In a previous article, we talked about how you can start your own courier business. Demand for reliable delivery services is still on a steep rise across the UK, so there are plenty of opportunities to seize; this means there are plenty of opportunities to grow your courier business and take it to the next level.
While getting started is the first hurdle, it is certainly not the only one to overcome. You also need to think about how to win more customers and earn their trust as a courier company. Fortunately, we have just the tips and strategies to use in this article. Let’s get started, shall we?
Let your services shine
One of the best ways to market your courier service is by going the extra mile. Let your services do the talking and customers will listen. Providing exceptional service and keeping existing customers happy will lead to more business in the future.
There is a simple explanation for that; as more customers are happy with your services, they will recommend you to other potential customers. Thanks to the growing demand and expanding industry, there are indeed a lot of potential customers you can reach this way.
When you are recommended by a trustworthy party who has been using your services, the chances of converting potential customers into paying ones are very high. It won’t be long before you get referred to more individuals and companies who are looking for a shipping partner they can trust.
So, how can you improve your services? Technology is certainly one of the answers. Better fleet management is a good start, and thankfully you can use services such as the fleet tracking solution from FleetGo. FleetGo also has a number of solutions that can be integrated easily.
Using data analysis and insights from the solutions provided by FleetGo, you can start optimising your courier business almost immediately. The better you get at scheduling, driver and vehicle management, and route planning, the better your courier services will be in the eyes of customers.
Go digital
Not using digital marketing to market your courier services is a huge mistake, especially in today’s market. Digital marketing allows you to reach a wide range of potential customers in a very targeted way. This means you can run specific marketing campaigns for specific audience groups, all while maintaining a high return on investment.
If you want to reach more business customers, for instance, you can market your services through B2B marketplaces, online business forums, and even social media platforms like LinkedIn. You can also target decision makers in various companies using ads and content marketing campaigns.
Individual customers are easier to reach, especially with the growing use of social media and search engines. Aside from being highly targeted, digital marketing is also incredibly affordable. It provides higher return on investment compared to conventional marketing.
Collaborate with other stakeholders
One thing you also want to do in order to stay competitive is to work with other businesses. Online businesses always need good courier services to help get their products to the customers’ hands, so there are a lot of opportunities to partner with those businesses. Collaborating also allows you to offer more services to partners, including pick-ups and special handling of delicate products.
There are a lot of shipping companies that operate locally, and they are great parties to partner with as well. Not only will you be expanding your own logistical network, but you also gain orders from customers in the area.
Don’t forget that you also have ecommerce platforms to benefit from. WooCommerce is a popular WordPress plugin used by thousands, if not millions, of online stores. If you have a WooCommerce plugin that automates the calculation of shipping costs when customers use your service, imagine how many more orders it will bring. The same can be said for platforms like Wix and even Amazon.
Plan ahead and innovate
At this point, you already have some basic services to offer customers. Those services are your core services, but they are certainly not the only ones you can offer. Once you have the business off the ground, it is time to start planning ahead and preparing for more offerings.
Innovation is the key to staying ahead of the market. There are a lot of things you can do to improve existing services while offering new ones to customers. When you use FleetGo’s vehicle tracking solution, for example, you can let customers see the journey of their packages in great detail. It may seem like a novelty feature at first, but this is actually a feature that customers will appreciate a lot.
The same can be said for offering special handling for certain goods, door-to-door shipping, and added services that can be offered as options. Another good example is custom packaging; offering a customised packaging service as an option may elevate your courier business in the eyes of online businesses and corporations who want to streamline their order fulfilment process.
Sharpen your direct marketing
Yes, digital marketing is a great way to reach a large number of potential customers in an effective way, but it is not the only way you can win more customers. Good old-fashioned direct marketing to select clients is still effective; it is clearly not a strategy you want to abandon.
Direct marketing is something you can integrate with your digital marketing strategy. Since digital marketing allows you to track potential customers along the sales funnel, you can time the execution of direct marketing better. As a result, direct marketing becomes the trigger that converts potential customers into paying clients.
Direct marketing itself can be done with the help of IT solutions for better effectiveness. Solutions such as SalesForce and Marketo can be integrated into the existing marketing workflow. These solutions automate some of the direct marketing tasks, allowing you to reach more potential customers even when you have limited resources.
Be an active industry player
It is also worth noting that your credibility as a courier business matters. Customers will only engage with you and consider the services you offer when they see you as a trustworthy and credible partner. Investing in building a solid credibility and reputation as a reliable provider is another strategy to implement in order to win more business from customers.
The marketing side of building credibility is easy. You can use the same conventional and digital marketing instruments to develop a stronger business presence. You can also take advantage of reviews and testimonials, posted on independent websites or publications to strengthen your reputation as a reliable service provider.
However, building credibility through marketing alone is not enough. You also have to be an active part of the industry. Joining an association, completing certifications, and following the regulations on fleet and driver management will show how serious you are as a part of the courier industry.
These tips work really well when they are executed with care. They work even more effectively as parts of a bigger, more comprehensive strategy. To really excel in winning more business, you have to be willing to go the extra mile and ensure customer satisfaction, all while communicating with potential customers and keeping existing ones happy. A comprehensive strategy makes staying ahead easier.
