Booking jobs is hard when your only marketing strategy is hoping for word of mouth. If you're tired of wasting money on ads that don’t work or not knowing where your next job is coming from, you’re not alone. The truth is, most movers don’t need a big budget or fancy agency to stand out. They just need better marketing strategies.

1. Know who you’re selling to before you spend your money

Start by asking:

• Where do they live? For example, are you targeting downtown condos, suburban homes, or corporate offices?
• What matters most to them? Do they care about eco-friendly materials? Do they want white-glove service? Do they book based on referrals?
• What’s their budget and timeline? Do they plan their move at the last minute, or months ahead?

Use what you learn about your customers to fit your offer (like evening moves) and messaging. 

2. Your website is your best sales rep, treat it like one

If your homepage can’t convince someone to call you, nothing else you do will matter. Before you pay for ads, make sure your website covers these basics:

• Clear services and service areas. Don’t make people guess if you move pianos or serve their neighborhood.
• Click-to-call phone number. Mobile visitors should be able to call you with one tap.
• Fast, mobile-friendly design. Most visitors are on their phones. If your site’s slow or confusing, they’ll bounce. You can test your site speed and mobile usability for free with Google’s PageSpeed Insights.
• Local testimonials and reviews. Build trust with stories from real customers in your area.
• Location-specific landing pages. Want to rank on Google for San Jose and Oakland? You need separate pages for each.

3. If you’re not ranking in local search, you’re losing jobs

When someone Googles “movers near me” and your company doesn’t show up, your competitor will. SEO is how local movers get found and booked.

Start with:

• On-page SEO: Build individual pages for each service and city you cover. Use headlines and keywords like “local movers in Phoenix” or “packing services in Brooklyn.”
• Site performance: Your site should load fast and work flawlessly. If it doesn’t, Google penalizes it.
• Google Business Profile: Keep it updated with your hours, service areas, and photos.
• Backlinks: Get your business linked on trusted websites. You can partner with local businesses (like realtors or storage facilities) to get those inbound links.

Local SEO takes time, but it pays off with consistent website traffic and booked jobs. If you want a deep dive on what works, check out our guide to SEO for movers.

4. Use paid ads to target people ready to book

PPC ads, especially on Google, can be a goldmine if you know what you’re doing. They show up when someone searches “movers near me,” which means that person is ready to hire movers.

Here’s how to make PPC ads work:

• Target tight geography. Focus on the zip codes or neighborhoods you serve.
• Use dedicated landing pages. Don’t send clicks to your homepage. Build simple pages with clear service info and a quote form.
• Track conversion rates, not just clicks.

If you’re afraid you’ll just burn through your budget, hire a marketing agency. Pick one that works with moving companies like yours.

Already running ads? Supermove’s Office App can help you figure out what’s working by breaking down your job sources, revenue, and campaign ROI. 

5. Use social media to build trust

Social media helps you build trust with customers before they need to move, and keeps you in their minds after the job is done.

Focus your energy on one or two platforms where your customers spend most of their time. For most movers, that means Facebook or Instagram. If you do commercial moves, add LinkedIn to the mix.

Here are some content ideas you can post:

• Before-and-after move photos
• Crew shout-outs (customers love seeing the team)
• Glowing customer reviews
• Quick tips (like “what NOT to pack last” or “3-day move prep checklist”)

Short videos like packing demos or crew intros can also be a simple way to connect with buyers.

6. Don’t sleep on old-school tactics

Digital is great, but offline marketing still packs a punch, especially when you combine it with digital tracking and smart partnerships.

Here’s what still works:

• Direct mail that doesn’t get tossed. Send postcards with a clear call to action (like a seasonal promo saying “Get a back-to-school discount!”). Make it personal. Make it useful.
• Business cards and flyers in the right places. Drop them off at houses that just got listed, apartment buildings, and real estate offices.
• Referral programs that actually get used. Reward happy customers for sending new leads your way. Partner with agents, storage businesses, or even cleaning crews for mutual referrals.

Want to go beyond ads? Sponsor a local event, show up at community cleanups, or donate a crew to help someone in need. That’s great PR.

7. Don’t let leads go cold, use email and retargeting to stay in front of them

Email marketing helps you stay in the minds of people who’ve booked before and those who haven’t booked yet. However, a customer who booked with you a year ago shouldn’t get the same message as a lead still shopping around. Tailor your emails to match where they are in the buyer journey.

Here are a few types that work:

• Pre-booking nurture emails: For leads who requested a quote but haven’t booked yet. Send reminders, reviews from similar jobs, and limited-time offers to nudge them toward booking.
• Post-booking confirmation and prep: Once they’re booked, make life easier with checklists, what-to-pack guides, and what to expect on move day.
• Follow-up and re-engagement: After the move, ask for reviews, offer referral rewards, or send a check-in six months later with a “Need storage?” or “Planning another move?” message.
• Seasonal campaigns: Around tax season, back-to-school, or the holidays, send promos or useful tips to stay relevant.

You can also run retargeting ads to reach people who visited your site but didn’t call or fill out your quote form. A few dollars can bring those leads back and get them to convert.

Pro tip: Offer a free download, like a “Moving Day Survival Kit” PDF to collect emails. Then use drip campaigns to guide leads from interest to booking.

Bonus: A/B test your subject lines and call-to-action buttons to see what actually gets clicks and calls.

8. Look the part – branding signals legitimacy and gets you remembered

If your logo, colors, or website look outdated, ugly, or amateur, customers will think twice before calling. A clean and consistent identity makes your business feel legit before buyers even pick up the phone.

Take Square Cow Moovers, for example. They have a playful name, black and green trucks, and consistent cow visuals that make them instantly recognizable all over the US. Even if a customer doesn’t remember the exact name, they remember “the cow movers.” 

Source: Square Cow Moovers

Start with the basics:

• A clear brand message. What makes you different? Faster moves? White-glove service? Local trust?
• Visual identity. Logo, brand colors, tagline, and a tone that matches how you want to come across. (friendly, premium, efficient, etc.)
• Consistency across every touchpoint. Your estimate emails, crew uniforms, move-day docs, and even texts should all feel like you.

9. Use analytics to double down on what works

Here’s what to watch:

• Website traffic and conversions. Are people visiting your site? Are they filling out quote forms?
• Lead sources. Are jobs coming from Google Ads, SEO, referrals, social media, or from somewhere else?
• Campaign ROI. What’s your cost per click (CPC), close rate, and average job value per source?
• Engagement signals. Reviews, local mentions, and social comments are a few examples.

Want to go deeper? Add call tracking numbers to pinpoint which ads drive quote requests. And make sure your CRM syncs with email, phone, and web tools so every lead is tracked, followed up, and ready to book.

Supermove’s real-time reporting dashboard pulls it all together. You can see which channels drive high-value jobs, where leads drop off, and which campaigns are worth scaling.

10. Keep optimizing what works

Make it a habit to:

• Review campaign performance regularly. Tweak keywords, swap out ad copy, and shift budget toward what’s actually booking jobs.
• Follow demand shifts. Seeing more interest in eco-friendly moves? Add green packing options. Getting inquiries for piano moves? Build services around them.
• Test and expand. Launch seasonal offers, try new ad platforms, or create campaigns for services like commercial and long-distance moves.

Your roadmap to growth starts here

• Know your ideal buyers. Who are they, and what do they care about most?
• Pick your first channel. Focus on one high-impact channel (like local SEO or Google Ads) and do it well. If you’re in doubt, hire a marketing agency or a consultant.
• Track what matters. Monitor key performance metrics like lead source, close rate, and job value, and optimize often.
• Expand smartly. Add channels like email, direct mail, social media, and referral partnerships after you get your first 1-2 core channels working

Why these strategies work

• You boost your local visibility and online presence, so buyers find you when it matters.
• You build trust and capture leads at every stage from curious browsers to ready-to-book customers.
• You’re monitoring data to make sure every dollar moves the needle.

Ready to take the next step? Supermove helps you turn leads into booked jobs and see what’s actually working.

• Know exactly which channels drive the best results with real-time reporting
• Follow up fast with built-in email and text tools in the CRM platform
• Make every quote, invoice, and customer interaction feel consistent and professional

Book a demo and see how Supermove helps you grow, job by job.