It’s no secret that there are a lot of courier businesses out there already, but with internet shopping the norm, there is plenty of work to go around, and carving out your own little niche can be a great business. You’ll be your own boss, and can work very flexible hours; as much or as little as you like. It can be hard to know exactly how to get started though, and this quick guide should help.
Gathering Your Resources
You actually need very little to get started. A place in your home helps for storage, and usually you won’t need more than one room. Many people will convert their garage or outbuilding into a warehouse / office combo. It helps to have a variety of stationery available, and keeping some packing material in stock is always an option if you want to add a little extra to your service. Getting business insurance, and making all of the correct registrations should be done at your earliest opportunity too.
Pick Your Vehicle
Then, of course, you’ll need a vehicle. This is a very important decision, and will likely be decided by the type of courier you want to be. If you’re wanting to shift large and awkward objects for people, then you’ll need a good, flexible van. If, however, you want to deliver important documents or small parcels, then you may only need a car that can crunch those miles. In either case, reliability and fuel economy are going to be very important indeed. You also don’t want insurance to be too expensive either – remember that business cover is generally more than private, and vans more so. AXA offer a variety of discounts if you’ve got more than one policy with them, so could be a good choice if you run a private car too.
Market Yourself
Clients aren’t just going to appear from nowhere. You need to go and find them, but also ensure that they can easily find you. Set up a website firstly, detailing all of your services and contact details. You can then look at your SEO and digital marketing options. In terms of traditional marketing, you can go round small businesses in your local area with your business or rate card to win custom that way. Then it’s a matter of waiting for the calls and emails to come in.