In the freight industry, competition is high and attention is limited. That’s why staying visible to Shippers is just as important as offering competitive rates. Freight broker email marketing continues to be one of the most reliable ways to reach decision-makers, nurture relationships, and generate consistent Shipper leads when it’s done right.
In part one of our three-part email marketing series, we’re breaking down how email fits into a Broker’s overall sales strategy, what separates high-performing campaigns from ignored inbox clutter, and how to use email to build trust before a Shipper ever picks up the phone.
Whether you’re just getting started with email or refining an existing strategy, this guide lays the groundwork for creating email campaigns that support steady business growth.
Let’s start at the beginning.
What actually is email marketing and why does it matter?
What is Freight Broker Email Marketing and Why it Matters
Email marketing is simply using email to connect with customers. Freight Brokers can use it to communicate value to Shippers on their own schedule and stay top of mind over time.
According to 2025 research by Litmus, most companies receive $10-$36 in return for every dollar invested in email marketing. This average return on investment is impressive and it makes email the most efficient direct marketing channel.
Unlike social media, for instance, sending an email gets directly in front of the customer without relying on an algorithm. A typical social media post is only relevant for a few hours at most while an email remains accessible until the recipient decides to open or delete it.
And unlike cold calling, which may be an interruption to a Shipper, an email has the potential to connect with the Shipper on their schedule. That being said, at Kopf we recommend email marketing as one part of an effective sales strategy.
How Email Marketing Fits Into a Freight Agent Sales Strategy
As a Freight Agent you are continually working to fill your sales pipeline and grow your book of business. Smart Agents know they cannot put all their “eggs in one basket” so to speak. Relationships turn sour. Staffing changes. Budgets change. The unexpected happens.
This is exactly why we recommend a multi-pronged approach to your sales strategy that includes:
- Building relationships and encouraging referrals
- Maintaining a professional and engaging online presence
- Making cold and warm calls (try this cold call script)
- In person networking
- And yes…email marketing
Email marketing builds upon the work you are already doing in the other areas of your sales strategy. It provides a way to stay connected, nurture leads, and so forth so that initial interaction doesn’t end. Simply ask existing and new leads to opt in to your email list and make it worth their while by offering value.
You can also use email marketing to reach out to cold leads. And, as an added benefit, when you use an email service provider, you can easily track data to help you make informed decisions about what kinds of emails work so you can rinse and repeat.
Types of Email Campaigns for Freight Agents
There are multiple types of emails Freight Agents can send. In the marketing world, each email you send is called a “campaign.” Here are three common types of campaigns.
Cold Emails
When you send a cold or warm email to a lead, focus on how you solve specific problems they have. This could include problem lanes, unique challenges of their specific product that you have experience with (LTL, oversized, liquid bulk, hazardous materials, etc.). You can even use our email template to help get started.
Nurture Emails
Keep top of mind to new leads and current clients by sending nurturing emails that build your authority, trust, and likeability. This could be 1:1 emails you send directly to customers or mass emails you send as a newsletter. You might share longer case studies of the value you provided for a client and the results, testimonials, insights into industry trends, success stories, and so on.
Transactional Emails
These are the day-to-day operational emails you send to welcome new clients, confirm deliveries, or thank clients for their trust. There is additional potential in these emails to include the option to subscribe to your newsletter, offer an incentive to give a referral or a testimonial, connect with you on a specific social platform, or so on. Transactional emails are often opened, so they provide valuable real estate to connect and build your authority. Take advantage of that!
What Makes an Effective Email Campaign for Freight Agents
Whether you are sending a cold email, nurture email, transactional email, or another kind of email, there are always three important elements to keep in mind:
- Research (so you can personalize)
- Focus on solutions (so you provide value)
- Be concise (because Shippers are busy)
When you research, focus on solutions, and are concise, your email campaign is more likely to be effective.
Personalized
We cannot stress this enough: research, research, research! Do your research ahead of time to find as much information as you can before sending an email. This includes researching the name of the person you should contact which is generally the shipping, logistics, or warehouse manager. Use their name or the company’s name, the products they ship, the lanes they use, and so forth to personalize your email. This is especially important with cold emails.
If you have a newsletter Shippers can subscribe to, include a “Name” field in your opt-in form. Then, when sending a mass email, you can add the code specific to your email service provider’s platform and your Shipper’s name will automatically appear in your email.
As you become more familiar with email marketing, you can tag your customers based on characteristics such as lanes, products, and so forth. When you do this, you’re able to send highly specific content to segments of your list.
Valuable
Along with personalizing your emails, address specific needs and offer solutions in every email you send. This helps with customer retention and driving conversions.
Actionable
End with a clear next step such as a brief call or meeting to discuss. Be sure to include an easy way to schedule with you, whether that be a scheduler (like Calendly), or simply list a few times that might work.
Other specific calls to action could be:
- Book a call
- Reply back
- Quote my load now
- Get your free freight audit
- Find capacity for your __ lane (personalize the location)
- Get rates for __ to ___ (personalize the locations)
- Save 10% on your first shipment
How to Measure Success in Email Campaigns
Set aside 15 minutes at the same time each week to take a look at how your email campaigns performed. At a minimum, be sure to monitor the open rate, click rate (or conversion rate), and unsubscribes.
An easy way to do this is to make a simple spreadsheet with the metrics you want to track across the top. Then add your weekly data for every email you send. It could look something like this:
You can find this information with your email service provider, if you are using one. If you are sending 1:1 emails you might not be able to see this information. However, you can note if a Shipper scheduled a call with you or replied back to an email you sent. This information will be helpful as well.
In general, a good open rate is 20-25%, a good click through rate is 4-6%, and an unsubscribe rate below 0.1-0.5% is ideal.
Email Marketing Best Practices
While we fully support email marketing at Kopf, we have seen Agents make mistakes that have resulted in negative ramifications, such as an email account being disabled or emails being sent to spam and never opened. Therefore, the following tips are Kopf’s guidelines for email sending.
Tip #1 – Use an Email Service Provider
If you are sending bulk emails, it is necessary to send them through an external email service provider (ESP). An ESP isn’t an inbox where you receive emails. It is an email sending tool.
A few popular ESPs include: Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, and MailerLite. Basic plans usually start around $20 a month, with some offering free plans depending on how many tools you need and the size of your email list. It is easy to do a quick online search for the differences between pricing and features between platforms.
Tip #2 – Use a Branded Email Address
While you can use yourname@gmail.com, we don’t recommend it. Instead, it builds credibility, trust, and is less spammy if your email has your agency info connected with it: yourname@youragency.com. Keep in mind some ESPs require you to have a branded email in order to use their services.
Tip #3 – Use an Opt-In Form and Make it Easy to Unsubscribe
While you do not need a website, you will need a way to collect leads so you can send emails. If you do not have a website, ESPs usually provide landing pages where you can create a page that has an opt-in form embedded into it and these subscribers automatically get added to your subscriber list. Asking someone to opt-in means they want to receive your emails and if they choose to unsubscribe later, they may do so. This makes your email less likely to be seen as spam and in compliance with current regulations.
Tip #4 – Be Brief and Make Your Emails Scannable
Most people don’t read every word of an email. So, be sure to make yours easy to read and easy to scan. This includes using bold text for main ideas or your call to action, bullet points, and writing in short paragraphs or single sentences.
Common Email Marketing Mistakes Freight Agents Make
If you’re going to take the time to include email marketing as part of your sales strategy, take the time to do it with intentionality. This doesn’t mean hours crafting the perfect words, but rather make it a recurring event you block off in your weekly schedule. This could be 30-60 minutes.
Unclear Goals
Before you write any email ask yourself: What is the action I want someone to take after reading this email? Every email you write should have a clear call to action.
Generic
Don’t send generic blasts. This is likely to get your email in the spam filter. Instead of sending one-size-fits all, personalize your emails for different clients.
Poor Subject Lines
Even if you write the most amazing email, if it isn’t opened, it doesn’t matter. Sometimes Agents write subject lines that are vague or spammy. Instead, spark curiosity, be problem-focused, create urgency, be direct, be personalized.
Tip! Write your content first and then go back and write your subject line.
Not Tracking
Work smarter, not harder! Keep track of which emails get opened and clicked. Use those emails or frameworks again instead of reinventing the wheel each time.
Using Email Marketing to Build Long-Term Freight Relationships
Email marketing is worth the effort if you want to build long-term relationships with Shippers. For cold leads it can be a highly effective prospecting tool. For warm leads and existing customers, it is a powerful way to build your credibility and stay top of mind. Make your emails personalized, provide value by focusing on solutions, concise, and provide a clear call to action.
If you haven’t already, now is a great time to add email marketing to your sales strategy.
Read this next: Email Marketing Part 2 (coming soon!)
Questions People Also Ask
Does email marketing work for Independent Freight Agents?
Yes. Email marketing works well when used consistently and paired with personalization. It helps Agents stay visible with Shippers and supports long-term relationship building.
How do Independent Freight Agents find emails for Shippers?
Freight Agents typically source emails through industry directories, LinkedIn research, CRM databases, referrals, and outbound prospecting tools.
How often should Independent Freight Agents send marketing emails?
Most Agents see the best results with consistent but non-intrusive outreach, such as weekly or biweekly emails, depending on the campaign goal.
What should a Independent Freight Agent include in a marketing email?
Effective emails include a clear value proposition, a brief introduction, relevant industry context, and a simple call to action without being overly sales-focused.
Is cold email legal for Independent Freight Agents?
Yes, cold email is legal when Agents follow CAN-SPAM guidelines, include proper identification, and provide a clear opt-out option. This is why we recommend using an email service provider.