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Category: Business Management

Business Management

Veteran Owned Business Opportunity with Six Figure Potential

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
Veteran Owned Business Franchise Opportunity Our Town America

Fifteen years ago, Michael Plummer left college and joined the Army. “It grew me up,” he says. In Plummer’s words, four years of training and working as a medic at Walter Reed Hospital in DC and in Korea “taught me real responsibility, depending on myself, leadership and how it affects those around you.” Michael says he’d probably still be serving in the military if he hadn’t been called upon to run the family business due to the unexpected death of his father in 2009. Today, four years later, Michael is running Our Town America, the company his father started in 1972, with the same leadership skills he learned in the Army. Our Town America, the nation’s premier new mover marketing program, helps recently relocated residents find their way to highly reputable area businesses. Read More Here… Source: Career Fuel, September 16, 2013 Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

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Our Town America On Fox and Friends – Franchise Opportunities

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

John Gant and Michael Plummer Jr. were featured on Fox and Friends on Fox News this morning. John opened an Our Town America Franchise after watching an “On the Job Hunt” segment on Fox News. Michael and John discuss the Our Town program, veterans, and career and franchise opportunities. Watch the video here Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

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Multi-Unit Franchisee Bassam Safi Speaks On His Success with Our Town America

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
Franchisee Feature Bassam Safi Franchise Owner

Years ago, I came to America with very little I could call my own. I had few, if any, job-ready skills, no college degree, and a very minimal understanding of American culture and the English language. What I did (and still do) have, however, was a tireless work ethic and endless opportunities at my fingertips. Despite the clear advantages other Americans in the workforce had over me, I was determined to overcome them and achieve the American Dream. Today, as a multi-unit franchise owner and North Carolina area developer with Our Town America, the nation’s first and fastest growing new mover marketing franchise, I can happily say that I’ve fulfilled that dream and couldn’t be more satisfied with the personal and financial independence the franchise industry has supplied to myself and my family. Read More Here… Source: Franchise Business Review If interested in franchising with Our Town America, please fill out a Contact Request form or complete a Franchise Application online. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

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Featured Franchisees: Su Hartung and Morgan Garcia of Our Town America

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
Franchise Owners Success with New Mover Marketing Our Town America

Our Town America is family-oriented and offers a high level of support and training for owners. They’ve been around for 41 years and had a high Better Business Bureau rating. Their program and mission are very attractive to the small businesses we assist and new families in a community.” Click HERE to read what Our Town America’s East DuPage franchisees, Su Hartung and Morgan Garcia, have to say. Source: Franchise Business Review   Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

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Local Business Familiarizes Newcomers With Community

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
Local Business Welcomes New Movers to Community Our Town America

One local business is building on its success in connecting new residents with area services and businesses. After 12 years as a stay-at-home mom, Jane McElhaney and her husband, Tom, bought an Our Town America franchise in 2007 that served most of Charlotte.  She had a sales background and liked that the company was family-owned and focused on the community. “Our Town America welcomes new families to the area and introduces them to businesses in the community,” McElhaney said.  “It’s a great way to reach out to new folks and make them feel comfortable in their new home and their new neighborhood.” Our Town America was started in 1972 by Michael Plummer, who owned a restaurant at the time.  He found that offering pizza and hospitality to new residents built his customer base. The company is now headquartered in Pinellas Park, FL., where it has 60 employees and oversees 25 regional offices. McElhaney said that Our Town America focuses on direct mailings that are targeted to new residents in specific zip codes.  The mailers go out monthly and include one-time gift certificates to businesses within a few miles of the residence. “The benefit to the business is every month we are driving new customers in the doors,” McElhaney said. When the gift certificates are used, the information is tracked, which allows Our Town America to keep records of which families are trying each business. Our Town America – Charlotte has also expanded its targeted marketing program to include postcards mailed to specific groups.  For example, the company recently sent a color postcard for a children’s shoe store to households with children in a certain age group. In 2011, McElhaney bought out the other Our Town America franchise in Charlotte, which covered South Charlotte and the surrounding areas.  She doubled her business and now covers all of Charlotte.  She is expanding into the Lake Norman and Concord/Kannapolis areas. She works with national and local businesses, including Chick-Fil-A, and local businesses such as Artisans Salon in Fort Mill and Indian Land Animal Hospital, which has worked with Our Town America for five years. Indian Land Animal Hospital owners Lisa Shaw and David Grindstaff began working with McElhaney soon after opening five years ago, and the practice has been so successful that Shaw and Grindstaff have opened another business: Continental Boarding in southwest Charlotte. Our Town America – Charlotte can be reached at 704-341-4982 or mcelhaney.jane@ourtown.net. Click here to read article straight from the South Charlotte News.   Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

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Layoff Kick-Starts Small Business

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
Small Business Franchise Success New Mover Marketing Our Town America

In the 30 years Su Hartung spent working in corporate America, she occasionally felt the itch to leave it all behind, but as a single mom, she didn’t feel she could afford to give up the perceived security of a full-time salary. When she was 60 years old, however, Hartung was laid off after a company buyout. Finding few career options for a seasoned corporate executive, she parlayed her decades of sales and marketing experience and used a portion of her buyout package and part of her 401(k) to come up with the initial $47,500 investment she needed to buy an Our Town America franchise in DeKalb, Illinois. For the mom who once put her own entrepreneurial dreams on hold for the sake of her family, owning the franchise has even deeper meaning: She and her daughter are now business partners. Read More at the Huffington Post > Source: Huffington Post Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

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Our Town America Helps Hair Salons Stay a Cut Above

Written by Steven Sgroi

Even in the recession resistant hair care industry, a rapidly changing economic environment has many salon and barbershop owners searching for answers. They’ve tried every marketing tactic in the book and still can’t find a way to separate their salon from the competition. That’s not the case for Milwaukee-based Sport Clips owner, Wally Sauthoff, and Tampa-based boutique salon owner, Geo Sweeney, and hundreds of other salon owners around the country who benefited from Our Town America’s unique new mover marketing program in 2012. As Wally and Geo suggest below, Our Town America works particularly well for hair salons because their warm gift certificate packages reach men and women shortly after their move, right when they are seeking their new go-to hair care partner. In order to build off that success in 2013, Michael Plummer Jr. and the Our Town America team announced their enhanced loyalty program to their sponsors that mails additional offers to new movers who redeem their first gift certificate. As Plummer suggests, this loyalty program works particularly well for hair salon owners who must make a consistent impression on clients who demand the perfect haircut each and every time. “While the hair care industry is recession resistant, it is also fiercely competitive and salon owners face local markets that seemingly get more crowded each day,” says Michael Plummer Jr., CEO of Our Town America. “Executing a category exclusive new mover program that is supplemented by a powerful loyalty program is one of the few ways these owners can secure a significant competitive advantage over other hair care companies in their area.” “All new movers, regardless of sex, are seeking their new hair care partner and they need an answer fast,” says Plummer. “Reaching them first with an aggressive offer in a warm welcoming package is the best way to make a strong first impression that gets customers in the door. Following that up with offers rewarding them for their first visit, and delivering quality haircuts and customer service, is what inspires long term loyalty.” Epsilon’s New Mover Reports help to draw similar conclusions – direct marketing is highly valued by new movers. The report, which reached just under 1,000 movers and non-movers nationwide revealed the following information that supports that conclusion: More than 53 million people move each year. Most movers are younger people moving great distances who have little knowledge of the local businesses that can provide the products/services they need. Contrary to popular belief, direct marketing, specifically new mover marketing, is highly valued by Gen Y millennials. The number of people moving has increased steadily since 2009, but new home sales from 2011 suggest an 80% in the past seven years. This means the pool of renters has increased substantially and people move more often. “While these numbers can, and do, apply to any industry, it is especially important for hair care companies who must reach and impact new movers to remain profitable,” says Marilyn Imparato, Our Town America’s Director of Sales and Marketing. “To generate the biggest bang for their buck, it is imperative for hair care companies to understand how to reach out to today’s new mover in order to make a strong impression. Simply sending a casual coupon won’t make them feel special – they must be willing to make a good will gesture that makes a big statement illustrating that they sincerely want to welcome them to the community and would like to have them as a long-term, loyal customer.” Milwaukee-based Wally Sauthoff, profiled above, agrees that nothing says “welcome to the neighborhood” like a free haircut. “We have a unique business model at Sport Clips in that we focus exclusively on the male consumer,” says Sauthoff. “However, too few potential customers understand that we deliver a unique, old-school barber shop experience and an MVP experience well worth a few extra bucks. The Our Town America package has allowed us to deliver that message to men along with a free haircut as soon as they come to town when they are actively seeking a new hair care partner and it’s made all the difference.” The numbers back him up. In the last three and a half years, Wally has realized an overall response rate of more than 8%. Similarly, Tampa-based Geo Sweeney, also profiled above, has thrived using Our Town America’s program as his only marketing tool for the last fourteen years. “My salon is located in a high end residential area where people are constantly moving in and out of nearby condos,” says Sweeney. “Because of that consistent customer turnover, an effective new mover marketing program is critically important to my success. I have been with Our Town America for more than fourteen years and don’t even have to pay attention to the specific monthly fee or ROI because the ROI has been consistently there. I know it’s working because I see new faces bringing in the certificates each month who really appreciate the genuine offer and will come back for more appointments if we deliver a quality experience. What more could I ask for?” Sauthoff and Sweeney aren’t isolated examples either. According to Our Town America, hair care sponsors using their new mover program have seen response rates as high as 8% very often. For more information on Our Town America, complete a Contact form. Source: CBS Money Watch/ Yahoo! Finance   Steven SgroiSteven is Our Town America’s corporate sales manager and oversees the national sales team. www.ourtownamerica.com […]

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Marketing to New Residents Pay Dividends For Business Owners Of North Carolina

Written by Steven Sgroi
Las Prensas Magazine Article Our Town America

It is a harsh reality, but the economy is not improving and business owners in Wilmington area are feeling the pressure as businesses and consumers continue to cut costs. What can the small business owner do to survive when things get (and stay) difficult? This information may be surprising, but marketing to new residents is still the most effective lead generation instrument for small businesses. Even in today’s world of electronic mail campaigns and social media, marketing new residents has the most sustainable impact because it reaches and affects potential customers before they have established options. Eddie Zaragova, manager of General Restaurant San Felipe de Shallote, could not agree more and says his four-year relationship with Bassam Safi and his new company marketing new residents, Our Town America has been the catalyst for much of his hit. “We started working with Bassam in December 2007 and currently see an average of 25-30 certificates redeemed each month,” says Zaragova. “So we are known as the ‘best Mexican food around’.” But we would not have the opportunity to demonstrate that without the help of Our Town America to get customers to try our restaurants for the first time. Bassam and his team really know how to create and promote robust offerings that bring new residents through our door, but the actual program is successful because our food and customer service wins customers for life!” Safi could not agree more. He says the success of the Our ​​Town America program is based on achieving new residents as soon as they arrive in the city with valuable offers. “We were able to generate such impressive results for small business owners like Eddie because they are willing to make a strong bid for its prospects,” says Safi. New residents are willing to try out San Felipe when they receive a personalized welcome package, because Eddie is willing to give them a free lunch or dinner when you redeem your gift certificate at one of its locations. “Offering free food, and completing it with great tasting options and great service as Eddie does, have a lasting impact on new residents that usually translates into customer loyalty in the long term.” Our Town America packages are also particularly effective for businesses like San Felipe that target Hispanic residents, as they can create bilingual gift certificates. According to Safi, many owners of small firms have reaped huge benefits of this unique feature. “I, too, was an immigrant when I came to America and knew limited English, so I know how much it means when someone is treating you in your language,” says Safi. “I can not tell you how many times one of my sponsors has been excited by the response they receive when working with us to create a bilingual offer.” There really is nothing more effective to raise customer loyalty than to talk to potential customers in a way that resonates. Speaking their language is definitely the best way to do it. Bassam Safi, a Lebanese-American owner and operator of Our Town America in the Wilmington, NC area, has truly carried and elevated the traditional “American Dream.” His business is truly helping businesses in Wilmington, Raleigh, Charlotte and beyond. He has become a successful franchisee in network marketing and direct sales programs. Safi and the Our Town America program help new residents and local businesses build loyal long-term relationships within their communities. If interested in marketing your business to new movers in your community, please complete a Local Business Contact Request form. Traducción Español: Es una dura realidad, pero la economía no está mejorando y los propietarios de equeños negocios en Wilmington están sintiendo la presión ya que los negocios y los consumidores siguen recortando gastos. ¿Que pueden hacer los dueño de pequeños negocios para sobrevivir cuando las cosas se ponen (y permanecen) difíciles? Esta información puede ser motivo de sorpresa, pero la nueva mercadotecnia de nuevos residentes es todavía el instrumento de generación más eficaz, y económica herramienta de generación de plomo para pequeñas empresas. Incluso en el mundo actual de campañas de correo electrónico y contratación de medios de comunicación social, la nueva mercadotecnia de residentes nuevos tiene el impacto más sostenible porque esto alcanza y afecta a clientes potenciales antes de que ellos hayan establecido opciones “Donde Ir” para sus necesidades. Eddie Zaragova, Gerente General del Restaurante San Felipe de Shallote, no podía estar más de acuerdo y afirma que su relación de cuatro años con Bassam Safi y su nueva empresa de mercadotecnia de nuevos residentes, Our Town America ha sido el catalizador para gran parte de su éxito “Comenzamos a trabajar con Bassam en Diciembre del 2007 y vemos actualmente un promedio de 25-30 certificados redimidos por mes,” dice Zaragova. “Somos conocidos como “la mejor comida mexicana alrededor.” Pero no tendríamos la oportunidad de demostrar sin la ayuda de Our Town America a obtener clientes que prueben nuestros restaurantes por primera vez. Bassam y su equipo saben de verdad cómo crear y promover ofertas sólidas que traen nuevos residentes a nuestra puerta, pero el programa es realmente exitoso porque nuestros alimentos y servicio al cliente gana a aquellos clientes de por vida!” Safi no podía estar más de acuerdo. Dice que el éxito del programa Our Town America se basa en alcanzar nuevos residentes tan pronto como llegan a la ciudad con valiosas ofertas. “Hemos sido capaces de generar esos resultados impresionantes para dueños de pequeños negocios como Eddie porque están dispuestos a hacer una oferta fuerte para sus perspectivas,” dice Safi. “ Los nuevos residentes están dispuestos a probar San Felipe cuando reciben nuestro paquete de bienvenida personalizado, porque Eddie está dispuesto a darles un almuerzo o cena gratis cuando redimen su certificado de regalo en una de sus localidades. Ofrecer una comida gratis, y completándola con opciones de gran sabor y un servicio fantástico como Eddie lo hace, tiene un impacto duradero en nuevos residentes que normalmente se traduce en la lealtad del cliente a largo plazo”. Los paquetes […]

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New Movers Are the Key to Attracting and Keeping Loyal Customers

Written by Steven Sgroi
Online Marketing Loyal Customers Our Town America

Retail Merchandiser Blog, August 27, 2012 – In today’s world, local businesses have more marketing tools at their fingertips than ever before. The explosion of online marketing concepts has made a big impact on the way consumers think about and react to campaigns. In fact, the emergence of social media gives consumers the power to influence and shape the brands they know. This has fundamentally changed the game because marketing is now as much, if not more, about controlling the message than shaping it. Read More Here… Source: Retail Merchandiser Blog Steven SgroiSteven is Our Town America’s corporate sales manager and oversees the national sales team. www.ourtownamerica.com […]

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Grocery Headquarters – Food Forum: Moving Targets

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
Grocery Store New Mover Marketing Our Town America

According to the USDA, the average family spends upwards of $954 a month on groceries, so it is no exaggeration when grocery stores claim each one is a valuable customer. The problem is, our most recent Census suggests that more than 40 million people move each year, costing each grocery store a sizeable chunk of valuable patrons. Where can grocery stores turn to replace loyal customers who have skipped town? Today more than ever before, the answer is new movers.  As a recent brand loyalty survey by ClickFox suggests, almost half of American consumers (48%) claim the most critical time for a company to gain their loyalty is when they make their first purchase/begin service. For those consumers, that means their first experience is the deal-maker or deal-breaker as far as becoming a committed customer with the store. This makes it imperative for grocery stores to reach and positively impact new movers.  Established residents are likely to have already had their first experience and have made a commitment to a store they are unlikely to break. New movers, on the other hand, are looking for a business to step up and deliver a strong first impression. Many grocery store managers do not pay enough attention to the fact that these first impressions start long before the first purchase. When deciding on the establishments they would like to patronize, new movers take a look around, talk with their neighbors and do their research online. Today’s consumers have the ability to shape each grocery store’s reputation more than ever before and it is hard for brands to establish a voice in these early stage conversations. It is not time to wave the white flag. There are still marketing avenues through which grocery stores can impact the conversation, too. Social media, e-mail marketing, and mobile marketing programs can be effective if managed correctly, but new mover direct marketing programs are still the most effective way to reach and influence these new movers.  Unlike other marketing programs, these direct marketing programs enable grocery stores to deliver valuable gift certificates in warm and inviting envelopes that make the new movers feel appreciated and welcomed in their new environment. Sparking a “warm and fuzzy” feeling for prospective customers may seem trivial, but the numbers back up its effectiveness. This is particularly true for regional or local stores trying to compete with national chains. Hollywood Supermarkets, which operates seven stores in the Greater Detroit area, has been working with Our Town America since 2007. With an investment of less than $400 per month per store location, Kim Welch and the Hollywood Supermarkets team saw 10,423 new customers who walked in the store and redeemed their certificates, which is an overall response rate of 9.8%. These customers spent an average sale of $51.11 over and above the $10 gift certificate redeemed by each new customer. These numbers are powerful. For four years, new mover direct marketing has generated, on average, more than 200 first time visits a month for Hollywood Supermarkets. As ClickFox’s figures suggest, that first visit presented Hollywood Supermarkets with a prime opportunity to gain the loyalty of almost half of those new movers. Additionally, just by getting the new customers in the door, the new mover marketing program generated significant sales for the store even if they didn’t become loyal customers. In the Hollywood Markets example, the 10,000-plus new customers actually spent more than $530,000 total on their first visits when they were redeeming their Hollywood Supermarkets certificates. Taking that into consideration, as well as the average of almost $1,000 that any new loyal family would spend each month, and the financial impact these new mover marketing programs can have is hard to ignore. The average American moves 11.7 times in a lifetime for any variety of reasons.  Grocery stores cannot control the customers they lose each year to those re-locations, but they can control the prospects they target to replace them and the manner in which they reach out to them. New movers have yet to develop customer loyalties and are actively seeking new relationships with local brands.  Grocers can take advantage of that rare opportunity to replace lost customers with prospects eager to be impressed and it will pay dividends. Read Article Here… Source: Grocery Headquarters Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

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