In many ways, modern CDL driver recruiting is a lot like sales. In product sales, your customers are considered a valuable part of your marketing efforts and are, essentially, the best salespeople who aren’t on your team. In CDL driver recruiting, this is equally true for your drivers. The best way to encourage new potential drivers to join your team is by sharing the stories of your current drivers! This means gathering their testimonials. Testimonials combine some of the best parts of a full-scale marketing plan into one convenient package:
- They promote the best parts of your business to potential drivers.
- They come off as ‘less salesy’ because they are from the driver’s perspective in their own words.
- They address issues or drawbacks that could be a concern for others in the same position.
- They alleviate uncertainty in potential drivers.
That being said, collecting and promoting CDL driver testimonials can be tricky. After all, not everyone is comfortable sharing their story and not everyone has only nice things to say about their experience with your company.
Here are five creative ways to collect and leverage CDL driver testimonials in your recruiting strategy:
- Start with your online reviews. If you’re wondering where to start looking for testimonials, online reviews are the first place that should come to mind. While online reviews themselves don’t quite qualify as a professional testimonial, they will show you potential drivers to contact for full-scale interviews. Additionally, if there are a few particularly eloquent reviews on a site like Glassdoor or Google, you can re-use these snippets elsewhere on your website or social media channels. Just make sure to let your audience know where the review came from so they know you weren’t prompting the feedback.
- Create video snippets of some of your best drivers. Testimonials can be used in a few different ways. You can simply write up a quote to use on your website alongside a picture of a driver, or you can actually get the testimonial on video. Capturing these video testimonials opens a lot of doors for use. For example, if a potential driver is showing hesitation or asking specific questions during the hiring process, you can send them a testimonial video directly that answers their question in a current driver’s voice. Or, you can create a longer mash-up of all testimonials for larger promotions such as a digital campaign.
- Highlight testimonials on all of your channels. When it comes to promoting CDL driver testimonials, a website is always the best place to start. After all, this is where a ton of traffic from new drivers will start. But this isn’t where your promotion should end. Post testimonials on your company’s Glassdoor page, Yelp page, and any social media channels you may have, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter. Share video snippets with drivers through emails and direct any online ads or digital campaigns to your testimonial videos.
- Connect current drivers with prospects during the recruiting process. Sometimes, a testimonial can become even more powerful when it’s provided live from one driver to the other. If you’re working with a driver applicant who needs a little more confidence in taking the next step, consider connecting them with a current driver for a one-on-one conversation. Just make sure you’ve picked a driver who will speak well of the company and can articulate why they’re a fan. If possible, ask if you can record the conversation and pull out any tidbits for future testimonial needs.
- Always be updating your testimonial collection. Collecting driver testimonials isn’t something that should happen once and then be considered a done deal. CDL driver recruiters should constantly be on the lookout for new drivers to approach about testimonials. You can survey drivers about the recruiting and application process, the experience of actually being on the road, and even the sense of community and culture among drivers. Keep your testimonial collection fresh for the highest rate of success!
At DriverReach, we are providing CDL driver recruiters with the solutions to create a streamlined, driver-focused recruiting process. When your drivers are happy and satisfied, they’re more willing to speak in favor of your team.
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