A small courier service is one of the best options for small businesses in the U.S. It doesn’t cost a lot to start, and it’s easier to grow than most other ideas. It doesn’t require additional education or a lot of training, either.
Assuming you’ve gone through the first few stages—you have the permits, an office, and a vehicle or two—what you need now is to let people know that you’re offering a service. Every town needs a courier service, so you have an audience to market to immediately.
Let the people know you’re there
Your courier service should be local for now. Differentiate yourself from the big boys like DHL and FedEx by making the service more personal. Go from house to house and give them flyers, or at least put one in their mailboxes. Let them know your office location and the scope of your delivery service.
Set up a base of operations
Set up your operations in a place that’s visible. The town’s busiest places are a good place to start. If you can’t afford that office in the CBD yet, however, you can set up even at your own house. Convert your garage into a home office and base of operations. Put a sign there to let people know.
Design your vehicle/s
Your vehicle should be marked. Its additional marketing and perhaps a requirement by the local authorities. Graphix Unlimited suggests having a professional design some decals of your company name, logo, and contact information. If you have more than one vehicle, fleet vehicle graphics may cost less than individual designs. As your business grows, add more vehicles; motorcycles are perfect for small item deliveries.
None of these mean a thing if your courier service is always late or losing items. Make the service your best marketing tool. Be on time and always deliver. Eventually, people will start trusting you more and they’ll send more business your way.
