If you are looking for a business that you can literally start from scratch, then you may want to consider starting a flyer delivery service.
Flyer distribution is big business. After all, if there wasn’t a lot of money to be made, newspapers and the Postal Service would quickly discontinue this service.
Of course, you’ll never be able to compete with their advanced distribution networks, but you may find that there are services you can provide that they can’t. For example, the brochures they deliver are always grouped with several others. Your little service can easily deliver exclusively to the owner’s front door. You can also offer smaller, more concentrated distributions and custom services.
Having said that, your best chance of making money in this multi-billion dollar industry is to learn a lesson from the big boys and deliver more than one flyer to every household. Establish routes throughout the city dividing the territory and concentrating on one area per week. Pack several flyers (not competing with each other) in plastic bags with holes to hang on doors.
If you charge five cents per flyer delivered and you have 10 flyers per bag, you will earn $0.50 gross for each delivery. After paying overhead, which includes your carrier’s wages, you should have enough to make a nice profit.
You will be successful in this business through your exceptional organizational skills and by being flexible and offering services that larger organizations would not bother with. Not all companies like to receive their brochures in the usual junk mail, or in a newspaper with 20 other brochures. Also, having a flyer delivered directly to your customers’ front door is very attractive.
The hardest part will be getting your first accounts. Walk around and visit some local businesses. Hand out your business card and give them a quick rundown of the services you can provide. You may also want to take note of flyers that arrive on your doorstep, in the mail, or in your newspaper and contact that company to see if they would be interested in trying their service. If you are already advertising with brochures, you have a good chance of landing a job or two.
Lastly, make sure you hire honest and trustworthy carriers. This is not as easy as it sounds. Take your time and make sure you hire the right people. You should also make it a policy to do random checks throughout the day to ensure that all brochures are delivered. Some of your customers will ask what measures you have in place to prevent non-delivery from unscrupulous carriers.
