Every business owner needs to work hard to keep loyal customers – but, in order to grow, you have to find new ones. Seriously, it’s kind of a rule. Sure, you can get a lot of mileage out of repeat customers and finding new services or products for your existing base. But eventually, if you’re going to experience serious growth, you have to bring in new people to your business. That’s why New Homeowner Marketing is so important for companies, especially those local businesses that rely on foot traffic from the community. It’s a way of finding potential customers who have just moved to the area. It gives you the chance to meet them before they have settled in and possibly chosen your competitor at random and then decided that’s their favorite place to do business. Not convinced how important New Homeowner Marketing is yet? Think about the following. New homeowners haven’t fallen into a routine yet. We are creatures of habit. We tend to wake up at the same time, go to bed at the same time. We eat at the same group of restaurants, shop at the same stores and so on. Even the people who think of themselves as not falling into a routine probably are in a routine. Some young adults, for instance, may say, “No, I haven’t fallen into a rut. I go out and have fun every Friday night.” Well, okay, but that’s the definition of a habit! And if you own a nightclub or bar, you want those people to know about you. It really doesn’t matter if we consider ourselves wild and crazy or boring and stodgy – we crave predictability, and for practical reasons. You’re going to choose one bank, one doctor and one dentist; it’s too much of a hassle and cost inefficient to bounce from different banks, healthcare providers, insurance agents and so on, from year to year. Unless you’re getting terrible or mediocre service, you’re probably going to move into the area, choose who to bank and receive medical care from, and that’s it. You’re locked in – for months or years, and depending on how long you live there, possibly even for life. Even restaurants – you may like to experiment and go to quite a few different places, but if you want good carryout in a hurry, for instance, you’re probably going to soon have your favorites. New Homeowner Marketing allows you to become that favorite. But how do you find those new homeowners (and renters)? Well, you’re at the Our Town America website. You’ve probably figured that we’re going to suggest you work with an Our Town America franchise owner in your backyard. Our Town America has been specializing in new homeowner marketing since 1972. We have it down to a science. We can reach virtually anybody you’re interested in targeting. You want to reach new apartment dwellers? You want to reach new homeowners? You want families who are new to the area? Single family dwelling units? Multi family dwelling units? We can do that, too. We don’t market to everybody – we market to the new homeowners and renters who are amongst your target audience. And we do that with our state-of-the-art, ever evolving, new homeowner marketing technology. But how do you know you’re actually being successful in reaching the people you want to reach? Good question. At least, that’s what we imagine you’re wondering. Again, it comes back to our state-of-the-art new homeowner marketing technology. When you send personalized welcome packages to potential customers, and they use the gift certificates they’ve been given, we can track that – and not only know that they used them, we can automatically send follow-up direct mailings, so they have more incentive to come back and start creating a habit and pattern of coming to your business. And you can literally track your return on your investment on your smartphone. But maybe the best thing about new homeowner marketing is that people want to hear from you. They do. People aren’t always excited by conventional direct mailings, but when you’re new to a neighborhood, and you’re wondering what’s out there, those first batches of mail, all mail, can be like getting mail from a friend. When you’re new in town, you want to know what’s out there and what’s worth exploring and trying. New homeowner marketing makes the case that when people are going places, your business is at the top of their list. Interested in learning more about how Our Town America can help your business create loyal, long-lasting relationships with new movers? Get started here – https://www.ourtownamerica.com/meet-us/. 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. […]
Brittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations.
Articles by Brittany N. Johnson:
You’re looking for new customers. You’ve been blanketing the airwaves with your ads, and you’ve been targeting consumers online. You’ve done the social media thing. You even put out an ad in your kid’s high school’s theater program. Look, that’s all well and good. Most types of marketing, even the ads on the back of the high school musical program book, have their place. But have you tried finding new customers with a new mover mailing list? Here are the answers to all the questions you didn’t know that you had. What is a new mover mailing list? A new mover mailing list is pretty much what it sounds like. It’s a list that contains up-to-date information on new potential consumers who have recently moved to your community. As you know, it can be challenging to bring in new customers. You can offer incredible deals, but that often only goes so far. If you have a hair salon, for instance, you may get some new customers who will give you a try – but you’re probably not going to get the customers who have been going to a competing salon for years. They’ve created a bond with that business, and it’s hard to break it. Which is fine, on some levels. After all, you have your own loyal customers, so you’d be bummed if they were easily enticed away from you by some 30 percent discount. How is it valuable? That’s where new mover mailing lists can really be an incredible tool. You want new customers? Well, new movers lists can help you find new customers – and turn them into repeat customers. After all, when somebody moves into the neighborhood, they probably don’t know where to shop. They don’t where to get their teeth cleaned. They don’t know where the trendy restaurants are. And what’s more, they want to know where to go. People new to the community need to know the best pediatrician in town. They’re hoping for some guidance on who has the best pizza in town and what dry cleaner doesn’t overcharge. You can let their neighbors, strangers or the internet guide them – and they may well be guided to you. Hopefully. But new movers lists can put the odds in your favor. Targeting new movers helps you help them settle in. In fact, it may be the only time people receive direct mailings in the mail and are glad to get them. Again, they’re new to town…and they’re kind of lost. New movers lists give you the chance to show them the way to your place of business – before they blindly stumble across your competition. Where can I find new movers lists? Gosh, where? If only we knew somebody… OK, given that you’re at the Our Town America blog, you’ve probably figured out that we have new movers lists and we specialize in them. That’s what we’ve been doing since 1972 – yes, back when the Internet was just a thick phone book. The company was founded by Michael Plummer, Sr. His son, Michael Plummer, Jr., who has been with OTA since 2001, starting off in their IT department, later took over the company, after his father’s death. Using his technology and data experience, Plummer’s mission has been to make Our Town America, the premier New Mover Marketing company in the industry. That’s why Our Town America doesn’t just compile new lists of movers; we can target the types of movers you want to find. Maybe you have a business that caters to older people? Or families with young kids? We can find the age group you’re looking for who are new to the area. Do you need people who live within, say, 5 miles of your business and don’t feel like wasting resources on people 50 miles away – or even six or seven? Well, our technology allows you to do that. Our technology also allows you to track your return on your investment on your phone. You can see when people use the gift certificates or free offers that you gave them and automatically send another mailing to them, to thank them for their visit and invite them in again. After all, what you want to do is help people create a habit, where they start thinking of your business as the place they go, whether it’s to get their car fixed, or get the best deli meat in town or whatever service or products you provide. New movers lists help people move into a neighborhood and feel like they’re at home. And with any luck, soon, your business will be part of their family. Interested in learning more about how Our Town America can help your business create loyal, long-lasting relationships with new movers? Get started here – https://www.ourtownamerica.com/meet-us/. 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. […]
Franchising.com (April 2019) – Our Town America, the nation’s premier New Mover Marketing franchise, recently named Patrick and Carey Clinton as the 2018 New Mover Survey Drawing Winner. Patrick and Carey, along with their three children, Lucas, Caleb and Amelia, were awarded the grand prize of $3,000. The Clinton family recently moved to Tampa, FL from San Diego. Upon arrival in Florida, the Clintons were welcomed with an Our Town America New Mover Welcome Package, a personalized collection of useful, one-time offers from local businesses such as Jet’s Pizza. This welcome package helps new residents acclimate to their new neighborhood while supporting the local economy. Carey was one of tens of thousands of new movers from across the country who completed the annual survey found within the package. “We are so excited to have won this award! Filling out the survey was so easy; it was definitely worth it,” says Carey Clinton. “I’m a huge fan of Our Town America. As a military family, we’ve moved around quite a bit. As we settle into a new town, we are always on the lookout for new places to eat in our neighborhood. Through Our Town America, we found our favorite pizza, lunch and date spots around town. I can’t recommend Our Town America enough to other new movers.” The check presentation ceremony took place on Wednesday, April 3 at Jet’s Pizza, located at 14624 N Dale Mabry, Tampa, FL 33618. Local Our Town America franchisee Michael Avallone presented the check on behalf of Our Town America. “Throughout my childhood and early career, I was constantly moving from town to town. I know how hard it can be to settle into a new neighborhood, which is why I have such a passion for helping movers connect with local businesses,” says Avallone. “I am so proud to be a part of the Our Town America team as a franchisee. And I am thrilled that this year’s big winner was in Tampa, so I have the opportunity to participate. I was very excited for the opportunity to show our appreciation for local new movers and present the Clinton family with the $3,000 check!” Our Town America has been helping businesses across the nation capture the attention of new movers for 47 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. Tampa-area businesses who are interested in the Our Town America program can complete a contact form or call franchise owner Michael Avallone at (614) 378-2977. For more information on the New Mover Survey, visit OurTownAmerica.com. About Our Town America For 47 years, Our Town America has been connecting new movers with local businesses by helping turn them into long-term, loyal customers. As the leaders in New Mover Marketing, they use a mix of proven and perfected methods of direct mail and new technologies to focus exactly on the businesses ideal type of customer. Through their mobile app, they are 100% trackable and also offer demographically targeted full-color postcard mailings, EDDM, and more. 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/. Source: 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. […]
When some people experience job loss, they fall apart and lose hope. Others see their setback as an opportunity. When Tim McGrath lost his job as an executive at a specialty retail store, he was understandably shocked and thrown for a loop. But he didn’t give up and assume that his life was about to get worse. He slowly but surely took a path that eventually led him to become the franchise owner of Our Town America of Central Iowa. Here’s how it happened It was 2016 when McGrath was laid off – after working at a retail company for about 26 years. He supervised stores in the field for about a dozen years as both a district and regional sales manager, overseeing about 200 stores. From there, he became the vice president of distribution running a distribution center for another 12 years and then spent about two years doing real estate work for the company. McGrath was extremely experienced and at the top of his game when he lost his job. What was originally a family company, grew and went public. After a series of acquisitions, the company fell on hard times due to a challenging retail environment and fierce competition from online shopping. Eventually a consulting company was brought in to “transform” the company and when that happens, people lose jobs. No hard feelings, though. “I have nothing bad to say about them. They’re a great company,” he says. Here’s how retailers can battle tech with tech. Anyway, McGrath wasn’t sure what his next move should be. Franchising? McGrath thought he might want to be his own boss. It seemed like the right time. He and his wife, LeAnn, were empty nesters. Their daughter Lyndsey was settling into a career in health care and lived in town with her three daughters. Their son, Nick, was teaching a couple hours away in Cedar Rapids, and their other son, Tim, Jr., was just finishing up college at the time. It felt like a good time to take a risk. He kicked around the concept of buying an existing business or a franchise for about three months, looking into businesses he might buy. Tim and LeAnn considered a hardware store or maybe a franchise that sold birdseed. But then during a conversation with a business broker, he learned about Our Town America. “I liked the idea. I thought it was pretty cool,” McGrath says. He liked that the franchise cost investment was low. He appreciated that he could work out of his house and keep his overhead low. He also wouldn’t have to hire a staff, as he would selling rakes and hammers or birdhouses and birdbaths. He talked to numerous Our Town America franchisees and kept hearing the same refrain over and over: ‘It’s the best decision I ever made” and “The support and training are very good.” McGrath couldn’t help but like what he was hearing. “I knew I might work just as much as I had been, or even more, but I’d be controlling when I worked and what I did. I got very excited by the idea,” McGrath says. But, instead, he took a job overseeing six assisted-living communities. Wait, what? How did this possibility come into play? Turning to Our Town America “Neither LeAnn nor I had ever been in a position where we weren’t getting a check every Friday, and having our 401(k) funded and getting health insurance,” McGrath says. In the end, the leap was just too big for us to wrap our heads around. So when this other job opened up, overseeing assisted-living communities, McGrath took it. For whatever reason – perhaps because the entrepreneurial bug had bitten him hard — he just couldn’t get comfortable in his new role. After six months of frustration, we rallied around the idea of buying an Our Town America franchise. A year and a half later, things have gone pretty much as McGrath expected. He isn’t a millionaire… yet, but every month is better than the last, and he and LeAnn are feeling much better about this leap of faith Tim took. “I had a good first year, and if I have an equally good or better second year, I’ll be in a pretty good position,” McGrath says. “This is a residual sales business. It builds on itself very nicely and allows you to be rewarded for your hard work.” He also likes being able to use his wealth of previous work experience at Our Town America. Having run business units for years and needing to show a return on investment to his employer, McGrath finds it very easy to show an ROI to his clients. “I can sit in front of a prospective sponsor and show them the return on their money,” McGrath says. “I can calculate it. That was always important to me going in. I wasn’t just selling people for the sake of selling. I really am helping them grow their business, and we can actually prove that through our calculations.” Advice for future Our Town America franchisees The most challenging thing for me is getting to the decision maker, McGrath says. “You often are talking to a general manager, a gate keeper who is instructed to not give out the business owner’s contact information. So you end up making presentations to folks who are not able to make a decision, and they then have to explain our program to their boss. It’s an ineffective way to sell as you lose much of the emotion and sense of urgency in the back and forth. That said, I know a lot of franchise owners who are much better than I am at getting to the decision makers. I’m not sure I’ll ever master that, but I will continue learning for them.” He says that working for himself can also be a challenge, one he relishes, but still… “I had never worked from home without a set schedule; it […]
Starting a business is hard. That’s why you may have heard, “Are you crazy? Don’t quit your day job.” Kurtis North isn’t crazy, but he did start a business – and what’s more, he didn’t quit his day job. Kurt is the owner of Our Town Northern Colorado in Fort Collins, Colorado, but he is also a Communication Studies instructor at Colorado State University, teaching courses such as Introduction to Public Speaking and Evaluating Contemporary Television. Until recently, he was also an assistant football coach at a nearby high school, but after eight years, he turned in his clipboard. He is a busy guy, after all. In addition to teaching and running his business, Kurt and his wife, Bridget—a fifth grade teacher herself—have three daughters, all under the age of nine. Still, they’ve made it all work, and they’ve put together a nice life – and Our Town America has been an important piece of the puzzle. The Our Town piece While not necessarily motivated by money or material objects, Kurt knew there was more out there for him. He thought about side jobs or entirely new careers. Instead, he found something else: a franchise. “I enjoyed teaching but wanted to try my hand at new things. Being an entrepreneur and a small business owner offered a challenge—something I’ve never done but felt I could do.” The franchise opportunity offered so much more than just a side gig or a career change. In many ways, it offered the best of both worlds, and then some. And while there can be financial limitations as a teacher, it’s a rewarding profession – and offers stability, something that Kurt never took for granted. He didn’t want to subtract teaching from his life, he wanted to add something else – and being a business owner seemed perfect. “I’d read that starting a side business is often less stressful, and often more successful, than just jumping in fully. Because of that, owning a certain kind of franchise seemed like it could be the right fit.” And with some availability over the summers and during the afternoons he used to dedicate to football, Kurt felt he would have time to run a small business. After weighing a few options and thinking about his strengths and experiences, Kurt started researching various franchise opportunities and ended up reading about Our Town America in a franchise publication. He was impressed. “It has a reasonable franchise buy-in agreement,” Kurt says. “And it just sounded like something that would work out well based on my schedule and commitments. Plus, I liked how well the leadership at Our Town guided me through the process. They made it easy and made me confident in my decision.” He also placed quite a few phone calls to Our Town America franchisees around the country, and he liked what he heard from the owners, which was important. Not only was it a good fit for his skill set and schedule, Kurt knew a tremendous amount about what it’s like to be a new mover and how unsettling it can be, not knowing what doctor to go to, where to have your clothes dry cleaned, or what restaurants are worth going to. Amongst some of the places he had lived, he had spent some of his 20s living abroad in Madrid, Spain, teaching English to adults. That’s where he met Bridget, a fellow American doing the same thing. They wound up moving to Fort Collins briefly, next to Costa Rica, then to Los Angeles and, finally, back to Fort Collins – and in the process, getting married and having three beautiful children. Kurt also had selling in his background. And while he didn’t feel that he was a typical salesperson, he had done his share of getting in front of people. Further, he even had experience on the other side of the table, having worked in small business—Kurt grew up working in his dad’s restaurant, starting at the age of five. Many of Our Town’s best partners are restaurants (not to mention doctors and dentists’ offices). “Part of why I chose Our Town,” Kurt says, “is that the concept made sense—not just for me, but for what I assumed about my potential clients as well. If I owned my dad’s restaurant, reaching new residents would seem like a foundation for that business. I feel like I’m a reasonable person, and there isn’t any reason why other business owners wouldn’t feel the same way as I did.” The more Kurt thought about it, the more he liked the idea of owning an Our Town America franchise. Sure, not giving up his day job could’ve posed issues, but Kurt felt he could balance both jobs well. By giving up coaching football, he knew he could find the time to put in the work. Plus, as he explained, “Yes, this is a part-time thing for me, but I’m not going to put my time, energy, and money into it and not capitalize on it.” That said, Kurt says he sees himself as a full-time dad and husband first, a full-time teacher second, and a full-time business owner third. He doesn’t really do anything part-time. Moving into Our Town America If I know I only have four hours to work on my business, I have to be efficient In 2016, Kurt made the leap and became a franchise owner. Three years later, he has no regrets, other than noting, “I just wish I would’ve done it sooner.” Still, there are always challenges. “The biggest obstacle is organizing my time,” Kurt says. That’s because from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, he is on campus. From 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., he works on Our Town America. During the two days he isn’t on campus, he splits his time on everything from spending time with his kids, just being a dad; to grading papers and working on lectures at CSU; to making calls, sending emails, and meeting with […]
Clearwater, FL (January 21, 2019) Our Town America, the nation’s first and fastest growing new mover marketing franchise, recently ranked in Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500®, the world’s first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking. Placement in the Franchise 500® is a highly sought-after honor in the franchise industry, as evidenced by the fact that Entrepreneur received more than 1,000 applications this year, making it one of the company’s most competitive rankings ever. Recognized as an invaluable resource for potential franchisees, the Franchise 500® ranked Our Town America 428th for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability, and brand power. “As we celebrate 40 years of producing the Franchise 500, it’s a good opportunity to step back and look at how much has changed since that first ranking in 1980,” says Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur. “While the franchise business model has changed little, the strongest franchise brands are constantly evolving and innovating to keep up with changing trends and technology.” The key factors that go into the evaluation include costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500® in ranking order. Over its 40 years in existence, the Franchise 500® has become both a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for potential franchisees. Our Town America’s position on the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity. To view Our Town America in the full ranking, visit www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500. Results can also be seen in the January/February 2019 issue of Entrepreneur, available on newsstands January 15th. For more information on the Our Town America franchise opportunity, please visit https://www.newmoverfranchise.com/. About Our Town America For over 45 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. […]
Dave Butz is in the zone. Being a business owner isn’t easy – but he makes it look that way. Before Butz became an Our Town America franchise owner in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, he worked as a plant manager. In fact, for eight years, Butz worked at an industrial factory that made building components. When we caught up with Butz recently, the former plant manager turned Our Town America franchise owner, he was a fountain of information. Here are a few highlights from our conversation. How Butz got started. Butz was good at his job and doing just fine at the factory, but it was a demanding profession, one that required him to be on call, 24/7. “After my son was born, I started thinking that I would like to do something on my own, so I could work my schedule around watching my kids grow up,” Butz says. He began doing research, looking into starting a business or buying a franchise. “I thought about restaurants,” Butz says, adding: “I have no restaurant experience, so I’m so glad I didn’t go that route. I’d probably be back working at my old employer if I had.” He also concludes that even if he had been a successful restaurant owner, it may have been a more time consuming job than being a plant manager. “I work with so many restaurant owners now,” he says. “They’re always working.” Butz learned about Our Town America through a business broker who introduced the franchise to him. Butz liked the concept of the New Mover Marketing company, and the rest is history. The best part of being an Our Town America franchise owner. The last dozen years have demonstrated that Butz’s decision to become a franchise owner was undeniably a good idea. When asked what’s the best thing about being his own business owner, Butz can’t quite come up with only one thing. “You’ve got a lot of flexibility in your schedule, and that’s nice. You’re home for the holidays. You can determine your own income. You’re your own boss,” he says. “Geez, what don’t I like about it?” Hardest thing about being an Our Town America franchise owner. But that isn’t to say running an Our Town America franchise is easy. Being a business owner never is. “You know, if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. So you’ve got to be very motivated,” Butz says. “Plus, there’s no water cooler, where you have a crowd of people with whom to interact.” Working in a city that’s known as a tourist destination. Being the owner of a New Mover Marketing franchise in a city like Myrtle Beach can be interesting. Some businesses in vacation destinations, of course, feel that they don’t need to necessarily market to the locals moving in as they have a slew of tourists paying money. Other business owners are desperate to market to the locals; it isn’t like a lot of tourists are flocking to a chiropractor or an auto repair shop in Myrtle Beach. Still, many business owners recognize that they want to attract everyone, local or not. In any case, for Butz, Myrtle Beach has been a good location to set up shop. It’s the second fastest growing area in the country, according to census data, Butz points out. “It’s awesome,” he says. “People are moving down here in droves. It’s turned into a place where people move to year-round, and that’s reason enough for business owners invest in New Mover Marketing, even during the winter, when many owners are careful about their spending.” What businesses seem to really gravitate to Butz. Restaurants, he says. “They’re a dime a dozen over here and very competitive.” The fun stuff. Butz is enjoying being an Our Town America owner, especially the work-life balance that he has managed to create. Butz and his wife, Tanja, are often at the beach or on their boat with their son Finley and daughter Emily. Butz often fishes with his son. The family skis, snowboards and mountain bikes. Tanja runs triathlons, and the kids are both on a soccer team that travels and occupies a lot of time, especially on the weekends, according to Butz. When they’re at home, they hang out with their dog, Lilly, and Finley’s pet turtles. Our Town America is a pretty great business for someone plugged into the community, according to Butz. “You absolutely build some great relationships doing this. I’ve become friends with a lot of my sponsors (clients), and you end up running into your sponsors at the grocery store. This is a small town.” And it probably helps if you’re an extrovert? “Actually, I wouldn’t call myself an extrovert, but I’m not an introvert either. I can turn it on and off when I want to. If someone is 100 percent introvert, this may not be the best fit for them, as relationship building is a large part of this business.” Advice for fellow franchisee owners, especially the new ones? In the beginning, Butz says, it can be challenging to start an Our Town America franchise. “There’s a sink or swim mentality when you first start the business, and if somebody does tell you no, that they aren’t interested, you have to work a little harder. But after a while, when you have a lot of accounts and somebody says no, it gets easier.” But whatever you do, Butz says, “Don’t take rejection personally. Maybe that sounds kind of cheeseball, but it’s all business. You have to stay motivated and not take a ‘no’ to heart. It isn’t personal.” Are you looking to get in the zone as a business owner, like Dave Butz? Does the Our Town America franchise opportunity sound like it could be for you? If so, learn more at https://www.ourtownamerica.com/franchise-us/. 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. […]
WINK News Ft. Myers (November 23) — Sally Hanson of Our Town America Fort Myers is a small business owner, and decided to thank her partnered local businesses for Small Business Saturday. Featured on WINK News, Our Town Southwest Florida and Red Salon have a mutually beneficial relationship. If you’re a business in the Fort Myers area and looking to team up with Our Town America Fort Myers, please contact Sally Hanson at 919-349-7611. Our Town America is a national franchise who supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. Non-Fort Myers area businesses can reach out to Our Town America directly to get in touch with their local representative at 800-497-8360 or visit us online. Watch full WINK clip below, as well as Behind the Scenes below. 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. […]
Spectrum News Charlotte (November 28) — Small Business Saturday is all about shopping local and one group is working with local stores to spread the word about their business in Indian Trail. Our Town America sends out monthly packets to new neighbors full of coupons to local shops. Stores like Indian Trail Hardware have been including coupons to their store for eight years. On November 24, Indian Trail Hardware customers got Small Business Saturday deals and coupons to a pop-up shop featuring local artists at the store next week. “We’re just glad that they want to participate and be here. Hoping to bring more people for us and for them too,” Karen Wingo, owner of Indian Trail Hardware said. In honor of Small Business Saturday, Our Town America gave Karen Wingo, and the Indian Trail Hardware store, a community service award for their support of local businesses. Watch full video from Spectrum News below. 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. […]
Wilmington Business Journal (November 21) —Tavern 14, at 6309 Market St. in Wilmington, reopened last week following extensive repairs. Owner Christyne Nagaishi said last month that the building sustained significant water and mold damage as a result of Hurricane Florence. In addition to the damage, Nagaishi estimated a loss of more than $12,000 in food and spirits. She was unsure whether the business would survive. Then, in mid-October, she was informed that Bassam Safi, owner of the Wilmington branch of Our Town America, a national marketing company that targets new residents, had launched a Facebook fundraiser to help a local business get back on its feet following the storm. Nagaishi was recipient of his efforts and received a check for $1,500. “Aside from the money, the donation provided me with a glimmer of hope,” Nagaishi said. “At that point we didn’t know which way to go. We were struggling to get answers from government agencies and insurance companies. This generous gift lifted us up and gave us the kickstart we needed.” Tavern 14 now has a new roof and new floors and ceilings throughout. Nagaishi credits family and friends with helping to get the restaurant back open last week. “It’s been so good to see everyone,” Nagaishi said. “We really wanted to reopen by Thanksgiving so we could give back.” Nagaishi will offer a free Thanksgiving buffet with all the traditional fixings beginning at 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. “Because of the economic toll the storm has taken on so many in our region, many people may not be doing what they normally do,” Nagaishi said. “We want them to know they can come here and enjoy themselves and maybe we can provide that glimmer of hope for someone else that is struggling.” Tavern 14 is open from noon to 2 a.m. daily, with a full menu served until closing. 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. […]
