Small Business Brief

Shipping & Transportation

How to Start a Courier Business: A Simple Guide


Can you think of a better business idea than starting a courier service? Probably not.

The courier services industry is expected to grow by 5% annually between 2019-2023. That makes it a great business idea.

That doesn’t automatically mean that your business will be successful. After all, the competition is fierce and you’re going to have to fight for every customer.

Read on to find out how to start a courier business and make it a huge success.

1. Pick Your Audience

Who do you serve? You have a lot of options with a courier services business. You can serve consumers who need to send packages to family members and friends.

You can target ecommerce companies who need a reliable way to get goods to customers. You can also serve attorneys and downtown businesses who need to get documents across town quickly for signatures and filing deadlines.

You don’t want to say that you serve everyone who needs a courier service. Your message will get lost. Instead, pick one audience and make your services amazing for that audience.

You’ll grow your business much faster that way.

2. Check Out Your Competition

There will be a lot of competition in your space. That doesn’t mean that you won’t be successful. It’s an opportunity to learn what others are doing to be successful and to find out how you can be better.

You’ll want to check out competitors like FedEx, Mobile One Courier & Logistics, UPS, and direct competitors in your area.

As you look at the competition, pick out a few things about your competition. Find out who they serve and how they appeal to their customers.

You then want to write a couple of sentences that describe who you are, who you serve, and why people should hire your business as opposed to the competition.

3. Register Your Business

You’ll want to register your business with the appropriate authorities, such as the secretary of state’s office in your state. You may be required to register your business depending on the type of work you do.

For example, if you carry specialized equipment, you may have to get be registered and approved to do so.

In most cases, you’ll need to have a valid driver’s license and a business license.

4. Start Getting Clients

You could start to get clients as soon as your business is legal. You should be able to market your business online and offline.

If your business targets downtown firms, then visit each firm personally and drop off a brochure to let them know you’re in business to help them.

You can follow that up by having a great website and make sure it can easily be found in search engines.

How to Start a Courier Business

There’s no question that starting a courier business can be a great move. You have to know how to start a courier business, though. 

Make sure that you’re clear about your business by deciding what your business does and for whom early on.

Then you just have to make sure your business is legal and you market the business to get clients.

Of course, if you need business tips, you’ll want to come back to this site often for marketing and business insights.



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