uShip provides every carrier on its shipping platform with a free built-in marketing tool called a profile page.
If you’re a uShip carrier, it’s on this profile page that you have the opportunity to post a brief writeup or biography in the About The Company section to:
- Make your company shine
- Build trust with potential customers
- Give them a reason to believe you’re the best transporter for the job
Unfortunately, not all uShip carriers take advantage of or maximize their profile page – a free sales and marketing tool.
Here are three biography mistakes commonly made by transporters – and one secret ingredient that can set your company apart from the rest.
Mistake 1: Punctuality and grammar
While this is a fairly simple one, its importance can’t be underestimated. If a potential customer observes that you are careless with the grammar on your own company writeup, will you be equally as careless with their belongings?
It takes just a few minutes to proofread or spellcheck your profile. There’s no shortage of free grammar check tools online, including Grammarly, Ginger, and Grammarcheck.net. Just drop in your text and they’ll let you know if something needs correcting.
It’s also recommended that you avoid writing your company summary in ALL CAPS. In some circles, this means you’re yelling.
When it comes to making a great first impression, this is a must.
Mistake 2: The deal is in the details
Our uShip carrier profile template includes sections for all of the important details for customers. While these fields should be filled out as thoroughly as possible, you can supplement those by adding more information to your written profile.
Potential customers like to know how long you’ve been in service, a little bit about your business, what equipment you operate, services you offer, your terms & conditions, insurance coverage, and more. Including more details quickly can establish trust with potential shippers.
Here’s a strong example of establishing terms and conditions before booking.
Mistake 3: Photos don’t match your experience
The photos you upload to your profile can be a great complement to your written company description. It’s important that they support your story.
If you talk about your Ford F-350 dually with an enclosed BigTex trailer, be sure to show those, not a box truck or sprinter van (unless you have those in your fleet). If you highlight your furniture experience, show blanket wrapped furniture, not motorcycles, in your trailer. You get the idea. Make your photos relevant.
Want more tips on what photos to upload to your profile? Check out our post: 3 Profile Photo Rookie Mistakes – and 3 Carriers Doing It Right.
Secret Ingredient: Connect to your passion
So, your grammar is now perfect, your details are clear and concise, and your photos are relevant. What now? How do you further set yourself apart from other carriers with the same calibre of company description and experience?
Establish a connection to the items you ship.
Some of the most convincing write-ups talk about how a transporter has a history with or a personal experience with a particular category of items.
For example, Willys, a team of two brothers who ship motorcycles, have a long history with cycles as the owners of a dirt bike racing track for 20 years. Logically, they know a few things about motorcycles and therefore are equipped to handle the job.
One provider – A+ Tilt and Load – who operates in the heavy equipment category, highlights some other customer names to build trust and credibility with shippers.
If you’ve shipped a particular item for many, many years, let’s say furniture, reference the various types you’ve shipped – and how careful you are with those pieces – to create a connection with the customer and their item.
To be clear, if you don’t have this connection to what you haul, avoid fabricating one. But if you can convey a unique understanding or history of what you ship, it can work to your advantage.
Conclusion
The goal of a uShip carrier profile is to provide as much quality information as possible to draw customers to your business. The more details and photos you include, the more likely another member of uShip is to feel comfortable booking with you. Whenever possible, communicate your passion or connections to the items you ship to attract new customers.
