Logistics Lead Lists: More Shippers, More Freight, Less Guessing

Written By Bobby Matthews

In today’s blog, we’re talking straight to the logistics world:

  • 3PLs and fulfillment centers

  • Freight brokers and freight forwarders

  • Trucking & fleet companies

  • Warehouse & distribution centers

If you move boxes, pallets, containers, or freight and you’re still relying on random referrals and LinkedIn scrolling… you’re making this way harder than it has to be.

That’s where logistics lead lists come in.

Not a sketchy “10,000 contacts for $99” list.
I mean curated lists of shippers, supply chain leaders, and operations folks who actually buy logistics services.

What is a logistics lead list?

Simple version:

A logistics lead list is a clean list of companies and contacts that ship stuff, organized so your sales and marketing can actually use it.

A good list usually includes:

  • Company name + website

  • Location (city, state, region, country)

  • Type of business:

    • Manufacturer

    • E-commerce brand

    • Retail / wholesale

    • Importer / exporter

  • What they might need:

    • freight management

    • warehousing & fulfillment

    • last-mile delivery

    • international shipping / freight forwarding Polarmass+1

  • Decision-maker roles:

    • Logistics manager

    • Supply chain director

    • Operations manager

    • VP of transportation / distribution

Basically: instead of “who should we call this week?”, you’ve got a map of your shipping universe.

Why logistics companies need lead lists (especially now)

The logistics / 3PL market is not slowing down.

Translation:
There is plenty of freight out there.
The game now is who actually knows the right shippers and gets in front of them first.

A good logistics lead list helps you:

1. Stop living off “who we already know”

Most 3PLs and trucking companies have:

  • A handful of anchor accounts

  • A small circle of “folks we’ve always worked with”

  • And a sales team that starts to run out of new names every quarter

With a real lead list, you give them:

  • Hundreds of net-new shippers

  • Sorted by region, industry, lane, or mode

  • That they can actually work through, not just stare at

2. Go after the right kind of freight

Not all freight is your freight.

Some 3PLs want:

  • DTC e-commerce brands that need pick/pack + last-mile
    Others want:

  • B2B pallet freight, LTL, FTL, industrial lanes
    And some want:

  • International freight / freight forwarding contracts

When your list is tagged by industry + typical shipping profile, your reps spend less time chasing bad fits and more time on freight you can actually win. Callbox+1

3. Make your marketing less random

Everyone says “we should rank on Google,” but for what?

This is where keywords + lead lists work together.

High-volume logistics keywords (and how a list helps you use them)

Across different SEO studies, some of the most searched logistics terms look like this: AdTargeting+3Polarmass+3Seopital+3

Big, broad stuff:

  • logistics companies

  • transport logistics

  • shipping logistics

  • freight management

  • freight logistics

  • truck logistics

  • auto logistics

  • warehousing and logistics

Service keywords:

  • freight forwarding services

  • third party logistics (3PL)

  • warehouse and distribution services

  • last mile delivery services

  • supply chain management solutions

Local / intent keywords:

Your lead list tells you which kind of shippers you’re really going after.

Once you know that, your SEO stops being random and starts sounding like:

  • “e-commerce fulfillment center in [region]”

  • “B2B freight management for manufacturers in [state]”

  • “3PL warehousing and distribution for [industry]”

So, the list feeds your outbound, and those same segments feed your content and keywords.

How to actually use a logistics lead list (playbook)

Let’s keep it practical.

Step 1: Segment by how you move freight

Take your logistics lead list and chop it up by:

  • Industry:

    • industrial manufacturing

    • food & beverage

    • consumer goods / e-com

    • retail / wholesale

  • Mode / need:

    • FTL / LTL truckload

    • intermodal / drayage

    • freight forwarding / ocean / air

    • warehousing & 3PL fulfillment

  • Region / lanes:

    • Midwest shippers

    • Southeast outbound

    • Cross-border (US-Canada / US-Mexico)

Now you’re not just “calling shippers.”
You’re running mini-campaigns into each pocket.

Step 2: Build simple landing pages around each pocket

Instead of one generic “Logistics Services” page, spin up:

  • “3PL warehousing and distribution for e-commerce brands in the Midwest”

  • “Freight management and trucking logistics for manufacturers in [state]”

  • “Freight forwarding and international shipping logistics for importers/exporters”

On those pages, bake in your keywords in a natural way:

  • Title: “Logistics company for [industry] in [region]”

  • Subheads: “Our freight management services”, “Why shippers choose our 3PL”

  • FAQs that use phrases like:

    • “Do you offer freight logistics for [X]?”

    • “Can you handle warehousing and logistics under one roof?”

This matches what logistics SEO folks keep saying:
get specific, use service keywords, and mix in locations. Don Creative Group+3Polarmass+3Seopital+3

Step 3: Turn the list into calls and emails

This is where the money is.

  • Build email sequences by segment

    • “Hey {{FirstName}}, saw you’re handling [type of freight] out of [region]. We help companies like {{Company}} with [specific outcome: fewer claims, faster transit, better tracking].”

  • Have reps run focused call blocks

    • “This morning is e-com brands on the East Coast. This afternoon is industrial shippers in the Midwest.”

Because the list is already segmented, reps don’t waste time “who should I call?”
They just work the plan.

Step 4: Use it for ads, not just cold outreach

Upload your logistics lead list as:

  • A customer / account list in Google Ads + LinkedIn

  • A custom audience on Meta

Then you can:

  • Show retargeting ads to shippers who land on your site

  • Build lookalike audiences so the platforms find more companies like your best shippers AdTargeting+2WebHive Digital+2

Example ad angles:

  • “Need a logistics company that actually answers the phone?”

  • “Tired of juggling multiple freight brokers? Consolidate with one 3PL.”

  • “Warehousing and freight management under one roof for [industry].”

Where Matthews Digital fits in this picture

You don’t need “more noise.”
You need the right shippers in one place.

That’s what we’re building with Matthews Digital and Take Lead:

  • Curated logistics & industrial lead lists

  • Clean company + contact data

  • Segments you actually care about (3PL, trucking, warehousing, manufacturing, etc.)

  • And a lead engine that helps you plug those lists into forms, landing pages, and outbound without duct-taping 5 tools together

So if you’re a:

  • 3PL

  • Freight broker

  • Trucking company

  • Warehouse / fulfillment operator

…and you want more real conversations with shippers, not just impressions and “likes,” this is where we play.

Wrap-up

If you’re in logistics right now, here’s the reality:

But none of that matters if your team is still guessing where to look for freight.

A logistics lead list gives you:

  1. A clear universe of shippers you want to work with

  2. Segments you can build content and keywords around

  3. A simple system for turning that data into emails, calls, and ads

Do that consistently, and your pipeline stops feeling like a roller coaster.
You’re not just waiting on the next referral or RFP.
You’re building your own lane.

Bobby Matthews
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