In today’s driver shortage carriers are learning one truth: drivers are golden. Drivers are golden because we have nothing without them. Almost every food, every piece of equipment, every object in eyesight had to have gotten there somehow ... by a truck driver. It is more important than ever for carriers to accept this one truth, that drivers are golden. Not only to carriers need to accept it, carriers need to share the truth with their truck drivers. By accepting that drivers are golden, you will find drivers. By sharing that drivers are golden, you retain drivers. Below are 5 ways to find and keep truck drivers. This list is based on industry trends in driver recruiting and retention.

Social Media

Most drivers are on Facebook, so you want to be where your audience is. Facebook is an affordable avenue for advertising but can also be an effective way to retain drivers. Take advantage of your company Facebook page and grow your presence by posting daily. Drivers are alone on the road and enjoy feeling like they are part of a community. By creating content that is engaging, you can retain current drivers and make potential drivers want to join the club!

Referral Programs

Referral programs are the golden ticket for both carriers and truck drivers. It’s a win-win situation. Truck drivers get to take pride in going out there and getting a friend or acquaintance a new job, while also making a quick buck. You, the carrier, get one more truck filled while also knowing that truck is being driven by someone referred by another one of your drivers. The best way to utilize this program is to literally scream it from the rooftops ... no not literally. But everyone in your company needs to know about the program and why they should use it. The classic rules in advertising do not apply to spreading awareness about this campaign. Your drivers need to be reminded of this program consistently and continuously throughout their time with you. The sky's the limit! Referral cards, email blasts, social posts, name it and you can use it to get the word out there.

Search Engine Marketing

Search Engine Marketing continues to be at the top of our list on what sources we see filling trucks. So, how can carriers best utilize this tool to their benefit? One thing - keywords. Keywords are essential to the success of your search engine marketing campaigns. The “key” with keywords is to start with the title. Make sure that the job title is specific to the position. Broad titles such as “Truck Driver” do not get picked up as well because there are too many jobs out there using that keyword. Narrow it down by including what type of truck driver and license they need. For example, “CDL-A Regional Truck Driver” is something that a Regional Truck Driver is actually searching. You want to get in front of your audience and use the keywords they are searching. Indeed recommends using your job title 3-4 times in every job posting. This will help your job get picked up in search so that your jobs are in front of the right people and you’re getting the apps you need.

Market Research/Competitor Analysis

Know your market and know your competition. Carriers from time to time will see their conversion rates drop in a given area and not know why. This is where research and analysis come in to play. It’s important to understand your markets and what your competitors are offering because this can have a direct effect on your campaign performance. Data is key in decision making and you need research to gather that data. Whether the data is gathered in-house or through a third party, don’t let the research go to waste. Analyze it and proceed accordingly. You may find that updates need to be made to ad copy or benefits to keep up with the competition. These changes are more than worth it because you will see the results.

Diversify Spend

Have you ever heard the saying “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”? That applies to recruiting too. By not advertising on multiple sources you are missing a great opportunity. Drivers do not only look on one source for jobs. They search on numerous sites and platforms. On average, it can take a minimum of 7 touch points for a driver to convert. Diversifying spend also gives you more value for your current efforts. Your campaigns all work together. Think about it - a driver comes across one of your Facebook ads while scrolling through the feed. He’s busy so he doesn’t take action. Later that night he searches for jobs on Indeed. He clicks on your posting and fills out a short form but moves on with his search. The next week he continues to come across your Facebook ads until he Googles you. He finds your job posting on a job board, calls the number to speak with a recruiter and finally completes a full application. How many touch points was that? If you were only advertising on one site would he still have made it through to conversion?

Trends in driver recruiting and driver retention are ever changing, so it’s important to keep up with the times. Incorporating these 5 things will provide you with a holistic approach to truck driver recruitment and retention. Industry trends tell us this is the way to beat the shortage. It will never be a one-size-fits-all solution, so always make data driven decisions and diversify your spend to follow the driver through the journey to conversion.