We know that standing out from the competition isn’t the easiest task. The trucking industry is a competitive market, and drivers have endless choices when choosing a company to drive for. More often than not, trucking companies fall into this ‘sea of sameness’ where they copy the competition or simply stick to what they’ve been doing out of fear of changing routes. But, if you want to stand out from the rest, differentiating your company is crucial to your success. Below are five steps to stand out in a driver-centric market. 

1. Strengthen branding.

Your brand is more than just a logo. It influences the way others perceive your company, so it’s essential to be strategic and thoughtful when creating it. Think about your values and mission, and then make a consistent way to communicate that brand across all of your business touchpoints. This includes your website, social media, and marketing materials. Once you have strong branding and clear brand identity, you’ll get to the point where prospective drivers, and shippers, will instantly recognize your brand.

2. Define your company values.

Values are the driving force behind a good brand. Taking the time to define clearly, outline, and communicate your values can help attract the right type of talent while also helping your business stand out from the crowd. It can also help with driver recruitment because the driver will be able to quickly understand what your company is all about and whether or not that aligns with their own personal goals. 

3. Deck out your drivers.

It’s important to remember that drivers are the face of your brand. Every time a driver picks up or drops off loads or takes a break at a rest stop, they interact with customers and other drivers. Providing them with branded merchandise to wear while on the road reinforces your brand even more. After seeing your brand several times and interacting with drivers who hold the same values as your company, people will start to remember you in a positive way. 

4. Get competitive with compensation.

Our previous topic covered how beneficial it is to build a competitive compensation package. With the state of the industry, this means going beyond base salary and getting creative with benefits. That means introducing more modern benefits like paying hourly versus per mile or food stipends for while on the road. Benefits like these can really help boost morale. Additionally, with truck drivers in-demand, adding on unique benefits like these may be the tie-breaker between you and another company. 

5. Build a healthy company culture.

Your reputation depends on your company culture. It also does a lot of the heavy lifting when retaining and attracting talent. Although driving may seem like a solitary career, drivers talk to and trust the opinions of one another. That’s why it’s crucial to cultivate healthy company culture. When your drivers are happy and engaged, they’re more likely to tell others how wonderful it is to be part of your fleet. 

If you’re going to attract top talent and quality drivers, you will have to look beyond the black and white and find a way for your fleet to stand out. These five steps are a great place to start, but if you’re looking for even more guidance, KJ Media is here to help. Reach out today and see how our 15+ years of trucking industry experience can help drive your business forward.