Summer’s packed schedule has cleared out, but payroll, insurance, and truck payments haven’t slowed down.
Winter can be a tough stretch for moving companies. Fewer calls come in, customers compare prices more closely, and open dates start adding up. Still, people relocate for work, downsize, finish leases, and need somewhere to store their belongings between homes.
The opportunity is there. Your marketing needs to give those customers a reason to call.
1. Market the Moves That Happen All Year
Start by looking at the jobs you booked last winter. Were they apartment moves? Corporate relocations? Smaller moves for customers downsizing?
Use that history to decide which services to promote. Build dedicated pages for the audiences you serve, with details that answer their questions.
A senior moving page could explain packing assistance and coordination with family members. A corporate relocation page might cover scheduling around a job start date. Apartment customers need information about elevators, loading access, and lease deadlines, especially around New Year’s.
Share those pages with property managers, real estate agents, and other referral partners. Give them a specific service they can recommend.
2. Give Flexible Customers a Better Offer
If Tuesdays and Wednesdays are sitting empty, make those dates more appealing.
Consider lower weekday rates, a packing credit, or a move-and-store promotion. Work out the numbers first so the offer still makes sense after labor, travel, and supplies.
Promote it on your website, Google Business Profile, and relevant search ads. Google’s offer posts let you include dates, links, and terms so customers can see the details before contacting you.
Keep the message specific. “Ask about lower weekday rates on select winter dates” tells customers what to ask for. Make sure your office team knows the terms, too.
3. Make Storage Easy to Add
A customer may need to leave their apartment before their new home is ready. Another may want furniture stored while preparing a house for sale.
If you offer storage, bring it up during the estimate. Add a simple question to your quote form: “Will you need storage between addresses?”
Feature moving and storage options together on your website and Google Business Profile. Explain where belongings stay, how billing works, and which handling or delivery fees apply.
For portable storage companies, show how delivery, loading, storage, and pickup fit together. Customers with uncertain dates need to understand how much flexibility you can provide.
4. Follow Up With Summer Customers
Your summer customers may still remember how carefully your crew handled their move. If they haven’t already received a review request, send a brief follow-up with a direct Google review link.
Ask for honest feedback and leave the wording to them.
Review your team’s scripts as well. As we covered in our employee shout-out policy update, Google prohibits asking customers to include specific content, including employee names. Customers can still choose to mention someone themselves. Review incentives and staff review quotas are also prohibited.
Build a consistent follow-up process now so it keeps running when spring gets busy.
5. Put Your Ad Budget Where Jobs Are Booking
Before cutting advertising, check which campaigns are producing profitable work.
Reduce spending on broad searches and areas that consistently fail to book. Keep coverage for relevant searches such as “movers near me,” “long distance movers [city],” and “moving and storage [city]” when your booking data supports it.
Judge performance by cost per booked move, close rate, and job value. A cheap inquiry isn’t much of a bargain if it never becomes a customer.
Our 13 Proven Google Ads Tips for Moving Companies covers the setup and optimization details. During winter, focus on directing your budget toward the work you can win profitably.
6. Check Your Visibility in AI Recommendations
Ask ChatGPT which movers it recommends in your city. Then get more specific: ask about senior moves, long-distance moving, or moving with storage.
Run each question in a fresh conversation and record the companies and sources mentioned.
Our 20-market storage company test found that changing the question wording changed the recommendations. A few different prompts will give you a more useful picture than one answer.
Look for problems you can address, such as inaccurate service areas, outdated listings, or missing information about services you offer.
7. Get Next Spring’s Website Work Started
Use quieter weeks to improve your most valuable city and service pages. Add original photos, useful local details, customer feedback, and clear quote options.
Reconnect with local partners, too. Those relationships can generate referrals and opportunities for relevant website links.
Search improvements take time. Google notes that some changes can take several months to show an effect, so winter gives you room to publish, measure, and adjust before spring.
Give Your Winter Marketing a Clear Plan
Choose the dates you need to fill and the services you want to sell. Then make sure your website, offers, and advertising support those goals.
Risely helps moving companies grow through digital marketing, including local SEO, Google Ads, website improvements, and AI search optimization.
Need more qualified leads this winter? Request a free marketing audit to see where your marketing could bring in more booked moves.
