As the President of Sokolis a fuel management and fuel consulting firm, I am always asked to advertise in trade magazines, news journals and other publications. Over the years we have tried a little bit of this and a little bit of that and it really hasn’t worked. Most marketing gurus might say you haven’t stuck with something long enough and hey they might be right. The way I look at it, it isn’t their fuel management dollars that I am spending it’s Sokolis’s.
A fuel management client asked me last week, how do you get new clients? I said, “Wow great question!” I told him we have to kiss a lot of frog before we find our fuel management Princes. Most of our contacts are made through conferences that my staff attends or where I may guest speak. Columns that write such as in www.truckinginfo.com or several other columns that we do at Sokolis peak additional interest. The best way, right or wrong, to get a fuel management client or fuel consulting client is the good old cold call. Have you ever done a cold call? I know you have received them. Oh, boy, it’s not easy. You have about 5 seconds to make your pitch and a good first impression. Most people are busy and fuel management probably was not in the front of their minds.
We have tried social media like LinkedIn, where we even have a group there called Fuel Management Sokolis. We have around 130 members who want to know about fuel planning, fuel management and fleet fueling. I believe we do a good job providing educational material. We also will take suggestions (gsokolis@sokolisgroup.com). We have a Fan of Sokolis on Facebook. Not a lot of action there but I don’t think a lot of fleet managers, fuel managers or corporate executives are going through Facebook looking for a fuel consultant. We have a Twitter account @SokolisGroup, if you want to find us. Twitter may or may not be a fad but I like it. I have found information on it with the people with whom I’m connected. On Twitter we post about 10-15 tweets a day about fuel prices and economic conditions that could affect fuel pricing, fuel planning ideas and fuel management tips. Since you can only post 140 charterers it’s quick, but sound information.
Yes, we blog, your reading it. I find these to be the best things our staff and I put out. The problem with a cold call is trying to get the right people to read your blog.
A friend of mine John Derham, jd@probusys.com, www.probusys.com helped us put together a You Tube on Fuel Management that I thought came out great. Good facts, good plugs about Sokolis services and good information about fuel management. You can see the You Tube by clicking here Fuel Management Tips. Let us know what you think.
At the end of the day it’s about working hard and plugging away. If it was easy, everyone would do it. If your company needs fuel consulting, fuel planning, fuel management, or fleet fueling expertise take a minute out of your day and reach out to us. Sokolis!
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