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Celebrating Our Town America’s 50th Anniversary | NBC News

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

WFLA News —After decades of success connecting local businesses with new customers, Our Town America is celebrating their 50th Anniversary. The President/CEO of the successful national franchise, Michael Plummer Jr., has continued to level-up the company each year by introducing new technologies to this tried-and-true marketing strategy, but how did they get here? In 1972, Plummer Jr.’s father, Michael Plummer Sr., opened a pizza shop in Newton, Iowa. He soon realized that people moving to town didn’t know where to get good pizza. Using a list of names retrieved from the power company, Plummer family members personally delivered free pizza certificates to new neighbors by foot. After seeing the success, Plummer Sr. started doing this for other businesses and the rest is history. Fast forward to today, twelve years after the unfortunate passing of his father, Michael Plummer Jr. has stayed loyal to this simple concept of welcoming families to the neighborhood and helping local businesses gain new, loyal customers each month. Businesses like restaurants, dentists, salons, veterinarians, and others want to gain new customers. They are losing approximately 15-20% of their customers, whether they realize it or not, simply because they just moved. New movers are a lucrative market as they don’t have established habits yet, and Our Town America gives businesses the opportunity to make a great first impression with a strong one-time offer before their competitors have a chance. This type of marketing is powerful and people appreciate being noticed upon move-in. Month after month, year after year, is a new opportunity for businesses to reach a new set of new customers. Article continued below video… Click the Play button below to watch NBC Bloom Interview.   Our Town America’s 50-Year Evolution While Our Town America started as just a small print shop with a list, they evolved into a data warehouse that personalizes every piece that is mailed out. They went from only being able to segment by a ZIP code, then homes and apartments, to being able to hyper-target into neighborhoods and demographics like age, income, and family size –thus maximizing a business’ reach within its budget. And not only does Our Town America offer New Mover Marketing, but they also offer Postcard Marketing — both Targeted and Every Door Direct Mail® Postcards blanketing the neighborhood.  Their mobile app presents analytics and information such as who responded, written feedback, and the best types of offers, follow-up postcards, and social media targeting. Our Town America’s developments are always proprietary and printed in-house at their Clearwater, FL headquarters. “What we offer now is worlds away from what wasn’t even a dream decades ago, or even when my father passed,” says Michael Plummer Jr. “I believe if you aren’t innovating, you aren’t going to grow. We went from just a few cities to mailing in 28 states with 65 franchisees.” Plummer Jr. says Our Town America is in the relationship business. “From the families to the companies we serve. From the businesses and the franchisees and even ourselves at corporate,” he says. “We have businesses who have been marketing with us for a decade, some even two. Even people at our corporate office have been there that long. Our kids have grown up seeing this – just as I did.” What was once just his father’s legacy is now a part of his and many others within the franchise system. Our Town America enters their 50th year with gratitude for their success, hope for the future and an everlasting remembrance of their founder Michael Plummer Sr. —       Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If your business is looking to gain new customers, please contact Our Town America corporate at 1-800-497-8360 to be connected with your local representative.   […]

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Should Your Small Businesses Consider Hyper-targeting?

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Forbes Technology Council — Keeping your small business staffed and profitable can be a challenge, and determining the right marketing strategy is even trickier. A helpful small business marketing tip is to devote time to discovering your ideal customers and then implement hyper-targeting to improve return on investment. Hyper-targeting can be an efficient tool for small businesses to reach their target demographic, decrease ad spending and create a positive connection with customers. In a nutshell, hyper-targeting is the practice of delivering relevant messaging to your target consumer. Rather than blanketing a neighborhood, technology can now allow you to pick and choose who receives your direct mail piece. Being choosy improves your ability to get qualified leads versus over-saturating a community with people who won’t be interested in your services. Hyper-targeting takes some work upfront, but can deliver better results in the long term. Benefits Of Hyper-targeting • Reach the right audience. Sending direct mail to an entire neighborhood might be beneficial for grocery stores or dry cleaners, but many small businesses appeal to a specific audience. A fitness center with senior customers, a swim school franchise or a CBD store does not cater to everyone in the community. Hyper-targeting can help ensure you are reaching your target audience to increase your ability to garner loyal customers. Hyper-targeting can be a useful tool when it comes to improving your digital marketing efforts. Digital platforms, including Facebook and Google, allow you to tap browser searches, likes and views to customize your campaign. If you already use email marketing to drive sales, hyper-targeting can allow you to personalize digital content to reach specific groups based on demographics or hobbies. • More bang for your buck. My company focuses on new mover marketing, and we have a wealth of experience with direct mail marketing. Sending your message to an entire ZIP code can provide an uptick in customer traffic, especially if you include a proven offer. In our experience, however, delivering targeted mailers can not only increase customer traffic but can also help improve retention and drive repeat visits. Hyper-targeting can allow you to pinpoint your ideal consumer by a variety of markers—including age, income, educational level and lifestyle. Providing stellar customer service when they visit can ensure your efforts convert. • Provide better customer service. Hyper-targeting can enable you to customize your marketing message, which can create a personalized experience for your customers. For example, your ideal customer may be both a Millennial who lives downtown and a senior with disposable income. Hyper-targeting can allow you to change your message between the two age groups to make them more receptive to your brand. How To Get Started With Hyper-targeting Implementing hyper-targeting effectively requires small business owners to do some research and get creative. Here are my small business marketing tips to help you start taking advantage of hyper-targeting. The first step is to take the time to identify your target customer demographic and segment it into several different buyer personas. A buyer persona is a fictional representation of your ideal customer. Understanding your ideal prospect can help you attract high-value customers to boost profits as well as improve products and services. To find out the best buyer personas for your small business, do your research. Talk to your employees and your customers to learn where your patrons work, live and play. Once you compile this information, determine how you want to separate your personas. You may choose to separate them by age, ZIP code or industry and then create a fictional customer from this information. In my experience, a manageable rule of thumb is to start with three personas. Once you have your personas, it’s time to get started. One disadvantage of hyper-targeting is it can take many man-hours to implement. If you think hyper-targeting will help drive traffic, my advice would be to consider finding a partner who can support your efforts and track results. Handing the job off to someone with experience may come at a cost, but a successful marketing strategy can be the differentiator in achieving your sales goals. Staying abreast of new technology, like hyper-targeting, can help small businesses reap the rewards of their marketing efforts. Article by Forbes Technology Council Member and President/CEO/CTO of Our Town America, Michael Plummer Jr. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives.  […]

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4 Business Mistakes That Can Cost You New Customers

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Forbes Technology Council — In order to gain new customers, businesses need to combine a solid marketing strategy with a memorable customer experience. As a specialist in new mover marketing, my company offers businesses an important tool to get new residents into their locations. Our new mover marketing program mails new movers a welcome package with proven offers to local businesses. The upscale gift encourages customers to visit businesses in their community before they form loyalties with competitors. While we specialize in getting customers in the door, the rest is up to the business. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to see businesses excel at capturing new customers, and I’ve witnessed some that failed to hit the mark. Here are four common mistakes that can cost your business new customers. 1. Failing to develop a unique selling proposition.  You opened your doors to offer customers a service they couldn’t obtain at other establishments. Whether it’s your family’s secret pizza recipe or your skill at providing a top-notch cut and color, your business has something that makes it stand out from the crowd. It’s important to develop and market your unique selling proposition (USP) to gain a loyal following. In addition to providing stellar service, your customers need a clear picture of why they need to become repeat visitors. In our digital world, customers have the opportunity to research businesses online to help decide where they are going to shop. Having a USP can allow your business to shine. To develop your business’s USP, spend time taking a deep dive into the competition and determine your target customer demographic. Your USP should focus on what customers value and should offer a solution they can’t dismiss. It should help put your business on the shortlist when people are deciding where to shop. 2. Making a bad first impression. Customer service is key for any small business trying to build a loyal customer base. If a new customer comes into your business and doesn’t feel welcome, it’s game over. Proper employee training is key to ensuring your customer service is top-notch. It’s vital that your employees listen to customer concerns and for you to give them the tools to handle problems. Many companies across the country are having difficulties finding workers to fill roles. Offering performance-based incentives and a positive work environment are proving to be effective tools for keeping employees satisfied on the job and maximizing profits in the long run. 3. Neglecting your online presence.  There are more than 294 million smartphone users in the United States. Americans spend an average of four to six hours per day on their smartphones, according to a survey published by Statista. Businesses need to make sure their websites provide current information. Failing to update your website with the correct hours, menus or services can be a detrimental mistake for small businesses. Thankfully, the majority of what needs to be kept current is able to be updated via smartphone by either the small business owner or a dedicated employee skilled in digital marketing. In addition to staying on top of your website, small businesses need to employ a social media strategy. At least 68% of adults are active Facebook users, and 72% of U.S. adults use some form of social media, according to a report by the Pew Research Center. More than half of users check their social media accounts at least once per day. Engaging customers on social media should keep your business top of mind. 4. Forgetting to market to loyal customers.  In the rush to find new customers, many small businesses neglect marketing to their existing, loyal customers. A survey referenced by the Small Business Administration revealed that marketers only spend 21% of their budget marketing to existing customers. With numbers like that, it’s no wonder customers may feel neglected. It’s essential to analyze your customer data to create a marketing plan that encourages customers to become repeat visitors. For example, my New Mover Marketing company designed its program to offer customers a second incentive after they visit a small business. The second mailing reminds new residents about the business and encourages them to return. Loyal customers admire companies that listen to their reviews and provide innovative solutions that deliver value over time. Businesses can remedy this problem by offering special events and sales for existing programs and allowing existing customers to weigh in on new items or services you are considering launching. Avoiding mistakes that prevent you from turning new customers into loyal patrons can help your business flourish and profits climb. […]

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How Great Storytelling Makes Your Business Stand Out

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Forbes Technology Council — If you are searching for the best way to build brand loyalty and separate your business from the flock of competitors, it’s time to reconsider how you tell your company’s story. Humans have learned through storytelling since the beginning of time. It’s knitted into the fabric of our history. Thousands of years ago, cave dwellers used paintings to tell stories of their adventures. Then people started writing their stories down and distributing the news. From folktales to newspapers and television, we’ve developed ways to keep the art of storytelling alive. Over time, we’ve relied on technology to offer innovative new ways to tell stories. Whether it’s a social media post, a carefully crafted direct mailer, a report on the local news or simply a family chat around the dinner table, stories are part of our everyday conversation and an integral part of our lives. Stories from the heart can be a valuable business tool. Your company’s story should be the backbone of your marketing strategy and will help raise the value of your brand. We all recall how the founders of technology giants Microsoft and Apple got their start building computers in their garages. The first glass of Pepsi was served by a pharmacist in historic New Bern, North Carolina, and James L. Kraft began his cheese business selling door-to-door before it became a grocery store staple. Many businesses offer a unique and personal story, but it’s up to you to use a variety of platforms to convey your history and tell your brand’s tale. Here are some tips to tell your story and grow your business. Don’t Just Scratch The Surface You created your business to help fill a need in the community. It’s not enough for you to simply tell customers what products and services you offer. You must share the real-life reason behind the idea for your business or a new product. Making it personal will help your customers relate and drive sales. Imagine if the owner of Spanx never revealed her desire to look slim in a new dress or Trader Joe’s stopped touting new products in its creative newsletter. Get Up Close And Personal Let your customers see behind your company’s logo. No matter the size of your company, it’s important to allow customers to get an inside look at your employees and daily operations. One only has to look at their television lineup to see the popularity of reality television and the demand for a behind-the-scenes approach. This tactic will help drive sales. Your customers identify with people at their level and appreciate hearing from employees in all positions. Not only does this strategy appeal to customers, but it shows your staff that you value their input. Get Customers Involved Smart brands are already letting their customers tell their story. New technology like GoPros, smartphone apps and social media tools provide businesses with the opportunity to let customers show others how the brand shapes their lives. Companies can rely on social influencers for storytelling by way of contests held online designed to engage customers, for example. Co-creating content is a great way to humanize your brand and provide authenticity. Emphasize How Your Business Promotes Social Change Customers like to know that the brands they support are also doing their part in the community. Whether you are committing a portion of your profits to charitable causes or simply supporting a youth softball league, customers like businesses that promote social change. Make your efforts part of your company’s story. Think About Direct Mail Your company can use a variety of marketing tools to tell its story. In addition to a robust social media presence, you can implement a New Mover Marketing program to introduce your business to new residents. What’s better than introducing your brand through a personalized gift made possible by technology-backed data? This unique marketing avenue tells a clear story to the customer: Your business is tech-savvy, thinks outside the box and cares about new community members. New mover direct mail marketing is a cost-effective way to target your customer demographic and get your message out to the community. Great storytelling is a skill that shouldn’t be overlooked by new business owners, as it’s key in building a loyal customer base that is excited about what you are selling. Following these tips for telling the story of your business through social media, print advertising and email marketing will help your business flourish. Article by Forbes Technology Council Member and President/CEO/CTO of Our Town America, Michael Plummer Jr. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives.  […]

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Why Direct Mail Still Works In A Digital World

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Forbes — As businesses adapt to consumer shopping habits in the post-pandemic world, it’s important to evolve your direct mail marketing strategy to stay relevant and ensure your direct mail list converts. Last year saw the rise of teleconferencing, remote working, binge-watching and grocery delivery across the globe. Even before the pandemic hit, the average American worker spent five hours per day on email, according to an Adobe study. While the rollout of the vaccine and dropping Covid-19 numbers are fueling consumer confidence, many Americans expect to continue to telework, and at least 26.7% of the workforce will be fully remote by the end of 2021, according to an Upwork survey of more than 1,000 hiring managers and chief executives. By 2025, 36.2 million Americans will be working remotely, an increase of 16.8 million people from pre-pandemic rates. As our digital footprint hits overdrive and Zoom fatigue kicks in, Americans are craving experiences outside of their computer screens. Email inboxes are overflowing, and people are growing numb to online ads. Direct mail marketing continues to deliver a personal and tangible alternative for customers suffering from screen overload, which will be more important than ever as the country slowly returns to normal. It allows small businesses to reach customers in their community at home, where they spend their time, providing a physical touchpoint of their message. As technology continues to innovate, direct mail marketing is evolving to provide businesses with real-time marketing analytics to help improve targeting and cut marketing costs. Direct mail can also include unique codes or barcodes to track individual responses to your mailings. Combine Accurate Direct Mail Lists With Technology Enhancements Small businesses can leverage their direct mail lists by taking advantage of digital enhancements. The USPS developed a unique feature for your direct mail postcard. Informed Delivery allows residents to get a copy of their direct mail piece in their email inbox before it arrives in their physical mailbox. Marketers can capitalize on this trend by including unique links in the message or videos about the deal. Voice activation technology allows businesses to use their smart speakers, like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, to respond to advertising offers. Focus On Sensory Experience Direct mail marketing allows businesses to focus on the sensory experience of their customers. Sensory marketing plays a major role in buying decisions, as it can help strengthen B2C connections. Both vision and touch are key senses that influence product perception, according to a report by IE University in Spain. Your direct mail marketing message can stand out and engage customers by offering an offline sensory experience in our increasingly digital world. Direct mail messages can further stand out by including increased personalization and physical touches like foiling, embossing and even scent. For example, my company provides an enhanced sensory experience for new residents in the community. We send an upscale, ribbed texture welcome package filled with oversized colorful proven offers from local businesses. Our businesses appreciate the high-quality design, and new movers receive a tangible offer giving them the opportunity to engage with new brands. Stumbling Blocks To Direct Mail Marketing While it’s clear direct mail is an important tool in your marketing arsenal, it’s important to remember that it’s not foolproof. Still, the high return on investment that a direct mail marketing campaign can bring makes these stumbling blocks worth conquering. Here are some of the most common hurdles businesses encounter and how to fix them: • Frequency. Determining the frequency of mailings is difficult to attain. Send out a postcard too often, and customers will cast them aside. Splitting up your list and sending postcards at different frequencies can help ensure you avoid saturation and find that sweet spot. Sending to a new, niche audience each time can also help with this. • Up-to-date lists. It’s also important to keep your mailing lists up to date. USPS can validate the addresses in your database to make sure they’re current. Routinely doing a database validation can help make your campaign more effective and could increase returns. If you’re working with a company that provides a mailing list, check with it to determine list accuracy. • Going over budget. Make sure your direct mail marketing campaign generates results. Overspending your marketing budget isn’t an option. Many providers offer apps to track the success of your campaign while also providing detailed demographic data to help streamline your next mailing. As Americans continue to weather the pandemic, reaching them at home with direct mail marketing can provide a solid return on investment for your business and a welcome respite from the digital overload. Article by Forbes Technology Council Member and President/CEO/CTO of Our Town America, Michael Plummer Jr. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives.    […]

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Data-driven Marketing Company, Our Town America, Celebrates 49th Year in Business

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Franchising.com — Our Town America is celebrating its 49th year of helping local businesses create and maintain relationships with customers who are new to the area. Since 1972, Our Town America has been welcoming new movers with one-time gifts, inviting them to sample neighborhood businesses upon move in. This unique model has helped local establishments across the nation grow loyal customer bases while allowing Our Town America to thrive for nearly five decades. “My Dad started the company while running his retail business,” said Michael Plummer Jr., Our Town America’s President/CEO. “He had a simple idea, and it worked really well. We are still using that simple, yet powerful idea today – with some added bells & whistles to tie-in technology, which has only made our program that much stronger. Even with all of the marketing options available in 2021, welcoming new residents with a kind gesture continues to be extremely effective.” Over the years, Our Town America evolved into a data-driven company using the latest technology available to help small business owners target specific geographic areas, interests, or even income levels. This creates a high return on investment for local shops, restaurants and other businesses looking to maximize their budgets. And for those small businesses who just don’t have a large marketing budget, Our Town America built the Budget Billing program to allow them to spend within their means by capping their monthly invoice. The company has also integrated multiple smartphone apps, such as TruTrak®, which gives partnered businesses access to data showing just how effective the marketing campaign is in real-time and even provides the ability to trigger a second mailing to really seal the deal. Their other mobile apps cater to the consumer and the Our Town America franchise owner.  Really, the franchise has thought of each person the brand works with on a daily basis and has made life simpler through technology. That being said, it’s not surprising that Our Town America is a recession-resistant company that’s weathered two major economic downturns in the last 15 years. The company’s recent success earned it recognition from Franchise Business Review as a Top Recession-Proof Franchise, and as the #1 Advertising & Sales Franchise in the U.S. Our Town America is also consistently honored as a Top Low-Cost Franchise, Top Franchise for Women, and a Top Culture Franchise. “I’m proud of this company we’ve not only built, but enhanced over the last 49 years,” said Plummer. “This is a strong and resilient model, and our franchisees benefit from a proven system that generates results.” Our Town America is excited about the future and the chance to continue to innovate and take advantage of new technologies while staying true to the model that’s led to decades of success. Source: Franchising.com […]

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Our Town America Ranks as a Top Franchise in 2021

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Our Town America, the nation’s premier new mover marketing program, is being recognized by Franchise Business Review as one of the best franchises to buy in 2021. Each year, FBR surveys thousands of franchisees confidentially and compiles a list of top franchises based on the results. This year’s survey put Our Town America near the top in several categories, listed at No. 25 in the overall “FBR Top 200 Franchises” rankings along with a Top 5 placement in the “Small” category. “Earning such high rankings in the FBR survey is a great accomplishment each year,” says Michael Plummer Jr., Our Town America President/CEO. “We’re pleased to continue to get internal validation from our franchisees, especially after a tough year for so many businesses in 2020.” The FBR Top 200 Franchises Ranking is the most comprehensive list of the nation’s top franchise opportunities based on actual reviews of more than 28,000 franchisees across more than 300 of the nation’s leading franchise companies. The franchisees are asked nearly three dozen benchmark questions about their experience and satisfaction regarding critical areas of their franchise systems, like training and support, operations, franchisor/franchisee relations and financial opportunity. Below are Our Town America’s FBR survey rankings for this year: 25 overall on the 2021 Top 200 Franchises list Top 5 in the “Small” (under 55 units) Category #1 “Advertising and Sales” Franchise Our Town America also made all three lists, including: Top Low-Cost Franchises Top Franchises for Women Top Recession-Proof Franchises You can view the complete list of the 2021 Top Franchises at FranchiseBusinessReview.com. The publication showcasing all rankings is now available.         ### About Our Town America For over 48 years, Our Town America has been providing new movers with traditional hospitality by mailing warm housewarming gifts from local neighborhood businesses in a premium Welcome Package. Since the company started franchising in 2005, Our Town America has consistently been placed in the Franchise Top 50, ranking top in their category for franchisee satisfaction. Our Town America’s dedication to the “sponsor exclusivity” concept, meaning Our Town America will only recommend one of each business type in any specific zip code within its Welcome Packages, has been one of the key catalysts for the company’s long-term success. In addition, sponsors consistently rave about other unique aspects of the New Mover Marketing program – such as their ability to reach a brand-new audience of impressionable new movers each month and the insightful data/metrics delivered by Our Town America’s innovative pinpoint tracking system. Due in large part to Our Town America’s devotion to those concepts, thousands of satisfied business owners throughout the United States attest to the success and effectiveness of the program. Additionally, dozens of locally owned franchisees validate Our Town America’s concept as a viable business opportunity. It is Our Town America’s mission to assist new movers adjusting to their community, help businesses gain new and loyal customers and provide franchisees with an excellent opportunity. The eight million households who receive Our Town America’s Welcome Packages each year prove that Our Town America is committed to following through on that mission statement. For more information, visit the Our Town America website or call 1-800-497-8360 ext.236.   About Franchise Business Review Franchise Business Review (FBR) is a leading market research firm serving the franchise sector. FBR measures the satisfaction and engagement of franchisees and publishes various guides and reports for entrepreneurs considering an investment in a franchise business. Since 2005, FBR has surveyed hundreds of thousands of franchise owners and over 1,100 leading franchise companies. FBR publishes free and unbiased franchisee satisfaction research reports throughout the year.   […]

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What’s the Best Way to Market to New Homeowners?

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

As Americans abandon densely populated cities in droves to find work-life balance and be close to family, small businesses can capitalize on this trend by tapping into the new homeowner market. The spike in the number of companies allowing people to work remotely untethered people from their corporate offices and allowed them to throw a dart at the map to find their ideal hometown. More than 15.9 million Americans filed change of address requests with the United States Postal Service from February to July. The results indicate address changes were up four percent, versus the same period in 2019. Temporary relocations rose 27 percent, and permanent moves went up two percent.  New Homeowners Can Become Loyal Customers The surge in new movers (both homeowners and renters) provides a great opportunity for small businesses searching for strategies to add new customers. Our Town America is the leader in marketing to new residents. Our new mover marketing program puts your business in front of customers who have not yet formed loyalties with other businesses. We greet new movers with a welcome package full of hand-selected proven offers with industry-leading response rates to generate foot traffic to your business.  Where Are the New Homeowners? Current events sparked an exodus from some hot spots, but moving trends continued to follow predictable patterns. Traditionally, big cities often record high moving rates as people outgrow the hustle and bustle of city life, or it becomes cost-prohibitive. New York saw a 48 percent jump in people abandoning the city that never sleeps, compared with the same period the previous year. People also left Chicago and some larger California cities following the outbreak of the pandemic. The trend to move south and west continued in 2020 as people opted to relocate to Idaho, South Carolina, Oregon, South Dakota and Arizona.  Our Town America understands moving trends. We have more than 48 years of experience creating new mover mailings that will generate a return on investment for your small business. We compile accurate new mover mailing lists using technology and data experience. Our lists are current and contain mailing information for potential customers who recently moved to your community. Every month, Our Town America receives new movers lists from multiple sources which consists of individuals who have filed some sort of address change in the past 30 days. We take that information and filter out any duplicate names and addresses to create a direct mailing list that is about 95 percent accurate. As an added bonus, our lists are built to target your customer demographic. “Our Town America can help you capitalize on moving trends by focusing your marketing efforts on new movers – both new homeowners and renters,” said Michael Plummer Jr., Our Town America’s President and Chief Executive.  Top Reasons New Homeowners Relocate People make the decision to move for a variety of different reasons, mainly involving a new job or affordable housing. Understanding the motivation behind moving trends in your area can help when it comes to crafting a proven offer for our welcome package. For example, if people are moving because of a job loss, providing a generous proven offer to get them in the door is likely the way to go. With decades of experience and data, we are here to help you craft the perfect proven offer for your one-time housewarming gift.  Current events posed an additional reason for relocating in 2020. Nearly 59 percent of people who moved last year cited a desire to be closer to family. Nearly one in five people moved, or know someone who moved, due to the pandemic. In addition to wanting to be closer to family, those who moved because of COVID-19 did so due to concerns for personal and family health and wellbeing, ability to work remotely, or a lifestyle change or improvement of quality of life. We’re here to help you reach out to new homeowners in your area and turn them into new customers. For more information about new mover marketing and our new mover lists, visit www.ourtownamerica.com today. […]

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Gain New Customers Amidst the Pandemic by Marketing to this Audience

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

New Mover Marketing offers small businesses a targeted marketing strategy guaranteed to produce new customers during this unprecedented time. A survey of 450 marketing gurus following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States revealed 42 percent of participants deemed budget cuts a significant challenge, according to LinkedIn and Vision Critical, a customer insights provider. At least 76 percent of respondents were forced to shift marketing priorities, and 34 percent were working to change their target audience. If these grim advertising statistics hit home, you are not alone. Small business owners across the country are coping with the realities of operating in a pandemic economy. This year prompted them to adapt their business models and learn to stay afloat with less — decreased operating hours, capacity limits, employee shortages and lower sales. While small businesses slowly recover, and the light at the end of the tunnel gets brighter, it’s important to make smart and effective advertising choices (especially if you’re operating with a smaller marketing budget). Our Town America believes it’s an ideal time to consider expanding your loyal customer base by using personalized welcome packages to target new residents with our new movers list. “Small businesses are struggling to make ends meet during this unique season. Implementing a successful new mover marketing program will help your business grow by providing a personalized connection to customers before they establish loyalties to other businesses. It’s a hassle-free marketing tactic guaranteed to generate results,” said Michael Plummer Jr., president and chief executive of Our Town America, the nation’s premier new mover marketing company. Our Town America has been helping introduce new customers to local businesses for 49 years. The company specializes in providing businesses with accurate, new mover marketing lists and is a one-stop-shop for small businesses searching for a way to showcase their customer service to new customers. If you’re still on the fence about giving new mover marketing a try, here are the reasons why you should opt to launch a new mover campaign with a company that has a long history of results. Our Town America is the right choice for your small business. New Movers Need New Go-to Local Businesses. New movers are an excellent target market for small business owners because they have not yet had a chance to establish loyalties with other businesses. From the day the moving truck pulls up in front of their new house, they need to find their new favorite pizza place, grocery store, and coffee shop. New movers will also need to find a reliable dentist, hairstylist and a nearby gym to work off the pepperoni pizza and cafe mochas. With no established loyalties, it’s the perfect time for businesses to step up and provide stellar service to encourage the new mover to put them on their shortlist. How New Movers Benefit Local Businesses. New residents are big spenders. Research indicates new movers spend money in their new community to help make their house a home. Whether it’s the perfect end table from that adorable consignment shop down the road, or a full fridge of groceries from a lovely, local market, new movers – both homeowners and renters – are willing to open their wallets. New homeowners spend more than $10,000 on furniture, appliances, and home repairs during the first year, according to the National Association of Home Builders. New Mover Marketing is an Upscale Option. Our Town America helps you target new movers by sending new residents a personalized welcome package with hand-selected, proven offers. The company uses an up-to-date new resident mailers list, relying on new mover intelligence from nationally recognized suppliers. Suppliers identify individuals and families who recently filed some form of address change. After receiving the lists from suppliers, Our Town America combs it to prevent redundancies and remove duplicate addresses. Ultimately, the final list used to reach the new movers in your area is arguably the most accurate in the country, which saves your business time and money by avoiding wasted coverage and additional postage and printing costs.  Delivers Trackable Return on Investment. Businesses can be confident their new mover marketing program is generating results. Our Town America offers easy solutions to track return on investment and gather detailed demographic data of new customers from their smartphone. The company’s proprietary mobile app also provides businesses the option of including a second mailing to give customers an incentive to return, or to remind them about your business with a simple ‘thank you’. The second mailing helps increase your chances of turning them into loyal customers. In addition, all annual partnered businesses enjoy category exclusivity in the welcome package for their business type, which means your business competitors cannot welcome new movers as well. If you’re confident in the service experience your business provides, Our Town America can help you get new customers through your doors. For more information about new mover marketing, visit www.ourtownamerica.com today. […]

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Which type of Direct Mail Campaign is right for my Business?

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

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. […]

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