One of the quickest ways to make money with your van is to run a courier service company. As technology grows and Ecommerce increases, there is a high demand for delivery of products purchased online. About 94% of shops offer an express delivery. This automatically creates an opportunity for entrepreneurs who want to cash in on the market.
However, starting your own van business requires more than just owning a van and driving it about. You will need to set up other features and register your business like any other legitimate company. Here is what you need to do.
- Plan your strategy
How are you going to run your business; as a sole owner or partnership? Are you going to be driving it yourself or will you hire a trained driver? Either way, ensure the driver’s license is up to date. It is mandatory to have a current permit and CPC training as a commercial driver.
Start with a city you know. It is no point taking a delivery to a strange town only to spend hours (and precious fuel) looking for the customer’s address. These are a few things you want to outline first.
- Insure you van
Once again, it is common law to insure any roadworthy vehicle. There are various plans available for vehicle insurance. It is up to you to decide which one is suitable for your business. There areaccidental and third-party insurance, which is standard. But some people go ahead to insure contents of the vehicle, in addition to a comprehensive cover. This is necessary for any delivery service.
- Register your man and van business
After planning your business; determining your operations and goals, as well as sorting the vehicle insurance details, the next step is registration. In the UK, there are 3 options for business registration;
- Sole trader
- Limited company
- A partnership
Each type of registration has its unique requirements. In all cases, keep your documents safe as they may be needed if you need to access a loan facility for your business. If you are renting a property for the business, apply for business rates. To avoid paying taxes, it is suitable to apply for a preferential business rate.
- Make a website
These days, it is impossible to run a business without an online presence. Even something as seemingly traditional as a man and van business. The good news is you don’t need to be tech-savvy to run a website. In the early stages, it will be mainly an information website where people can find out how to reach your business via phone or email.
But as you grow, the function of your website may expand to content marketing, engagement and possibly full online advertising such as SEO and PPC marketing. The last two are necessary when you start running a cross-country fleet of vans.
The man and van business has come to stay in the current “gig economy”. But like every business, it may not always be rosy. Nevertheless, with optimism and diligence, you should build your business to stable ground.
