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6 Simple Marketing Tips from Successful Moving Companies

American families tend to move about once every five years. With over 325 million of us, we are looking at the possibility of around 65 million people moving from one place to another in any given year. That’s a lot of moves!

That’s also why owning a moving company can be a rewarding business venture. Because movers will always be in demand, it can provide a great way to make an income for you and your family while creating a positive impact for your local community. And if you know these simple moving company marketing tips, your business will have a better chance at continuing to grow too.

With all the competition for those millions of potential customers, here are three must-dos to make your moving company a success:

Great Customer Service

Without a doubt, providing great customer service is the most important piece to the puzzle. If you only remember three words for making your business a success, let it be these: service, service, service.

Ever been to a restaurant where the service was terrible? Maybe the staff was rude and short with you. Or maybe they made you feel like you were an inconvenience which stopped you from asking for what you needed and left you feeling uneasy. If that was the case, you probably wouldn’t go back there again. The same goes for a moving company. Customers love dealing with trustworthy local businesses who take the time and make the effort to treat them right and make them feel valued and heard.

From how you greet customers on the phone when they call to ask initial questions to how you answer their questions, customers are paying attention to the way they’re being treated. And because the competition is fierce, you’d be throwing money and relationships out the door by not providing great customer service. With thousands of other companies to choose from, you have to distinguish yourself from the rest and give people a reason to choose you.

People are creatures of habit. Once we have an experience, good or bad, we remember it and make future decisions based directly from it. This is why referrals are powerful. If you can win over one customer, they potentially become free direct-advertising for your company. And they are more likely to leave you a review – where thousands of others can read it.

 

Movers providing great customer service

If you want to succeed in the moving business, you have to make people your priority. Success in the moving business really is more about service than it even is about moving. If you can make people feel important, they will enjoy doing business with you and come back time and time again.

An easy way smart companies provide great customer service is by simply giving something for free on their websites to begin with. You can provide free moving tips, give the option of online quotes, or even offer utility set up.

Competitive Pricing

You might not consider pricing as a tool in your marketing toolkit but it most certainly is. After you have completed your cost analysis and have your business plan, you will need to set a fair price for your services. And a fair price doesn’t necessarily mean a low price. If you offer quality service, you should be able to charge a quality price.

People generally know they get what they pay for. If you offer great service with quality work all in a reasonable timeframe, people won’t be too surprised when you offer your estimate. Most people who care about what they own would rather pay a little extra to make sure everything is transported safely and professionally than pay a little less to end up with broken or damaged items. Providing a free estimate is an easy way to make customers feel at ease about the entire process.

Moving company free estimate form

As a general rule, your revenue will vary based on how much time you have to make moves each month and how much business you can generate. Bear in mind your overhead costs such as insurance, materials, and gas as far as expenses. But if budgeted well, you should be able to turn a profit each quarter.

Though competition is tough, there are ways to increase customer retention. Whether it’s by offering a simple way to pay, building customers first, or simply listening to the needs of your customers, you can set a price that is fair for your customer and profitable to you.

A Compelling Online Presence

The first impression a customer has of your company is your website. Clicking on a dated site with low-quality photos, content with spelling and grammatical errors, unclear navigation channels or no direct way to contact you are just some of the factors that can make or break that first impression. Your moving company site should be updated and full of information relevant to you!

Since it’s easy to forget what exactly a customer might be looking for when they visit your website, here are some items of information you should include:

  • Clear address and phone number
  • Specific areas you serve
  • Types of moves you specialize in (apartment, home, commercial, local, long distance, etc.)
  • Other services you offer like storage or packing
  • Whether or not your team is trained with moving specialty items like pianos or antiques
  • Whether or not you offer moving insurance
  • What your prices are and if mileage is included
  • A form customers can fill out to get a free quote
  • How long you have been in business
  • And more

Your website should also contain unique content. As a moving company, you have a big opportunity here. Moving is stressful and you know the insider tips and tricks to make it as easy as possible. Share them! Create blog posts with “how to” instructions, lists with what should be on every person’s packing list, videos showing the best way to pack and any other items you think your customers should know. Don’t be afraid to leverage great photos and videos either. Adding photos to your listings and website shows people your goods and services, and can help you tell the story of your business

If you can win people over on your website, you’re well on your way to winning their business. Here are three more quick tips:

Mobile Design

Always ensure your moving company website is mobile responsive. What that means is that when someone looks at your website on their phone or tablet, your website automatically adjusts to their screen size and doesn’t allow for photos or wording to run off the screen. Since more and more people are using their mobile devices over computers, this is absolutely crucial.

Mobile responsive design for moving companies

 

Search Engine Optimization

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your website to increase organic traffic from the search engine, back to your site. It involves making strategic changes to your content, photos, links, etc. so that search engines like Google, increase your rankings and display your site towards the top of the page of a Google search.

When it’s time to move, people turn to Google to find a company like yours to get the job done. They are looking for companies that are close by, ones that have great reviews and ones that have professional websites with everything they need to know to ensure they are choosing the right crew for their move. If your website is not displaying in the top few results of a Google search, you are losing potential customers. 

Example of Google rankings for local SEO

SEO Tip # 1: Be specific about the areas you serve

Google cares about your local ranking. When an individual searches for a moving company nearby, the results are based primarily on relevance, distance, and prominence, helping find the best match for their search. Adding complete and detailed business information can help Google better understand your business and make sure your website is listed.

On top of creating a Google My Business page and ensuring your address, hours and phone number are accurate, you need to be specific on your website too. The different locations you serve should be clearly listed not only at the bottom of your page, but within your headlines, content, links and contact page. And be specific. List cities and towns instead of counties and states. This will help Google find your page when it is looking for a website to display in someone’s local search results. The more specific you are, the higher you will rank. 

SEO Tip # 2: Ask for local reviews

More than 80% of customers admit to reading reviews before making a decision. People looking for a moving company are no different. They want to know what others are saying about you. Can you be trusted? Did you show up on time? Did you help them pack? Did you handle their antiques with care? Was your team friendly? How are your prices?

Companies that have the most reviews tend to have higher traffic rates to their website and tend to have more customers and referrals because consumers are more comfortable hiring them over their competitors. The higher number of reviews you have, the more a customer will trust your company.

But do not stop at just asking for reviews. Google loves when you read and reply to your reviews too. Responding to reviews show that you value your customers and the feedback that they leave about your business. High-quality, positive reviews from your customers will improve your business’s visibility and increase the likelihood that a potential customer will visit your site. Keep it short and sweet and be sure to thank them.

SEO Tip # 3: Build local links

Building local links should accomplish two things: Link back to your website and provide the opportunity to speak to your local audience and gain brand recognition.

The most important links you should start building begin with Google My Business, Bing Places, Facebook, and Yelp. You will need to make sure your business page has been created, verified and optimized for each platform. Outside of these major sites, I always recommend that moving companies create profiles and listings on more niche directories like Angie’s List, Thumbtack, Homeadvisor, MovingCompanyReviews.com, Moving.com, MyMovingReviews.com and more. For now, you do not need to pay for premium listings on these sites (especially not until you get reviews) but you should at least set up a free account and try to build your presence while obtaining local reviews.

Social Media

Another great avenue to reach your customers is social media. Social media doesn’t have to cost much and can usually be free, yet it gives prospective customers an easy way to engage with you. Consider that nearly 1/3 of the world regularly utilize social networks, and 74% of people report they use Facebook alone for professional services. So marketing your company on social media should be a no-brainer and a significant piece of the puzzle to get your brand noticed.

From posting photos of your team in action, to sharing helpful moving tips and letting customers know what services you offer, social media is an easy and usually free way to talk to your local community and engage with your followers.

With millions of people searching for products and services online these days, it is very important for you to stand out among your competitors. Master these simple moving company marketing tips and customer service skills, use fair prices, and have a compelling online presence, and you are well on your way to running a successful and reputable moving company!

Are you a moving company looking to grow your local presence? The experts at Risely can help. Contact them today to learn more!

Ben Wright

CEO at Risely

Ben is the Founder and CEO of Risely. He founded the company in 2012 after he saw a need in the marketplace for a more personalized delivery of marketing services with a focus on customer service.

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