Winter is coming. Your plow truck is ready. Shovels are set. Crews are on standby. 

But your phone isn’t buzzing. You’ve done everything you can think of to get the snow removal business ready for the season, but there are no prospects. 

One of the best strategies for securing snow removal contracts is to start the process early.

Miss that early window, and you’ll struggle for scraps while your competitors are locked into valuable contracts. 

This article helps you avoid that. Here, you’ll find proven strategies to fill your client roster before the first snowfall. 

How to effectively acquire customers for your snow removal business

As a snow removal contractor, you know the demand is there. Whenever snow falls, property owners and managers need help fast. 

But finding these prospects before your competitors can be challenging. The best time to lock in contracts is before the winter season. 

Here are some strategies you can use to acquire new customers for your snow removal services:

Optimize your Google Business Profile for local SEO

Make it easy for your new snow removal clients to find you. 

Since most people (77% of them) search for local services on Google, ensure your snow removal business is visible when local residents and businesses come searching. 

Here’s how:

• Create or claim a Google Business Profile (GBP) listing: A GBP is a business profile that helps people find your company when they search for ‘snow removal services near me.’ It looks like this:

If there’s an unverified profile of your business online, you can claim it by visiting Google Maps or Google search.

Ensure you add the right business address, working hours, photos, and phone number. If possible, encourage existing and past customers to leave reviews, as this can improve visibility in the local search results. 

• Optimize your website for local search: If you have a website, link it to the GBP and ensure the name, address, and location are consistent. Use specialized tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to find local keywords that customers search with and include them in your website’s content, title, and tags. 

Collaborate with SEO experts to create location-specific web pages for different locations within your city or state and implement a schema markup to help search engines understand the business.  

Do social media marketing to engage customers

According to Statista, there are over 300 million social media users in the United States, representing more than 93% of the country’s population.

This makes social media a great channel for advertising your snow removal services to prospects. 

Since people enjoy infotainment (information and entertainment) social media is a good platform for that, allowing you to share content like:

• Before-and-after videos or photos of your snow removal services

• A day in the life of a snow removal business owner

• Company volunteer events that the business participates in

• Great reviews from happy customers

• Funny employee moments

• Company milestones

• Client and employee referral program

• Tips for home and business owners during the winter months

• Giveaways, deals, and exclusive offers

What this does for your snow removal company is keep it top of mind with clients and prospects. When they consistently see your social media posts, the company becomes their go-to for snow removal services.

Run paid advertising (PPC) campaigns for quick leads

Another way to acquire clients is to run pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns on Google and social media. 

PPC ads are typically the first thing people see when they search for specific keywords, making them a good way to drive traffic, generate leads, and drive sales. 

Using this marketing strategy gets your business instant visibility and quick results. Plus, you’re billed only when someone clicks on your ad.

The idea is to identify specific keywords people use when searching for snow removal services, e.g., 'snow removal Brookline,' 'snow removal Brookline MA,' 'snow plowing Brookline,' 'snow removal company Brookline MA,' ‘parking lot snow removal Brookline,' 'commercial snow plowing Brookline,' and 'Brookline business snow removal contract.'

These ads are relatively simple to run, and while it’s recommended you partner with a PPC ads expert, you can DIY it if you want. 

Implement referral programs for word-of-mouth marketing

Referral programs reward clients and employees for bringing in new business. The reward can be some percentage off the service, a gift card, a seat at a special event, or a bonus or gift for an employee. 

If you don’t have a marketing budget, running a referral program can do the job without the huge costs. 

Optimize your website to convert visitors into customers

Your marketing efforts—Google Business Profile, social media marketing, and PPC advertising—are driving traffic to your website. 

But those visitors aren’t converting into paying customers. Why?

It often comes down to your website. 

If your site loads slowly, lacks clear calls-to-action, has no visual content, or doesn’t showcase your services with professional photos and testimonials to back them up, prospects will move on quickly. 

As a snow removal contractor on the hunt for new customers, your website needs to: 

• Load quickly (within three seconds).

• Clearly display your services (with photos and videos), including coverage areas, and pricing.

• Include your accurate business information—pricing, address, and contact details.

• Be accessible on mobile phones.  

• Make requesting a quote or service effortless.

How can business management software help in customer acquisition?

Field service management software streamlines client communication, quotes, proposals, and invoices, as well as field operations, freeing you to focus on securing winter contracts. 

Aspire goes further, with built-in CRM features to track leads, automate follow-ups, and convert prospects into clients.

Here’s a breakdown of what business management software does and how it helps in client acquisition...

Automated scheduling

Scheduling projects used to be done manually, where you or an office staff member would: 

• Take calls and record jobs on scheduling sheets (daily planners, appointment books, or Excel spreadsheets).

• Plan routes using a map. 

• Create a work order copy for field crews or send it via text. 

Once jobs were completed, crews had to fill out paper or digital forms and return them to the office staff for manual entry.

This created problems: no real-time visibility into technicians’ locations, double-booking, and time wasted digging through files for client information.  

Aspire’s scheduling feature provides a much easier way. 

Once a bid is approved, it automatically moves to the scheduling tab. Signed contracts become work tickets, and you can schedule jobs months in advance. The drag-and-drop calendar lets you assign projects to crew members and instantly select optimal dates.

Both office and field staff access the same live calendar, so everyone stays aligned on expectations and timelines. 

The built-in route optimization feature guides technicians to the most efficient routes each day.

For snow removal teams, this means fewer scheduling errors, crews dispatched at optimal times, and faster service for clients—all from a single system.

Creating proposals fast and bidding on jobs

Field service tools help you create estimates and proposals for new clients quickly. 

Instead of building estimates from scratch every time a prospect requests a quote, Aspire offers customizable templates you can brand with your business information and design.

Add the desired services you’re quoting from an existing catalog, and Aspire automatically calculates costs based on preset margins for labor, materials, subcontractors, and overhead. 

You can also include custom markups for jobs or clients as needed.  

The end result? 

Professional, accurate proposals delivered in minutes instead of hours or days. This helps you bid on snow removal jobs faster than competitors and protects your profit margin. 

Streamlining customer communications and interactions

Having several communication channels is always a plus when dealing with prospects and clients. 

Aspire’s CRM provides just that, allowing you to send automated SMS and email reminders for appointments, follow up on quotes, and confirm service completion.

Your team has instant access to the client’s service history and preferences, so every interaction is personalized and informed.  

Clients can respond directly via email or text, creating a two-way conversation that keeps them engaged throughout the service process.  

Aspire also features a client portal where customers can:

• View and sign contracts 

• Access invoices and pay them 

• Submit service requests and send incident reports

• View photos of job progress taken by field crews 

This self-service provides convenience for your staff and clients, making it easier to retain snow removal business. 

Simplifying invoicing and payment collection

With business management software, creating and sending invoices and collecting payments is easy. 

Aspire, for example, features a built-in invoicing and payment feature that ensures quick billing. It offers a wide range of invoicing options, including instant invoices for one-time snow removal projects and progressive billing for recurring jobs. 

This lets you accommodate different clients’ billing preferences. And thanks to the client portal, these invoices can be delivered to customers and paid in just a few clicks. 

Aspire’s intuitive invoicing assistant helps identify overdue invoices and those ready to send. You can also see which invoices require additional information or need more work. 

This helps you reduce administrative work and time spent manually drafting invoices from scratch.

Over to You

As you prepare to launch a snow removal marketing campaign with the tips shared in this guide, leverage field service tools like Aspire to help automate your business operations. 

You can send automated messages/updates to existing clients to simplify administrative tasks, such as creating proposals, scheduling, and sending invoices.  

Here’s what John Caramanico Jr., president of C. Caramanico & Sons, had to say about Aspire:

“This company truly knows snowplowers’ needs and the functional system needed to run a successful day with multiple crews and hundreds of clients.” 

Book a free demo with Aspire to see firsthand how well Aspire meets your business needs. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I set competitive pricing for my snow removal services?

Research what your competitors in the area charge by calling for quotes or asking industry contacts. Factor in expenses such as labor, equipment maintenance, insurance, fuel, and overhead before applying your desired profit margin. 

You can consider providing tiered pricing:

• Per-visit rates for residential clients.

• Per-push pricing for commercial properties.

• Seasonal contracts for guaranteed service each time it snows. 

Learn more about pricing snow removal services here. 

How can I ensure my snow removal team is ready for emergencies?

• Conduct inspections and maintenance on all equipment before the season begins. 

• Stock up on salt, sand, and replacement parts. 

• Organize training on safety procedures, equipment operation, and snow removal techniques. 

• Create an emergency response plan for effective incident management. 

• Use field service management software, such as Aspire, to track crew locations, optimize routes, and dispatch the nearest available team. 

• Schedule regular check-ins during snowstorms. 

• Create a field preparation checklist to ensure the team has everything they need before heading out. 

What equipment is essential for a snow removal business?

Depending on your business and project size, here are some essential snow removal equipment items you need:

• Snow blowers for walkways and tight spaces.

• Shovels and ice scrapers for precise work.

• Safety equipment such as reflective vests, warning lights, and headlamps.

• Strong trucks with a plow attachment.

• Skid steers with plow attachments for large lots. 

• Liquid deicer systems.

• Salt and sand spreaders.

How can I handle scheduling during heavy snowstorms?

When heavy snowstorms hit, here’s what you need to do: 

• Use Aspire to assign crews based on proximity to job locations and availability. Prioritize urgent, high-value projects such as hospitals and public areas. 

• Track routes and stay in touch with crews in real time. 

• Send automated updates to clients about ETAs and job status. 

• Monitor the weather closely, pre-deploy crews before the storm becomes too severe, adjust schedules as needed, and communicate delays to clients.

• Have a backup crew and equipment ready in case some workers get stranded. 

• Set realistic expectations with clients and don’t overpromise.