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Category: Local Business

Direct Mail Marketing Options: Saturation Postcards, Targeted Postcards, New Mover Marketing

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
Direct Mail Marketing Postcards

Choosing the best platform to make the most of a tight marketing budget during uncertain times can be daunting for small business owners. Despite the increasing dependence on social media, one-click purchasing and online recommendations, direct mail marketing remains one of the most effective tools for boosting sales and developing loyal customers. Direct mail is said to be easier to understand and more memorable than digital media. It requires 21 percent less cognitive effort to process, and elicits a much higher brand recall, according to a study conducted by Canada Post Corp. Direct mail is also more likely to drive behavior than digital media, the study revealed. At least 70 percent of consumers say direct mail is more personal than online interactions, and 39 percent of consumers try a business for the first time because of direct mail, reported Fundera, a financial resource for small businesses. There are more than 30.7 million small businesses in the United States, according to the U.S. Small Business Association’s most recent report released in 2019. Small businesses created 1.8 million net jobs in 2016 and employed 59.9 million people. Our Town America offers a number of direct mail solutions to help small businesses promote customer loyalty, add new patrons and appeal to new area residents. But maybe you need some direction to figure out which type of direct mail program is best for your business needs. Easy & Affordable Method to Reach Community Members without a Mailing List Every Door Direct Mail® is a complete neighborhood mailer designed to reach every home and address in the selected ZIP codes without relying on a mailing list. EDDM® is a cost-effective saturation marketing method that allows you to filter by age, income and household size. Our Town America’s full-service EDDM® program includes printing, service preparation, postage and delivery. As people have been staying closer to home these days, EDDM® is a great way for local businesses to draw customers by delivering them a message directly to their home. Generate Customer Loyalty by Reaching out to Chosen Mailing List Targeted Postcards help celebrate existing customers by aligning with their motivations and goals. It’s a great method for businesses to send birthday specials, highlight new location openings and offer holiday specials. Targeted Postcards help form a connection between the customer and the business, building brand loyalty. During slow economic times, some customers rely on the brands they already trust, according to Harvard Business Review. It is important for businesses to reward their devoted customers with special offers or a simple holiday greeting or reminder of an upcoming sale. Our Town America uses your mailing lists to send Targeted Postcards. Make New Residents Feel at Home Moving to a new home during a time when social distancing guidelines are enforced can make it difficult to turn a new house into a home, but New Mover Marketing helps businesses make a great first impression on new residents by welcoming them to the area. It also gives residents the opportunity to support local businesses. “People are very loyal to their veterinarians. For us to grow just from people changing veterinarians would be a very slow growth,” said Dr. Sherry Weaver, owner of Animal Hospital of Towne Lake in Woodstock, Georgia. “Really, we’re much smarter specifically advertising to the people who are just moving in.” Our Town America’s New Mover Welcome Packages are filled with hand-selected proven offers. The 48-year-old company prides itself on offering the most accurate new resident mailing list in the country. Each Welcome Package contains only one business in each industry to ensure exclusivity. Our Town America also provides businesses with access to a proprietary mobile app that records redemptions, triggers an optional follow-up postcard and efficiently tracks return on investment. No matter the particular direct mail marketing method you choose, Our Town America will provide your business with an affordable solution to draw customers in. Learn more about how we can help your business grow today. 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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Which type of Direct Mail Campaign is right for my Business?

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
Traditional Direct Mail vs. New Mover Marketing

New Mover Direct Mail Marketing offers small businesses a cost-effective option for expanding their customer base and, in many cases, generates better response rates than blanketing your community with direct mail ads. So, why is that? Customers tout customer service and value as some of the top influencers for making their shopping decisions, according to Invesp, an online marketing resource. But before you can woo them with your exceptional customer service and uneatable products, you have to first get them through your door. Bolstering sales by adding new customers can be an expensive, uphill battle for small businesses and, typically, it costs five times as much to attract a new customer than to keep an existing one. To further thwart small business advertising efforts, only 36 percent of Americans say they love trying new brands and products, Nielsen reports. Therefore, catching the attention of new customers before they establish loyalties to your competitors is crucial. Our Town America offers a unique twist on traditional direct mail advertising. “We welcome new residents to the community with housewarming offers to local businesses. Moving is stressful, so receiving these offers provides a welcome solution for new movers,” says Michael Plummer Jr., president of Our Town America. By targeting residents new to the area, Our Town America not only enables your business to reach impressionable new movers, but also makes it possible to keep your marketing costs low. Better yet, the U.S. Data Corporation found that 39 percent of consumers try a new business for the first time as a result of receiving a direct mail piece. So, it’s no wonder why many small businesses utilize direct mail marketing. Traditional Direct Mail Marketing However, while businesses can mail to an abundance of recipients, most standard direct mailers require postage fees, are not targeted to a specific demographic, and the results are not trackable. Many times, recipients of repeat direct mailers become immune after seeing the same piece multiple times – especially if they have pre-established habits to competitors. In these cases, it’s unlikely they will choose the “new” business over the one they have loyalty to – which is a recipe for a low response rate. The average response rate for traditional direct mailing lists (not targeted to new movers) was only 4.9 percent last year, according to Fundera, a small business resource. This is one big differentiator between traditional direct mail and New Mover Marketing. New Mover Marketing As mentioned earlier, New Mover Marketing is a cost-effective alternative to blanketing a community with direct mail advertisements and, because of the targeted approach, recipients are actually in need of the tailored one-time use offers. In fact, your business is put in front of a brand-new audience each month – made possible by a thoroughly scrubbed new resident mailing list compiled from multiple reliable sources, such as utility connections, deed transactions, etc. More than 10 percent of the U.S. population, or 32 million people, moved in 2018, according to Moving.com, an online resource. Our Town America’s welcome package reaches these new movers shortly after their move or change of address — before they’ve formed loyalties to other businesses. The program also allows you to lock out your competition in your chosen ZIP codes – meaning you are the only business in your industry in those welcome packages! The company, which opened its doors in 1972, sends residents an enticing, personalized package that compels the new mover to look inside. Each month, Our Town America prints more than 1 million personalized gift certificates and welcomes over half a million new movers across the country to their new communities by introducing them to local businesses. “We spent $20,000 for a direct mailing. The mailing only brought in 20 to 30 people,” said Brian Scott, owner of Village Wines and Spirits. “Why are we going to spend that type of money on a [traditional] direct mailing when we could spend less money, give them something for free, and have more people show up? We can give them decent customer service, and they will come back.” Our Town America’s proven offers are digitally trackable so you can view your response rate. With the TruTrak™ mobile app, businesses can track their return on investment, gather detailed demographic data of new customers, and trigger a follow-up mailing offering a secondary gift or simply thanking the new mover for their first visit. If you’re ready to save money and increase your customer base with a new mover marketing program, visit Our Town America to learn more. 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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Trackable Marketing via Direct Mail Barcode

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
Trackable Marketing via Direct Mail Barcode

Our Town America employs innovative technology designed to appeal to partnered businesses, new movers and franchisees to track advertising sales, drive business and ensure customer satisfaction. The nation’s leading New Mover Marketing company helps businesses attract new residents with an exclusive Welcome Package upon arrival to their new home. Filled with hand-selected proven offers, the Our Town America Welcome Package is known to produce industry-leading response rates. Nearly 31 million people moved in the United States in 2019, according to United States Census data, and Our Town America has been helping those people adjust to their new surroundings since 1972 by introducing them to area businesses. Of course, this also helps communities flourish, so it’s a win for everyone. While Our Town America is built off of traditional direct mail, the company has evolved with technology over the past five decades. Several mobile apps and tracking tools have been released throughout this time to provide partnered businesses with data and a reliable marketing strategy, new movers with great deals, and franchisees with the resources needed to drive results. “We were actually the very first New Mover Marketing company to offer trackable marketing and barcodes,” said Brittany Johnson, Marketing Executive at Our Town America. “We’re also able to help businesses target specific demographics and we can mail to actual neighborhoods – not just ZIP codes. We’ve got this down to a science,” Johnson says. Below is a quick overview of each mobile app, but be sure to reach out to an Our Town America representative if you have a question about a capability not mentioned; chances are.. we’ve got an app for that! Innovative App for Partnered Businesses Our Town America’s TruTrak® app allows partnered businesses to track their return on investment, gather detailed demographic data of new customers and trigger the second ‘follow-up’ mailing from their smartphone. TruTrak® instantly updates to reflect redemptions when businesses scan new mover gift certificates. It compares the trackable marketing certificates scanned to the number of mailings sent to determine an offer’s success rate, allowing businesses to see their return on investment in real-time. The app helps businesses form loyal relationships with new customers by providing the option to send a second mailer while the business is still fresh on their mind. An App to Assist Franchisees in Rolling out the Red CarpetOur Town America’s franchisees have the option to use the proprietary Sales Companion™ app to assist them in signing up new partnered businesses. It provides a built-in calculator that breaks down the cost of the customer acquisition program. Sales Companion™ also provides a detailed look at return on investment and demonstrates how one loyal customer literally pays for the program trackable marketing annually. In addition, Sales Companion™ gives franchisees the ability to show real-world success stories from businesses who use Our Town America to market their business by allowing them to pull up recent press and news articles on the spot. Businesses Can Cater to New Customers with this AppOur Town America helps alleviate some of the stress new residents feel when they change residences by offering the option to use their third mobile app, Our Town Deals™, in addition to paper gift certificates (or instead of – depending on the sponsor). Unpacking can be a headache, so having a free pizza delivery at their fingertips provides a welcome relief to a hungry new mover. “Direct mail isn’t going anywhere, but supplying the option to redeem trackable marketing gift certificates on your phone is a great complement to an already terrific program,” Johnson said. The mobile app benefits sponsors by giving them the option to push out deal notifications, extending the life of the program by offering ongoing specials for the new mover. The smartphone technology has the option of providing reminders to customers leading up to the expiration of a gift, effectively decreasing the response time and increasing the response rates for our sponsors. The app engages customers by giving them the opportunity to participate in surveys to give sponsors valuable feedback. It also allows sponsors to provide personalized touches down the road to fuel repeat business. Our Town America created their mobile apps with a goal in mind – make life easier for everybody involved. Whether you’re a new mover, a business owner or an Our Town America franchisee, we’ve got you covered. People are creatures of habit, so Our Town America encourages businesses to reach out to new movers before a competitor snags them first. And, because Our Town America offers category exclusivity to sponsors – meaning only one business of a kind in each Welcome Package, it’s important for businesses to claim their category. Automotive shops, dental offices, grocery stores, hair salons/ barbershops, pet care and restaurants are just some of the industries sought out by new residents. Learn more about how Our Town America can help your business gain new loyal, long-term customers today. 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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Nominate a Business for the Small Business Resilience Award

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
Small Business Resilience Award 2020 Our Town America

Fox 17 News | Grand Rapids, MI – The consequences of the pandemic have been absolutely heartbreaking for local small businesses. Several family-owned restaurants, shops and salons now have signs reading “Closed Permanently” on their doors. And so many other small business owners are watching this and worrying about which doors will close next. That’s why Our Town America created the Small Business Resilience Award. Community members throughout the nation can nominate a neighborhood business that they believe deserves this distinction. There can only be one winner in each listed community, but a nomination is something to be proud of as well as it’s a symbol of hard work during one of the toughest times in the nation’s history. Larry Neal, the Regional Developer for Our Town America’s Michigan franchises, met with Fox 17 to discuss the award & more!   Who to nominate? A restaurant that’s re-invented itself to offer a take-out friendly menu or built an area to provide outdoor seating A shop that’s kept all of its employees on the payroll despite being closed for part of the year. A salon owner who’s gone above and beyond to make customers feel safe. Etc. You get the picture! We want to find businesses that have truly beaten the odds to stay open! To vote for/nominate a business, simply click the red button below. It only takes a minute, but can go a long way. Local small businesses are struggling; this is a chance to put a smile on the face of an owner who has shown resilience through a rough year! Voting ends on November 29th – the day after Small Business Saturday. Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If you’re a local Michigan business looking to reach new or current customers, reach out to Larry Neal at ‭248-672-6046. If your business is located outside of MI, please call our corporate office at 1-800-497-8360 to get connected with your local representative.     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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Marketing Strategy Complete with Proven Offers will Attract Customers

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
Marketing Strategy Complete with Proven Offers will Attract Customers

Our Town America, the premier new mover marketing program, relies on a one-time housewarming gift filled with proven offers to help local businesses garner loyal customers and achieve sales success. Sports teams have a knack for sparking fierce brand loyalty and lifelong support of their teams. While most businesses do not experience the same level of rabid fan mania, they can rely on customer loyalty to ensure their business thrives. Creating a lasting relationship with customers benefits businesses and solidifies their place in the local community. Here are the top three reasons loyal customers are the key to success. 1. Loyal Customers Stay True to Business Having loyal customers helps local businesses keep doors open during uncertain economic times. Customers are willing to spend hard-earned dollars at a business they trust. Social distancing policies and innovations businesses are making to comply with regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of having a loyal customer base. While customers can’t stop in for their morning cup of joe, coffee shops are staying afloat by relying on loyal customers to order beans online for home delivery. The smokers are still burning at barbecue restaurants because customers are picking up their meals curbside. Local businesses that are shifting to online sales to cope with required store closings are seeing sales from loyal homebound customers. Loyal customers trust their favorite businesses and are willing to adapt their purchasing strategies during times of uncertainty. 2. Loyal Customers Visit Regularly Loyal customers form first-name relationships with employees because they visit regularly. Forming a relationship with a customer ensures positive reviews and helps grow business using word-of-mouth marketing. Research from HubSpot reveals that 81 percent of customers trust recommendations from family and friends over those from companies. 3. Loyal Customers Increase Sales A 5 percent increase in customer retention correlates with at least a 25 percent increase in profit, according to a report from Bain & Company Inc., a Boston-based management consulting firm. Frequent customers spend more money with a business over their lifetime, reports reveal. A loyal customer base fuels sales and ensures profitability. Our Town America’s Welcome Package Covers All the Bases Our Town America delivers a one-time housewarming gift filled with proven offers from partnered businesses. The new mover marketing program puts local businesses in front of new customers who are searching for options. The proven offers are backed by data showing which incentives receive the best response rates from customers. Our Town America’s proprietary new mover marketing system offers the most accurate databases and mailing lists in the country. High value, unparalleled accuracy, and proven response rates has made Our Town America the leading new mover marketing program for 48 years. Marketing to New Movers a Home Run for Local Businesses Our Town America helps local businesses establish loyal, repeat clientele by appealing to new movers. New movers spend more on goods and services in their first six months than established residents spend in two years. In 2019, nearly 10 percent of the U.S. population moved, or 31 million people, the U.S. Census Bureau reported. Millennial movers shop locally, with 57 percent choosing a new home because it has restaurants and shops within walking distance, a survey conducted by Our Town America revealed. Making new millennial residents aware of nearby businesses is a great method for driving sales. Using Data to Craft Proven Offers Our Town America relies on innovative software to enable partnered businesses to see the impact of the welcome package. The company’s proprietary TruTrak® software allows each business to scan certificates at the point of sale. The information is uploaded to Our Town America’s database, which instantly updates to reflect the redemption. Our Town America compares the certificates scanned to the number of mailings that have gone out to help determine if an offer is successful.  For example, data compiled from Our Town America reveals that customers are more likely to respond to proven offers that provide a free gift, rather than a coupon that provides only a discount. A pizza joint can draw in customers by offering a one-time-use free pizza gift certificate.  To ensure the success of proven offers, Our Town America takes the additional step of surveying new movers to get an unbiased review of the welcome package. Data from the survey helps Our Town America deliver future proven offers to the succeeding sets of new movers. Learn more about how Our Town America can help your business build a loyal customer base using proven offers today. 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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Gift Certificates Open the Door to New Customers

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
Gift Certificates Open the Door to New Customers Our Town America

To help draw new customers through your doors, consider offering gift certificates, rather than coupons, to attract new residents. Every business owner understands the value of doling out coupons. The discounts encourage new customers to visit your establishment, introduce new product lines, and help shed excess inventory, according to Investopedia, an online investing resource. But, offering coupons has a downside. Coupons cost your business money, and customers might wait to make purchases until they have another coupon. Our Town America, the nation’s leading new mover marketing company, has an easy solution designed to ramp up profits and get new customers into your location. Rather than coupons, Our Town America appeals to new residents by offering an upscale Welcome Package that won’t get tossed in the recycle bin. The tasteful Welcome Package is oversized and designed to stand out from mundane mail. Plus, the offers included in the package are chosen because they line up with the needs of a recipient – therefore increasing the response rate. Every Welcome Package includes free one-time-use gifts, not repeat coupons. “A housewarming gift that includes proven special offers for local businesses will help welcome new residents to the neighborhood,” said Michael Plummer Jr., President and Chief Executive of Our Town America. “We encourage our partnered businesses to follow up on their welcome gifts with a thank-you postcard to keep their business top-of-mind with busy new residents.” People who purchase a new home typically open their wallets as they work to make their new residence a home, according to the National Association of Home Builders. For the first two years after closing on a new house, homeowners spend an average of $7,400 more than existing community members, $4,900 of it being spent in the first year after purchase, NAHB reported. While a big portion of expenditures are on appliances, furniture, and home repairs, new residents also spend the first few months in their new home running errands and learning where to buy groceries, take their pets, get dental work, order pizza, and more. New movers have no established habits or loyalties, making them an impressionable audience for businesses looking for new customers. Including New Mover Marketing in your advertising strategy makes it possible to reach a brand new, broad audience every single month. “Every time we add a new store, it’s a great decision,” said Tiffany Downing of Broadway Pizza in Maple Grove, Minnesota. “It depends on the market, but we get about 10-60 redemptions per month. We are seeing that people are spending more than we give in the certificate.” In case you’re still unsure whether implementing New Mover Marketing is the right choice for your business, here are some of the benefits of gift certificates. Advantages of Gift Certificates Keep your business top-of-mind New residents are busy unpacking boxes, painting, arranging furniture, and planting gardens. They are looking for easy, cost-effective options when out in their new community. Our Town America’s upscale Welcome Package is personalized and positioned as a welcoming gift to new residents, so is perceived by the customer as hospitality, not advertising. Help your business add loyal customers Gift certificates provide an extra incentive to try a new business risk-free, putting the local business at the top of the list. If you offer a free medium pizza on your gift certificate, hungry new residents will want to place an order as they unpack boxes and organize their new home. As an added bonus, if you impress them with stellar customer service and delicious food, they are likely to become loyal customers. Increase sales When customers come to redeem their gift certificate, it’s not uncommon that they will buy additional items, so it’s a great opportunity to enlighten them on your other offerings. If you’re ready to begin gaining more loyal customers, visit Our Town America today. 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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Tapping into the New Mover Market

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
New Mover Market New Mover Mailing List

Help your business recoup losses incurred this spring by marketing to new movers with Our Town America, the nation’s leading new mover marketing company. Local businesses took a hit following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States. As you strive to comply with social distancing guidelines and provide a safe atmosphere for employees and customers, new mover marketing offers a profitable way to increase sales while adjusting to the new normal. Approximately 9.8 percent of the U.S. population moved in 2019, or 31 million Americans, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. In fact, the average American moves 11.7 times during their lifetime. People opt to move to a different home – sometimes bigger, other times downsizing; to start a new job – whether a career advancement or a layoff; to improve their daily commute or be closer to family, according to MoveBuddha, an online moving service. “Our Town America’s mission is to help new movers adjust and feel welcomed into their community and fuel the economy for local business,” said Michael Plummer Jr., Our Town America’s CEO. “We help our sponsor businesses gain new, loyal and long-term customers every month by targeting new movers.” New movers are big spenders. Having the ability to tap into the new mover market is a cost-effective marketing strategy to snag new customers right when they come to town. During the first year of owning a home, homeowners spend nearly $11,000 on furniture, appliances and home repairs, according to a survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders. With so many expenses related to buying a home, it seems natural that new movers would take this opportunity to economize, but research suggests the opposite. A home purchase does not suppress spending on entertainment, apparel, transportation and restaurant meals, NAHB reported. Americans are following through on plans to move, despite the pandemic, and businesses can attract new residents by helping them feel welcome in their new community. Americans missed eating at restaurants and running errands without worrying about their health during quarantine, according to a new survey commissioned by Our Town America. Over 70 percent of Americans are eager to try out businesses in their new cities, the survey revealed. Our Town America’s new mover marketing program allows businesses the opportunity to make a great first impression on new residents – essentially bringing new customers through the door – or into their curbside parking spaces! Each month the company sends a Welcome Package to new residents, which includes your proven offer. The high-quality Welcome Package introduces new movers to different businesses in the area to help them feel at home in their new community. Businesses have the option to take advantage of Our Town America’s follow-up ‘thank you’ postcard which mails to guests who redeem their housewarming offer. This gives businesses the chance to invite customers back with a second offer, or even just stand out from their competition by thanking the new mover for their business. “We’re just off the beaten path, just a little ways from the main intersection. It gives people a chance to come down this way and see what’s down in this area,” said Fort Mill, South Carolina salon owner. While businesses can choose what they want to offer the new movers, 49 years of data has proven that a free haircut, with wash, cut and blow dry results in the best response rate. If you’re still unsure if delving into the new mover market is right for your business, check out some of the benefits of new mover marketing with Our Town America. Brand Awareness Generates Customer Loyalty. New residents are stressed and tired of unpacking boxes and worrying if they will fit into their new communities. Social distancing guidelines are making it difficult for new families to meet the neighbors, and teleworking and remote schooling aren’t making it any easier. Sending a Welcome Package with housewarming offers is one way to make their transition smoother. The Welcome Package helps build brand awareness and marks the beginning step to customer loyalty, but getting repeat business is up to you. Make sure to make new residents who visit your business feel welcome by offering superior customer service and a positive atmosphere. Target Your Customer. Our Town America has been acquiring accurate new mover mailing lists for their customers since being founded in 1972. The company mines new resident names from multiple sources to ensure a clean, comprehensive list. They use proprietary technology to pull names from county courthouse warranty deeds, credit reporting agencies, magazine subscription address changes, credit cards, voter registrations, driver’s licenses, utility companies and more. With their impressive new mover mailing list and ‘sponsor exclusivity’ concept, Our Town America is able to target the new residents moving into your chosen ZIP codes so that you reach them before your competitors do. Unique Tracking Tools. The success of any marketing program is only as good as its ability to track your return on investment. Our Town America offers the Our Town TruTrak® mobile app, which is available on both the Apple Store and Google Play Store. The app allows you to validate and scan redemptions at point of sale or at your convenience. It also tracks your return on investment, triggers a ‘thank you’ mailing and even gathers detailed demographic data of your new customers. Learn more about how Our Town America can help you add customers and boost foot traffic to your business today. 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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Welcoming New Customers by Mail allows for Sustainability, says Business Owner

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
Local Business Marketing Method Get More Customers Our Town America

WECT News | Wilmington, NC (Sept 2020) – The Coronavirus pandemic has impacted businesses for more than 6 months now. Some have struggled, but have been able to keep their doors open, while others have had to close for good. In an effort to stay afloat, business owners are trying new things to gain new customers. WECT News met with Chris Levesque of Whiskey Trail Sports Pub and Bassam Safi of Our Town America to discuss a marketing method they strongly believe business owners should consider when looking to bring in new customers. The Our Town America New Mover Marketing program, while it’s been around for 49 years, has proved to deliver new customers to businesses during these uncertain economic times by way of one-time housewarming deals to area businesses. Levesque, Whiskey Trail owner, has been on board with Our Town America for 4 years now offering a $20 gift certificate to new movers in his area. “It familiarizes people that are new to the area with the businesses right around them,” says Levesque. The idea is that as long as new customers have a good experience at the business, they’ll become repeat customers. “Welcoming people is a hidden way of advertising, but it’s actually a way to build a relationship,” says Safi – the local Our Town America franchise owner. “It’s a soft approach to say, ‘Come in! We welcome you. Here’s my gift to you.’ You can get to know them and call them by name. That’s huge,” he says. Levesque says that Our Town America is working for his restaurant and he can tell as he sees the same faces ordering food. “That’s what’s getting us through these times right now. People keep coming back, getting to-go food, or dining outside – doing whatever they feel comfortable doing. But they keep coming back – that’s the whole goal of this thing. And, right now, that’s extremely crucial,” the restaurant owner says. Levesque and business owners across the nation are welcoming every bit of help in these uncertain economic times. Safi suggests the tips below to help businesses make it through.  Full WECT News interview below for more information. Buy a gift card or start a tab. Buy gift cards now that you can use later. Pay $100 upfront for future purchases and ask the restaurant to withdraw from your tab when you eat there.  Holiday shop now. Some local shops may not make it to the holidays without our help. Buy your holiday gifts now to give them a boost! Tip well. Many servers, baristas, and delivery people have been out of work at some point this year. If you can afford it, leave a big tip and make someone’s day. Schedule and pay for future services. Some salons and massage parlors will allow you to pay for services in advance. Pay for haircuts for the rest of the year now and have the salon withdraw from your account as you go. Leave a positive review online. Many people are looking for safe places to eat and shop right now. Leave a positive review of your favorite restaurants and local shops to tell your community how they’re keeping customers safe and healthy during the pandemic. Mentioning outdoor seating is a plus! Redeem your New Mover Gift Certificates. If you’re a new mover who recently received your Our Town America Welcome Package, be sure to redeem your Gift Certificates from your local businesses. The businesses included in our Welcome Packages reach out to new movers each month as they want to welcome residents, like yourself, to your new neighborhood!  Return the favor by patronizing these businesses – whether in-store, curbside or delivery. Remember: For every dollar spent at a small business, approximately 67 cents stays in the local community.  Both Our Town America of Wilmington and the Our Town America franchise system as a whole want consumers and business owners nationwide to know that we’re here to support you during this time by offering various methods to relay business offerings to locals. Both local business owners and consumers will benefit from banding together to strengthen local economies.  Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days of the year. If you’re a local business in North Carolina looking for a way to reach new or current customers, reach out to Bassam Safi at ‭910-352-5776‬ or bsafi@ourtown.net. If your business is located elsewhere in the U.S., you can reach Our Town America corporate at 1-800-497-8360 to get connected with your local representative. 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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National Local Marketing Franchise assists Local Businesses amidst Pandemic

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
Save Our Town Tampa Bay Our Town America Marketing

CW44 | Tampa Bay – Whether you’re a parent trying to facilitate virtual classes, a business trying to stay afloat, a community resident just trying to go about your life as “normal” as possible – you’ve probably had to adjust your everyday life in some way as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic. Michael Plummer Jr., the President/CEO of the national Our Town America franchise that connects local businesses with new movers each month, knows just how important it is to stick together as a community during these tough times. “We have businesses who have been with us for decades and they’re having to close their doors. It’s a struggle out there for every type of business,” says Plummer. “And, unfortunately, some won’t survive. It’s not like people are going out exploring the community like they used to. They’re going out of their house with a destination in mind,” he says. Since the pandemic has hit communities around the nation so harshly, Plummer is taking a more aggressive approach to help the business owners he’s come to know so well over the years. In conjunction with all Our Town franchise owners nationwide, Plummer is taking part in the ‘Save Our Town’ movement urging people to help revive local small businesses. Examples of hard-hit businesses in the Tampa Bay area include a 22-year Our Town Sponsor Business, PoFolks Restaurant, and Carriage Cleaners in Seminole – who has been partnered with Our Town for 19 years. “People just aren’t dressing out and going out to eat as often as they used to,” says Plummer. “Dry cleaning is just one of those industries you might not think about being hit”. But numbers show that they could use more foot traffic. According to Yelp’s local economic impact report, as of mid-June, nearly 140,000 businesses closed nationwide as of March 1. Of all retail business closures, 41% of them were permanent. The ‘Save Our Town’ movement led by Plummer and his franchisees urges people to find creative ways to help the businesses in their communities stay open. Watch the CW44 interview below for ways to help. Buy a gift card or start a tab! Buy gift cards you can use later, or pay $100 upfront for future purchases & ask them to withdraw from your tab when you visit. Holiday shop now! Some local shops may not make it to the holiday rush. Buy your gifts now & give them a boost! Tip well many servers, baristas, & delivery people have been out of work at some point this year. If you can afford it, leave a big tip & make someone’s day! Schedule and pay for future services. Some salons & massage parlors will allow you to pay for services in advance. You can pay for haircuts now & have the salon withdraw from your account as you go. Leave a positive review online. Many people are looking for safe places to eat & shop. Leave a positive review of your favorite restaurants & local shops to tell your community how they’re keeping customers safe & healthy during the pandemic. Mentioning outdoor seating is a plus. Redeem your New Mover Offers. If you’re a new mover who recently received your Our Town America Welcome Package, be sure to redeem your local business Gift Certificates. The businesses included in Our Town America Welcome Packages reach out to new movers each month as they want to welcome residents, like yourself, to your new neighborhood!  Return the favor by patronizing these businesses – whether in-store, curbside or delivery. Remember: For every dollar spent at a small business, approximately 67 cents stays in the local community. Shopping local when possible is what’s best for local economies nationwide. The Our Town America franchise system wants consumers and business owners nationwide to know that we’re here to support you during this time by offering various methods to relay business offerings to locals. Both local business owners and consumers will benefit from banding together to strengthen local economies.  Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If you’re a local business looking for a way to reach out to new or current customers, reach out to Our Town America at 1-800-497-8360 to get connected with your local representative. 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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‘Save Our Town’: Revive Local Businesses

Written by Brittany N. Johnson
Save Our Town Movement Our Town America Local Franchise

CBS 58 | Milwaukee, WI – The Coronavirus pandemic is causing a tremendous and unprecedented strain on local small businesses and, unfortunately, many won’t survive. Some businesses reopened and were recovering and now must close again or limit customers. This rollercoaster is wreaking havoc for those who spent their entire lives building their businesses. Here are some facts to consider when analyzing the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic: 23,981 Restaurants are out of business 27,663 Retail Stores are closed forever 15,384 Salons and spas are permanently closed 5,589 Fitness Centers and gyms will never open again The local founder of the ‘Save Our Town’ movement, better known as Allen Busse Our Town America of Wisconsin, believes that small businesses are the fabric of our community and we can all do our part to help ‘Save Our Towns’.  Busse urges people to find creative ways to help businesses in their communities. Watch CBS interview below for ways to help. Buy a gift card or start a tab! You can give local restaurants more money now by buying gift cards you can use later when the restaurant is more stable. Or you can pay $100 upfront for future purchases and ask the restaurant to withdraw from your tab when you eat there.  Holiday shop now! Some local shops may not make it to the holiday rush. Buy your gifts now and give them a boost! Tip well many servers, baristas, and delivery people have been out of work at some point this year. If you can afford it, leave a big tip and make someone’s day! Schedule and pay for future services. Some salons and massage parlors will allow you to pay for services in advance. You could pay for haircuts for the rest of the year now and have the salon withdraw from your account as you go. Leave a positive review online. Many people are looking for safe places to eat and shop right now. Leave a positive review of your favorite restaurants and local shops to tell your community how they’re keeping customers safe and healthy during the pandemic. Also mention when a restaurant has outdoor seating. Redeem your New Mover Offers. If you’re a new mover who recently received your Our Town America Welcome Package, be sure to redeem your Gift Certificates from your local businesses. The businesses included in our Welcome Packages reach out to new movers each month as they want to welcome residents, like yourself, to your new neighborhood!  Return the favor by patronizing these businesses – whether in-store, curbside or delivery. Remember: For every dollar spent at a small business, approximately 67 cents stays in the local community. Shopping local whenever possible is truly what is best for local economies nationwide. Both Our Town America of Wisconsin and the Our Town America franchise system as a whole want consumers and business owners nationwide to know that we’re here to support you during this time by offering various methods to relay business offerings to locals. Both local business owners and consumers will benefit from banding together to strengthen local economies.  Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days of the year. If you’re a local business in Wisconsin looking for a way to reach new or current customers, reach out to Allen Busse at 262-364-7675 or abusse@ourtown.net. If your business is located elsewhere in the U.S., you can reach Our Town America corporate at 1-800-497-8360 to get connected with your local representative. 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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