| Sooner or later everyone has dreamed of | | | | or public works departments. If I was you I |
| quitting their job and starting their own | | | | would start out small only hauling safe |
| business. Unfortunately the main thing that | | | | items. Make sure you have a photo ID card |
| stops or prevents someone from making the | | | | made, clearly showing your image and the name |
| dream a reality is usualy what I call the | | | | of your Courier service, along with your name |
| 'two F's', and this is 'friends' and 'funds'. | | | | and other info. In this day and age it's |
| You can probably understand 'funds' as a lack | | | | important for folks to feel safe when dealing |
| of money needed, but why 'friends' ? Because | | | | with a business especially a newly |
| I have said and I have heard others over the | | | | established one.If possible have a nice |
| years say 'I am thinking of starting my own | | | | magnetic sign made for your vehicle, which |
| business', as soon as you say this to your | | | | clearly shows your service, displaying the |
| friends, do they tell you it's a great idea ? | | | | name, telephone number and town, this is a |
| No, they tell you 'oh it will fail', or | | | | cheap item, but it will help you build your |
| 'there's no money in that' or some other | | | | customers and it will also add credence and |
| negative comment, friends very rarely tell | | | | make your service seem more official or |
| someone 'hey that is a great idea, you should | | | | real.Check with your vehicle insurance |
| try it!', the reason why is because it wasn't | | | | company, to see if they charge additional |
| their idea, or they were not the one who | | | | fees since you will now be using you vehicle |
| first brought the idea up in conversation. I | | | | a lot more for business needs instead of |
| am telling you right now, when it comes to | | | | personal use, it's better to be safe now than |
| starting your own business, the only friend I | | | | sorry later. For your personal safety, you |
| want you to listen to is me, the one who | | | | may wish to have any passenger(s) sit in the |
| wrote this article.Can you answer 'yes' to | | | | rear seats, and place packages in the trunk |
| these 2 questions ? | | | | or rear areas behind the driver if this is |
| | | | possible, for this reason a nice utility van |
| 1. Can you or someone you trust devote some | | | | or SUV makes the ultimate courier vehicle.How |
| time to driving a vehicle ? | | | | will you choose your rates ? Sit down and |
| | | | call as many courier services as you can and |
| 2. Is the vehicle dependable ?If you can | | | | ask them what they charge per mile. Most |
| answer 'yes' to them two questions, you can | | | | charge a fee per mile for gasoline, vehicle |
| start a ' Courier Service '.What exactly does | | | | deterioration and business fees. If you |
| a courier do ? They pickup and deliver | | | | travel 10 miles to pick up a package and then |
| merchandise and sometimes, people and pets to | | | | travel another 50 miles to deliver it, you |
| and from various places such as businesses, | | | | must also travel back to your home or courier |
| airports, Hospitals and even peoples homes. | | | | service location, this may be another 60 |
| These services are in great demand, because | | | | miles back. This is a total trip of 120 miles |
| there is always someone that needs a package | | | | from start to finish, if you charge only 50 |
| delivered to a nearby airport, or some other | | | | cents per mile, that is $60. You should be |
| location ASAP, and this is where a courier is | | | | able to easily drive 120 miles in roughly 2 |
| needed. UPS and the Post Office have set | | | | hours or slightly more, so that averages out |
| schedules and will only pick up at certain | | | | to $30 an hour for your earnings.Once you |
| times, where a courier can often deliver or | | | | have the service area, and the fees you will |
| pickup the item at any time of the day or | | | | charge, place a small ad in local Newspaper's |
| night, when it's needed.You must decide what | | | | under the sections: Services Offered or Work |
| type of packages or things you will pick up | | | | Wanted. You can also place flyers on store |
| and deliver, and how many miles you will | | | | bulletin boards and hand out business cards. |
| travel. If you live in the country it will be | | | | Word of mouth is a great and free way to |
| harder due to the distance involved between, | | | | increase your customers. When you start |
| Hospitals, airports, and businesses, and if | | | | getting calls from a customer, be sure to |
| you live in the city you will have to deal | | | | write down directions carefuly, and what is |
| with traffic and lots of stop and go driving, | | | | to be picked-up and delivered. When the job |
| so both have their advantages and | | | | is completed, It's a good idea to telephone |
| disavantages.The easiest way to determine | | | | your customer and tell them that the job has |
| your driving area, is to get a state map, | | | | been completed.There is computer software |
| find your location and then make a circle | | | | that is made for someone that is starting or |
| with a compass with your town or location as | | | | already owns a small Courier Business. The |
| the area in the center where the compass | | | | software is available for download at this |
| point is. From this point move the compass | | | | website address: Robert W. Benjamin |
| outward as far as the miles is your willing | | | | |
| to drive to a location, ie; 30 miles, 50 | | | | Copyright © 2006You may publish this |
| miles, etc. Once you find the right area of | | | | article in your ezine, newsletter on your web |
| miles, make your circle with the compass, you | | | | site as long as it is reprinted in its |
| now have your area of service for your new | | | | entirety and without modification except for |
| Courier Business. I bet your getting excited | | | | formatting needs or grammar |
| already and you should be.Next you must | | | | corrections.Robert W. Benjamin has been in |
| carefully sit down and decide what type of | | | | the software business on the internet for |
| items you will courier. Will you do hazardous | | | | over 5 years, and has been producing low-cost |
| material, medications, explosives, liquids. | | | | software for the past 25+ years. He first |
| If so, you may need a special license and | | | | released products on the AMIGA and C64 |
| certification, you may need to be bonded or | | | | computer systems in the late 1970's-80's. |
| approved by your local or state authorities | | | | |