How to Get Moving Customers: Reviews, Realtors, Apartments and Local Search

People do not hire movers often, and when they do, they are nervous. They are handing strangers everything they own, often during one of the most stressful weeks of their year. That means trust is the product. New moving companies win customers by looking legitimate, answering fast, pricing clearly and collecting reviews from day one. This guide covers the channels that work and a simple plan for your first 90 days.

Start with legitimacy

Before marketing, make sure customers can verify you:

• ☐ Business registered and licensed for local or intrastate moves as your state requires
• ☐ USDOT and FMCSA authority if you do interstate moves
• ☐ Insurance in place, with certificates available for buildings that require them
• ☐ License numbers shown on your website, estimates and trucks where required
• ☐ A physical business address and a local phone number

Many customers check these details, especially after reading about moving scams.

1. Google Business Profile

Most local moving searches end on Google Maps. Set up your profile with:

• The correct category ("Moving company" or "Mover")
• Your service area and hours
• Services: local moves, long-distance, packing, labour-only, senior moves, office moves
• Real photos of your crew, trucks and careful work
• A link to a quote form and your phone number

Post weekly updates and respond to every review.

2. Reviews from every move

Ask at the end of every move, when the customer is relieved and grateful:

"Thank you for trusting us today. Reviews really help a small moving company like ours. Would you mind if I texted you the link?"

Send the link within an hour. Reply to every review by name. If a review is negative, respond calmly, explain what you will do to fix it and take the conversation offline.

3. A website that answers the scary questions

Your website should answer:

• How pricing works, with hourly rates or ranges and minimums
• What is included and what costs extra
• How valuation and liability coverage work
• Your license and insurance details
• What to expect on move day
• How to book and pay deposits

A clear pricing page builds more trust than any slogan.

4. Realtor partnerships

Agents meet people who are about to move every week. Visit brokerages with a one-page sheet: services, pricing, reviews, license number and a dedicated phone line for agent referrals. Offer reliable scheduling for closings and fast responses. Check your state's rules on referral fees and gifts in real estate transactions before offering anything.

5. Apartment communities and property managers

Apartment managers see move-ins and move-outs every month. Many buildings require movers to provide a certificate of insurance naming the building, and some have strict elevator and loading dock rules. Becoming the mover who handles those requirements smoothly makes you the easy recommendation.

Script for a leasing office:

Hi, I'm Andre with Northline Moving. We handle a lot of moves in buildings like yours, and we send your certificate of insurance ahead of every job and follow your elevator rules. Could I leave some cards for residents who ask for a mover?

6. Senior moves and downsizing

Older adults moving to smaller homes or senior living often need help with sorting, packing, donation runs and setup in the new home. Partner with senior living communities, estate sale companies and senior move managers. These moves reward patience, care and clear communication, and families often refer friends.

7. Labour-only and small moves

Customers renting their own truck or using a portable storage container still need muscle. Labour-only jobs build reviews quickly, fill gaps in the schedule and introduce customers who may book a full move later.

8. Paid search and lead platforms

Paid search can work for movers but can be expensive in competitive cities. Lead platforms often sell the same inquiry to several companies. If you use either:

9. Business and office moves

Small offices, medical practices and retail shops move too. These jobs often happen on weekends or evenings and can be larger tickets. Network through local business groups and commercial real estate brokers.

10. Past customers

People move again. Send a thank-you message after each move, a reminder of your services a year later, and a referral offer. Track every customer in your CRM.

The booking call

How you handle the first call often decides the booking:

1. Answer with your company name and your own name.
2. Ask about the move: dates, addresses, home size, stairs, special items.
3. Offer a video or in-home survey for anything larger than a small apartment.
4. Explain your pricing clearly, including minimums and extras.
5. Send a written estimate the same day.
6. Follow up within 24 to 48 hours.

Worked example: a 90-day customer plan

Grace launches a one-truck local moving company with a $5,000 marketing budget.

By day 90 she has 52 reviews. The lead platform has the lowest ticket and highest cost per move, so she cuts it and moves that budget to realtor and apartment outreach.

Fill the slow days

Moving demand clusters at month-end, weekends and summer. Fill mid-week and mid-month gaps with labour-only jobs, office moves, senior moves, junk removal add-ons and discounted off-peak rates. A schedule that stays busy all month lowers your cost per job more than any ad campaign.

Turn reviews into a system

Reviews matter so much in moving that they deserve their own process:

• Have the crew lead ask for the review at the end of the move, not the office a week later.
• Send an automated text with the review link the same day.
• Thank every reviewer and mention something specific about their move.
• Share great reviews with the crew and recognize the crews who earn them.
• Learn from negative reviews: late arrivals, damage, slow work and surprise charges are the common themes. Fix the cause, not just the review.

Protect your reputation against scam confusion

Customers often search for moving scams before they book. Make it easy to verify you: show your license numbers, a physical address and real crew photos, explain your estimate and deposit policy clearly, and never demand large cash deposits. Avoid pricing tactics that resemble common scams, such as very low phone quotes that rise on move day. Legitimate movers win by being transparent.

Common mistakes

1. Hiding prices until the in-home visit.
2. Slow responses to quote requests.
3. Ignoring building requirements, such as insurance certificates and elevator reservations.
4. Not asking for reviews on move day.
5. Overpromising arrival times during peak season.

Questions readers ask

How much should a new moving company spend on marketing?

Many new movers set a fixed launch budget, often a few thousand dollars for the first 90 days, then shift toward a set share of revenue once results are measurable. Track cost per booked move by channel and move money toward the sources that bring larger, better-reviewed jobs.

Do moving directories and listing sites help?

Local directories and review sites can add trust and some leads, especially when your profile is complete and consistent with your Google listing. Paid placements vary widely in value, so test one at a time.

Your next step

Complete your Google Business Profile, write a pricing page for your website, and visit five apartment leasing offices this week.

The full guide, Starting a Local & Interstate Moving Company, covers licensing, insurance, startup costs, pricing, estimates, hiring, move day, claims, reviews and marketing, for $0.99.