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"Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall."
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Defining Your Trade Show Recruiting Goals
By Ellen Voie
Wandering through the aisles at the Mid-America Trucking Show [this year's show is set for March 22-24 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville] is like paging through a catalog full of fun gifts and educational materials. Some booths showcase their latest technology; others promote a service or organization. A large number of the displays feature carriers who are looking to recruit drivers.
Every booth has one thing in common: They want to get the attendees’ attention and prompt them to stop and see what they have to offer. They might use different ways to attract drivers to their space, but their goal is to capture a few minutes of their time.
Which booths attract the most drivers? Is it the one with the race car parked alongside the literature? Maybe it’s the booth with the shiny new truck. Some folks use candy and free items to lure a visitor to their side of the aisle. Some exhibitors bring in women in shorts and T-shirts, or maybe they’re dressed in long gowns or short dresses. Drawings are also common, especially in the recruiting area, where drivers’ names and addresses are especially valuable.
With all of the different attractions and free gifts at a trade show, how can you make your booth stand out from your competitors so that you can get the attention of the drivers who might otherwise pass you by?
Your booth should promote your brand, or what you want people to think of when they see your company name. Your brand is what sets you apart from the others. Maybe it’s the size of your company, or the fact that it’s family owned and operated, so that you have a focus on drivers and their families. Maybe your brand is related to the type of freight you haul or the area your operations cover. Your brand defines your company.
Then, before you determine what you are going to use to attract drivers to your booth, you should determine whom you are trying to recruit. If you are looking for stable, married drivers who own and operate their own trucks, then you should stay away from using women in shorts or gowns. After all, if a driver’s family is important to him, and he brings his wife and children along, he won’t be coming near your booth if a well-endowed young blonde might approach him.
An owner-operator with experience will be more likely to want to talk about time at home and rider policies than whether or not you offer a sign-on bonus. Think about things that might attract his children to your booth so they drag Dad over for a closer look. Toy trucks, prizes or race cars will bring a driver and his family to your booth more than a Hooters girl, unless she’s dressed as a Disney character!
If you are trying to attract young, single male drivers, then go ahead and hire the Hooters girls. Just remember to consider this group’s safety ratings and tendency to switch carriers as they stop to get a photo taken with their arm around your recruiting lures.
Team drivers are often husband-and-wife partners, who will be attracted by the type of equipment you offer and the areas you cover. They will want to see how much room is in the truck and whether the storage and sleeping accommodations are adequate. Time at home requirements are not as crucial, and holidays and vacations might be less of an issue, since they are already with their spouse. For teams, a pet policy might be more important than one that allows children.
Attracting women to your booth might be important if you wish to recruit females to your operation. Discuss safety issues, and feature your company’s amenities that women might prefer more than their male counterparts, such as no-touch freight or automated transmissions. Rider policies might be more important if the women you are recruiting have children, and pet policies if they have a dog or cat as a companion.
You might think your booth will attract most drivers, but consider your target audience and then anticipate what might prompt them to stop and talk to you. What can you offer to the type of driver you are trying to recruit? Determine what sets you apart from your competitors, and you’ll be more successful in your trade show recruiting efforts.
Ellen Voie, former executive director of Trucker Buddy International, is the author of the book, "Marriage in the Long Run," which can be ordered from any bookstore or online at: http://amazon.com.
