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How to market same day delivery and courier business


To start a courier business you just need  a car and smart phone. When I started we didn't have smart phones,we had pagers. That is why this business is so price sensitive. All those big players in the industry such as UPS,FedEx, DHL or gigantic same day delivery companies with own warehouses so out of touch for competition that  it seems like they are on another planet.
So here we are, the rest of us. Schmucks who wanted to be an own bosses but didn't have money to buy or start businesses in other industries. Some of us even bought manuals from some Internet sites who promised that for 6-7 hours small business owner of courier company can make up to 300 dollars. Yes, it is possible, but those gurus failed to mention one thing. Only if  a courier has regular pickups every day to same areas. Otherwise to make those 300 dollars you will need a couple of drivers at least because deliveries could be all over a place.  With this comes another problem. I am talking about reliable drivers who will help with  deliveries "all over a place".
Then  major problem arises. How to find customers who would give such regular daily orders? Most of potential customers want so called "stand by courier service". For example they need to courier some documents on 4pm to Downtown. Then they will call a dozen of different couriers to find who is cheaper and willing to fight 4pm traffic in Downtown. You don't need such customers,believe me.
 I tried different things in finding customers for my business  from cold calls to very famous marketing books or even CD's with marketing seminars on Ebay. By the way all those marketing gurus talk practically about same thing. Buy one and it is going to be enough.  I like The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes.
I can tell you one thing. Each new customer for small courier service  is a lot of work . I agree with marketing guru Dan Kennedy. It is better to get more business from existing customers, than to look for new ones. Less expensive.
Then here it comes. Fancy trade shows and marketing seminars.Another way how to find big corporate customers. Well,how you can afford to go to those marketing seminars or trade shows if you have to run a daily business? It is very cool to listen to some BS by another "expert" in our industry who sit on his or her butt in conditioned office,on weekends goes to some exclusive resorts and advise how to be successful in courier business. Then at night have a couple of drinks with other attendees. However, such events is out of touch for the owner of small courier company who is involved in daily operations heavily. Plus all living expenses associated with such events.  Think about it.
In conclusion, don't start this business,unless you have done a very deep research and found out that in you particular area there is a need for such service.  Can you please do me a big favor? Don't buy those BS books on how to start a courier business. Mostly they are written by people who just have heard about our business in some Ivy league business schools from their out of touch with real life professors.

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