goal, the site must meet specific SEO or search engine optimisation requirements. Other strategies like content marketing may also be incorporated by posting engaging content to visitors, while also offering competitive prices on a variety of different related social media forums.
Digital marketing techniques
Building the best online marketing campaign for a freight forwarding services does not have to be difficult if the marketing team identifies the right target audience with a winning strategy. For instance, if the freight forwarder markets their trucking services to the huge target audience that exist on the Internet today, they can maximize their results.
According to information published on https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/, 7 out of 10 Singaporeans has access to mobile devices. It is also important to note that there are over million Singaporeans (in total) that have access to the both mobile devices and the Internet via other communication vehicles like desktops. Therefore, deploying an effective digital marketing campaign can help with building solid success stories for virtually any company that offer these services.
What works nowadays is not what used to work six years ago. If you want to reach out to the internet, you have to establish an online presence. You can do this through various ways. First, through building a website.
The site should contain all your details and the services you offer. You could also include prices for various services if you want. Use SEO techniques to help your website rank higher on search engines. Other than SEO, search engine marketing (SEM) also helps improve visibility by placing your ads above the normal search results. You can never go wrong with a well-designed website.
It is also vital to market your services on social media. Many people spend at least a couple of minutes on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram each day. Create a profile, post regularly about your services and engage the users.
The methods above are crucial for those to market freight forwarding services in Singapore. This however doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try out other techniques. You’re always free to try out new things and see what works for you. If you have problems with your digital marketing, agencies such as MediaOne are always willing to give you a hand.
Conclusion
With the influx of freight forwarding services constantly increasing in Singapore, the opportunities for digital marketing campaigns have also become more prevalent and beneficial. In specific, for those who want to reach the vast amount of Singaporeans on their smart devices and the Internet. To develop a winning strategy, marketing teams can take advantage of building a multi-faceted strategy that includes the use of social media platforms, search engine optimization techniques and content marketing strategies.
