New year, new marketing plan — Put That Coffee Down

Put That Coffee Down, the freight sales podcast.

How are you adapting marketing in 2021?

https://vimeo.com/495857452
Put That Coffee Down is sponsored by SalesForce

The year ends Thursday and after a challenging 2020, people are hopeful for 2021. 

Last week, Kevin Hill and Blythe Brumleve talked about the challenge of forecasting and adapting your forecasting techniques when things go haywire. 

Today’s episode is all about looking into the new year and changing your strategies for what it may bring. 

Brumleve uses the pivot to virtual conferencing as a great example of adapting to change; she says that the movement of FreightWaves conferences to an online format “gave me the chance to network with people I otherwise would have missed networking with.”

Brumleve brings up a survey done by Logistics Marketing Advisors to provide some context for how people prefer to be contacted in the industry. 

She says the survey gives a lot of clarity to people who may need some direction on how to shape their marketing and sales strategy for the new year. 

Hill believes that when you craft a marketing strategy, you should focus on building your relationship with your customer before turning it into a sales pitch; he thinks using things like webinars and social media content can be like a “Trojan horse,” in which you surprise your audience with a sales pitch hidden inside content. 

Brumleve says when building a new marketing strategy, it’s important to look at your previous returns and figure out what worked and what didn’t to avoid repeating mistakes. 

Kyle MacNaught, director of marketing at FreightPlus, joins the show to talk about his strategy for marketing in the new year; one of his first challenges is rebranding Aborn & Co. into FreightPlus. 

MacNaught made his transition into logistics in the past few years and says his biggest inspiration for information creation has been his need to learn the ins and outs of the logistics industry; his best content comes from simple explanations. 

For 2021 MacNaught wants his biggest platform to continue to be video and using that video to to signal boost FreightPlus’ business. 

He says that signaling can “make you look bigger than you actually are,” and bring people’s interest into the business to convert into sales. 
You can find more Put That Coffee Down recaps and recaps for all our live podcasts here.

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

More FreightWaves Podcasts

Subscribe to our Youtube

Follow us on Twitter

Like us on Facebook

Upcoming FreightWaves Events
Compliance

Brokerage Compliance Symposium

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Awards

F3 Awards Dinner

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

October 26, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
FreightTech

F3: Future of Freight Festival

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

October 27, 2026 – October 28, 2026
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN
Register Now
Compliance Brokerage Compliance Symposium Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
Awards F3 Awards Dinner Oct 26 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now
FreightTech F3: Future of Freight Festival Oct 27 – Oct 28 • The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN

Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.

The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now

Kaylee Nix

Kaylee Nix is a meteorologist and reporter for FreightWaves. She joined the company in November of 2020 after spending two years as a broadcast meteorologist for a local television channel in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Kaylee graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2018 and immediately made the Tennessee Valley her home. Kaylee creates written summaries of FreightWaves live podcasts and cultivates the social media for FreightWaves TV.