EPISODE 5 | October 1, 2025
Why Your Logistics Marketing isn’t Working
Pete Lynagh
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About the Episode
In this episode of the Forward Thinking Podcast, Sam Smeaton sits down with Pete Lynagh, Founder & Director of HAUL Agency, to unpack why so many logistics companies struggle with marketing, and how to fix it. Pete’s journey from electrician to self-taught digital marketer (via the early Facebook Ads era) led him to rebrand a generalist agency into HAUL in 2024 after multi-year work with Border Express revealed a glaring gap: transport & logistics needed sector-specific marketing that actually moves the needle.
Pete explains why your website is the “motherboard” of modern marketing, how LinkedIn personal branding compounds reach and trust, and why “another truck pic” without strategy won’t win you new business or talent. He breaks down his four-quadrant model, prospects, customers, employees, and future talent, and shows how most operators over-index on lead gen while ignoring the content and systems that improve retention, recruitment, and lifetime value. You’ll also hear his pragmatic take on SEO, Google Ads, AI-assisted content, and the contact-form/CRM gaps that quietly drain pipeline in logistics.
Key Themes in this Episode
From generalist to niche: How Pete’s work with Border Express (2019–2023) proved the need for a logistics-only agency and what changes when you market in a traditional, relationship-driven industry.
Websites that convert (vs. brochures): Long-form, scrollable homepages; clear “who we help/how we help”; case studies; testimonials; and smart contact forms that filter tyre-kickers without scaring off real buyers.
LinkedIn as the B2B unfair advantage: Why company pages + executive personal brands beat generic corporate posts, and how to start: sharpen profiles, banners, and headlines; document the day; share useful stories.
The four quadrants of logistics marketing: Balancing content for prospects, customers, employees, and future talent—and why only doing prospecting content stalls growth and hiring.
Attribution & ROI in services: Why leads often look “weak” when brand, web, and CRM are misaligned—and how to track intent better with HubSpot and tighter workflows.
Video, carousels, and post formats: When video helps (and when it doesn’t), short attention spans, mixing text/image/video, and keeping clips tight and people-centric.
AI without the cringe: Using tools like ChatGPT to capture your actual voice (voice notes → edited posts) rather than templated, emoji-stuffed content.
Future outlook: The shift toward leader-led personal brands; evolving search/SEO dynamics; and why consistency beats big one-off productions.
Why You Should Listen
If you run a carrier, forwarder, or warehousing operation and your marketing feels like “post and hope,” this episode gives you a playbook you can implement now. You’ll learn how to rebuild your website around buyer intent, turn LinkedIn into a relationship engine, and install the CRM + contact-form foundations that stop revenue from leaking. For hiring managers, Pete shows how marketing directly impacts talent attraction (and why candidates “window-shop” your brand long before they apply). For founders and sales leaders, it’s a practical path from random acts of marketing to a system that compounds.
[00:00] Introduction: Meet Pete Lynagh and the big question, why most logistics marketing isn’t working (and how to fix it).
[00:21] From Sparky to Marketer: Pete’s move to Australia, early Facebook Ads success, and the leap from tools to digital.
[01:19] Building a Generalist Shop: Stage Fright Management—ads, websites, SEO, content… the full stack learned in the trenches.
[02:58] The Border Express Pivot (2019–2023): Seeing archaic websites and zero social, spotting the niche opportunity.
[03:41] Rebrand to HAUL (2024): Committing to transport & logistics; early grind, then momentum.
[04:27] The Website is the “Motherboard”: Why every marketing activity routes through your site.
[05:29] Entering a Traditional Industry: Education, pushback, and the “field vs. feed” debate.
[06:36] Sentiment Shift Post-COVID: More operators start documenting and sharing, why simple, consistent content wins.
[07:32] In-House vs Agency: Common setups, where in-house gaps appear, and why strategy + execution matters.
[08:57] Relationship-Driven, Digitally Amplified: How online presence complements long-held sales relationships.
[10:48] The Four Quadrants: Content for prospects, customers, employees, and future talent (and why most only do one).
[12:10] Mere Exposure Effect: Trust, credibility, likeability, why posting regularly compounds.
[13:20] Touchpoints Have Exploded: From ~5–7 to 30–50+, visibility now requires repetition.
[14:38] Personal vs Company Posts: Why “people posts” outperform, and how to balance value with personality.
[15:54] Common Mistake #1: “Another truck pic”, posting capacity without strategy.
[17:21] Why Marketing’s Undervalued: Attribution in services is messy, how to think ROI without linear e-comm metrics.
[19:31] Talent Attraction is Marketing: Candidates “window-shop” your website and LinkedIn before engaging.
[21:49] LinkedIn is the B2B Unfair Advantage: 1% post, huge white space for leaders to build personal brands.
[23:58] How to Start Personal Branding: Tighten profile, banner, headline; document your day; turn stories into posts.
[26:11] Budget Buckets that Work: Management, media (photo/video), and ad spend, investing with intent.
[27:42] Who Pete Works With: Change-ready teams that trust the process (SMB to enterprise).
[28:31] Formats that Travel: Short video, text + images, carousels, context > trend; keep clips punchy and people-centric.
[30:44] SEO & Google Ads-Pete’s Take: Evolving search, AI overviews, “weak leads”; focus on brand, content, and UX.
[31:21] Fix Your Website Flow: Long, scrollable homepages; “who we help/how we help,” case studies, proof, and clear CTAs.
[34:32] Must-Have: Smart Contact Forms: Ask better questions to filter tyre-kickers and capture buying context.
[35:38] The Missing Piece: A Real CRM: Why HubSpot beats spreadsheets; align marketing, sales, and follow-up.
[36:06] CargoWise ≠ CRM: Manage ops there, but track pipeline, intent, and outreach in a sales CRM.
[37:39] Sales Maturity Gaps: Knowing your numbers, using Sales Navigator, and moving beyond referrals-only.
[39:43] Video Reality Check: Keep it short, show people, repurpose, and promote, don’t post once and forget.
[42:31] Using AI Without the Cringe: Voice-note your ideas → let ChatGPT format, but keep your tone.
[45:38] The Next 3–5 Years: Leader-led personal brands, faster search shifts, and websites’ role evolving.
[49:41] Free Resource: Pete’s four-quadrant content guide (prospects/customers/employees/future talent).
[50:41] Who Inspires Pete: Alex Hormozi, Gary Vaynerchuk, and visionary logistics leaders he’s worked with.
[52:12] Where HAUL Spends Time Now: Full-service capability, but doubling down on executive personal branding.
[52:55] Closing Thoughts: Consistency beats one-offs; embrace change or get left behind.
Episode Outline And Highlights
Today’s Guest
About Pete Lynagh
Pete Lynagh is the Founder and Director of HAUL Agency, a specialist digital marketing agency for the Transport & Logistics sector. After leading marketing initiatives for Border Express from 2019 to 2023, Pete saw the need for logistics-focused expertise and launched HAUL in early 2024. Today, the agency partners with brands like Arrow Transport, Bluestar Global Logistics, Datts Logistics, AAW Global Logistics, and Core Logistics, helping them grow with smarter, modern marketing strategies. Backed by a core team of five and a network of 20+ specialists, Pete is committed to “Moving Logistics Forward” through better marketing.
About Your Host
About Sam Smeaton
Sam Smeaton is the Co-Founder of LogiHire and host of Forward Thinking. With a background in freight recruitment, he’s worked with top logistics businesses across Australia. On the podcast, Sam brings real stories, sharp insights, and a genuine passion for the people driving freight forward.