Shippers hear from everyone
A logistics manager gets freight pitches every day. A generic note about capacity that could go to any shipper gets deleted.
Industries · Logistics
Logistics cold email software that reaches the shippers who are adding lanes, sites and carriers.
FirstSales finds shippers who move the freight you handle, spots something real like a new warehouse, a new product or a hiring push, and writes each logistics lead a short email about it. It follows up until they reply, then stops, so the conversation goes to your desk.
$1 for 3 days · Cancel anytime · No contract
- 01
Written only from the lanes, modes and equipment you add to the knowledge base
- 02
Separate campaigns by lane, region or freight type
- 03
Unlimited mailboxes, with a 21-day warm-up
- 04
Start for $1 for 3 days, then from $29/mo
The problem
Most freight teams prospect by phone and load boards, and email outreach gets left for later.
Brokers, 3PLs and carriers spend the day moving freight. Prospecting happens in the gaps. The teams that grow write to the right shippers every week, with a real reason, and keep following up until a lane opens.
Timing decides the deal
Shippers add carriers when a lane fails, a site opens or peak comes. Miss that moment and the lane goes to someone else.
The desk is busy
Reps are booking and tracking loads. Research, writing and follow-up are the first things to slip when the board is full.
A real reason to write
Shippers look for new carriers when their freight changes, so write when you see the change.
Most shippers are happy with their carriers until something moves: a new site, a new product or a lane that keeps failing. FirstSales finds companies where one of these is true and opens each email with it.
A new warehouse or distribution center
A new site means new outbound and inbound lanes, and the old carrier list may not cover them.
How the email opens Saw you are opening a site near Reno. Are you adding carriers for the lanes out of it?
A new product or a new market
New products can mean new freight types, such as temperature control or oversized loads.
How the email opens Saw the new frozen range. Do you have reefer capacity for it yet?
A hiring push in the warehouse
More warehouse roles often mean more volume going out the door soon.
How the email opens Noticed you are hiring for a second warehouse shift. Is outbound volume going up this quarter?
A seasonal peak on the way
Shippers with a busy season plan capacity months ahead and look for backup carriers.
How the email opens Peak season is a few months out. Would a backup carrier on your busiest lanes help?
A move into a new region
When a shipper starts selling in a new region, they need carriers who know those lanes.
How the email opens Saw you now ship to stores in the Southeast. Who is covering the lanes down there?
A new person running logistics
A new logistics lead often reviews the carrier list in their first months.
How the email opens Congrats on the new role. Are you reviewing carriers on any lanes yet?
How it works
From your lanes to a rate request, in three steps.
Set it up once, review as much as you like, and let FirstSales research, write and follow up.
- 01
Connect a separate domain
Add mailboxes on a cold email domain, not the one shippers and carriers already use for load updates. SPF, DKIM and DMARC are checked and warm-up starts.
- 02
Teach it your network
Add your lanes, modes, equipment and service areas. Describe the shippers you want, and FirstSales builds the list.
- 03
Send, follow up and book
Each email names something real about the shipper. Follow-ups stop on a reply, and interested shippers get your meeting link.
Set up shipper outreachthat keeps running while the desk books loads.
Four parts of the app do the work a sales rep and a researcher would do by hand.
- Connect
Send from a separate, trusted domain
Add Gmail, Outlook or SMTP mailboxes on a cold email domain, so load updates and invoices stay safe. Mailboxes are unlimited, so spread volume across as many as you need with sending rotation.
- SPF, DKIM and DMARC checks. Per domain, with the exact fix when a record is missing.
- 21-day warm-up. Three phases before full volume.
- Health grade. Each mailbox gets a grade and hourly monitoring.
- Teach
Teach it your lanes and equipment
Add your lanes, modes, equipment, service areas and the freight you handle best. The AI writes only from what you add, so every detail matches what your team can move.
- Knowledge base. Lanes, modes and equipment in one place.
- Offerings. One offering per lane, mode or service, each with its own buyer and message.
- Lead list from a description. Every contact checked before each send.
- Write
Emails about their freight, not your fleet list
Each email opens with something true about the shipper, like a new site or a new product, and asks one simple question. No blasts, no hype.
- Writing profile. Keeps your voice short and direct.
- Approval queue. Approve, edit or reject drafts before they send.
- A/B tests. Test two openers and keep the one shippers reply to.
- Reply
Turn replies into rate requests
Replies land in Unibox. Interested shippers get your meeting link, and the sequence stops on any reply or opt-out, so the conversation goes to your desk.
- Unibox. Every reply from every mailbox in one inbox.
- Stop on reply or opt-out. No follow-up after a no.
- Meeting link. Interested replies get your booking link.
What you get
Outreach that sounds like a freight rep who already looked at their lanes.
Everything a freight team needs for steady outreach to shippers, in every plan.
Only your real lanes
The AI writes only from your knowledge base, so it never claims a lane, mode or piece of equipment you do not run.
A real reason to write
Each email opens with something true about the shipper, like a new site, a new product or a hiring push.
One campaign per lane or region
Run outreach by lane, region or freight type, each with its own list, offer and voice.
Clean lists
Every contact is checked before each send, and Dirty contacts are left out to protect your domain.
Follow-ups that stop on reply
Spaced follow-ups that end the moment someone replies or opts out, so no shipper is chased after a no.
A workspace per desk or office
Run each desk, office or rep in their own workspace. Unlimited workspaces and team members.
Who you write to
Freight decisions sit with a few people, and each one cares about something else.
Whether you are a broker, a 3PL or a carrier, the yes rarely comes from one person. These are the people you will meet, what they care about and the angle that gets a reply.
- 01
Logistics or shipping manager
- What they care about
- Loads picked up and delivered on time, with fewer calls to chase them.
- The angle that gets a reply
- Lead with the lanes and equipment you run, and how you share updates on each load.
- 02
Transportation director
- What they care about
- Cost per lane, carrier performance and enough capacity for peak.
- The angle that gets a reply
- Offer backup capacity on one or two lanes, not a full switch.
- 03
Supply chain VP
- What they care about
- A network that holds up when demand or the season changes.
- The angle that gets a reply
- Talk about coverage in the regions they are growing into.
- 04
Warehouse or DC manager
- What they care about
- Trucks that arrive in their dock window and leave on time.
- The angle that gets a reply
- Explain how you handle appointments, delays and changes on the day.
- 05
Procurement or sourcing lead
- What they care about
- Fair rates, clear terms and a simple way to add a new provider.
- The angle that gets a reply
- Ask about their next lane review and offer a rate on one lane first.
- 06
Owner at a small or mid-size shipper
- What they care about
- Freight that just works, so they can focus on the business.
- The angle that gets a reply
- Keep it short: what you move, where and how to get a quote.
“User Interface, Ease of Use, Able to hit the inbox in the first attempt.”
Sadashiv B.Founder, small business · G2A sequence built for freight
Shippers switch one lane at a time, so each email asks for one small step.
Few shippers hand a new provider their whole network. Many will try one lane or one load. A short sequence that moves toward that first load reads like a good freight rep. FirstSales writes each step for each shipper and stops the moment they reply.
Email 1 · Day 1
Name the change you saw and ask one question about their lanes.
Saw the new site near Reno. Are you adding carriers for the lanes out of it?
Email 2 · Day 4
Share the lanes, modes and equipment you run that match theirs.
We run dry van and reefer out of northern Nevada every week. Happy to share our lanes.
Email 3 · Day 9
Offer a low-risk start, such as a rate on one lane or a trial load.
If it helps, send one lane and I will come back with a rate the same day.
Email 4 · Day 16
Check in near their busy season or next lane review.
Peak is coming up. Want a backup option on your busiest lane, just in case?
Email 5 · Day 25
Close the loop politely and leave the door open.
I will stop here. If a lane opens up later, reply and I will send a rate.
Plain guide
How to cold email shippers as a broker, 3PL or carrier.
What works when you write to busy people who move freight and cannot afford a missed pickup.
- 01
Know their freight first
Look at what they make, where they ship from and what is new. One true detail beats a long list of trucks.
- 02
Lead with a lane, not a pitch
Name a lane or region you run that matches theirs. Shippers think in lanes, so write in lanes.
- 03
Ask for one load
Invite them to send one lane for a rate, or try one load. A small step beats a request for a meeting.
- 04
Offer to be the backup
Few shippers drop a carrier that works. Many will add a backup for peak or for a lane that keeps failing.
- 05
Time it to their calendar
Follow up before peak season and before their lane review, when they are most open to new options.
- 06
Use a separate domain
Keep cold outreach off the domain you use for load updates, tracking and invoices, so that mail stays safe.
Real objections
What shippers say to a freight cold email and what to say back.
Most shippers already have carriers and brokers on the day your email lands. These are the objections you will hear most, with a calm reply to each.
What they say
What you say back
“We already have carriers for that.”
Agree, and offer to be a backup on one lane, so they have an option when a carrier falls through.
“Just send me your rates.”
Ask for one lane, its volume and its equipment, then send a rate for that lane only.
“We only work with asset-based carriers.”
Say plainly what you are, and explain how you pick and check the carriers you use.
“We are locked into contracts this year.”
Ask when their next lane review is, and offer to help with spot or overflow loads until then.
“Our last broker let us down.”
Do not promise perfection. Ask what went wrong and say how you handle the same problem.
“How did you get my email?”
Say plainly that you found their company through public sources, and offer to take them off your list.
Before and after
Shipper outreach, before and after FirstSales
What changes when every email reads like it came from someone who knows the shipper's freight.
The usual way
Cold calls, load boards and generic capacity emails.
- The same capacity note to everyoneShippers can tell it went to everyone.
- Prospecting only when the board is quietThe pipeline stalls on busy weeks.
- One email, then silenceForgotten before the lane opens.
- Every shipper on one listNothing fits their freight.
- Bought lists left uncheckedBounces hurt the domain.
- Replies spread across inboxesRate requests wait.
With FirstSales
Outreach shipper by shipper.
- One real detail about the shipperA reason to reply.
- Steady outreach every weekRuns while your desk books loads.
- Follow-ups until they replyStopped on any reply or opt-out.
- One lane or region per campaignEach email fits the reader.
- Contacts checked firstDirty contacts out before each send.
- UniboxEvery reply in one inbox.
Send with care
Cold email rules differ by country, so keep every email honest and easy to leave.
Freight crosses borders, and so does your outreach. These general principles keep it accurate and easy to stand behind wherever your shippers are.
- Say who you areUse your real company name and a real reply address in every email, and do not hide where the email comes from.
- Make leaving easyGive a clear way to opt out and honor it. In FirstSales, follow-ups stop when someone replies or opts out.
- Only claim what you holdMention only the operating authority, insurance and equipment you actually have. Keep them current in your knowledge base.
- Write to the role, not the person's inbox at homeEmail business addresses of people whose job is freight or logistics, and keep the message about their work.
- Know the rules where you sendSome countries ask for more than others before a first business email. Check the rules for each region on your list.
This is general information, not legal advice. FirstSales gives you tools to send with care; you decide who to contact and are responsible for following the rules that apply to you and your contacts.
Why freight teams switch
Shipper outreach: FirstSales vs a typical tool
Many tools send a template to a list. FirstSales writes each email from your lanes and something real about the shipper.
| What you get | Typical tool | FirstSales |
|---|---|---|
| Emails written only from your lanes | Varies | AI writes only from your knowledge base |
| Opens with a real detail about the shipper | Varies | Included |
| Separate campaigns by lane or region | Varies | Unlimited workspaces |
| SPF, DKIM and DMARC checks | Varies | Included, per domain |
| Mailboxes | Varies | Unlimited on every plan |
| 21-day warm-up | Varies | Included |
| Contact checks before each send | Varies | On every send, no add-on |
| Starting price | Varies | $29/mo |
| Start your $1 trial | ||
Before you send
Freight outreach checklist
Run through it before every new campaign. FirstSales handles most of it for you.
- A cold email domain that is not your main company domain
- SPF, DKIM and DMARC set up on every sending domain
- Warm-up running for 21 days
- Lanes, modes and equipment in the knowledge base
- Only the authority and insurance you actually hold
- Service areas you can cover today
- Every contact checked and Dirty contacts left out
- One lane, region or freight type per campaign
- Drafts reviewed in the approval queue
- A clear next step, like a rate on one lane
What people say
From people who use it
Real words from real users. No paid reviews.
“I have always struggled in cold outreach. However, Firstsales has provided an excellent tool for cold outreach.”
Kaushal S.
Founder, small business
“One of the biggest pains in cold email is making sure that you have your DNS setup correctly. Firstsales has created a system to make sure you have done this correctly.”
Mike O
Trustpilot review
“I've been using FirstSales.io for several months now, and I can confidently say it has revolutionized how I approach lead generation and customer acquisition.”
Paweł Stelmach
Small business owner
Questions,answered plainly.
Can’t find yours? Write to us.
01Does cold email work for freight brokers and 3PLs?
Yes, when each email names something real about the shipper and asks for one small step, like a rate on one lane. FirstSales writes only from the lanes you add and follows up until the shipper replies.
02Who should a logistics company email?
Usually logistics and shipping managers, transportation directors and procurement leads at shippers, plus owners at smaller shippers. Each role gets its own angle.
03Will it claim lanes or equipment we do not have?
Not if the knowledge base is right. The AI writes only from what you add, so keep lanes, modes, equipment and service areas up to date.
04Can it send rates or book loads?
Rates and bookings stay with your team. FirstSales opens the conversation and follows up. When a shipper asks for a rate, the reply lands in Unibox and the sequence stops so your desk can answer.
05Can we run campaigns by lane or region?
Yes. Run each lane, region or freight type as its own campaign or workspace, with its own list and offer. Workspaces and team members are unlimited.
06How do we protect the domain we use for load updates?
Send from a separate cold email domain. FirstSales checks SPF, DKIM and DMARC, warms each mailbox for 21 days in three phases and gives it a health grade with hourly monitoring.
07How do I try it?
Start for $1 for 3 days. Connect a mailbox, add your lanes and equipment, and read the first drafts in manual mode. No contract: cancel any time in your dashboard.
Outreach that keeps going after you log off.Leads, emails, follow-ups and replies, handled.
Connect unlimited mailboxes and let AI agents find leads, write each email and follow up. Or send your own templates in manual mode. From $29/mo.
$1 for 3 days · Cancel anytime · No contract