1. Meet your customers where they are—on social media
Love it or hate it, social media isn’t something you can afford to ignore. Your potential customers are on social media platforms, and they’re one of the first places customers will look when they need help with junk removal. In fact, a third of people on the platforms use social media to learn about or discover new products, services, or brands.
Even if they see a promotion for your business on another platform, they may reach out to your business on social media. That’s why it’s important to have a presence on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and even Tiktok. Linkedin can also be an important platform where you can network with other local businesses and build partnerships and collaborations—more on that below.
2. Leverage images and videos
Not sure what to post on your social media channels? Start with taking pictures and very short video clips of some of your challenging and impressive junk removal jobs and posting them. A picture is worth a thousand words, and images and videos will show potential customers that you know how to get the job done. Write a short description of each job—no more than 2-3 sentences, and include relevant hashtags like #junkremoval, #junk, #hauling, #recycle, #trash, #trashremoval, and even #declutter to make it easier for potential customers to find the images.
3. Encourage satisfied customers to share their experience
Did you know that research shows that 98% of customers read online reviews for local businesses? It makes sense—at the end of the day, customers trust other customers more than they trust business owners, especially customers who have experienced the service firsthand.
Reviews give your business important exposure and build trust. but that’s not all they do. You can also learn a lot about what your customers do and don’t like from reviews, and use those insights to provide better service in the future.
There are lots of ways to ask customers for a review—for example, emails, text messages, or even on your receipts. Don’t forget to include a direct link to your page on review sites to make it easier for your customers to find you and complete the review. You can even automate review request text messages and emails with Workiz automation and the Workiz/NiceJob integration can help boost your reviews and rank higher in search, generating more jobs faster.
4. Create a Yelp and Google review page
Since reviews are so important, you want to optimize them for maximum value. Start with the review platforms that have the most local traffic—Google and Yelp. Don’t wait for someone else to create a page for your business that may include information that isn’t accurate—create your page yourself. Creating a page is free, and you should include your contact info, your logo, and a description of your business, and upload pictures to the review page.
Once your page is up and running, make sure to respond to the reviews people provide. When the reviews are positive, thank the customer for taking the time to write the review. When the reviews are negative, write a response addressing their concerns without being defensive. This shows potential customers that you’re committed to your customers and willing to address problems when they happen.
5. Leverage community groups
Since junk removal is a hyper-localized service, neighborhood Facebook groups can be excellent venues to get the word out about your services. Scout out the popular groups and see if any of your loyal customers are members. If they are, ask them if they’d be willing to write a post about your business, or recommend your services in queries about junk removal. Contact the group admins, and ask about options for sponsored posts offering discounts to group members.
6. Contribute to community events
Showing that you are an active and committed member of the local community can do a lot to boost your reputation with prospective customers. Look for community events like fundraisers and offer your services at cost or at a discount for the event. It’s a great way to raise awareness of your brand while also doing good for others.
7. Be proactive
Customers who have used your services in the past are more likely to use them in the future—if they remember the name of your business and can locate your contact info that is.
Stay on your customer’s radar with a friendly reminder or nudge. Try sending them a text message or email at times when you think they might need your services—after Christmas or a severe weather event, for example. Even if they don’t need your services at that time, they’ll appreciate the reminder and are more likely to remember you when they do.
8. Co-market
Why do everything on your own when you can split the effort with another local business? Try partnering with businesses that compliment yours—landscaping, construction, or moving for example—in joint promotions. Your resources will go further, and you’ll gain exposure to new audiences.
9. Optimize for local keywords
When a potential customer needs junk removal service, and they need it now, the first thing they’re likely to do is a Google search. Research shows that people rarely look past the first page of results, so you want to make sure that your business is there.
But how can you make that happen? No matter how much you work on your website, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to make it to the first page of the results of a Google search for “junk removal”. That doesn’t mean that search engine optimization isn’t important, however. Try focusing on local keywords, for example, “junk removal in {{city name}}”. It will be easier to optimize your site for the more specific keywords, and searches for those keywords will bring you more relevant traffic.
10. Try paid ads
A small budget can go a long way in paid ads, whether they’re Google search ads, display ads, or paid ads on social media. On the other hand, you don’t want to waste money on ads that aren’t doing the job. Workiz data analytics capabilities help you measure the effectiveness of your marketing spend so you can see which ads deliver and which don’t
See? Marketing doesn’t have to be scary, especially with Workiz on your side. So, strive to go big, and start growing your business today. We’re here to help!
