Delivery businesses are the backbone of online shopping. Everyone has dealt with them at one point or another, but people don’t think too much about them. The company that delivers the packages is seen as an extension of the product, rather than as their own entity. If you want to grow your small delivery business this year, here are three ways to get your name in people’s minds.
Increase Your Deliveries
When the amount of product you’re able to deliver goes up, so does your profit. You can increase your delivery amount by:
- Hiring new employees.
- Having flexible hours that work around the needs of your clients.
- Having realistic deadlines and communicating them to the customer. It’s much better for a delivery to come early because you overestimated how long it would take, than for it to come late because you promised something you couldn’t deliver.
- Renting a truck or cargo van to increase the amount you and your staff can deliver in one trip.
- Planning your routes. Taking the time to plan the most effective delivery schedule can speed up the day, and allow time for more deliveries.
- Giving discounts to those who ship bulk orders with you regularly.
- Offering tracking on deliveries so the customer can feel involved and reassured.
Find the right balance of being busy but not overbooked. You don’t want to have slow periods, but you also don’t want to find yourself unable to meet your obligations.
Market In New Ways
The best way to grow a client base is through effective marketing. If people don’t know about you, they can’t hire you. Get the word out in every way you can.
- Take out ads online.
- Run ads in the local papers or relevant publications.
- Start social media accounts for your business and develop a strategy to get followers.
- Make fun posts that let people know a little bit about you. The more invested people are in you as a person, the more likely they are to support your business.
- Create your own website.
- Ask people who have had good experiences to leave reviews.
- Run radio ads on your local stations.
- Offer discounts to returning customers and customers who refer you to their friends.
- Visit local businesses and leave your card.
Marketing allows you to control the image of your business that’s presented to potential customers. Always make sure your marketing is telling the story you want it to.
Build A Good Reputation
Build a reputation for great service by going the extra mile to exceed your customer’s expectations.
- Be reliable. People need to know they can count on you to fulfill your promises.
- Customer experiences are the pulse of every business, so do everything you reasonably can to maintain them.
- Present yourself the way you want your business to be seen. Look appropriate and professional when dealing with potential clients.
- Be honest and trustworthy.
- Make others look good. If someone recommends you to a company or contact, represent them well. Don’t be late or unprofessional.
- Try to do more than you promised. If you said you’d deliver the package by tomorrow, get it there today. People love when their expectations are exceeded.
- Be consistent. Try to provide the same customer experience every time.
A customer is more likely to share a negative experience than a positive one. Keep in mind that your reputation really will precede you.
Deliver, market, and build. Make these three strategies the foundation of your business in 2021, and every year, so you can watch your business grow.