Hello, dears!
Well, as February rolls on, it seems we are destined to talk about important themes, rather than the light-hearted interactions you all love so much. On the flip side, these posts are really useful for those of you carrying out delivery work, and you all make a point of writing in and telling me just that - so I shall continue!
That little intro is the perfect segue into the topic of today's post, which deals with getting more customers, or a higher number of jobs, particularly when you're a self-employed courier. Late winter is not exactly known for being a bustling time of year for delivery work – the peak season has come and gone – and I've discovered the Internet is full of articles with all kinds of tips on this subject.
So, what are some ways you can improve your volume of work during slower times of year? Well, the obvious one is to advertise, of course – but there are more ways to put yourself out there than you can imagine!
Everyone knows about getting a profile online through websites and social media and, to a lesser extent, newspaper ads, shop-fronts and leaflets. Joining a freight exchange is another fantastic way of getting work, but many couriers aren't aware of some of the other – very simple - ways to tell the world you're available for delivery work. You can, for example, go round to shops and parcel delivery companies and offer your services for a day or a week. You may think this wouldn't lead to much, but you never know – sometimes, at the right time and place, you could be just what a company is looking for.
The suggestion I found the most interesting, though, was to look for places where small business owners get together and try to get involved with that part of the community. The article suggests 'breakfast clubs' (no, not the film!), but that is far from the only place you can network with fellow independent owners. Once you've found them, talk to them directly (including even the larger courier companies), tell them what you're all about, and offer your delivery work services. It's really not too different from the old concept of door knocking, but because of the context it can be a lot less awkward.
These are, of course, just random ideas – there are plenty more our there if you do a bit of reading. If you're hard up for work during the slow season, why not give them a try? It can't hurt!
Right – back to fun next time, honest guv'nor!
Until then, ta-ra!
Gertie
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