PMQ Magazine (Jan 2015) – While traditional marketing and advertising will always have its place, sending targeted and personalized direct mail pieces to a brand-new audience each and every month is a unique and irreplaceable marketing strategy. Distinct from traditional marketing methods, new mover direct mail marketing with Our Town America allows businesses to reach consumers in an intimate fashion at an opportune time.
Timing is Everything
The Our Town America community Welcome Package arrives in the mailbox of new mover families while they’re actively seeking new go-to businesses in their new neighborhoods. Perceived as a community sponsorship package rather than everyday marketing, the Our Town America package gets opened and acted upon. In fact, 90% of respondents in Our Town America’s 2014 New Mover Survey said housewarming gifts would help them feel more comfortable and settled in their new home.
Our Town America’s Welcome Package includes gift certificates with free offers from participating local businesses in the community—for example, a pizza shop, a dentist office, a hardware store, etc. Each one is personalized by name, includes a map directing the new mover to the business (since he/she is new to the area), and is tracked on the spot by a 2D barcode using the Our Town America TruTrak® application (available on the iTunes App Store and Google Play). This pinpoint tracking enables the business to track the response of the program and triggers a second mailing.
The Extra Mile
Each step of the Our Town America program provides various opportunities for businesses to develop long-term relationships with their new customers. The second mailing, the Thank You Postcard, hits the mailbox of the new-mover family after their initial visit, further solidifying the business-to-consumer relationship. In the aforementioned survey, 100% of new movers said it’s likely they’ll re-visit a business that welcomes them to the community.
The Thank You Postcard is full-color, oversized and attention-grabbing. This postcard allows the business to personally thank the new-mover family for visiting, invites them back a second time, and is customizable, providing the business the option of extending a second offer to the family.
Thousands of businesses across the nation rely on the Our Town America program to expand their customer base and increase revenue. Most businesses experience double-digit response rates and heightened brand awareness. With direct mail volume down—resulting in a less cluttered mailbox—now is your chance to stand out as the reputable business in your community. What are you waiting for?
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Brittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations.
