For beginners, the quickest strategy to land shippers is to contact the people who already know you. Get introductions from carriers and other previous contacts. Next, reach out to small and mid-sized shippers that have freight lanes where you already know there is a market.
The largest headache for most brokerages revolves around finding new shipper leads. Load boards won’t help here, as most loads being posted are from brokers and not shippers. The bought lead lists are not very useful either. The reply rates remain thin as all the other brokers serving your lanes have the same list.
This guide covers where to look and what to say. Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Which channels cost the least
- What to ask on the first call
- How to turn one test load into repeat lanes
- What the law says about cold calling
Expect a slow start. Some accounts are tricky and may take months to break. So start your pipeline early. This week, start with one lane and one shipper type.
Freight Broker Channels Ranked by Cost
Referrals and past contacts cost the least. An in-house sales rep costs the most. Treat this ranking as an estimate, because real spend shifts from market to market.
| Rank | Channel | Cost Type | Cost Level |
| 1 | Referrals and past contacts | Time only | Lowest |
| 2 | FMCSA Census data | Free data, staff time | Very low |
| 3 | Thomasnet and MacRAE’s Blue Book | Free search, paid premium listings | Low |
| 4 | Load board (DAT) | Monthly subscription | Low to medium |
| 5 | Outsourced calling | Retainer or per-hour fee | Medium |
| 6 | Shipper trade shows | Booth, travel, staff days | Medium to high |
| 7 | In-house rep | Salary, benefits, commission | Highest |
Why the Free Channels Win
- Referrals: You have built a reputation on good service that past shippers have trusted. Request two referrals from each of them.
- FMCSA Census Data: The Company Census File is made available by the DOT Open Data Portal. Note that it includes entities registered with USDOT, and most of them are carriers, so only the shipper running a private fleet will appear. Verify each one with the FMCSA SAFER System before contacting them.
Where Costs Rise
- Outsourced calling: More than a hire, but requires a detailed script and a lead list.
- Trade show and in-house reps: Scaling is less difficult than starting. The page for cargo and freight agents also contains Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) wage data for related job types.
Confirm the carrier with live FMCSA records prior to booking any load.
How Many Calls Does It Take to Land a Shipper?
Expect 7 to 10 touches per shipper. A touch can be a call, email, or LinkedIn message. Plan your outreach strategy, cold calling tips for freight brokers, and LinkedIn message templates around it.
What the Touch Sequence Looks Like
- Touch 1: Get attention with a short call or email about one specific lane.
- Touch 2: Follow up so the shipper remembers who you are.
- Touches 3 to 7: Share lane updates and your capacity, then follow up again.
- Later touches: Ask for a test load or a rate quote.
Most carriers quit after one or two touches, according to FreightWaves. Steady follow-up is what sets you apart.
To see how follow-up timing works in practice, check out our Dillon Logistics, National LTL carrier, and Wisdom Freight campaign.
How Long the Sales Cycle Runs
A broker agent writing on Close’s blog says closing a client can easily take ten months. So don’t judge your outreach after a few weeks.
FreightWaves suggests 3 to 5 calls, 3 to 5 emails and 3 LinkedIn connection requests a day. Spread out like that, no single day feels heavy, but the touches add up fast.
How to Improve Your Odds
- Build target lists from the DOT Open Data portal, and pull private-fleet shippers only.
- Check each company on FMCSA SAFER.
- Prepare with this logistics client guide before scaling.
- Track touches per week and meetings booked.
Which Channel Fits Your Brokerage’s Stage?
Pick a channel based on how many shippers you have and how much cash you can spend. Move to the next one only when the current channel books freight. No government or university source ranks channels by stage, so this is an industry-based estimate.
| Stage | Best Channels | Main Goal | Cost Level |
| New broker | Referrals, FMCSA Census data | First shipper | Very low |
| Growing brokerage | Thomasnet, MacRAE’s, DAT, outsourced calling | Repeat spot loads | Low to medium |
| Established brokerage | Trade shows, in-house rep, RFP bids | Routing guide lanes | Medium to high |
New Broker With No Shippers Yet
- Ask for referrals first: Former employers, carriers and customers cost nothing to contact.
- Build a target list: Pull private-fleet shippers from the DOT Open Data portal, then check each one on FMCSA SAFER.
- Set a daily habit: Block out time every day for a few cold calls and emails.
- Prepare your pitch: Work through the DAT Finding Shippers 101 guide first.
Growing Brokerage With a Few Accounts
- Search directories: Use Thomasnet and MacRAE’s Blue Book to find manufacturers by product and region.
- Use a load board: A DAT load board helps you cover loads fast and prove you’re reliable.
- Outsource calling: Wait until your script converts, then hand it off.
- Stay patient: Early accounts rarely close fast.
- Hire a rep: Do it once your calls start booking meetings. The BLS has data on cargo and freight agents if you want a pay benchmark.
Established Brokerage Chasing Contract Freight
- Trade shows: Meet decision makers before bid season starts.
- Bid timing: Many large shippers run RFPs once a year, so ask when the next one opens.
- Bid selection: Shippers may doubt a small or mid-size broker that bids on a 500-lane RFP, so choose your lanes carefully.
- Targets: Judge each RFP by lanes won, not lanes bid.
- Funding: Plan your growth with the SBA business guide.
Do Load Boards Help You Find Shippers?
Yes, but only a little. Load boards mainly connect you with carriers. Shipper discovery only works when the board includes a directory. Also, DAT is a vendor, so take its claims with a grain of salt.
What Load Boards Do Well
- Every DAT application and load board includes the DAT Directory for free.
- The directory shows contact details for shippers, brokers and carriers, plus carrier FMCSA safety ratings.
- DAT One Express costs from $159 a month and lets you search and post loads without limits.
What They Do Not Do
- Some shippers post directly to load boards to find carriers, so they may not need a broker at all.
- Load boards mostly help you post your shippers’ loads and find trucks.
Where to Get a Free Shipper List
You can build a free shipper list from licensed intermediary databases, trade directories and free trials of trade data platforms. Raw U.S. customs shipment data isn’t free. Still, free tools can surface importers and freight forwarders that need trucking.
Best Free Sources
- FMCSA SAFER System: Search carriers and brokers by name or DOT number. For shippers, it only confirms the ones running a private fleet.
- Federal Maritime Commission: The FMC lists licensed freight forwarders and NVOCCs, which may need inland trucking.
- Trade data platforms: Panjiva, ImportGenius and Volza show importers and offer limited free searches. Free access usually caps results at a few records.
- Directories and chambers: Trade directories and chamber of commerce member lists give you free contact details for local manufacturers.
Quick Comparison Table
| Source | Data Type | Cost | Best For |
| FMCSA SAFER | Carriers, brokers and private fleets | Free | Checking private-fleet shippers |
| FMC | Licensed forwarders and NVOCCs | Free | Inland and drayage leads |
| Trade data platforms | Bill of lading data | Free trial | Importer leads |
| Directories and chambers | Member contacts | Free | Local manufacturers |
How to Use a Free Shipper List
- Executes pulling importer and forwarder leads from the FMC & trade data platforms.
- Include directories and chambers of commerce that list your local manufacturers.
- Verify all private-fleet shippers in SAFER.
- Contact each company through its official website to verify.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Avoid lists that are free and later charge you to pay.
- DO NOT use old data. Check the update date first.
- Issued license and insurance checks.
What Should You Ask on the First Call?
In an opening call, ask the buyer about the lane type, the renewal date, the volume and a test load. Don’t pitch rates first. Your goal is a qualified next step, not a quote.
For truckload and LTL, the transportation manager often picks providers, while a logistics director may sign off.
First Call Question Checklist
| Ask | Why It Matters |
| Who owns carrier decisions for these lanes? | Confirms you reached the real buyer |
| Do you buy this lane on contract or on the spot market? | Spot buyers move freight now, while contract buyers wait for an RFP |
| Who is your current provider and when does the agreement renew? | Sets your follow-up date |
| Which lanes and how many loads per week? | Sizes the opportunity |
| What would you need to approve a new broker? | Reveals insurance or compliance checks |
| Can I quote one test load? | Creates a low-risk first step |
Why Site-Level Buyers Matter
The 2022 Commodity Flow Survey found that 56.4% of national tonnage moved under 50 miles. That suggests plant or DC managers often book short-haul moves themselves.
Shippers with a private fleet also appear on FMCSA SAFER.
Close the Call
- Confirm the contact’s email.
- Book a follow-up date tied to the renewal.
Should You Hire a Rep, Recruit Agents or Outsource?
Outsource first if you are looking for leads fast and have low risk. Once you have some consistent leads to feed them, hire a rep. When you want to expand, hire agents without the payroll.
Quick Decision Guide
- Hire a rep: Best for control and long-term growth. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists pay and training needs for sales reps. Expect months of ramp-up time.
- Recruit agents: Best for low fixed cost. Agents usually work as contractors, so review the IRS contractor rules to avoid misclassification. You also share control of customer relationships.
- Outsource: Best for speed. Outsourced freight broker leads book calls without a hiring or training cycle.
Compliance Check
Every broker needs FMCSA broker authority and proof of $75,000 financial security, either a surety bond or a trust fund agreement. Review the FMCSA broker registration steps before you scale any of these models.
How to Turn One Test Load Into a Book of Business
Get the first load right, follow up within 24 hours and ask for a repeat lane.
- Start small: New brokers will start with only a couple of lanes as a foot in the door.
- Electric of ETAs: Communicate about pick-up and delivery times and report any change instantly.
- Open a quick follow-up: Reach the shipper within the first 24 hours of the initial delivery.
- Quote now: The faster a shipper can lock a carrier, the better.
- Protect your authority: A missing bond filing can lead to suspended operating authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do new freight brokers get their first shipper?
The common way that new freight brokers acquire their first shipper is through personal and professional networks, then engaging the local market, and establishing targeted cold calls.
As a freight broker, how long can it take to book a shipper?
For new freight brokers, traditionally it takes three to six months to land a first shipper. How often you follow up with prospects, your pricing and your niche, as you may require seven to ten touches before they recognize your value.
Which loads do shippers post on load boards?
Shippers mostly post spot, overflow, and one-off loads on load boards, such as short-notice shipments, lanes without contracted carriers, and last-minute capacity gaps. Contracted, high-volume freight usually stays with routing guides. Brokers also post many shipper loads on their behalf.
Is it possible to create a freight broker book of business without cold calling?
Yes. Rely on referrals from carriers and existing shippers. Good tracking and fulfillment increase the likelihood that customers refer you new business. Replies also come in with a short message linked to the shipper’s freight profile. Cold calls expedite the process, but are not necessary.
How do I get customers as a freight broker with no experience?
To get customers (shippers) as a freight broker with no experience, you need a systematic outreach and prospecting plan, or the backing of an established brokerage as a freight agent.
Can you cold call shippers?
Yes, in most cases. Most calls to a business made to solicit sales are exempt from Do Not Call provisions, the FTC says. Never try to sell to consumers and always respect their opt-out requests. FCC wireless autodialer rules do not exempt B2B calls. Make sure to check your state rules, this is not legal advice.
Conclusion
As with all business, finding shippers is about focus and follow-up. Niche down, find all the businesses that transport that kind of freight and then get on the phone, email and LinkedIn. Start with brevity and a single, fairly priced test load in your initial message.
Know that before you contact a shipper, your authority and bond will be checked, so ensure they are active. Once the first load has been delivered, be on time and send regular updates. What makes one load repeated business is your reliable service.
Start this week. Create a list of 25 local shippers and reach out to five of them every day.
