Foot In The Door

A question for both old and new courier's. What do you find the best way to get your foot in the door.

I have tried several approaches

1. Put my suit on and walked around industrial estate but only get to speak to receptionist.
2. Found phone no's and called asking for email address to email my details.
3. Posted a a5 pamphlet.
4. Emailed company's email ie info@ / sales@

I am not expecting job after job rolling in but just want to focus my time in the best way.

Any comments Welcome good or bad Thanks Ian

Go in the back door works everytime

I would ask someone to take a serious critical look at the flyers/pamplet you are handing out

The main criteria companies will use you is either price. service levels or they know you so they have a personal contact

MK Bikes said:

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I would ask someone to take a serious critical look at the flyers/pamplet you are handing out

Got to agree with the above comment, had a flyer through the door about five years ago, the spelling was terrible, it was from a plumber, his work is probably very good but it puts you off a bit.

Whilst it is probably true that your handed in flyer has a slim chance of getting read, and it may just be you catch someone just at the right time that they have been let down, You need a good quality flyer which will double as something for them to put on their notice board to have any chance of them keeping it "just in case".

We hear a lot about flyering, but i've never had any definite confirmation of its efficiency. I'd be interested if an anyone can say "my business was turning over £x until i gave out y flyers and now i turn over £z."...

You gotta have a flyer that stands out without being rude or insulting

Most bite after the 7th-12th time of asking

And most of us give up well before that

For you to get lucky and for you to turn up when they've been let down (it will happen) you need to put something in front of them that they'll remember, and you need to be patient

And have a good website to back you up

The first route I took was to ask all family and friends about their place of work and if they use couriers, I managed to get 4 new customers this way as they put their trust in me because they knew me on a personal level and still have the same 4 today. I would always recommend talking to eveyone you know as it could lead to some work.

That's how I started Mr Swift. With flyers etc. If you put too many out and then get a flood of business you can't handle then you have the embarrassment of telling them you can't do the job, and they won't phone you again! I think it's best building your customer base up gradually.

RGM Courier Services said:

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That's how I started Mr Swift. With flyers etc. If you put too many out and then get a flood of business you can't handle then you have the embarrassment of telling them you can't do the job, and they won't phone you again! I think it's best building your customer base up gradually.

Do your flyers in batches then 2-300 at a time I trudged round the estates many moons ago and got rid of about 800 took a couple of weekends got very little work out of it, now I have more of a targeted approach which in my mind works better.

MK, targeted approach - can you elaborate?

CAMVAN said:

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MK, targeted approach - can you elaborate?

I think what MK means, is to target mainly businesses that would be more likely to use your services. I may be wrong but I would think it unlikely that your local supermarket would require your services as they generally have their deliveries under control. I've delivered to supermarkets but usually that is on behalf of and organised by the company that is supplying the supermarket. So for me, I wouldn't be targetting all my local supermarkets.

If you target a law firm that deals with urgent legal documents, you would possibly be more likely to get a higher number of jobs from them. It is of course possible that anyone and everyone will have a need for a sameday courier, but some are far more likely than others. Exactly who would be most likely to use you might even vary quite widely depending on your catchment area.

CAMVAN said:

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MK, targeted approach - can you elaborate?

I know Mr MK could elaborate but its never that simple I understand what MR MK means I know what he does I could predict what he probably has too say about the subject but the problem its like many of us we are just the wrong type of people to do effective marketing. There is a way of phoning and finding the right person then there is a way of selling your service to that person. I know what to say but the minute Im on that phone I F**k it up! And you have to be a really special person to be able to direct sell your business

I think all of the advice above is correct. Sometimes the most difficult thing is striking the right balance with a balshy receptionist or you end up with the warehouse chimp (sorry that should read temp). You have to bold enough to ask the right person to take your info or introduce yourself. Sometimes you might only have a few seconds to blurt out your speel. One of the best pieces of advice I got many years ago was, keep it simple and get hold of the right person and your message will get through.

As above, the biggest problem is making sure your blumph gets to where it needs to be... You can have an all singing all dancing flyer, website, company BUT if no one can see it it's worth diddly squat.

Also luck plays a part.. If they've just been let down and your flyer/phonecall is in front of em

Above all, the more homework you do, the more success you'll have

There are many who come into this industry who don't have a clue what they're doing... I am increasingly rendered speechless at how little some seem to know, equally there are those who have been in the industry for years who have become complacent... The end result is that there are opportunities out there for anyone with the right tools for the job

Speed Couriers (Stansted) said:

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As above, the biggest problem is making sure your blumph gets to where it needs to be... You can have an all singing all dancing flyer, website, company BUT if no one can see it it's worth diddly squat.

Also luck plays a part.. If they've just been let down and your flyer/phonecall is in front of em

Above all, the more homework you do, the more success you'll have

There are many who come into this industry who don't have a clue what they're doing... I am increasingly rendered speechless at how little some seem to know, equally there are those who have been in the industry for years who have become complacent... The end result is that there are opportunities out there for anyone with the right tools for the job

I agree Rob understanding your skills and knowing your limitations is a good thing because you can get others involved where you are not so good. Your local college may be willing to help their business students need projects and some of these are better at it than us they need the work experience and you need the contacts and I know people go on about them but never rule out the services of business especially if you are a new start up

Business link I meant

My daughter works for a Swedish bank, she is based in Wrexham they have branches in Leeds, Doncaster, Manchester London & Birmingham she rang me one day said can you collect a package from their Leeds branch deliver to her in Wrexham, ok I will do this, will be a freebe, this worked wonders as i now do at least two runs a week for them at a good rate, so it sometimes pay's to give a little to receive a lot

And networking... By far and away the best way of getting business... Oh and referrals... Equally if not even more important

We have many accounts gained by referrals

Naturally some businesses you can tell at a glance are unlikely to need your services.

I'm going on a flyering spree around the Yarmouth, keeping a record of every business I deliver to, and will ring them all up next week.

Good luck Camvan you will need it, did this about 15 years ago with another business, you might strike lucky, id with one particlar business, read a few marketing books and looked at plenty of marketing websites, they reckon the average percentage for a flyer getting you anywhere is about 3% sounds pretty poor, but if you hit on the right company it's well worth it, good luck with the phoning up bit, what flyer never got one or we get hundreds a week they go straight in the bin, if your in doubt reverse the call it's cheaper.

Try a leaflet which offers the receptionist boots gift vouchers with every job she orders from you. Might cost you a tenner every time she books you but she will choose you 1st

Never fails.

Like your think Mr G! But I wonder if there's a cheaper way of offering a similar incentive...

thinking

Giving a gift every booking seems like you are a bit desperate, bottle of champagne every tenth booking (no cheap stuff)

A targeted approach is to try and work out the businesses likely to use you, printers are the obvious one but to be honest I steer clear of printers mainly because they are usually (in my past experience) slow payers.
Many businesses have to tender for work even solicitors, I have one customer who seems to be forever tendering, I am however thinking about small vehicle work, I'm sure its very different work for larger vans Theo if I were you I'd be looking at Norwich more than Gt Yarmouth, but not forgetting everyone local too, you are tucked a little out over there aren't you

Yes, giving a gift every booking would be excessive, but it's an interesting idea for luring them in. Hopefully once they're used me once I won't need further incentives! The first sale is always the hardest.

MK I certainly am tucked out of the way, but there are a few small industrial estates peppered around the area. I probably I haven't done as much direct marketing to them as I could, so I'm addressing the balance.

Camvan.. Try and include a rough guide to your pricing.i.e Norwich to London-Norwich to Liverpool.

I recently responded to a gardening help leaflet who stated his price at a flat £10 per hour.

If he hadnt added a price it would have gone straight to recycling.

THe thing is most people dont or wont ring for a price -But they are more likely to keep your flyer if a guide price is added

Good point MrG. I haven't done that but will include it on future flyers.

There is a fantastic website that tells you all you need to know, it's easy reading, makes so much sense, and you can even email them fo free.

IMHO, this is simple.

From the perspective of the owner driver,

Flyers are a pointless waste of time.

A:

Scan in your drivers license, vehicle registration, MOT cert, Courier Insurance cert, Public liability, GIT insurance.

Type up a short letter of introduction which includes your name, address and telephone number.

Within the letter specify your availability and your price per loaded mile, your minimum charge and what you charge for waiting time.

B:

Search the internet for independant courier companies within your area.

C:

Make sure you and your van are clean and presentable. Go and visit the independant courier companies which you have identified in your area and introduce yourself with a print out of all the relevant documentation which you scanned in at step A!

D:

When presenting yourself professionalism is key. "All right mate, got work!" isn't enough.

The best advice I can give to myself is just dont bother till March at the earliest, have a nice break and buy all the lucky charms you can. So am gonna snuggle up and hibernate.

Plus, buy extra lottery tickets.

Thanks guys Will be doing things abit different from now

Think about what flyers get you attention... If any, and take a leaf out of their book

Does a %age off get you to use their services? or something else?

What works for one won't necessarily work for another, so you need to come from several angles

You need to be able to think up different ways of saying the same thing and/or have different products to sell to sell

And you need a very thick skin

The flyers that normally get my attention may well not get receptionist good attention. I was thinking of maybee approching the likes of the florist, perfum shop to see if they were intrested in offering say a £5 off voucher which i could upto £10 for first job thus only costing me £5 but i got my foot in the door then and they get free marketing. Keeps reception happy may well keep jobs coming but will have to think of different way for transport office

Nice idea from Mr G, but just one pitfall, it's bribery and it's illegal :0

PDN UK said:

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Nice idea from Mr G, but just one pitfall, it's bribery and it's illegal :0

It's like trying to buy a girl a few drinks so you can get in her draws

If it's good enough for councils and the Govt giving out contracts, not to mention the corruption throughout the banking fraternity then i don't think anyone's going to have a problem with a boots voucher!

I'm not into bribes, our service speaks for itself

If anyone wants a kick back, then i don't want their work, but that's just me

I have morals, and standards but that doesn't seem to matter much nowadays

MR Speed, whatever has got into you, it's just not true, you have been watching too Panorama.

I read private eye... The only rag that's got the balls to right the truth

*write

RE: Offering out vouchers. I think if the wrong person gets to hear about you'll be out the door quicker than you can say "its only £5!" Companies want the right suppliers not ones that offer out sweeteners, as has been said I prefer to let my service speak for itself.

MK Bikes said:

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RE: Offering out vouchers. I think if the wrong person gets to hear about you'll be out the door quicker than you can say "its only £5!" Companies want the right suppliers not ones that offer out sweeteners, as has been said I prefer to let my service speak for itself.

Im with you on that one Tony..

MK Bikes said:

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RE: Offering out vouchers. I think if the wrong person gets to hear about you'll be out the door quicker than you can say "its only £5!" Companies want the right suppliers not ones that offer out sweeteners, as has been said I prefer to let my service speak for itself.

This is why i have put it on the forum

My view is not the same as someone elses. But then i havent been in this business to long so want to make the right impression. By using the best bits from everyone hopefully this will start me on the right track.