Freight broker lead generation costs $150 to $500 per booked shipper appointment. Freight leads cost $20 to $100 or more each. A managed outbound program runs $1,500 to $10,000 a month. A bulk shipper list costs $250 to $700.
Your real cost is what you pay for each shipper that tenders freight. Below, you will see every price and how to work out that number. This is for brokerages and freight agents who want more shippers. It leaves out carrier sourcing and what brokers charge shippers.
Freight Broker Lead Generation Cost at a Glance
Here is what you can expect to pay.
- Shipper lists cost $250 to $700 as a one-time bulk file. A database subscription runs $300 to $12,000 a year.
- Shared freight leads sit at the low end of the $20 to $100 range. Several brokers get the same shipper.
- Exclusive freight leads start around $100. Only your brokerage gets the lead.
- You pay $150 to $500 for each booked shipper appointment with a decision maker.
- If you hire a team to run outbound, expect $1,500 to $10,000 a month.
- Hiring your own freight sales rep works out to $1,000 to $2,600 per booked meeting. That counts salary, commission, benefits and tools.
Shipper Leads Cost by Lead Type
Shipper records cost under 3 cents each. Shared and exclusive leads cost $20 to $100 or more. Booked appointments cost $150 to $500. The lower the price, the more work your team does. The higher the price, the more work moves off your desk.
| Lead type | Price | What you get | What your team does |
| Shipper records | Under 3 cents each in bulk | Company name and phone, sometimes a contact. Most numbers are main lines. | Other brokers already called them. You do all the outreach. |
| Shared freight leads | Low end of $20 to $100 | A shipper that asked for quotes. | Several brokers call the same shipper, so the talk turns to the lowest rate. |
| Exclusive freight leads | About $100 and up | A shipper that needs freight, sold only to you. | Your rep reaches the shipping manager and checks lanes and volume. |
| Booked shipper appointments | $150 to $500 | A call with a decision-maker who confirmed modes, lanes, and load volume. | Your team takes the call. |
A director of transportation at a shipper moving 50 loads a month costs more to book than a small spot shipper.
Cost Per Shipper Appointment by Channel
An outsourced meeting costs $150 to $500. A meeting from an in-house rep costs $1,000 to $2,600. Each channel reaches a different kind of shipper. Most growing brokerages use two or three.
- Cold calling reaches shipping and logistics managers who skip email. You mostly pay for your rep’s time. A good opener matters more than more calls, so use cold calling scripts for freight brokers.
- Cold email costs the least per touch. Domains and inboxes run about $50 to $100 a month. Data and email checks cost extra. Few people reply, so send emails after you call. Cold email templates for freight brokers are an easy way to start.
- LinkedIn works for directors of transportation and VPs of supply chain at mid-size shippers. You pay for a seat and your rep’s time. It books fewer meetings than phone.
- Paid search brings shippers who shop on rate for spot freight. Trade shows cost five figures once you add booth and travel. Referrals are cheap, but you can’t get them on demand.
An in-house rep costs more than a wage. Brokerage sales reps average about $74,000 a year in base wages. Commission, taxes, benefits and tools bring that to $100,000 to $125,000. At 4 to 8 qualified meetings a month, each meeting costs $1,000 to $2,600.
Outsourcing costs $150 to $500 per booked meeting, or a monthly fee. With outsourced shipper appointment setting, the cost leaves your payroll. You pay for meetings, not a fixed bill in slow freight months. CallingAgency charges $1,299 to $1,699 a month for a dedicated calling agent, based on seat count. Our outsourced freight broker lead generation service averages $250 per qualified meeting.
How Much Does a Shipper List Cost?
A shipper list costs $250 to $700 as a one-time bulk file. A database plan costs $300 to $12,000 a year. A custom verified list is priced per contact. The cheapest list is rarely the cheapest to work.
- Bulk files give you tens of thousands of shippers for a few hundred dollars. Many emails bounce. Most phone numbers are main lines. Other new brokers already called these contacts.
- Database plans are priced by mode, such as dry van, reefer, flatbed or LTL. Want direct dials and emails? That costs more too. Plans that let you export them sit at the top of the range.
- Custom lists fit your lanes, modes and freight profile. The list builder confirms each contact is a shipping or logistics decision-maker. You pay per verified contact, so you only pay for records that pass. That is how custom shipper list building usually works.
Every wrong contact wastes a call and an email. Every bounce also hurts your sender reputation for the next campaign.
What Drives Freight Leads Pricing Up or Down
Six things change the price. Some push it up and some bring it down.
- Reefer, flatbed and drayage shippers are hard to come by. Dry van shippers are easy. Finding the rare ones takes more work, so you pay more.
- A nationwide list costs little. A list for your lanes costs more.
- Shippers with steady contract freight and a routing guide need more touches before you reach them.
- Add a minimum load volume, a decision-maker title or an active RFP window. You get better meetings. They cost more.
- A lead or meeting that only you get costs more than one shared with other brokers.
- DNC scrubbing and TCPA-safe dialing for mobile numbers cost money. Skipping them costs more.
The Number That Matters: Cost per Won Shipper
Here is how to find your cost per won shipper. Take what you spent on lead generation. Divide it by the new shippers that tender at least one load. Run the numbers each quarter for every channel.
A booked meeting is not income. New shippers often try you on a spot load or a backup load first. Routing guide lanes come later. Your return starts with the first load and grows over bid season.
Here is an example for one quarter.
- You spend $5,000 and book 20 meetings at $250 each.
- 16 of those meetings happen.
- 4 shippers sign a credit application.
- Of those, 3 tender a first load.
- Each won shipper costs you about $1,667.
Is the spend worth it? Check it against margin. TIA’s Q3 [year] 3PL Market Report found truckload gross margin averaged $261 per load. At 6 loads a month each, three shippers give you about $4,700. That repays your spend in just over a month.
Here is a real example. In seven months, one logistics provider got 116 qualified appointments and 27 new shipping accounts. That means 23% of meetings became accounts. At $250 per meeting, each new account would cost about $1,075.
How to Set a Freight Broker Lead Generation Budget
- Find your margin first. Take your average gross margin per load. Multiply it by the loads a new shipper sends you each month.
- Set a limit. Your cost per won shipper should stay under two to three months of that shipper’s margin.
- Work out your meetings. Divide the new shippers you want by your meeting-to-shipper rate. That gives you the meetings you need.
- Add up the cost. Multiply those meetings by what you pay for each booked meeting. Use your in-house cost or your outsourced cost.
- Track three numbers each month. They are your cost per booked meeting, your cost per won shipper and the loads each new shipper sends by day 90.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does freight broker lead generation cost?
A booked shipper appointment costs $150 to $500. A managed outbound program runs $1,500 to $10,000 a month. Exclusive shipper leads start around $100. A shipper list costs $250 to $700.
How much do freight broker leads cost?
Shared freight leads cost the low end of the $20 to $100 range. Exclusive leads start around $100. Neither price covers your rep’s time to reach the decision maker.
What is a fair cost per shipper appointment?
Most meetings cost $150 to $500. Check that against your margin. A new shipper with a few loads a month can pay it back fast. That works if one in four or five meetings becomes an account.
How much does a shipper list cost?
A one-time bulk list costs $250 to $700. A database plan costs $300 to $12,000 a year. A custom verified list costs more per record. Fewer of your calls go to waste.
Is it cheaper to hire a freight sales rep or outsource lead generation?
Outsourcing is cheaper. You pay $150 to $500 per meeting. A freight sales rep costs $1,000 to $2,600 per meeting after salary, commission and tools. Hire in-house when your meeting volume stays steady. Then a rep can own accounts after the first load.
How long does it take for a new shipper to tender the first load?
It depends on the shipper. Many start with spot freight or backup loads within weeks of the first meeting. Routing guide lanes often wait for the next RFP or bid season.
