CBS 58 (May 2015) – Our Town America, the nation’s leading new mover marketing franchise, just announced that couple, Dan and Aleyna Kreif of Pewaukee, WI, have won the annual Our Town America New Mover Survey drawing! Last March, after their move to Pewaukee, the Kreif’s became one of millions of new movers nationwide to receive the New Mover Survey as part of their Our Town America welcome package. Also within the package are various free offers from partnered local businesses. The Kreif’s completed their survey providing Wisconsin-area franchise owner, Allen Busse, with feedback on the program and the services provided by his partnered local businesses, such as Albrecht’s Sentry Foods of Delafield, WI. This past Monday, the couple met with Allen Busse and Kerry Jeanpierre of Albrecht’s Sentry Foods, and the CBS 58 News crew to accept their $1,000 winnings check covered in full by the Our Town America corporate headquarters based in Pinellas Park, FL. The Kreif’s plan to use the $1,000 to further improve their new Pewaukee home. Kerry Jeanpierre of Albrecht’s Sentry Foods has been using Our Town America’s new mover marketing program to gain new loyal customers since November 2006. Sentry takes advantage of the second mailer, the follow-up postcard, which is included in the program – the grocery store experiences noteworthy responses every month. With millions of Americans moving annually, and moving numbers expected to rise in the coming years, local businesses can rely on the program to consistently uncover new customers seeking reputable go-to product and service providers. Due to Our Town America’s ‘Category Exclusivity Concept’ – no direct competitors are included within a single zip code’s Welcome Package. Other businesses in the Kreif’s Welcome Package include: a Veterinarian, Blind and Shade store, Dentist, Jewelry store, Hair Salon, Massage Parlor, Dry Cleaners, a Sandwich Shop and a Pizza Restaurant. Greater Milwaukee-area businesses interested in the Our Town America program can complete a Contact Form or call franchise owner Allen Busse at 262-650-1906. For more information on the annual New Mover Survey, we invite you to explore our website. Want more? Watch the 4 o’clock News Clip HERE. Read story on CBS58.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. […]
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:
Franchising USA (May 2015) – For families who have just moved into a new community, finding all new services like salons, pizza joints, doctors, dentists and even hairstylists can be daunting. That’s where Our Town America steps in, connecting those new arrivals with the businesses that want to extend a warm welcome and gain new customers. “Our organization essentially connects those new families with those businesses who need them,” president Michael Plummer Jr. said during a recent interview from the company’s headquarters in Pinellas Park, just outside Tampa, FL. The company has been in operation since 1972 and is family owned, with Plummer having taken over the operations of the company from his father, who started it. Late Franchising Bloomer While the company has been around for a number of decades, it actually only started franchising in 2005. Prior to franchising, it issued licenses to people to use the brand. These were generally people that Plummer’s father knew throughout the decades and all those licensees are now franchisees. “Franchising proved to be practical for Our Town America in 2003 when we went through a major technological upgrade, switching to variable printing,” Plummer said. After that, they started the process of becoming a franchise business in 2004 and by 2005 were legally able to start franchising. Now, the company boasts 55 franchisees positioned all over the country, but focused mainly in the Mid-West and on the East Coast. On the Move “Our Town America has locations available across the country,” Plummer said. “This is one franchise that can be successful in smaller markets as its success is largely dependent on the number of movers.” Considering that 17 – 20% of Americans relocate each year, there will always be a lot of potential new customers for businesses to reach out to in their area. For families who are new to a community, it’s a great welcoming gift. Even if people are only moving to the next town, they still have to find all new services in that new town. And Our Town America helps those businesses connect with new potential customers. “We’re the personal invitation for the businesses to stand out from the crowd,” Plummer said. So, a salon could put a gift certificate in the Our Town America package for a free haircut. The new family is then personally welcomed to their new neighborhood by the salon with the free haircut and likely to become a loyal customer. Looking for Relationship Builders Because the company is all about facilitating relationships —between recently relocated families and businesses, as well as between those businesses and Our Town America — Plummer is looking for franchisees who are not only sales oriented, but who really understand the importance of these relationships. “What we really want is a relationship maker, a networker, a community builder, someone who is able to connect with people,” he said. Some of his most successful franchisees have a background in retail, marketing or sales. “Those who connect and communicate well with others do great with our franchise model.” Getting Specific Over the years, Plummer has found that the newly arrived families are more apt to open the welcome packages as it’s not perceived as everyday advertising – but as housewarming gifts. In addition to targeting newly arrived families, Our Town America also provides their clients the option of targeting by various demographics. For example, Plummer said that a rent-to-own business could use Our Town America to specifically target new arrivals within a five mile radius who have an income level of over $50,000 and who are between the ages of 20-40. Any new arrivals that fit that profile would be targeted, while those who did not would not be targeted. Support and Training “Sales people should be out there selling,” Plummer said. “Which is why Our Town America wants to make things as simple as possible for new franchisees.” The company offers assistance in the way of production, creating graphics, creating invoices and even setting up appointments with business owners. Ideally, Plummer wants them to primarily concentrate on connecting with local businesses. Veteran-Owned In addition to being family-owned, Our Town America is also veteran-owned, as Plummer was a combat medic with the United States Army from 1997 – 2001. For any honorably discharged veterans, he gives a $10,000 discount on the franchising fee. For anyone looking to invest in a home-based franchise business offering flexibility and a steady income, Our Town America offers just the thing. Apply online by filling out a Franchise Application. View article in Franchising USA’s Veterans in Franchising, Pg. 13-14. 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. […]
PMQ Magazine (May 2015) – The introduction of social media has helped many pizzeria operators reduce their marketing budgets. However, while you’re spending hours hunched over a computer trying to figure out the best way to get 100 customers to “like” you, the guy down the street just mailed 10,000 direct mail pieces emblazoned with an irresistible offer to your customers. Which strategy sounds more effective to you? Some say that direct mail has gone the way of the dinosaur. With so many ways to reach customers online, they insist there’s no reason to spend money on snail mail anymore. Alyson Lex, founder and CEO of Rock Your Marketing in Baltimore, says that direct mail has been touted as dead for so long that business owners are starting to believe it. “Mailboxes are becoming emptier, but people still check them every day,” Lex says. “You don’t have to speak as loudly to be heard in a place where there isn’t as much competition.” Unlike the Internet, direct mail can be more personalized for your audience and allows your customer to physically hold your message in his hands, notes Linda Duke, CEO of Duke Marketing in San Rafael, California. “With the right offer, a direct mailer can deliver your message without any other brands clouding their memory, allowing your brand to stand out,” Duke says. In other words, the old-school method of direct mail is starting to feel fresh and new again. “Our lives have all gone online—from social media and online bill pay to telecommuting and streaming movies. We’re all so bombarded with emails, Facebook posts and tweets that they’ve lost their impact,” says Adam J. Toris, founder and owner of Cognicom Media in Bridgewater, New Jersey. “With direct mail, the person has to see it. Even if they just drop the mailer into the trash, they’ve held it in their hand, looked at it, and, at the very least, read part of it.” Creating a Direct Mail Campaign You may be thinking, “I’ve tried direct mail in the past and it didn’t work for me.” Maybe no one brought in a mailer, signed up for your email list or redeemed your coupons. So why waste your time trying it again, right? Wrong. With direct mail, the devil is in the details. Even the smallest tweak can mean the difference between a new customer and a mailer that’s destined for the recycle bin. So let’s take a look at six essential ways to make your next—or first—direct mail campaign a success. 1. Nail the Basics. There are certain elements that are required on every direct mail piece that you send out. If you’ve sent a mailer recently, grab it and see if it contains basic info such as contact information, hours, error-free copy, a compelling offer, a call to action, and an expiration date. “Don’t forget the contact info,” says Jenne McCarty, brand manager at Marco’s Pizza, a Toledo, Ohio-based chain. “And proofread, proofread, proofread. Customers want to buy from someone they can trust, and this is your chance to impress. Pay attention to the hierarchy of messaging as well. What do you want them to think about first when they see your direct mail piece?” However, while making sure to include all of the essential information, you can easily go overboard with too much info. “Remember that less is more,” Toris says. “Don’t try to cram too much information on the piece. You do not need to list all of the pies you make or tell the 50-year family history of the pizzeria. Keep it simple, concise, and to the point.” 2. Make It Exciting. Lex warns that being boring will get your marketing piece put in the trash faster than anything else. “Have fun and send something unique and different,” she says. It’s a busy world out there; getting attention means you must think outside the box. Try sending your piece in a red envelope designed to look like Priority Mail or look into suppliers—such as 3D Mail and Oriental Trading—that offer attention-getting “lumpy mail” products. We’re living in a fast-paced, technology-driven world, so when you’re thinking of sending out a plain paper flier, think again. “Do something to stand out in the mailbox,” McCarty says. “Die-cuts, complex folds and oversized pieces tend to pop, and that translates into more eyes viewing.” When you have only a moment to grab someone’s attention, what will you do? “Historically, pizza places have used bland and basic graphic design for direct mail pieces,” Toris observes. “If you’re going to make the investment in printing and mailing it, you should also invest in having it professionally designed. Use real pictures of your pizzas and your shop in the design and stay away from stock photos and clip art.” 3. Make Them an Offer They Can’t Refuse. According to Bert Martinez, a marketing and sales consultant in Phoenix, 80% of your direct mailer’s success is dependent upon its headline. “Your logo is not a headline,” he says. “An attention-grabbing headline makes readers stop and read more. Once they stop to read, you need to make [an appealing] offer, such as Kids Eat Free or Free Pizza, not 10% off. Give them something they actually want.” “Just offering coupons isn’t good enough,” Toris says. “What makes you special? Do you use a wood-burning or brick oven? Has your pizza won any awards? Do you offer artisan pies? Special or unusual toppings? What separates you from the rest? Figure it out and promote it.” Duke agrees, saying that many pizzeria operators make their offers too weak and then wonder why there’s no redemption. “Food cost should be part of the budget for the direct mailer. Give something away to those who receive the offer, as a ‘Come Try Us’ special,” Duke says. “Entice them with something only your restaurant offers and then draw them in with your compelling offer.” 4. Make It Personal. How well do you really know your current and potential customers? […]
smallbiztrends.com (May 2015) – Baltimore businesses are dealing with riots, looting and violence — as well as a citywide curfew imposed on April 28 — following civil unrest stemming from the suspicious death of a 25-year-old black man while in police custody. Because of the curfew, enforced within the city between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., restaurants and other businesses need to close earlier than usual. In addition, some business owners have chosen to temporarily close down — either as a precautionary measure or in response to vandalism — until the curfew’s end, slated for this coming Monday. “There’s a huge police and National Guard presence,” Steve Diamond, president of Synergy HomeCare, a franchise that provides in-home care for the elderly, told Small Business Trends. He noted that some restaurants and other small businesses within the city are hurting from the curfew. Exponentially increasing the damage is the timing: now is when Baltimore blooms from its annual tourist infusion. “This is the time of year when folks arrive and walk around the harbor,” he said. “Now, who knows what will happen. They’re keeping the National Guard here.” Synergy HomeCare is based in Towson, Maryland, and serves residents in the city and in Baltimore County. While it is located outside, it employs caregivers who reside in the city. Still the company has felt minimal impact from the curfew and Diamond says his ability to provide services was not curtailed. Because of the nature of Synergy HomeCare’s services, it is not beholden to the curfew. However, two of its caregivers who live in the city were unable to work Wednesday night. Read full article 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. […]
Franchise Business Review (April 2015) – Franchise Business Review released their 2015 Top Multi-Unit Franchises Report rating Our Town America a Top 25 Service Opportunity. This report narrows down the vast array of franchise opportunities by highlighting the franchise companies rated highest in franchisee satisfaction by those who were surveyed. Franchise Business Review’s research looked at survey feedback from over 6,000 multi-unit operators with at least three units. The national study included more than 300 leading brands. As the President/CEO of a franchise brand offering multi-unit ownership to current and prospective franchisees, Michael Plummer Jr. provides insight on the Our Town America franchise brand – the only Marketing/Advertising franchise featured on the Top 50 list. Franchise Business Review is a national franchise market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction and franchise buyer experiences. The firm’s services include commissioned franchise research projects and industry-wide studies of franchisee satisfaction. Access and download full FREE Top Multi-Unit Report. Complete an application to franchise with Our Town America or contact us for more information. Source: Franchise Business Review 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. […]
Money Radio (Mar. 2015) – David Cox, Phoenix, AZ Our Town America franchise owner, sits down with Money Radio to chat about the New Mover Marketing program. In this 4-minute audio clip, David discusses the ins and outs of the unique marketing program and the success it brings businesses nationwide. For more information on New Mover Marketing in your area, complete a Contact Form. Press play to listen. Source: Money Radio 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. […]
Franchise Business Review (Feb 2015) – Consistent annual placement as a top franchise in Franchise Business Review’s Top Franchises list, demonstrates reliable performance. This year, ten franchise companies earned the honor of being featured on it for 10 consecutive years! To acknowledge their achievement, Franchise Business Review created the FBR Hall of Fame of which ActionCOACH, FASTSIGNS, Heaven’s Best Carpet Cleaning, HomeVestors, JumpBunch, Miracle Method, Our Town America, Pop-A-Lock, Two Men and a Truck and Wild Birds Unlimited are the first members. Franchise Business Review held a People’s Choice contest inviting people to choose which of the 10 new Hall of Fame inductees should be crowned the “best”. Our Town America won! “We work hard to excel in every aspect of our business,” says Michael Plummer Jr., President of Our Town America. “While we’ve been around for over 40 years, we’re constantly evolving. Our franchise family, our system and our unique new mover program have come a long ways since our first FBR Top Franchise award in 2005.” Plummer was crowned “People’s Choice” and given a crown and scepter by Franchise Business Review during the International Franchise Association’s recent annual conference. “It has been a pleasure to work with the corporate teams of the Hall of Famers over the past decade. They are focused on the success and happiness of their franchisees and constantly look for ways to be better each year they participate,” says Michelle Rowan, President of Franchise Business Review. “Their consistent placement on our Top Franchises list is proof that their franchisees are among the most satisfied in the country.” Our Town America has had the same two-fold mission for over 43 years: 1) to help new movers adjust and feel welcomed into their community by recommending local reputable businesses, and 2) to help local business sponsors reach a new audience of new movers every month, resulting in new loyal and long-term customers every month. For more information on Our Town America franchising, visit our Contact page here. If interested in opening a franchise, complete our franchise application here. Read article on the Franchise Business Review website. 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. […]
PMQ Magazine (Jan 2015) – While traditional marketing and advertising will always have its place, sending targeted and personalized direct mail pieces to a brand-new audience each and every month is a unique and irreplaceable marketing strategy. Distinct from traditional marketing methods, new mover direct mail marketing with Our Town America allows businesses to reach consumers in an intimate fashion at an opportune time. Timing is Everything The Our Town America community Welcome Package arrives in the mailbox of new mover families while they’re actively seeking new go-to businesses in their new neighborhoods. Perceived as a community sponsorship package rather than everyday marketing, the Our Town America package gets opened and acted upon. In fact, 90% of respondents in Our Town America’s 2014 New Mover Survey said housewarming gifts would help them feel more comfortable and settled in their new home. Our Town America’s Welcome Package includes gift certificates with free offers from participating local businesses in the community—for example, a pizza shop, a dentist office, a hardware store, etc. Each one is personalized by name, includes a map directing the new mover to the business (since he/she is new to the area), and is tracked on the spot by a 2D barcode using the Our Town America TruTrak® application (available on the iTunes App Store and Google Play). This pinpoint tracking enables the business to track the response of the program and triggers a second mailing. The Extra Mile Each step of the Our Town America program provides various opportunities for businesses to develop long-term relationships with their new customers. The second mailing, the Thank You Postcard, hits the mailbox of the new-mover family after their initial visit, further solidifying the business-to-consumer relationship. In the aforementioned survey, 100% of new movers said it’s likely they’ll re-visit a business that welcomes them to the community. The Thank You Postcard is full-color, oversized and attention-grabbing. This postcard allows the business to personally thank the new-mover family for visiting, invites them back a second time, and is customizable, providing the business the option of extending a second offer to the family. Thousands of businesses across the nation rely on the Our Town America program to expand their customer base and increase revenue. Most businesses experience double-digit response rates and heightened brand awareness. With direct mail volume down—resulting in a less cluttered mailbox—now is your chance to stand out as the reputable business in your community. What are you waiting for? Read article on PMQ.com. By Brittany N. Johnson 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. […]
TCOB Show (Nov 2014) – Our Town America franchise owner, Sondra Conk, joins Donna Powell of the Taking Care of Business Show to discuss new mover marketing with Our Town America. Listen in as Sondra and Donna talk about the Our Town America program and the success it’s brought business owners in both the Sarasota/Manatee area as well as nationwide. Listen to full podcast here Source: Spreaker 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 (Nov. 2014) – For the past four years, November 29th has been recognized nationally as a celebratory day for consumers and small businesses alike to support local, small businesses within the community; however, for Our Town America, the nation’s premiere new mover direct mail marketing franchise, Small Business Saturday takes places all 365 days of the year. Our Town America has been in support of small businesses for 42 years by connecting local, small businesses with new residents in town by mailing housewarming gifts in a premium community Welcome Package. Rather than filling a passport with stamps to obtain a one-day discount or giveaway gift, the Our Town America new mover direct mail marketing program rewards consumers who take advantage of visiting participating small businesses with follow-up gifts and long-term relationships with the best small businesses in town. Well over 3,000 businesses around the country currently use the Our Town America program to increase their customer base each and every month. These businesses depend on the program to create powerful results – many experiencing double digit response rates. In a 2014 survey of new movers, 95% of respondents said they would visit a business that welcomed them to the community and 90% of these respondents said housewarming gifts would make them feel more comfortable and settled in their home. When a part of the Our Town America program, both consumers and small businesses feel a sense of community each and every day. In support of small businesses across the country, Our Town America is offering 1 FREE MONTH to all new annual sponsor businesses who sign up the week of Small Business Saturday. For businesses interested in new mover marketing, contact Our Town America directly. Read 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. […]
