Starting a business in the internet age has made entrepreneurship a reachable dream for many.
Online shopping is booming and now there is a need for couriers like never before. There simply are not enough vans out there to handle the explosion of shopping online that is expected to increase over the next few years.
If you have dreamed of working for yourself, then this is a fantastic way to jump into a business that has lots of room for growth.
Is your budget keeping you from diving in?
Don’t worry, there are ways to go about this with limited funds to get started.
Here are some tips to stay on budget when starting out as a courier.
1. Lease Your Van
You don’t need the funds to start out with a fleet of vans. In fact, you only need one to begin.
Don’t be tempted to go and buy a run-down second-hand van. If you want to be taken seriously you will need a professional-looking van that is also reliable. An online car lease broker can help you find a great deal on a new van to lease that won’t cost nearly as much as buying one.
Use the lease payments as a business expense write-off for your taxes and you can save even more money over buying a new van.
Related: How to Start a Food Delivery Business from Home
2. Do Some Online Marketing
One of the least expensive ways to bring in some targeted business is to start a blog. All you need to get started is enough money to buy a domain name, usually with your brand in there, and some money for hosting. For less than the cost of a takeaway curry you can have a blog up and running.
A blog can help you build your brand, increase your online exposure and even bring in potential customers with the right keyword and content strategy.
This is called inbound marketing and when done correctly is a very powerful tool to build your business.
3. Shop Around For Insurance
Insurance costs have been steadily declining over the last few years. To really make sure you are spending the least amount possible to run your van, you should be shopping around. Take a few hours to ring up some brokers and see what they are quoting. You could save hundreds this way.
4. Do Virtual Hiring
Take advantage of the worldwide nature of the web. When you need some administrative work done, look into hiring a virtual assistant through a service like Upwork.
There are many people around the globe who speak excellent English and will work for much less than a local.
5. Network
Look into joining local networking groups like Rotary Clubs or meetups organized by your local Chamber of Commerce. It usually costs nothing to attend an event and is a great opportunity to create a network with local businesses. Make a good impression, pass out your business card and you will soon find yourself getting calls for some courier jobs.
