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How to Build a Direct Mailing List that Converts

How to Build a Direct Mailing List That Converts Our Town America

An accurate direct mailing list is very important if you want to effectively market your company to both potential and current customers. In the age where digital advertising is very prevalent, studies show direct mail can give your company a distinct and meaningful competitive advantage. In 2019, the U.S. Postal Service teamed up with Temple University to prove this. The study found that printed ads, like direct mail postcards or letters, are the best way to create an emotional connection with a customer. There are various options available for business owners who are looking for an accurate and effective direct mailing list, and they each offer different things.  The first, and cheapest, is to build a list yourself. This is done manually by plugging in the address of your business and choosing area routes, streets, and blocks to target. Putting together this type of direct mailing list is challenging and time consuming, and you also have to consider additional costs involved from start to finish including design, print and postage. The most common way of acquiring an accurate direct mailing list is to purchase one from a company that specializes in them. These companies use data to create lists that can target different ages, purchase preferences and even professions. Figuring out the right target audience for your specific business is often a challenge. However, targeting people who have recently moved to a new home is a great way to narrow down your direct mailing list. This method gets your business in front of people who are looking for their new go-to stores, restaurants, hair salons, dentists, etc. near their new homes – a critical target audience for any business hoping to create loyal, long term relationships with customers Our Town America uses a new mover mailing list backed by decades of data that saves businesses time and money. Our associated new mover program takes the guess work out of direct mail and reaches those people who are new to town before they establish a connection with any of your competitors. Our Town America’s new mover direct mail lists are incredibly accurate, making the process more efficient and cost effective. For example, each month, Our Town America gets lists of every individual who has filed some sort of address change in the past 30 days. Our Town America then takes that list and filters out any duplicate names and addresses creating a direct mailing list that is about 95 percent accurate. While mailing lists are never perfect, Our Town America works to make sure its new mover mailing list is as precise as possible, eliminating wasteful spending. Our Town America doesn’t stop once the list is complete. The new mover program includes designing, printing, and shipping each direct mail piece. This amounts to a stress-free process for any busy business owner who doesn’t have the time to stick labels and stamps on hundreds of postcards, or the expertise to design those postcards. Direct mailing lists can be an excellent way for a business of any size to attract new customers and build brand loyalty. Our Town America’s direct mail marketing program is THE all-inclusive program that gets results for businesses while saving valuable time and money. Are you ready to stop wasting time and money on self-starter direct mail marketing campaigns so you have more time to spend on running your business and building meaningful relationships?   We’re here to help at Our Town America.  For more information, visit ourtownamerica.com 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

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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Current Housing Market and Coronavirus Moving Survey Findings | NBC Raleigh

North Carolina Moving Homes Coronavirus Survey Our Town America

NBC WRAL News | Raleigh, NC (June 2020) – As the United States begins reopening amidst the busy summer moving season, Our Town America of The Triangle franchise owner, Sally Hanson, joins WRAL to discuss the current housing market. A recent survey commissioned by the Our Town America franchise shows that many people are considering moving due to Coronavirus, as well as other reasons. Of the 1,000 people surveyed, more than 40% would consider moving now. Some people are looking to move out of hot spot states altogether, while others are looking to flee major cities and move into more suburban areas. South Atlantic states rank as the top areas people would move to. Many people want to live in warmer climates to lessen the chance of contracting the Coronavirus, others want their children to attend different schools, and many are seeking areas that are rich in parks & greenways – such as The Triangle of North Carolina. Many areas in North Carolina are highly sought after due to their excellent cost of living and job availability. Many people also have more time at home to fix outstanding home repair issues, put their house on the market and search online for a new place to call home. Nationwide, it’s expected that moving rates will rise due to extremely low interest rates and changes in finances for many Americans. Hanson stated that many of her partnered local business owners are looking forward to getting back to ‘normal,’ consumers are eager to support local businesses and, as mentioned, looking to move into new homes for various reasons. Hanson expects and hopes to see the economy strengthen in the coming months. Both Our Town America of The Triangle and the Our Town America franchise system as a whole want both 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. Pandemic or not, it’s a win-win when small business owners and local consumers ban together to strengthen the local economy. Click below to see the full NBC News clip ft. Sally Hanson.   Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If you’re a local business in The Triangle area looking for a way to reach new or current customers, reach out to Sally Hanson at 919-349-7611 or shanson@ourtown.net. If your business is located elsewhere, 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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