In 1989, a 19 year old named Brian Scudamore was waiting in a McDonald's drive-thru when he saw an old junk hauling truck. He thought, "Hey, I could do that." Within a week he had a truck and a new business called The Rubbish Boys.
Today that business is 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, with about 150 locations across the US, Canada and Australia (1-800-GOT-JUNK?). Look at the name. It's a phone number. Junk removal customers don't plan for weeks like moving customers do. They decide, and they want someone now. The company built its whole brand around being the number you remember in that moment.
That's the main difference between marketing junk removal and marketing moves. A moving customer books weeks ahead and compares three estimates. A junk removal customer is standing in a full garage today. This guide is built around that: how to be the one they find, trust and book in the next ten minutes.
What The Big Brands Already Do Online
We looked at the two biggest national junk removal brands on October 9, 2026. Both do the same three things on their homepage:
They show a price
1-800-GOT-JUNK? advertises "instant pricing from $39" and explains it prices "by volume, which is how much space your junk takes up in the truck" (1-800-GOT-JUNK?). LoadUp says "What you see online is exactly what you pay" (LoadUp).
They promise speed
"Even if you need us today," says 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. LoadUp offers same day pickup in most areas when you book before noon.
They say where your stuff goes
Both talk about donating and recycling "whenever possible."
A local junk removal company can match all three, and beat them on the things a national brand can't fake: a real owner, a local crew and a phone that a person answers. Here's how.
Show Your Price
When the national brands publish prices and you don't, you look more expensive, even when you aren't. You don't need an exact price for every job. You need the way you price, in plain words, and a range for each load size. Build yours below and paste it on your website, your Facebook page and into your quotes.
The example prices are placeholders, not market rates. Use your own numbers and your local disposal costs.
Win "Today" Searches
Someone who searches "junk removal near me" on a Saturday morning will call whoever looks ready right now. Four things decide whether that's you:
A complete Google Business Profile
Your hours, services, real before and after photos and fresh reviews are often the whole sales pitch, before anyone visits your website. Our SEO beginner guide has a 30 day checklist that works the same for junk removal.
A phone that gets answered
Every missed call on a busy day is a job for the next company on the map. If you can't answer, a text back within minutes is the next best thing. Our CRM guide has follow up texts you can copy.
Local Services Ads
Junk removal is one of the nationwide categories for Google's Local Services Ads (Whitespark). You pay per lead instead of per click, and you show above everything else. We compare the costs in best lead providers.
Search ads that say "today"
If you can take same day jobs, say it in the ad and on the page it sends people to. Then cut the clicks that never book, like job seekers and people pricing a dumpster rental. Our guide to wasted Google Ads budget shows where to look.
Make "Where Does It Go?" Your Selling Point
Most people feel a little guilty throwing away a couch that still works. They should: in the EPA's latest figures, Americans threw out over 12 million tons of furniture and furnishings in 2018, and 80.1% of it went to landfill (EPA).
If you donate and recycle what you can, say so, and show it. A photo of a dresser dropped off at a local charity says more than any slogan. Many Habitat for Humanity ReStores accept furniture donations, and some offer pickup, so check what your local ones take. Only promise what you really do. If everything goes to the dump, don't say it doesn't.
Pages For Every Job Type
"Junk removal" is one search. "Hot tub removal," "estate cleanout" and "appliance removal" are different customers with different worries. Each one deserves its own page that answers its questions:
Add a page for each area you really serve, too. For Runner Runner in Philadelphia, we built pages for the city and the surrounding counties, each written for that area instead of copied with the name swapped. Copy paste location pages are something Google calls doorway abuse, and they can hurt you. See the Runner Runner case study.
Partners Who Send Steady Work
Same day searches pay today. Partners pay every month. These people see junk before anyone else does:
- Real estate agents: homes need to be empty before listing photos.
- Property managers: every tenant move out leaves something behind.
- Estate attorneys and senior move managers: families need a trusted, gentle crew.
- Contractors and remodelers: debris every week.
- Moving companies: customers who don't want to move half their stuff. If you do both, offer it on every moving quote.
- Storage facilities: abandoned and downsized units.
Bring each one something useful: your price card, a promise to answer the same day, and photos of a property you left spotless.
A 12 Month Marketing Calendar
Junk removal has seasons. Push the right message a few weeks before each one.
| When | What people are doing | What to promote |
|---|---|---|
| January | New year declutter, holiday boxes | Garage and closet cleanouts |
| March to April | Spring cleaning, yard work starts | Spring cleanout specials, yard debris, shed removal |
| May to August | Peak moving season, home sales | Move out cleanouts, realtor partnerships, same day service |
| Late August | College move ins and move outs | Dorm and apartment cleanouts near campuses |
| September to October | Fall cleanup, getting ready for winter | Basement and garage cleanouts, hot tub and patio furniture |
| November to December | Guests coming, new furniture arriving | Old furniture and appliance removal before the holidays |
| All year | Estates, renovations, rental turnovers | Partner outreach and job type pages |
If you run junk removal alongside moving, the same foundations from our 30 marketing ideas apply, and you can filter them by budget and goal.
FAQ
How do I get more junk removal customers?
Be easy to find and easy to book today. Complete your Google Business Profile with real before and after photos and fresh reviews, answer every call or text back within minutes, show how you price, build a page for each job type you do, and partner with realtors, property managers and contractors who see junk before anyone else.
Should a junk removal company show prices online?
Yes, at least how you price and a range for each load size. The biggest national brands show starting prices on their homepage, so a company that hides its prices can look more expensive even when it is not. Confirm the exact price on site before you start.
Is Google Local Services Ads available for junk removal?
Yes. Junk removal is one of the nationwide Local Services Ads categories in the US. You pay per lead instead of per click, and your listing shows above regular search results.
What is the best marketing for a junk removal business?
For most local junk haulers, the foundation is a strong Google Business Profile, a fast website with a page for each job type and area, and steady reviews. Search ads and Local Services Ads bring same day demand on top of that. Partners like realtors and property managers bring repeat work.
How do junk removal companies price their jobs?
Most price by volume, meaning how much of the truck the items fill, from a minimum load up to a full truck, with single item prices for small jobs. Disposal costs vary by area, so set your prices from your local dump and recycling fees.
Should I tell customers I donate and recycle?
Only if you do. If you donate and recycle what you can, say so on your website and show photos of real drop offs. In EPA data for 2018, about 80% of discarded furniture went to landfill, so it is a real reason for customers to choose you.
Goran is co-founder of Move Accelerator, a marketing agency that works only with moving and junk removal companies. Before marketing, he spent 10 years in customer service, which is why every campaign starts with what the customer is feeling when they search. He writes about what's working for movers and junk haulers right now, including the parts most agencies keep quiet.
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