gregorygarver.com

[Brenda]

My family owns a moving company, and we are having the worst business slump in 80 years. Its because of the condition that the Real Estate market is in. If people cant sell their houses, we cant move them.Does anybody have any advertising ideas? Weve tried newspaper ads, door hangers, starting a MySpace profile, and mailing fliers. None of them brought in enough business to make it worth our while.

[MiguelH]

In your case advertising won't do any good because the market has dried up. Try thinking outside of the box... investigate doing moving, shipping and storage for other businesses... Business to Business always pays better than dealing with the public, anyway.Good Luck

[Nitengale]

Contact your local cable company and see if they have advertising space an how much they charge. Depending on the time of day will depend on how much. Get out a family camcorder and create your own commercial or hire an advertising company to come up with one. It is more fun to do the family camcorder for teh family business. Also advertise that you will move anything from homes, business, equipment, piano's, etc. You might want to try a radio spot. They are just voice and the family can do that as well and keep the costs down.

[DanielleB]

Hi! I would love to offer you some ideas. 1. Create a flyer and ask local apartment complexes if they would be willing to add it to their "new tenant" folders. Offer a coupon or discount on services. Also, most apartment complexes have newsletters. They typically have some advertising space avalailable at nominal fees. Also, apartment complexes are always deperate to get people to lease with them. There may be an opportunity to partner with them as their premiere moving company. Maybe they would offer tenants "free moving" month and pay for your services for all new tenants.2. Are there many big employers in your area? Contact employers (human resource departments) and offer their employees a discount on your services. 3. Forget distributing flyers or newspaper ads. Unless they are consistent, people forget them. Instead, put the flyers where people will see them. Who needs to move? People who are moving to town or expanding their family. So: - Ask local realtors if they would offer your services to their clients. To get the realtor to actually do it, you may want to offer them an incentive. Obviously, money is always a great incentive - 3% commission on all moves that they directly refer? - Mortgage companies would also be a good target to partner with or promote your business. Offer flyers or business cards that offer a disocunt. There are a few ideas! I would be happy to help if you need more. Also - how are you advertising your company? What kind of wording are you using? Does it stand out from the competition?

[hollywoodmelody]

Buy 1, Get 1 Freean hour of delivery!Book in advance get10% off your next move.Real estate market got you down?You'll be moving in no time with us!All of the above could be put on a banner and attached to your moving truck.Work with For Sale by Owners and tell them that they will get a discount if they recommend their buyer to use your moving company.Get a hold of Top Producing agents and ask them to recommend you. If they do, you will recommend them.Networking is best, go to Chamber Mixers and let the mouths talk!

[shondamiles]

Have you thought about offering some other service that would keep the business going until the Real Estate stump was over? Have you all thought of offering some type of discount or newsletter on moving tips? Become better at something as far as moving is concerned customer service, quality, fast something where customers will think of you when they move. How are you different? What do you specialize in? Also I would build relationships with as many Real Estate Companies, Air Force Bases, Mortgage Companies in order to get business. Just trying to help.

[JayHamilton-Roth]

Besides homes, people need businesses moved. Your local chamber of commerce may be a good contact point for knowing which businesses are growing, leaving, or arriving.Work with (do-it-yourself) storage companies. People are collecting more stuff these days, and need a way of moving things out of their home.Become a subcontractor for furniture/piano/equipment sales. (including kitchen). You have the tools to move something to somewhere else.Event planners: Moving tables, etc. from point to point.Schools: At end-of-school year (too late now), they often need to empty out the rooms to do maintenance and hauling.

[ThomasA]

Your trucks are your best form of advertising and most bang for the buck. More people will see your trucks then your yellow page ad, a television spot, a newspaper ad or web page. I don't think I've ever seen an ad for Ryder or U-Haul, Atlas or Mayflower. It's always their trucks I see and we've all heard of them. Are your trucks clean? Do they look safe and reliable? Would you want your most cherished heirlooms traveling down the road in one?Talk to your local sign company or large format printer about maybe doing a "vehicle wrap." Come up with something clever and funny. The aquarium thing, the truck going backwards thing. The cardboard box thing. Something to catch peoples attention. Advertise your web page.Maybe get some of the elementary schools in your area to start some sort of contest and have the winning drawings blown up and put on the vans. Maybe get the kids of soldiers serving in Iraq to submit drawings. If anybody knows about moving, it's military kids. You have rolling billboards that travel across the entire country. Use them.

[AbdZ]

Hi..The best way to advertising any product or services is via internet. If you have your own website a thousand people can reach your product via internet. However you have to learn more about how to promote your site in fact it is very easy if you have your own product. Hopely you get the idea...

[Landwatch.com]

You can use the local radio for ads. Though I don't know how this will work for movers but still it is worth a try. I wish you all the best. Don't worry things will soon be fine.