If you enjoy driving and feel at your happiest when you’re on the road, it makes sense to earn a living from driving. There are many driving-centric businesses that you can establish, but one of the most lucrative ones is a delivery service.
Delivery companies are always busy, even during economic strife, because there’s always a strong demand for delivery services. If that sounds like the right business startup idea for you, here are a few pointers to help you get started launching your delivery service.
Register Your Business
Before you can get on the road, you must register your new business with your area’s relevant tax authorities. Doing so will ensure that you pay the right taxes on your profit and avoid tax problems such as fines.
The rules surrounding new business registration will vary depending on where you live, so do some research and check what you need to do. It’s also worth hiring a bookkeeper so that you’ll always have the correct records for your annual tax returns.
Buy a Van
Next, you should buy a van if you haven’t already got one. The van you purchase should be appropriate for the types of goods you wish to transport. For example, if you want to transport small items, you should buy a small van or a larger one for carrying bulky goods.
The van you buy should be in good mechanical condition as it will be representing your brand. After all, the last thing you want to happen is to be known as the town’s most unreliable delivery service!
You should also consider having your van sign written so you can use your vehicle as a mobile advertising billboard. It might surprise you to learn how many customers you get simply by having your contact details written on the sides of your van.
Equip Your Van
Once you’ve got a suitable van for your delivery service, you must equip it with the tools and accessories you need to carry out successful deliveries. For example, blankets are ideal for protecting goods from damage in transit.
Ratchet straps are perfect for securing loose loads or pallets, so nothing rolls around while you’re driving your van. Finally, consider buying a hand truck so you can easily wheel things around like boxes or furniture.
Look for Work
Once you’re ready to start doing long-distance delivery work, the next stage is to find jobs you’re willing to do. Besides direct customer contact, much of your work will get sourced from third-party job boards that enable you to find driving jobs.
You should also be proactive and advertise your services online and in relevant local and regional publications. Be sure to hand out business cards to your customers to get repeat business, and they can refer you to people they know that need your services.
Another idea is to register your details with local courier and delivery service companies. That’s because they will often need drivers with vehicles ready to transport goods at a moment’s notice.
