Trucking has probably been more of a follower than a leader when it comes to adapting to the Internet, but a recent feature story in marketing tabloid BtoB shines a nice light on truckload and logistics provider Con-Way Inc. for its use of social media. (“B-to-B” is marketing jargon for business-to-business relationships.)
“Twitter application drives business for trucking company” focuses on Con-Way’s uses of Twitter and Facebook.
This month the company launched a Twitter feed that sends load listings, usually hundreds per day, to its followers. Since those messages can be received via phone as well as computer, the distribution method is well-suited to Con-Way’s drivers. This press release explains more about how the company is using Twitter for load-matching.
“Con-Way CMO Tom Nightingale has aggressively guided his company’s brand onto Facebook, LinkedIn [similar to Facebook, but for the business world], Twitter, Youtube and other social networks,” says the story. “He also uses blogs to scour the Web for leads — for both new customers and new employees — and as a thought-leadership platform.”
Con-Way also uses the HootSuite application “to listen and respond to posts about the company.” That’s a great idea for trying to manage a reputation, considering there is no shortage of online venues for drivers to vent, whether justified or not, about carriers.
You can find links to Con-Way’s initiatives with Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and an RSS feed on its site
