Facebook group leads for movers
People ask their Facebook groups about a move long before they book anyone: who moved a friend, whether two people and a van will do, who can get a sofa up the stairs. Many of those posts never say "movers".
Where people ask for help moving
- Neighborhood and town groups. The everyday source: local moves, single items and "who did you use?" threads.
- "Moving to" and relocation groups. People arriving from elsewhere, often asking for long-distance movers or for someone to unload at the new place.
- Student and university housing groups, at the end of each term and lease, for small loads and storage runs.
- Apartment, condo and resident groups, where neighbors share building rules about elevators, loading bays and move-in times.
- Military family groups near a base, for families moving on new orders.
- Groups for older residents and their families, where adult children plan a parent's downsizing or move to assisted living.
- Marketplace and free-stuff groups. Buyers of a big item ask who can pick it up and deliver it, and sellers clearing a home before a move ask the same.
How they ask
- "Need two people and a truck on Saturday to move a one-bedroom across town."
- "Anyone recommend a long-distance mover? Going to Denver in June."
- "Bought a sofa on Marketplace. Who can pick it up and get it up three flights?"
- "Got a U-Haul booked, just need help loading it on Friday morning."
- "Who moved your piano? Ours has to go from the living room to the basement."
- "Moving my mom into assisted living next month and dreading it. Any movers who are patient with older people?"
Some want a moving company for a whole home. Others want two people for an afternoon, or one heavy item carried up the stairs.
Monitors for moving work
You'd answer those two kinds of request differently, so if you take both, give each its own monitor.
- Find
- people moving their home or office who are asking for movers or a moving company, locally or long distance.
- Ignore
- moving companies and drivers advertising their services, and people selling or giving away furniture.
- Find
- people asking for help loading or unloading a rental truck, or for someone to pick up and move a heavy item such as a sofa, appliance or piano.
- Ignore
- moving companies and drivers advertising, and people asking only to rent a truck or a storage unit.
Local groups are full of movers advertising and people selling furniture before a move. Both look like moving posts, which is what the Ignore lines are for. A group watched by two active monitors uses two group slots. Writing a monitor has more on wording.
What a match looks like
While Chrome is open on your computer and signed in to Facebook, GroupSignal checks your groups, and matches arrive in your Sosaly inbox like these:
We're moving from a two-bedroom on Elm Street to a house about ten miles away on the 28th. Can anyone recommend movers who were careful with their furniture?
Why it matchedMoving a two-bedroom home locally and asking for mover recommendations.
Lease is up at the end of the month. Anyone have tips for packing a kitchen?
Why it matchedMoving soon, but asks for packing tips rather than for help with the move.
The second post deserves a helpful answer even if it isn't a booking yet. People remember the mover who gave them packing tips when moving day comes.
Replying to a moving request
- Ask what decides the job: from and to, home size, stairs or elevator, the date, and any heavy or awkward items. A price before those answers sets the wrong expectation.
- Be clear about how you price. By the hour or by the job, minimums and travel time, if the group allows prices in comments. People who have heard of moving scams look for a written estimate.
- Show your registration where it's required. In the US, an interstate household goods mover must show its name and U.S. DOT number in any advertisement (49 CFR 375.207), so include them when you offer a move across state lines.
- Say if the date is open. A clear yes or no on their date is often the most useful line in your reply.
- Mention building rules when you know them. Knowing the elevator booking and loading bay of a building you've moved people into shows you know the job.
For group rules and what not to send, see how to reply to a post in a Facebook group without getting removed.