Welcome to Day 17 of 30 Days To Your Financial Freedom Challenge!
Starting a mail-order business can be one of the fastest businesses to get going. You don’t need an attractive space, and you don’t have to deal directly with the public, but you can earn a lot of money.
You can start a mail-order business selling almost anything from food to digital items you put on physical storage like flash drives. There are some things you need to get off the ground. Check out my 7 Step Method for starting your own mail order business. Let’s go!
Step #1 Determine the Product You Want to Sell
The first thing you have to do is decide what you’re going to sell. What you sell is going to inform the type of license you need to purchase so that you’re operating legally as well as potentially how you’ll set up your bookkeeping.
Step #2 Know How You’ll Produce or Purchase the Product
You need to know how you’re going to fulfill the orders. If you’re going to make them, create a system and process to do it in a timely manner. If you’re going to source from another place, ensure that you have backup options too. For example, if you plan to buy from the Good Will bins every Thursday, spending $20 to buy many pounds of product, you need to know how this is going to work.
Step #3 Figure Out Logistics of Packaging and Shipping
Each platform has it’s own rules, but if you’re doing it for yourself, you’ll need to figure out the best way to pack and ship. Some of this will depend on the type of product and the laws where you live. Some of the plans will be determined by your budget and where you live.
Step #4 Get Legal
Once you know the above, you can buy a business license. It’s risky to sell without it, but you can always risk it and buy your license after your first sale. Most of the time, it’s not going to matter much. However, if you have a food business, you’ll need to get everything legal first. Check Out this blog post Are You Legally Protecting Your Business? that gives you a guide on what legal documents you need for any type of business.
Step #5 Tell People About Your Business
Once you’re ready, start telling everyone you know about your business. Use both online and offline methods to market and advertise your offers; if you’re using a particular platform, use the advice given for it by them to make the most of it.
Step #6 Ship Your Orders to Customers Immediately
You’re going to want to ship orders every single working day if not also on Saturdays just to have it done. It’s a lot of work, but you can also have your postal person pick up from your home each day to make it easier.
Step #7 Follow Up with Customers Fast
After you’ve shipped and they’ve received their item once they’ve had enough time to use it, follow up with them either in email, by snail mail, or both. Always let them know about your other offers.
That really is all there is to starting a mail-order business. You can use various apps now to help, such as Poshmark.com or Mercari.com, if you’re selling fashion, or Etsy.com if you’re selling vintage or homemade items, but you should always have your own website to eventually to help you make sales. If you already have an online connection, you can get started fast, adding a mail-order business to what you’re already doing to create another stream of income. Check out the Side Hustle Income workbook for a more lucrative method for planning your new side hustle.
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