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Businesses should cash in on May’s National Moving Month

Businesses should cash in on May's National Moving Month Our Town America Marketing

FOX-TV – Bassam Safi of Our Town America Raleigh discusses the high moving numbers May, National Moving Month, brings with FOX News. Businesses can cash in on this lucrative market by inviting new movers through their business doors. Our Town America, the nation’s premier New Mover Marketing program, keeps a close eye on moving trends year-round and May 2022 may be the busiest ever for the Raleigh area. Real estate prices are skyrocketing causing locals to make choices they normally wouldn’t make. They are moving to new homes and new neighborhoods and millennials are leading the way! Data shows that millennials make up more than 44% of the new movers surveyed during the first months of 2022. This outpaces Gen-Z and the Baby Boomers combined. The National Association of Realtors reports millennials now make up more than 40% of all home buyers which is up 37% since last year. Millennials are now key to the local Raleigh economy. Here’s what Millennials are looking for in a community: Convenience – almost 70% of survey respondents say they must live within range of delivery services and 57% say they would like to be able to walk to restaurants from their homes. Pets impact decisions- Since 76% of millennials are “pet parents” they value pet-friendly neighborhoods. This means neighborhoods with sidewalks and dog parks will win. Pet-focused businesses are gold right now! Suburbs are Popular- The pandemic has made suburbs super attractive to millennials who are often working from home and want space. This creates an opportunity for neighborhood restaurants to thrive. Outdoor space is a must- living through the pandemic shutdowns caused this generation to look for homes with outdoor space. There is more value in porches, decks and fenced-in yards than ever. Watch video for full interview. — Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If you’re a local Raleigh-area business looking to reach new or current customers via direct mail or digital marketing, contact Bassam Safi at 910-352-5776. If your business is located outside the Raleigh area, contact Our Town America corporate at 1-800-497-8360 to be 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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Rev Up New Mover Marketing During Hot Moving Months

How to Market during Summer Moving Months Our Town America

May is National Moving Month — Our Town America’s favorite time of year! Mark the start of the summer moving season by implementing a new mover marketing program to add loyal customers and boost sales. Summer is right around the corner, and the end of the school year heralds the beginning of the busy moving season. As many as 56% of Americans move each year and nearly 70% of all moves take place in the summer. People pick summertime to move because the weather is optimal, schools are on vacation, and workplace productivity slows.  The surge of summer moves put a crimp on the moving industry last year, and many of the top moving companies struggled to keep up with demand. Like many other service providers, moving companies felt the labor crunch and had difficulty finding reliable employees. Approximately 63% of moving companies reported a drought of drivers during the busy summer months in 2021.  Tap into the New Mover Market to Increase Profits As summer rolls around, local companies can welcome the influx of new residents and increase foot traffic by adding new mover marketing into their marketing strategy. Our Town America is the nation’s premier new mover marketing franchise. Our franchise owners help small businesses in their local community tap into the new mover market. Our Town America enables small businesses to convert new residents to loyal customers by sending them a welcome package filled with proven offers.  Here are some of the benefits of launching a new mover marketing program this summer. 1. Strike First. New mover marketing allows businesses to capture new residents before they form loyalties with competitors. One of the first things new residents do when they move is explore their new community to find local businesses that provide the services they need. New movers scout the area for a grocery store to stock their refrigerators. New residents also need to find a hair salon and a dry cleaner to help them put their best foot forward at their new job. Ordering pizza while unpacking boxes is the norm for many new residents. Having an upscale Welcome Package filled with proven offers from these establishments arrive on their doorstep gives them a place to start. Our Town America’s Welcome Package helps build brand awareness, and people appreciate the opportunity to give businesses in their new area a test drive. We get new customers through the door and allow you to give them a superior experience as usual. 2. Accurate Mailing Lists. A variety of companies offer mailing lists to help businesses reach new customers. Unfortunately, many mailing lists offer low response rates and are outdated or inaccurate.  Our Town America’s new mover marketing lists convert. We update our lists each month to ensure we capture accurate information enabling you to deliver your message to new residents. Our Town America compiles lists of individuals who recently filed some sort of address change. Then, we make sure to filter out any duplicate names or addresses, which allows us to deliver a direct mailing list that is about 95% accurate.  3. Trackable Solution. Being able to track your return on investment is an important component of any marketing strategy. It’s easy to track results of a new mover marketing program because customers bring in their offers for redemption.  Our Town America streamlined the tracking process by developing our TruTrak® mobile app. TruTrak® makes it easy for businesses to track ROI and gather detailed demographic data about their customers. It can be downloaded to your smartphone and allows you to validate and scan redemptions at the point of sale, or at your convenience.  Learn More About Our Town America Approximately 27.1 million people moved in 2021. The rise in teleworking is giving people the opportunity to relocate. People are moving primarily for a lower cost of living or to be closer to family. Other considerations include better schools and more job opportunities. New movers can help your business thrive this summer.  If you want to target this unique demographic by implementing a new mover marketing program or to learn more about Our Town America, click 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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Revisit Your Marketing Plan as You Spring Forward

Spring Forward Marketing Plan Our Town America

As temperatures rise and flowers start to bloom, Our Town America has some small business marketing tips for your business to implement this spring. The spring season is a time of renewal. People come out of hibernation after a long, dreary winter to enjoy the sunshine and balmy temperatures. Signs of spring can be seen as people dust off patio furniture and start the process of spring cleaning. Rather than turn on Netflix to chill after a long day, people gather up the family and head out for evening walks. With the prospect of swimsuit season looming, people planning beach vacations or summer pool days dig their sneakers out of the back of the closet and hop back on the exercise bandwagon. Spring is also a time when people return to the stores. After a busy Christmas buying season, many customers put spending on hiatus during the winter months. Bolstered by longer days and nicer weather, customers open their wallets to prepare for the new season. Customer traffic in the home and garden industry soars in the spring as people tackle home repair projects and turn their yards into showplaces. Sales at lawn and garden stores jump 61% during the week of spring break in mid-March. Clothing retailers see sales grow as people refresh their wardrobes and ditch their sweaters for short sleeves and dresses. Spring is also a time when people celebrate loved ones and mark milestones. Mother’s Day spending was slated to reach a record $28.1 billion in 2021, the National Retail Federation reported. Spring Clean Your Marketing Strategy If you took Our Town America’s advice and created a marketing strategy for the new year, it’s time to do some spring cleaning. Over the past few months, your campaigns generated data you need to analyze. If your social media efforts did not help build sales, it may be time to reduce the number of posts or eliminate a platform. If a BOGO deal you sent out via direct mail garnered positive redemption rates, consider sending another direct mail deal.  Here are a few small business marketing tips to help increase foot traffic and boost profits. Target New Movers. Spring marks the beginning of the moving season. Capturing new residents before they form loyalties with the competition is an advantageous way to add new customers. More than 27 million Americans, or 8.4% of the population in the United States, moved last year. At least 60% of moves take place during the summer months. Weather, kid’s summer vacation, and a slower pace at the office make summer a booming time for moving. Spring is the time when customers are checking out new communities, house hunting, and reserving moving vans.  Our Town America recommends setting up your new mover marketing campaign before the moving season is in full swing. We have just shy of 50 years of experience helping local businesses attract new customers. As part of our new mover marketing program, we mail recent arrivals a welcome package filled with proven offers shortly after they relocate.  Local businesses can track their new mover marketing campaign using Our Town America’s mobile app, TruTrak™. The app allows businesses to validate and scan redemptions at the point of sale and can trigger a ‘thank you’ postcard to customers after they redeem their welcome offer. Celebrate the Season. Tying your marketing message to important events in the spring, such as Daylight Saving Time, International Women’s Day, and Earth Day can help your message stand out and engage your audience. As spring rolls around, tax day also looms. Many Americans are contemplating how to spend their tax refunds. Encourage them to spend their bounty at your business by incorporating a tax theme into your messaging. If your service is deductible, such as healthcare charges, now is the time to let your customers know.  Focus on Community. Rebirth, positive energy, and growth are hallmarks of the spring season. Now is an ideal time for your business to participate in a charity event or donate to an important cause. In addition, farmers markets and other outdoor community events return to center stage. Put your business in front of customers during this time by becoming an event sponsor or setting up a table.  Launch a Contest. Spice up your spring marketing efforts by launching a contest to entice customers. Contests are an easy way to generate traffic and buzz about your business. Promote your contest in your local community by sending a direct mail postcard to your target demographic. Every Door Direct Mail® allows you to blanket a zip code with your message or filter your postcard by age, income, or household size. A competitive contest can draw new customers and give your business a leg up on the competition. Click here to learn more small business marketing tips and how Our Town America’s new mover marketing program and direct mail services can help you expand your loyal customer base this spring. 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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Top Businesses New Movers Visit After Moving

Top Businesses New Movers visit after Moving Our Town America New Mover Marketing

New mover marketing gives small businesses the opportunity to help residents feel at home in their new community while elevating profits. More than a third of recent movers say it’s harder to find a house than a spouse, according to a recent survey of more than 2,000 people by Zillow Group, a real estate and lending company. As high demand met limited supply, the housing market in the United States gained a record $6.9 trillion in 2021, nearly doubling the largest annual gain of $3.7 trillion back in 2005. Despite a tight housing market, Americans continue to pack boxes and relocate to places where they can get more bang for their buck. More than 27 million people moved in 2021, the U.S. Census Bureau reported, representing 8.4% of the U.S. population.  After the stress of finding their dream home in the competitive real estate market, the real work begins for new residents. As new movers unpack boxes and hang pictures, an important step of relocating is seeking out essential businesses to help make their new neighborhood feel like home.  Our Town America, the nation’s leading new mover marketing company, has been welcoming new residents to their communities for more than 49 years. We help small businesses drive profits by targeting new residents who have not formed loyalties to competitors. Is your business one of the first stops for new residents? Here are some of the top businesses new movers visit when they’re new to town. Restaurants. Settling into a new home requires a lot of heavy lifting. Furniture needs to be arranged, rooms need to be painted, and boxes need to be unpacked. New residents have little time to think about meal planning as they get settled. Our Town America revealed that the first industry people check out in their brand-new community are restaurants. Takeout food is extremely popular. While the number of restaurants offering delivery has skyrocketed since the outbreak of the pandemic, new residents typically turn to tried-and-true delivery staples, like pizza and Chinese food, after a long day working on their homes. Grocery Stores. One of the first steps new movers take is to re-establish their daily routine. Next on the list for area businesses is finding a grocery store that meets their needs to fill the refrigerator and refresh the pantry. Healthcare. Part of getting established in a new community is finding pediatricians, doctors, and dentists to keep family members healthy. While finding new doctors is not something new movers do on the first night in a new home, it is at the top of their to-do list. Making sure they have an established doctor for a sick visit is key, especially for parents with young children.  Hair and Beauty. Women spend approximately $313 per month on beauty, including hair care. New residents want to look their best as they meet people in their new community or start a new job. Finding the right hair stylist is top-of-mind.  Pet Care. At least 70% of households in the United States own a pet and estimates indicate American pet owners spent $109.6 billion in 2021, the American Pet Products Association reported. Pet lovers are willing to open their wallets to ensure their pets receive high-quality food and care. In addition to veterinarians, pet owners need to secure groomers, kennels, and pet supplies for their furry friends. Our Town America can help small businesses tap the new mover market by sending them an upscale welcome package filled with category-exclusive proven offers. Each month, Our Town America prints more than a million personalized gift certificates and welcomes more than 500,000 new movers nationwide to their new communities by introducing them to local businesses.  In addition to the businesses listed above, new mover marketing can help mechanics, wine shops, fitness centers, home service providers, dry cleaners and more. And, statistics show, at least 95% of new movers would visit a business that welcomed them to their new home, according to survey results from Our Town America. Track Your ROI If your business is one of the first stops for new residents, new mover marketing can drive sales. The next step is to track your results. Our Town America’s tracking app can help you see results in real-time on your mobile device. Our TruTrak® mobile app allows you to validate and scan redemptions at the point of sale or whenever is best for your business. The app allows you to track your return on investment and can trigger a second mailing to first-time customers to encourage them to return. It also is equipped to gather detailed demographic data of new customers you can use to improve your marketing efforts.  Learn More About Our Town America To learn more about new mover marketing and how Our Town America can help your business increase profits, visit www.ourtownamerica.com to start adding loyal customers. 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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Tips to Fit in to Our Town: Sacramento Edition

Tips to Fit In to Our Town: Sacramento Edition

ABC 10 Sacramento — Since the pandemic, thousands of people have moved to the beautiful Sacramento area in search of a better life and a better cost of living. At first, some new movers have a tough time fitting in because they say and do things that rub locals the wrong way – real ‘NO NOs’ that make a bad impression on natives… or at least make them laugh.😆 For example, it’s not great to compare Sacramento to Southern California as there’s a big rivalry between the two areas. Sacramento is better after-all, isn’t it?😁  Another bad idea is to talk about how much “better the pizza was in New York!” That’s why Our Town America, a national franchise focused on helping new movers connect with local businesses, has created ‘Sacramento’s ‘How to Fit in to Our Town’ list. This is a fun list to help new movers avoid putting their feet in their mouths for a friendlier transition to our beloved Sacramento area. David Frisch, owner of Our Town America Sacramento, sat down with ABC to discuss this fun list! Whether you’re in Sacramento or another US city, we would love for you to add to this fun list!  Please visit https://www.ourtownamerica.com/tips/ to submit your list for new movers.   ‘Sacramento’s How to Fit In to Our Town’ Checklist Learn how we pronounce the city. The “T” is silent. It’s Sacramenno! We do not like Southern California. Yes. The rivalry is a thing. We don’t want to see you in a Dodgers hat or a Rams jersey. You may as well be in another state’s gear altogether.😆 Learn to love Northern California traditions. If someone tells you they are “Going to the city” they mean San Francisco. No, they aren’t going to New York. A trip to “the city” involves a trip to see downtown San Francisco. Learn to love rivers! We have several great rivers to enjoy here –  a popular activity during the summer is floating down a river. It’s a great area to live if you love being outside. We have seasons! Unlike some places in California, Sacramento actually has seasons. This is one of the few places in the state where you will see nice Fall foliage. You will be hot in the summer months and a bit chilly during winter. It’s ideal weather if you’ve moved here from the east and want a taste of home without the big snow storms. — Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation by welcoming new movers to town and bringing those new customers through your business doors. Local Sacramento businesses looking to reach new or current customers can contact David Frisch at 916-474-1494 or submit a Contact Form. Businesses located outside the Sacramentoarea can contact Our Town America corporate at 1-800-497-8360 ext. 226 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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3 Ways To Turn New Movers Into New Patients

Turn New Movers into New Patients with Our Town America via Dentistry Today

Dentistry Today — With the Fall season upon us and back-to-school routines commencing, new movers are settling into their homes and forming habits in their new communities. This is an ideal time for dental offices to reach out to impressionable residents with a new patient offering. Nearly 40 million people move each year, so even if your practice is already established in your community, ramping up your advertising efforts to factor new movers into your marketing strategy is essential to replacing patients that have moved away. As with any business, attracting new patients is key to growth. As mentioned, a new mover direct mail marketing campaign will target new residents and encourage them to schedule an appointment as they restart their routines this Fall season. Here are just a few reasons why new mover direct mail marketing helps dental practices across the nation attract new patients. 1. Direct Mail is Personal On average, American adults spent seven hours and 50 minutes in front of a digital screen in 2020. With that in mind, it seems logical to turn to email marketing as a tool to attract new patients. However, the amount of time spent on computers is causing many Americans to experience screen fatigue and email overload. What may have been an attractive, eye-catching offer becomes just another ‘junk email’ amongst the hundreds received that day. Many Americans don’t have the time to sift through every single email. It’s easy to hit delete or skim past it and promise yourself you’ll read it later. Direct mail is a surefire method to reach new patients where they are. And, with remote work being so common these days, people are home more and checking their mailbox more often. Research reveals direct mail is easier to understand and more memorable than digital media. It elicits a higher brand recall and requires 21 percent less brainpower to process. Direct mail also offers a tactile, personalized experience that people appreciate. 2. Target New Movers Moving is a stressful time, and it can be difficult for new residents to find businesses they enjoy visiting. Getting your practice set up with a new mover marketing campaign that will send a Welcome Package to new movers on your behalf is a great way to introduce them to your dental office before they establish loyalties to your competitors. By sending new movers proven offers, you graciously welcome them – striking an emotional reaction – and have a greater chance of turning them into loyal customers than you would with a repeat mailer once they’ve already found a dental practice on their own. My company, Our Town America, relies on new mover direct mail marketing to help businesses bring in new customers. Our Welcome Package commonly generates an 8 percent response rate. All you have to do is provide solid customer service to turn new patients into loyal patients. 3. Don’t Neglect Marketing Basics Before my company helps you design your new mover gift certificate and decide what proven offer will get you the best response from new movers in your area, your dental office needs a solid marketing plan to ensure success. It’s essential to establish a vision for your practice, create a mission statement, and identify your target demographic. Determining your long-term goals as a first step will help you in employing a sound advertising strategy that will attract loyal patients. About the Author After serving our country as a US Army Medic, Michael Plummer, Jr. returned to the family business (Our Town America – the nation’s premier New Mover Marketing franchise started by his father in 1972) in 2001 to work in the IT department. 15+ years later, Plummer now leads the business as its CEO and CTO – using his extensive technology/data experience to make Our Town America the savviest analytical player in the industry. A technology expert with more than 15 years of leadership experience, Michael Plummer, Jr. has helped Our Town America establish itself as the nation’s fastest-growing and most successful New Mover Marketing franchise. With dozens of franchise partners located from coast to coast, Our Town America helps thousands of local business spark long-term, loyal relationships with countless new movers each and every year. 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 Awards $3,000 to New Movers at Big Daddy’s BBQ

Boise, ID New Mover Survey Winner 2020 Our Town America

New movers, Cory and Samantha Fuller, certainly have their hands full. They have two young daughters, both still in diapers, and they started a Boise business right in the heart of the pandemic. So, a surprise phone call from Our Town America could not have come at a better time. The Fullers are the winners of this year’s Our Town America New Mover Survey, which comes with a grand prize of $3,000 – no strings attached!  Cory and Samantha moved to Boise, Idaho from North Carolina in 2020 and received a Welcome Package from Our Town America when they arrived to town. The Welcome Package is a personalized collection of useful one-time offers from local businesses. Roughly five million new movers receive the package each year and a portion take the time to complete the New Mover Survey found within. This year, the Fullers were amongst roughly ten thousand U.S. new movers across the country who completed the survey. “I was nearly in tears when we got the call,” said Samantha Fuller. “We started our business in 2020, and we plan to use the money to help the business grow. We could not be more appreciative of this unexpected gift!” Scot and Amy Hecht, Our Town America of the Treasure Valley franchise owners, presented the Fullers with the check in late March at Big Daddy’s BBQ in Meridian, Idaho. Big Daddy’s is extremely popular in the area as the founder, Hoss Grigg, was known as a hometown hero in Treasure Valley for many years. Unfortunately, he passed away in December leaving the business to his wife, Khaseta, and daughter, Kersten. These two hard-working women are proud to carry on his legacy.  “Big Daddy’s BBQ is a staple in the Boise area and is a big part of our Welcome Package,” said Amy Hecht. “We know they have been going through a tough time, so we thought it’d be the perfect place to present the check to the Fuller family. The Fullers, too, requested to meet here as they were very impressed with their delicious barbeque and friendly service. It really did bring a smile to everyone’s face.” Our Town America has been helping businesses across the nation capture the attention of new movers for 49 years. Capitalizing on new residents gives local businesses a competitive edge. By providing new movers with unique coupons and deals straight to their mailbox, Our Town America helps stimulate the economy on a local level.  If you’re a local Boise-area business looking to reach new or current customers, contact Scot and Amy Hecht at ‭‭208-866-9540‬‬‬. If your business is located outside of the Boise area, contact Our Town America corporate at 1-800-497-8360 to be 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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Moving Homes, The Covid-19 Pandemic and a Big Cashout!

2019 New Mover Survey Winner Shylia Perez of Woodland, CA

Right before the Covid-19 pandemic swept the nation, a Woodland, CA resident was informed that she won $3,000 for completing the New Mover Survey by Our Town America, the nation’s premier new mover marketing franchise. Every year, Our Town America awards just one new mover out of the millions mailed the previous year. How is the winner selected? While roughly 5 million new movers are mailed a Welcome Package each year, Our Town America narrows it down by drawing a name out of the tens of thousands of new movers who complete the New Mover Survey. In 2020, Shylia Perez was that lucky respondent. Perez was thrilled when she was notified in February that she would be taking home a $3,000 check as she had never won anything!  She was looking forward to celebrating her winnings and putting the money back into her local economy. How does the winner receive the $3,000? This is the fun part, right? The local Our Town America owner schedules a meet up at one of their partnered local businesses that originally welcomed the new mover to the community. What better way to welcome someone than to introduce them to other community members AND award them with $3,000 to spend or save how they see fit. Perez and David Frisch, Sacramento’s local Our Town America owner, had a plan to meet at Woodland’s own Country Waffles on Thursday, March 19, 2020. Unfortunately, the pandemic hit and California lockdowns were heavily enforced. So instead, Frisch mailed Perez her $3,000 check – after all, we know best how critical it is to check your mailbox! 🙂 They promised to meet once things calmed down a bit. “It was so cool to win this! Lockdown in CA began soon after moving into our new home, so the $3,000 cash from Our Town America came at a critical time,” said Perez. “The unexpected housewarming package full of free offers for local businesses was generous enough, and then a few months later I won the drawing for simply sharing my feedback! I used the money to take a trip to Texas to visit and care for my Mom after she was in a terrible accident. I can’t thank Our Town America enough. The world needs more of this!” Many months later, Shylia and family were finally able to meet Frisch in front of Country Waffles Restaurant – masked up and outside in fresh air! Our Town America is happy to bring joy to new movers and local business owners – especially during this stressful time. Frisch is committed to his local community and wants both Woodland new movers and local business owners to know that he is here to help local businesses thrive through our multiple direct mail programs. With a decrease of people exploring their local communities on a whim, this is an opportune time to try new mover marketing, as well as postcard marketing (Saturation or Targeted). These methods reach out to consumers without them having to leave their home, which is key – especially now. If community members are not roaming the streets, guide them to your business by reaching them where they feel most safe and comfortable – their home! Housewarming traditions aren’t going anywhere. After 49 years, we are proof of how important it is for local business owners to reach out to new movers who appreciate a helping hand in their new community. Moving is expensive. Local businesses need support. Our Town America is the solution. 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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New Mover Welcome Package Offers Benefits for Local Businesses and New Residents

New Mover Welcome Package

Our Town America’s New Mover Welcome Package is a great opportunity for businesses to help reduce stress facing new residents who are busy unpacking boxes, starting new jobs, and navigating their way around an unfamiliar neighborhood. Moving ranks up with divorce and death as one of the most stressful life events for Americans, according to The American Institute of Stress, a non-profit established in 1978 to serve as a clearinghouse for information on stress. Stress is the body’s natural way of responding to danger or threat. While everyone experiences stress, long-term stress can be detrimental to the body’s health. High-stress levels can contribute to serious health problems, like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other illnesses, including mental disorders such as depression or anxiety, according to Cleveland Clinic. The most stressful life events are death of a loved one, divorce, moving, major illness, and job loss. “Our Town America understands moving is a stressful experience,” said Michael Plummer Jr., president of Our Town America. “Our Welcome Packages help customers navigate their new neighborhoods and provides them with heartfelt free offers from local businesses.” Whether you’re a small business owner or part of a large corporation, it’s important to meet your marketing objectives while staying within your advertising budget. Our Town America’s New Mover Marketing program puts businesses in front of new residents to help alleviate some of the stress of the moving process. For more than 48 years, Our Town America has greeted new residents with a Welcome Package filled with hand-selected, proven offers inviting them to try products and services from local businesses. The Welcome Package has brought millions of new, loyal customers to thousands of local businesses across the nation. It helps local businesses gain new customers before they have a chance to establish loyalties with competitors.   Welcome Package Weeds Out Competition Our Town America makes it a priority to partner with only one of each type of business in any specific ZIP code to help lock out the competition and give their partnered businesses an advantage – after all, these are the businesses that also see the importance of making newcomers feel welcome. Businesses can opt to send a custom-designed, full-color postcard out to customers who redeem their gift certificate as a customer service bonus. That secondary mailing can be a simple ‘thank you’ or can present the new customer with another offer.   Tracking Tools Show Stellar Results Our Town America built TruTrak® to help businesses see the results of their welcome efforts. The TruTrak® mobile app allows businesses to track their return on investment and gather detailed demographic data. The app also enables businesses to validate and scan redemptions at point of sale, or when convenient for the business owner/ designated scanning employee. The app also ensures businesses follow through on customer service tools by giving them the opportunity to trigger a ‘thank-you’ mailing to customers who redeem their gift certificate. TruTrak® helps businesses see real-time results by comparing the certificates scanned with the total number of mailings sent to help determine if an offer is successful.   Target Big Spenders Each month, Our Town America prints over one million personalized gift certificates and welcomes more than 500,000 new residents to local businesses in their community. Up to 20 percent of the U.S. population moves each year, providing businesses with a rotating slate of new customers. In addition, new movers spend more money because they have no established habits or loyalties. Moving requires heavy lifting, and customers are willing to open their wallets to help reduce stress and make their house a home. Buyers of new, single-family homes tend to spend on average $7,400 more during the first two years in the home than a similar homeowner who does not move, including $4,900 in the first year after purchase, according to the National Association of Home Builders.   Current Events Add New Layer of Anxiety to Moving Recent social distancing guidelines are adding to the stress of moving. The American Moving and Storage Association recommends movers regularly check resources like the Centers for Disease Control, to stay up-to-date on the latest news and guidelines. AMSA advises movers to get virtual estimates, purchase new moving boxes and tape, and deep clean their new home before unpacking. Adjusting to a new residence during this time can be challenging. The New Mover Welcome Package gives new residents an opportunity to support local businesses in their community. New Mover Marketing programs offer stress relief while customers are busy arranging furniture, hanging pictures, and stripping wallpaper. Learn more about how Our Town America can help you add customers and grow 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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Millennials New to Houston Moving Based on Jobs and Pay

Millennials New to Houston Moving Based on Jobs and Pay

FOX 26 Houston (July 2019) – Our Town America commissioned a survey of more than 650 Millennials to learn about their ideal city to live in and their main motivations behind moving. Some cities stood out amongst the rest – Houston, TX being one of them. Houston, as many will attest to, fulfills many wants and needs for Millennials. In fact, Houston has the third-lowest house prices and sixth-highest household income, according to Nerdwallet. Also – when surveyed, 44.8% of Millennials said a lot of job opportunities is what makes a city a dream city. Houston was ranked 11th best Large American City. And, while Millennials have been stereotyped as being addicted to technology, they actually value time outdoors. In fact, 48.8% said they prefer to do things outdoors when possible. Houston is a short drive from the beach, there are plenty of biking/hiking trails, and water sports are accessible, as well as golf courses and more! Not so surprisingly, however, Millennials like the option to bring their pets whenever possible. 61% of Millennials surveyed have a pet(s), and 47.6% said that their pet(s) is their top priority when choosing a place to live. Well, Houston slides in yet again as a top contender as it has many dog-friendly restaurants and hotels, as well as parks & hiking trails for everyone’s favorite furry friend. But, once Houston proves itself to the new mover, it’s then the local businesses turn to do so. But how? That’s when Our Town America steps in to do what we’ve been doing best since 1972. We deliver Welcome Packages to the mailboxes of new movers – complete with one-time-use free housewarming gifts redeemable at local merchants. This is viewed by tens of thousands of new movers across the country as welcoming – not as a form of advertising. In fact, in the recently commissioned survey, 85% of Millennials said they’d take advantage of a local small business offer/freebie, and a whopping 98% said they’d likely revisit the businesses a second time after trying out the first offer. FOX TV featured Clark Hillegeist of Our Town America of Houston to discuss the survey results. Check out the video by pressing ‘play’ below. ### *Editor’s Note: *Please cite Our Town America as the source for this survey. *This online survey of 652 men and women was conducted by a third party and commissioned by Our Town America. *Survey participants have no affiliation with Our Town America. About Our Town America For 47 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 at https://www.ourtownamerica.com or call 1-800-497-8360. 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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