If you’re looking to be your own boss and start a business, you can consider getting into the moving industry. Not many things in life are certain, but the fact that people will always be moving is one of them. This career can really blow up if you take all the necessary steps to start a successful moving business.
How to Start a Moving Business
STEP 1: Pick a niche
There are different directions in which you can take your moving business and many services you can offer. Settling on a few might be much easier for starters, so you can have time and money to dedicate to developing and perfecting your skills.
You can settle on offering local services, long-distance services, commercial moving services, or automotive moving. Your niche will dictate how much money you need to invest and what kind of equipment you need. A niche also helps users find your company more easily and conduct a better marketing campaign.
STEP 2: Acquire permits and funding
Before you start seeing clients, it’s always necessary to check with your state or local government and conduct all the necessary paperwork. Most jurisdictions have special requests when it comes to licenses so make sure to obtain them before you can legally offer your services if you want to avoid hefty fees.
When it comes to your budget, a small business might not require any outside funding. People who have a vehicle and two or three hardworking members only need a minute investment.
If you have bigger business goals and want to expand, you can apply for a loan. If you prefer seeking help from investors, they will require a detailed business plan, organization plans and all agreements of operation before they give you any money, so keep that in mind.
STEP 3: Invest in tools and gear
No matter the niche you’ve chosen, you will need to make a few investments in tools and gear (there are not too many overhead costs for a small moving company).
Experienced movers like Lifestyle moving and storage have many things at their customers’ disposal from basic packing supplies to moving equipment and proper vehicles that ensure the smoothest move for all customers. You don’t have to get all the vehicles, hand trucks and trolleys, but basics like moving and packing materials are a necessity.
STEP 4: Get insurance
All experienced and responsible moving companies recommend their customers to take out insurance and protect their personal possessions during a move. But you can also get insurance for yourself and protect your business from many risks of the job.
There are various insurance policies you can consider, but personal liability insurance is probably the most important. This policy protects you from various accidents, breakages and lost items, as well as lawsuits from unsatisfied customers. It’s in no one’s interest to use liability insurance, but operating without it is a big risk for your finances.
Next, you can consider automotive insurance for all your commercial vehicles in your fleet (trucks, vans and regular cars). Commercial property insurance is also an option if your business owns any property like office spaces—it offers protection for assets outside your vehicles.
And finally, invest in workers’ compensation that will protect your staff in case of an injury. Moving is a demanding occupation for the body and accidents happen.
STEP 5: Develop your pricing structure
All customers will require a quote before they hire you for their moving jobs, so make sure to create a pricing plan. Most movers base their pricing on mileage, weight, number of items or hours.
You will need to cover all your expenses (fuel, staff wages, materials, advertising and insurance) and make a profit, so take your time with pricing quotes. And since your business is completely new, without an established reputation, you’ll probably benefit from charging lower prices for starters.
STEP 6: Hire staff
It might not be necessary to hire extra staff at the beginning of your business, but as your company grows and you get more clients, having additional moving hands will be necessary. Clients want reliable, skilled and professional movers, so these are the qualities to look for in your candidates.
People you hire need to treat your clients’ things with respect and be welcoming to all customers. To prevent lawsuits, property damage and staff injury, create a good employee handbook and provide training to all new workers.
In case of an injury, your aforementioned workers’ compensation insurance will come in handy (it’s even required by law in many countries and states).
STEP 7: Create contracts
Every customer should get a contract that states all the details of your service and the price that you’ve agreed on. A good idea is to develop a template of the contract that you can just fill in when you start working with clients.
If you have no previous experience in writing contracts, it’s best to talk to a lawyer who will create a contract template with you or give you tips on language, points and dispute control.
STEP 8: Advertise your services
Even before your business is ready to launch, it’s necessary to start marketing and familiarize customers with your services. This process demands plenty of creativity and strategy tools and tactics.
There are different ways you can market your business but most companies choose to invest in paid ads on Google, Facebook and Instagram. There’s also search engine optimization (SEO) that’s used to attract organic traffic.
You can also hit up your local print store and print ads to distribute in your neighborhood and city suburbs. If you have a big marketing budget, it’s a great idea to hire a third-party marketer to handle your marketing and branding needs. Professionals know what will work for your business and how to make proper chances to insure good marketing results.
Moving is a great business opportunity, especially for younger people. It’s a physically demanding job, but once you develop your business and make a name for yourself by following the tips above, it will be very rewarding. And after you decide to expand your business, you can relax and enjoy the income while running the business from the comfort of your office.
