Lebanese-American Bassam Safi came to America years ago without a college degree, little understanding of the English language, and a dream. He worked excruciatingly long hours making and delivering pizzas for a small Domino’s Pizza location just to make ends meet. However, he knew he was destined for more and his persistence has more than paid off. He has realized his dreams of business ownership with Our Town America, the nation’s premiere new mover marketing company. […]
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:
Furniture World Magazine (December 2015) – For the first time in years, moving numbers are on the rise for two major reasons: 1) A robust economy means companies are hiring and folks are moving for jobs, and 2) People (boomerang buyers), who foreclosed on their homes during the recession and waited seven years for their credit scores to be wiped clean, can now buy homes again. This means countless Americans are accepting better and higher paying jobs, upgrading from apartments to homes, relocating to brand new communities…and finding themselves in the market for new home furnishings items. The numbers don’t lie. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) recent analysis of Census Construction Spending data, private residential construction spending increased over the summer to an adjusted annual rate of $378 billion – the highest rate since the housing market crashed in 2008. Further, Epsilon’s 2015 New Mover Report demonstrates that 60% of new movers wait to make household purchases until after the move – giving home furnishings and accessories businesses the perfect opportunity to gain new customers from new movers in their community. The report also states that furniture is by far the most popular type of purchase, followed by appliances. 63% of all moving-related purchases are made once people move into their new home. Therefore, the time is now for home furnishings companies to make valuable offers to new movers who need new home furniture and accessories. The Power of Modern Day Housewarming Gifts With so many people on the move in a world increasingly defined by insane work schedules, limited neighborhood interactions, and mobile/digital communication, home furnishings retailers have an opportunity to make lasting impressions on new movers by delivering thoughtful offers to their mailbox via personalized welcoming packages. According to a recent survey of 300+ men and women who have moved in the past five years conducted by our company, Our Town America, it’s up to local business owners to fill the role once held by next-door neighbors. Consider the following: More than half (53%) of recent American movers say that today’s neighbors are not as friendly as the neighbors they remember as a child because they “seem too busy.” Nearly 9 of 10 (88%) of recent American movers say receiving a housewarming gift would make them feel more comfortable in a new home/neighborhood, yet less than half (46%) have ever received a housewarming gift when new to a neighborhood. And more than 4 in 5 (81%) of recent American movers said they would have liked the advice about their new community upon move in…with 93% saying they would take advantage of an offer from a local business that took the time to welcome them to the community. So, while the housewarming tradition of neighbors bringing over flowers or homemade pies may be a thing of the past, housewarming gifts still matter, and its local businesses who are filling the void…and generating invaluable customer relationships in the process. OK – so why do all of these numbers matter to you as a home furnishings retailer? Well, like many other things, learning from other home furnishings retailers is a great place to start. Each year, we survey millions of movers to determine which kinds of companies and which industries are experiencing the most success using personalized new mover marketing programs. And in 2015, we have frequently found home furnishings companies among the top performers. One trend driving this success is the growing percentage of new movers who are seeking out home furniture and home accessories as soon as they move to their new home. According to the most recent survey, 1 in 3 new movers seek out home furniture options and more than 30% seek out home accessory options. These statistics mean new mover marketing offers delivered on behalf of home furnishings retailers are as desirable as those delivered on behalf of restaurants, grocery stores and hair salons – the three industries that typically experience the best response. So, to paint the picture more clearly and showcase what home furnishing retailers are doing to take advantage of these trends, we interviewed a few of them on their experiences. Here’s what these retailers shared with us that can help you visualize how you and your staff can capitalize on the impressionable new movers who enter your community each and every month. New Mover Marketing Program Results Tony Curtis-Wellings, Owner, Faraday’s Kitchen Store (Austin, TX) offers one free $10 gift certificate that can be used like cash toward anything in the store. Faraday’s has consistently seen 15-20% monthly response rates, allowing their sales associates to earn the trust of hundreds of new movers. New movers appreciate the offer and most come back again. And if their sales folks can turn that into a lifetime relationship, that customer, on average, will spend $1500-2000 at the store. For furniture retailers who sell primarily bigger ticket items, a $10 gift certificate may be insufficient. That’s why Donna Ball, Owner, Georgia Furniture & Interiors of Savannah, GA offers new movers 40% off MSRP on any furniture item in the store. While Ball’s team is just getting started with new mover marketing, she is confident the offer will help her store generate long-term, loyal relationships with northern “snowbirds” who move south in the colder months to buy homes on the Georgia coast. Each of these retailers worked with an outside vendor to construct a thoughtful offer, and in some cases, an included follow-up offer, that helps their business generate relationships with new movers. Here’s how you can do the same at your store to take advantage of the rising trend highlighted throughout this article. Five Tips to Build Effective New Mover Programs Here is a quick-hitting list of five tips that any home furnishings company can use to launch a new mover marketing program: 1) Target multiple zip codes in close proximity to your store: As a home furnishings provider, your business has the potential to attract and retain customers who live outside of the confines of your local community. Target nearby zip codes poised for growth and/or zip codes that lack quality home furnishings stores. 2) Create a […]
This year for Small Business Saturday, the shopping holiday held to encourage consumers to patronize small and local businesses, Susan Nagi of Our Town America The Valley took it upon herself to head out to the busy streets of the Phoenix/Tempe area in her Our Town America-branded car to thank small business owners for all they do for the community. Click Play on the video below to watch Susan on ABC 15 Arizona. […]
CBS Charlotte (November 2015) – This past Saturday, widely recognized as Small Business Saturday, Jane and Tom McElhaney of Our Town America – Charlotte drove through the city in their Our Town America-branded car to thank partnered small businesses by giving gifts of thanks for their continual hard work in the community. Watch the clip below from CBS Charlotte for full story. If you’re a Charlotte-area business looking to team up with Our Town America – Charlotte, please call 704-341-4982 or complete an online Contact Form. Our Town America is a national franchise who supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. Non-Charlotte area businesses looking to become a sponsor business in your community can reach out to Our Town America directly to get in touch with their local representative at 800-497-8360 or complete a Contact Form. If interested in opening a franchise in your area, please visit the Franchise section of our website or call 800-497-8360 ext.236. 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. […]
FOX Good Day Charlotte (November 2015) – This year for Small Business Saturday, the shopping holiday held the Saturday after Thanksgiving encouraging shoppers to patronize small and local businesses, Jane and Tom McElhaney of Our Town America of Charlotte will head out to thank small business owners for everything they do for our community. According to data from the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, small businesses represent 98% of all employers in North Carolina and employ nearly half (47.3%) of the private sector workforce. As Our Town America franchisees, Jane and Tom are small business owners themselves and truly understand the hard work that goes into building a strong business the community can rely on. The McElhaney’s support small businesses 365 days per year, as the Our Town America business model is focused on helping local business owners create a sense of community at their stores by welcoming new movers to town with free one-time gifts. To show their appreciation for local Charlotte-area businesses, the McElhaney’s created the “Charlotte Small Business Support Squad”. They plan to travel in their Our Town America-branded car all over Charlotte to surprise partnered local business owners with a Community Service Award and gift certificates for a free massage at Massage Envy and a free dinner at the Charlotte favorite, Mickey and Mooch restaurant. While they would love to recognize every hard working small business owner, this year they will start by first recognizing Indian Trail Hardware, Baxter Veterinary Clinic, and their local Sport Clips. Charlotte-area businesses looking to team up with Our Town America of Charlotte can contact Jane and Tom at 704-341-4982 or complete an online Contact Charlotte Form. Small businesses in any U.S. market can reach out to Our Town America’s corporate team to get in touch with their local representative. Call by phone at 800-497-8360 or complete a Contact Form. Watch the clip below of Jane McElhaney on FOX Good Day Charlotte for full story. 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. […]
The Charlotte Observer (November 2015) – Look for some changes this year with Small Business Saturday, the shopping holiday that happens the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This year’s event is on Nov. 28. Shop Micro Local, the pop-up shop featuring Charlotte-area food and products producers, won’t be back this year. Organizers, who first launched the vendors showcase in 2013, say they’ve been devoted to other projects this year, and hope to bring back the event next year. Time Magazine reports that American Express, which created the shopping holiday in 2010, is no longer offering a promotion that gives consumers a statement credit for shopping at participating small businesses. Although the story is subtitled “The bribe for shopping at small businesses is gone,” the article also points out that small businesses may no longer need the help. Awareness of the day remains strong, with 88 million consumers shopping in 2014, according to a survey by the National Federation of Independent Business and American Express. That was up 14.9 percent from the previous year. (Shoppers spent less, though – an average of $162, down 11.5 percent from the previous year, according to the survey.) Other key events are returning as expanded versions: Historic South End is bringing back its tradition of showcasing the area’s shops and boutiques, the vendors at Atherton Mill, and running a Holiday Trolley making stops near area shops. Fashion trucks, which made their Small Business Saturday debut last year, will be back. New this year in South End: Organizers are opening two pop-up shops, at Triple C Brewing and Unknown Brewing. Check out a list of participating shops at http://historicsouthend.com/small-business-saturday/. In downtown Belmont in Gaston County, the Belmont Merchant Association kicks off the day with Breakfast with Santa, which happens 9-11 a.m. at Cherubs Café at 23 North Main St. Throughout the day, merchants will give away a total of 100 swag bags containing coupons, products and information on different events throughout the month. Shoppers can also pick up a passport to get stamped at different businesses, making them eligible to win a gift basket containing items from participating businesses. Christina Moose of Meese Jewelry Company, who is president of the Belmont Merchant Association, says the town uses Small Business Saturday to promote happenings throughout December, which include a Dec. 11 Christmas Village event. On Fridays, there will be free gift wrapping stations in two locations, with donations going to local charities. Elsewhere, local entrepreneur Jane McElhaney plans to drive throughout Charlotte in a decorated car to surprise small business owners with balloons, gifts and massages. McElhaney is a franchisee with Our Town America, which mails housewarming gifts from local businesses to area newcomers. To contact Jane and Tom McElhaney of Our Town America Charlotte, you can fill out a Contact Form or call 704-341-4982. 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. […]
PRWeb (November 2015) – Our Town America, the nation’s premier new mover marketing franchise, has announced its third North Carolina location on October 7th in Raleigh. This is big news as the Our Town America business model, a direct mail marketing program specializing in delivering warm community welcome packages filled with free offers for new residents, is a perfect fit for The Triangle – a fast-growing region filled with local businesses eager to develop loyal relationships with new customers. Sally Hanson and Roger Osborn were inspired to open the newest Our Town America location in Raleigh and Chapel Hill because they believe the area is poised for long-term, sustainable growth. And according to Hanson, she believes no other direct mail marketing program does a better job helping small businesses acquire new, loyal customers. “I’ve been in sales and marketing for more than 30 years, but it wasn’t until I saw an article in the Wall Street Journal featuring my friends Mike & Julie Fisher from Our Town America of Tampa that I decided to take the plunge as a small business owner,” Hanson said, “Roger and I have been in The Triangle for 20 years and have witnessed first hand the tremendous growth. Never before has there been such a great opportunity to connect the great local businesses here with their new neighbors in the Triangle.” Statistics suggest that new mover marketing has never been more powerful as moving is back on the rise – more than 40 million Americans are expected to move this year – and new movers need a helping hand from local business owners more than ever before. Consider the following from a recent survey of more than 300 Americans who have moved in the past five years: ● More than 53% of new movers say today’s neighbors are not as friendly as the neighbors they remember as a child because they “seem too busy.” ● Nearly 9 in 10 (88%) new movers say that receiving a housewarming gift would make them feel more comfortable in a new neighborhood, yet less than half (46%) have ever received a housewarming gift after a move. ● More than 4 in 5 (81%) of new movers say they would like advice about their new community upon move in. ● And 93% of new movers say they would take advantage of an offer from a local business that took the time to welcome them to the community. According to Michael Plummer, Jr., Our Town America’s President and CEO, the commitment shared by all franchisees in the Our Town America family to satisfy the housewarming void with warm and personalized community welcome packages filled with valuable offers from local businesses has been the key to the company’s expansion to 59 locations in 23 states since its initial inception in 1972. “Sally and Roger are a perfect fit for the Our Town America franchise family and we are confident they’ll thrive in the booming Raleigh market,” says Plummer. “The pair has lived in Raleigh for more than twenty years and they bring decades of sales and marketing experience to the table as our newest franchisees. That’s a recipe for success as they know their community extremely well and possess the business acumen required to implement our business model effectively. We are eager to see the impact Sally and Roger make in their local community as they work with local businesses to help new movers feel more comfortable and welcomed in their new neighborhood.” Serving all types of businesses, including, but not limited to, pizzerias, salons, auto repair shops, dentists, restaurants, and furniture stores, Our Town America has established itself as the industry leader offering local small business marketing that connects local businesses with new residents as soon as they come to town. The company has been franchising since 2005 and has been the proud recipient of countless Franchise Business Review distinctions, including a Top 100 award for veterans in franchising and the Franchise Business Review Top Company Award – an honor bestowed upon only one franchise company per decade who has earned a top 50 franchisee satisfaction award for ten straight years. To contact Sally and Roger of Our Town America The Triangle, you can fill out a Contact Form or call 919-349-7611. Read press release on PRWeb. Source: PRWeb 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. […]
PRWeb (October 2015) – Our Town America, the nation’s premier new mover marketing franchise, has announced its third Florida location on October 5th in St. Petersburg. This is big news as the Our Town America business model, a direct mail marketing program specializing in delivering warm community welcome packages filled with free offers for new residents, is a perfect fit for St. Petersburg – a fast-growing city filled with local businesses eager to develop loyal relationships with new customers. Melissa Nelson and Steve Schroeder were inspired to open the newest Our Town America location in St. Petersburg because they believe the city is poised for long-term, sustainable growth. And according to Schroeder, they believe no other direct mail marketing program does a better job helping small businesses acquire new, loyal customers. “We fell in love with the local restaurants here when we first visited in 2013, but when we returned a year later, many of them were gone. St. Petersburg has traditionally relied on seasonal visitors to survive, making the summer months difficult. We wanted to own a business that could help these small businesses survive those leaner times,” Schroeder said. “The economy is improving and more people are moving down here permanently. Our Town America of Greater St. Petersburg will help local businesses connect with these new residents and establish relationships for the long term, turning slow seasons into growth seasons and growth seasons into booms.” Statistics suggest that new mover marketing has never been more powerful as moving is back on the rise – more than 40 million Americans are expected to move this year – and new movers need a helping hand from local business owners more than ever before. Consider the following from a recent survey of more than 300 Americans who have moved in the past five years: ● More than 53% of new movers say today’s neighbors are not as friendly as the neighbors they remember as a child because they “seem too busy.” ● Nearly 9 in 10 (88%) new movers say that receiving a housewarming gift would make them feel more comfortable in a new neighborhood, yet less than half (46%) have ever received a housewarming gift after a move. ● More than 4 in 5 (81%) of new movers say they would like advice about their new community upon move in. ● And 93% of new movers say they would take advantage of an offer from a local business that took the time to welcome them to the community. According to Michael Plummer, Jr., Our Town America’s President and CEO, the commitment shared by all franchisees in the Our Town America family to satisfy the housewarming void with warm and personalized community welcome packages filled with valuable offers from local businesses has been the key to the company’s expansion to 59 locations in 23 states since its initial inception in 1972. “Melissa and Steve are going to do an excellent job with their new Our Town America franchise because they truly understand the value of our new mover marketing program,” says Plummer. “As a couple who recently moved to St. Petersburg, they understand how important it is for local businesses to connect with new movers as soon as they come to town. Plus, they realize that the St. Petersburg/ Tampa area is evolving from a vacation destination to a desirable place to live permanently. And as more and more Americans relocate to St. Petersburg, Melissa and Steve will be there to help local businesses connect with them in meaningful ways. We are eager to see the impact Melissa and Steve make in their local community as they work with local businesses to help new movers feel more comfortable and welcomed in their new neighborhood.” Serving all types of businesses, including, but not limited to, pizzerias, salons, auto repair shops, dentists, restaurants, and furniture stores, Our Town America has established itself as the industry leader offering local small business marketing that connects local businesses with new residents as soon as they come to town. The company has been franchising since 2005 and has been the proud recipient of countless Franchise Business Review distinctions, including a Top 100 award for veterans in franchising and the Franchise Business Review Top Company Award – an honor bestowed upon only one franchise company per decade who has earned a top 50 franchisee satisfaction award for ten straight years. To contact Melissa and Steve of Our Town America of Greater St. Petersburg, you can fill out a Contact Form or call (727) 490-8155. Read press release on PRWeb. Source: PRWeb 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. […]
The U.S. Census Bureau currently reports a total U.S. population of 322 million people with 83 million of those people being part of the millennial generation, making up the largest living generation today. Millennials’ birth years range from the early 1980s to the early 2000s. Epsilon’s #marketingtomillennials report, released September 2015, shows the average length of residence for millennials ages 18-24 years old at just 3.3 years and roughly 5.2 years for 25-33 year-olds. Therefore, there’s no questioning whether this generation attributes to the over 40 million people who move each year. The great thing about marketing to new movers is that it allows you to reach a very niche market at an opportune time. These impressionable folks are actively seeking reliable, go-to businesses in their new neighborhoods to help satisfy their everyday wants and needs and, for millennials, convenience and immediacy is key. New movers searching for a new hair stylist, pizza restaurant, home furnishing store, auto repair shop, etc. are highly likely to visit the businesses they hear of first. In fact, 93% of the more than 300 men and women who participated in the recent Our Town America National Survey of New Movers reported they would visit the local businesses that take the time to welcome them to the community. It may come as a surprise that although making purchases online is common and inarguably trendy among millennials, physically visiting a business and having an authentic customer experience reigns as the millennial generation’s most popular method of purchase – with 53% of their wallet spend taking place in-store. Here are some of our new mover marketing takeaways, as well as tips for marketing to millennials from Epsilon. We hope you will use this as a guide successfully market to millennials. Target them based on life stage. Their age doesn’t determine their behaviors, their stage does. –Epsilon While some millennials may still live with their parents, others are getting married, becoming parents, moving into an apartment, or purchasing their first house. Each of these events are life altering and should be considered when marketing to millennials and deciding what your new mover offer should be. Employ one-to-one strategies: send targeted, hyper-personalized, relevant offers and messaging. With this tech-savvy generation, you have to be a tech-savvy marketer. –Epsilon New mover marketing with Our Town America allows you to send personalized welcome letters and one-time housewarming gifts to a niche market in your chosen demographic areas while providing you with a cutting-edge method of tracking your ROI and triggering a second mailer to your respondents. The initial welcome package is sent via traditional direct mail, which is great news considering 88% of the movers surveyed said that receiving a housewarming gift would make them feel more comfortable in their new home and 81% stated that they would like advice about their new community upon move-in. With a well-accepted targeted and personalized offer sent to the new movers in your area, now it’s up to you as the business to complete the positive customer experience. Millennials will grow up and their stage will change, just because they might not be a homeowner right now, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start cultivating relationships now. –Epsilon As previously stated, millennials move roughly every 3 to 5 years and about 40 million Americans move each year. It’s critical to understand that a simple introduction to your business and a housewarming offer might be just the thing to set you apart from your competition. The Our Town America program offers category package exclusivity, so if you’re not welcoming the new movers in your community, it’s likely your local competitor will be soon. It’s never too early to start cultivating new relationships. Millennials have buying power that is influential because of their social media use. They are very responsive to direct mail and it’s a channel you shouldn’t overlook when trying to engage with millennials. Converting a customer now could create a valuable long-term relationship. –Epsilon Our Town America new mover direct mail is positively received by millions of new movers each year – many who fill out our new mover survey thanking the businesses that welcomed them into their new neighborhood. Our Positive Postings program allows businesses to post these comments to their Facebook wall – further promoting the business. Moreover, millennials are constantly ‘tweeting’, posting to Facebook, Instagram and publicly reviewing businesses online, so it’s important to reach out, welcome and leave a good impression in hopes of gaining not just one new loyal customer, but their network of friends and family as well. Be flexible and evolve your strategy into 1:1 relationships. Start thinking about the customer experience and step into their shoes and understand how technology combined with data and messaging can play a role in driving conversions. –Epsilon The Our Town America program addresses the full customer experience from start to finish. From reaching out to the consumer with a targeted offer during a critical/ stressful time to providing you with data allowing you to personally welcome the new customer by name, to reaching out a second time inviting the customer back in with a follow-up mailer after their first visit (prompted by our smartphone application, Our Town TruTrak®), to providing you with the opportunity to engage in conversation surrounding their recent move – the program is centered on developing new loyal, long-term relationships by creating an unmatched customer experience for each and every new customer. If interested in New Mover Marketing with Our Town America, call 800-497-8360 or complete our Contact Form. Sources: Epsilon #marketingtomillennials 2015 Research Report, U.S. Census Bureau, and Our Town America 2014 National Survey of New Movers 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. […]
FOX News – Boise has existed under the radar as America’s best kept secret for years. However, the secret is out as Boise was featured by About.com as one of the “Top 5 Safest Places to Live” and listed at the top of Simple Moving Labor’s annual “10 Best Cities to Move to List” the last two years. New movers are flocking to the city in droves and countless entrepreneurs are following suit – opening new businesses to meet the rising demand and bringing dozens of jobs to the area in the process. It’s an exciting time for The City of Trees and one entrepreneur, Scot Hecht, has recently brought Our Town America – the nation’s premier new mover welcoming program – to Boise. This niche marketing program helps Treasure Valley businesses, like Bella Aquila in Eagle, acquire new customers by welcoming new movers to the area with a generous housewarming offer. Our Town America uses modern technology to make a lasting impression. Hecht and the other 58 franchise owners nationwide use bar-codes on their gift certificates allowing businesses to collect data and follow up with their new customers. Watch clip below for full story. If you’re interested in welcoming new movers to your community, we invite you to complete a Local Business Contact Form. 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. […]
