If you’re a driver recruiter, it’s easy to get focused on deliverables. You’re under a lot of pressure, and people are looking at you to help your fleet keep moving freight. It’s critical to be able to provide proven results to management and executives.
Events, however, often seem like a channel which lack measurable results. They cost you time and money, but they aren’t trackable or measurable, right?
Wrong. Trade shows can be a great channel for generating real, measurable results. How can your fleet can use events to drive measurable recruiting goals and hire new truck drivers?
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Generating Applications
Doing a little bit of homework is the first step in generating driver applications at a trucking industry trade show. You need to know things like: the number of attendees at the trade show, the percentage of driver attendees, and the breakdown of company drivers vs. owner-operators.
Knowing that the drivers you need are at a show is critical to achieving hiring success from trade show applications.
Now that you have done some homework, you know that the drivers you need to hire are attending the show. Beyond just a big booth, you’ll want to invest in additional sponsorship opportunities. These will help you raise awareness among attendees and drive booth traffic.
Blog: 5 Ideas for Recruiting Drivers Through Events
These sponsorships may look like:
- High level sponsorships prominently displayed in specific areas, entertainment, and promotions
- Lower level sponsorships displayed in high-traffic areas such as food courts, entrances, and stairwells
Whether you have a big booth and additional sponsorships that raise awareness or not, you can still get applications and driver information for follow-up. At a trade show, you get something you can’t get through any other channels: face-to-face time with active truck drivers.
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Post-Show
The information you gathered at a trade show is critically important to accomplishing your hiring goals. Most likely you didn’t actually hire drivers on the floor of the trade show. You’re far more likely to talk to drivers about the benefits of working with for your fleet, accept applications, and scan badges for lead retrieval.
Blog: 3 Ways to Recruit Drivers at Events
After the show there are a few ways you can follow up with drivers and reinforce your recruiting message:
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1. Email
Email is a great way to follow up with drivers after an event. If you’re using a lead retrieval system, most likely you’ve collected emails. Promotions can also get you valuable personal email addresses. It’s key to make sure you immediately begin following up by email to ensure drivers are engaged and aware.
2. Phone
While emails may be the most prominent data you get from drivers at a trade show, you’ll also get phone numbers. This is especially true if you’re actively generating applications at events. This gives you the perfect opportunity to reach back out to interested drivers and convert into new hires.
3. Digital Ads
You can build digital ads from the information you gather at trade shows and other industry events. Facebook, for instance, will allow you to build custom audiences from email addresses. This is the perfect way to keep your employer brand front-and-center even months after a show.
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Your post-show follow up is key to actually hiring the drivers you spoke to.
Trade shows require a lot of work. Not only do you have to be present at the time of the show, but you have to set up, break down, and follow up after the show. But with a little time, effort, and investment, you can drive measurable recruiting results and get your fleet’s trucks back on the road.
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