A steady stream of leads is the backbone of a healthy moving business. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
According to our latest benchmark report, more than half (56%) of moving companies struggle to execute and optimize their marketing. Even among those with a well-oiled lead gen process, many still fail to make more than three follow ups with incoming leads.
To consistently grow the number of leads for your moving company, you need a clear plan of action, backed by a solid understanding of which leads and lead providers make the most sense for your business.
In this blog, we’ll cover the tried-and-true lead sources for modern moving businesses, plus effective new strategies you might not have considered yet.
In 2024, 40% of moving company owners are focusing on improving their marketing initiatives with search engine optimization (SEO), paid advertising, and word-of-mouth marketing named as their top three priorities this year.
But those are far from your only options. Today, there are endless ways to boost your moving business through a combination of traditional and emerging lead gen tactics.
Let’s dive into some of the top moving company lead sources today, including exactly what each one has to offer.
When it comes to generating moving leads, nothing beats a classic.
“The reality is, as a moving company, your number one goal is to create raving fans so that you get more repeat and referral customers,” says Louis Massaro, Founder & CEO of Moving Mastery. And we couldn’t agree more.
In an age where digital lead sources are popping up overnight, data shows that 25% of a moving company’s business still comes from word-of-mouth referrals. And those referrals are often much better quality.
“When you build relationships, the price isn’t usually a big deal. Your bookings are a lot of times twice as high when it comes from a trusted referral source or a repeat customer than just a random marketing source.”
— Wade Swikle, CEO, 2 College Brothers
In a recent episode of the Grow Your Moving Company podcast, CEO at 2 College Brothers Wade Swikle shared his thoughts on the power of personal relationships for keeping your business strong in any market.
“Everybody’s just pouring their money into the same lead sources trying to outbid one another, which drives the cost of those marketing sources up. It also reduces margins because you’re having to compete on price a lot more,” said Wade. “So a lot of it comes down to your personal relationships.”
To ramp up your referrals, start by getting your entire team on the same page about your number one objective: to create raving fans for your moving business.
Once the team is dialed in, focus on creating and/or scaling your referral incentives and partner programs.
If 25% of your business comes from referrals, 75% has to come from somewhere else. That’s where pay-per-click (PPC) advertising has a big role to play.
PPC ads like Google AdWords is one of the most straightforward forms of lead generation — you place sponsored ads in strategic positions on search engine results pages (SERPs), or other digital platforms, and pay only when a potential customer clicks on your ad (hence the name, "pay-per-click").
Today, 73% of moving company owners are running paid ads, with Google (96%), Yelp (61%), and Angi (27%) as their top three channels.
The great thing about paid ads is that they tend to be more science than art. You typically know exactly how much to put in to get the number of leads you want.
The only problem? It will cost you.
With PPC strategies like Google Local Services ads becoming increasingly popular, the cost of paid ads is on the rise with the average small business spending between $9,000 and $10,000 per month on this lead source alone.
“If you can't figure out which keywords are winning and which keywords are losing, you’re going to lose a lot of money.”
— Matthew Miller, Founder, Tradesmen Digital Marketing
Despite being in a very competitive and very expensive city in California (like, $119 cost per conversion expensive 😬), Founder at Tradesmen Digital Marketing Matthew Miller generated 72 leads in just 20 days for their moving business client by taking a laser-focused approach to Google Ads.
So what made it work so well? According to Matthew, the success of their campaign came down to a combination of the right keywords (‘movers near me’ worked like a dream in their market!), an anti click-fraud bidding strategy, and a strong focus on optimizing for top-performing locations.
“Some cities are just not worth bidding on. They're just far too expensive and there's already numerous competitors in that market. It's better just to go with the more profitable cities and try and get a lower cost per click there,” explains Matthew. With a 34%+ conversion rate, he knows what he’s talking about.
Marketplaces, home services apps, and business listing sites like Thumbtack, Billy.com, and even Craigslist, can still be a great source of free or low-cost leads in 2024.
But it can take some trial and error to figure out which ones best fit your business.
Here are some of the most popular sites and apps to consider:
Because these sites focus on connecting customers with local professionals, many of them will let you list your business for free.
But with the low barrier to entry and a variety of local businesses to compete with, you may need to pay for premium access in order to boost your visibility and access more leads.
In 2024, a balanced lead gen diet usually includes some mix of third-party lead providers.
If you’re like most movers, you’re probably already using one or more of the following providers. The real question is, how well are you converting these leads?
Here are some of the top third-party lead providers:
While it can be tempting to put a bunch of leads on your business card and call it a day, experts like Louis Massaro know that success with third-party leads is all about having a system.
“You may have to call more of them to get them to convert, but they’re profitable,” says Louis. “If you have the systems and processes in place to actually make the dials and you know what to say, it can definitely be a profitable source of business.”
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You may be in business for yourself, but you’re not in business by yourself.
When it comes to organically increasing your lead count, there’s simply no replacement for your community. And building strong relationships through local events is a great way to show you care.
With more than two in five consumers (45%) saying they’re more likely to buy from a brand that gives to charity, moving companies like Sunshine Movers and NorthStar Moving are winning with their communities just by giving back.
“I never say no to an opportunity to be a part of an event. It’s not just the fact that it’s marketing, it’s just good to give back to the community.”
— Blake Fitzpatrick, Owner & CEO, Sunshine Movers
NorthStar’s annual Let’s Send Hunger Packing food drive raises funds and delivers food donations to local food banks, while leaders like Blake Fitzpatrick, Owner & CEO at Sunshine Movers, focus on a variety of event opportunities, from kids’ karate events to VIP golf outings.
No matter how you choose to approach it, make sure your events are aligned with your team’s values. “I feel very strongly about giving back to the community,” said Blake in a recent episode of the Preferred Shore Real Estate Podcast.
Whether it’s volunteering your services to help local schools and charities, or something as simple as sponsoring your neighborhood softball team, events are a powerful way to connect with your community. And for many movers, they also happen to be a high-impact lead gen lever.
The right partnerships can be a boon to any moving business. And they don’t have to be limited to real estate professionals.
According to our annual benchmark report, the top three referral marketing partners for moving company owners are: real estate agents (83%), property managers (7%), and move managers (6%).
But honestly, sky’s the limit. Any local business that supports people in making a move has the potential to be a great referral partner.
Here are a few potential partners to consider:
As with every other lead source, you’ll need a strong system in place to make the most of your partnerships. After all, no one wants to pass over a lead that won’t even hear back from you.
Let’s take Blake Fitzpatrick of Sunshine Movers for example. Every time a house goes on the market, Blake sends an automated email to the leads from his real estate referral partners laying out all the details of the professional associations he’s a part of and special discount packages available to agents’ clients.
This works for three main reasons: it’s immediate, credible, and it makes the potential customer feel special.
“The amount of responses I get from that, it's amazing,” says Blake. “It’s the only out-of-the-box marketing we do and it works really well.” Blake and his team have been known to get up to 50 responses per day from these automated emails alone.
In the roaring 2020s, it’s all about owning as much real estate as possible on Google. And as a local moving business, Google Maps is the beachfront dream home you need.
Today, a whopping 70% of buying decisions are made just from Google Maps. Not only that, local SEO leads have shown a 14.6% close rate compared to 1.7% for traditional marketing.
The data is clear. The right SEO strategy can help you create a steady stream of inbound leads for a fraction of the cost of paid ads. But with everything from reviews to on-page SEO and backlinking to think about, it can be hard to know where to start.
“Go on Google Maps, type in ‘movers near me’ and find out if your company comes up. Find out how far you can go before it doesn't come up, then make sure you use SEO to start increasing your opportunity on that Google real estate.”
— Travis Weathers, CEO, Rotate Digital
If you haven’t already, SEO experts like Travis Weathers, CEO at Rotate Digital, recommend setting up your Google Business Profile as the very first (and most critical) step in your SEO strategy.
Once you’re live on Google Maps, focus on keeping your profile updated with lots of positive customer reviews, photos and images. You can use free tools like Brightlocal to find out how well you rank, then work to expand your reach by targeting keywords in a specific location.
Speaking of expanding your reach, content marketing is one of the most promising emerging lead gen channels for moving companies.
After all, every area has its quirks. Moving to Tampa looks a lot different than moving to New York — yet both prospects have a long list of questions around how to plan a stress-free move. Content is a great way to answer those questions while building trust and boosting your SEO as a byproduct.
For example, this comprehensive Moving to Florida Guide by Mover Junction is easy to navigate and tells the reader everything they need to know about relocating to the area, including detailed information on cost of living, taxes, schools, and even a list of pros and cons.
Localized moving guides are a great way to connect with qualified prospects actively looking to learn more about moving to your area. But why stop there?
According to data from HubSpot, interactive content, behind-the-scenes content, and content that reflects a brand’s values are among the top trends to watch. Experiment with different formats to find out what works best with your audience.
In 2024, you can’t talk about social, SEO, and content marketing without talking about video.
Today, 88% of marketers say video has helped increase user understanding of their product or service, with YouTube the most used platform (90%), followed by Facebook (86%), then Instagram (79%) and finally LinkedIn (76%).
But even in the TikTok era, effective video marketing isn’t just about social media. Here are just a few of the many video formats you can try:
Whatever channels or formats you choose, keep in mind that video is also great for creating “snackable content”. These are small, easily digestible pieces of information that help you connect with your audience quickly.
For example, the team at Two Men and a Truck® created a YouTube shorts series called ‘We Can Handle That’ featuring real insights from their crew on topics like handling granite countertops and even whole house elevators.
With help from editing tools like Descript, you can make it easy to scale your content without having to shell out for a professional video editor.
In a world where we buy groceries, pay bills and talk to friends all online, direct mail is actually one of the few things that cuts through the noise.
But with such a low conversion rate, is it really worth your time? The short answer is yes.
“You look and you say, ‘Wait, a one to three percent return, why do I want to waste my time with that?’ But if you look at over 100 postcards at $1.20 each, if you can get three customers for $120 and they’re good bookings, it's really not a high price to pay.”
— Brian Hasson, COO, Wayfinder Moving Services
In a recent conversation with Mark Sextro of FMAdata.com, COO at Wayfinder Moving Services Brian Hasson ran some important back-of-the-napkin math on mailers.
Mark’s seen movers book $17K jobs off of one postcard. But he’ll be the first to tell you that you need to have the right systems in place.
“It’s all about timing. You want to get it to the prospect when they’re like, ‘Ok, I've just listed my house for sale, I know I'm gonna need a mover.’ Maybe it goes on the refrigerator or desk by their computer. Even though you might not be looking at a postcard as an advertisement or a marketing piece, you're helping them say, ‘Ok, I know this moving company. Let me let me pull them up online,” Mark explains.
With the right piece of direct mail delivered at the right moment in the customer journey, mailers can elevate your entire lead strategy.
What could be better than a fleet of rolling billboards catching the eye of passing motorists and pedestrians?
Your fleet of moving trucks is more than a collection of vehicles — it's an opportunity to build your brand and attract new moving leads.
To turn every trip into a lead-generating journey, be sure to display your brand, contact numbers, website, and a compelling call-to-action (CTA). Companies like Wrap Guys and KickCharge Creative offer excellent branding solutions, including high-quality, durable wraps that can withstand all weather conditions.
You can even go the extra step and strategically park your branded vehicles in areas with high footfall or traffic for more local exposure at a low cost. Simply identify the hotspots in your target markets and park your moving trucks there during peak hours.
If you’re already involved in local parades or community events, use your branded fleet to reinforce your advertising strategy.
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, local Facebook groups are still a goldmine of potential moving leads.
Our recent survey of over 400 movers found that the top social media platforms used are Facebook/Meta (92%), Instagram (66%), and LinkedIn (37%).
Despite competition from other platforms, people spend the most time on Facebook groups, leading to endless engagement opportunities with qualified leads.
Of course, no matter where you are on social, the golden rule still applies: always offer plenty of helpful advice before pitching any of your own services.
Offer deals, ask engaging questions, and monitor Facebook groups with AI social media tools to take advantage of any relevant conversations around moving and relocating.
Social media isn’t just for sharing — it’s for engaging. But in 2024, there are countless ways to drive engagement.
From influencer marketing to contests and giveaways, you can get as creative as you want to connect with followers and win more leads. For example, Roadway Moving partnered with Isabel Tan to elevate their visibility with leads on Instagram.
But perhaps one of the most direct and powerful ways to level up your social media marketing is to layer it into your existing process for collecting and promoting customer reviews.
“We still get our highest-quality leads from customer reviews and referrals. We have a few different methods for making these connections. We'll ask customers to share contact information for their friends and family, and we incentivize our customers to make referrals and social media posts on our behalf with small rebates and chances to win prizes in drawings.”
— Nick Valentino, VP of Market Operations at Bellhop
Nick Valentino, VP of Market Operations at Bellhop, is a big fan of combining the power of positive reviews with the magic of social media. He incentivizes customers to share their heartfelt shoutouts on social, creating a “surround sound” effect with his community of customers and referral partners.
At the end of the day, you as the moving company owner need to be the best marketer in your business.
Even with money to spend on an external agency, you need to know how each lead channel works, why it belongs in your lead mix, and what you can expect it to deliver in terms of ROI.
Among the many surprising takeaways from our annual benchmark report, we found that one-third of movers currently invest 5% or less of their annual revenue into marketing. But with 42% actively looking to increase their marketing budgets this year, that’s finally set to change.
To stay ahead of the curve, a good benchmark is to invest roughly 10-12% of revenue back into your marketing and lead gen. But you need to be 100% sure you’ll be getting a solid return on those marketing dollars.
SmartMoving’s marketing ROI reports make it easy with features that empower you to:
With complete visibility into your sales and marketing performance, you’ll be able to quickly identify and maximize your top lead sources for a more profitable moving business.
With all-in-one moving company software like SmartMoving, it’s easy to create a structured follow up process that ensures that the right communication always goes out at exactly the right time.
You can get all leads flowing directly into one central system, and even offer a personalized portal for lead providers and affiliates so they can easily submit leads using a simple form.
From there, SmartMoving can help you follow up faster with email and SMS templates for every step in the sales process, including automated task notifications for your team to make sure no lead gets left behind.
Grow your entire moving business from one single software, built just for moving companies. Book your free SmartMoving demo today, or sign up to our blog for more resources and tips.