Tips for Starting a Delivery Business in 2023 or Beyond

Last updated on: April 19, 2024

With plenty of financial uncertainty going around right now and many companies laying off workers, you might be thinking that now is a time when you’d rather work for yourself than someone else and have more control over your future. 

One area that is an option is delivery. This is a type of business you can start small and grow as time and the market permits. There’s plenty of demand for delivery services, too, especially with the considerable growth in the eCommerce market over the last few years. If you want to go down this path, follow a few steps to help you increase your chances of success.

Know Your Goals for the Business

Ensure the business idea is right for you and will help you reach your goals. What kinds of outcomes are you looking to achieve with your new venture? Do you want more flexibility in your work days, to earn more money, lead a team, or get out of an office and on the road? 

Are you keen to build a big business with many employees, or do you want a simple, small venture that brings in enough income for you to live on? When do you want to retire, and how long do you have to make the business successful? Considering all these questions and more will help you determine if a delivery business is the correct type of venture for you and help you plan it effectively. 

Find a Point of Difference

One of the most crucial elements of developing a new business idea is finding a point of difference for it. With plenty of competition in every field, including the delivery one, you need to think about how to make your business stand out from others so you can get more leads and secure more sales. 

There are many ways to find your unique selling proposition (USP). For example, this might be in who you cater to, the prices you charge, the type of customer support you offer, the booking service and tech tools you incorporate, the area you cover, and more. For instance, perhaps you’ll focus on handling hazardous materials that need to be delivered or move medical items or those that otherwise need to be kept within a specific temperature range or securely protected while in transit. 

You might offer deliveries in an area that currently isn’t being adequately serviced, or you might be a tech whiz who can find ways to make booking and update processes, among others, simpler and quicker for customers. As long as you find some way of standing out from the crowd, your business has more of a chance for success. 

Develop a Plan

Next, take the time to develop a comprehensive plan for how you plan to operate your venture. A business plan will help you ensure you’ve checked all the boxes for getting your new firm off the ground and will help you see potential opportunities, risks, strengths, and weaknesses that you need to keep top of mind as you proceed. 

A detailed plan will also help you to obtain a business loan or to gain investors or partners, and it will help keep you on track as time goes on and you find yourself interested in myriad business ideas. Your plan should cover financial projections, your marketing and sales plans, if you need team members and, if so, in what areas, and ideas for expansion over time, among other things. 

Choose the Right Vehicle and Maintain It Effectively

Of course, when you operate a delivery service, it’s vital to have one or more vehicles that run well and are always reliable. If your car or van, etc., breaks down regularly, this will annoy your customers and lose you business and referrals. You need a vehicle that doesn’t have too many miles on it and that you service regularly and maintain with care. 

It’s worth learning how to handle simple repair and maintenance tasks yourself (or even more complex ones if you have knowledge and expertise in practical matters) so you don’t have to pay for a mechanic or other professional each time something needs completing. Set yourself up with some quality mechanics tools and watch YouTube videos and other tutorials as needed to learn the basics.

Other tips for starting a delivery business are investigating licensing and permit needs (e.g., you may need a permit to handle food or hazardous items) and creating an easy-to-use booking system for your clientele. 

Invest heavily, whether time or money-wise or both, in marketing and sales processes, too, and continually analyze your results and test and measure new ways of doing things to improve as you go along. 

Starting a new venture is daunting and takes a high level of commitment, but if you continue to learn and grow over time, you’ll set yourself up with the best chance of success and satisfaction.