Press Archives • Page 3 of 19 • Our Town America, Inc.

Northern Coloradans Can Reach New Customers in a New Way

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Northern Coloradans Can Reach New Customers in a New Way | ABC Denver

ABC Denver — Our country’s busiest moving season, summer, matched up with some of the highest inflation numbers in decades. Unfortunately, that made the process of moving for many in the Northern Colorado area tough on the wallet. Our Town America, a national marketing franchise specializing in reaching out to new movers, with an office in the Denver area, is reminding new movers to take advantage of the benefits of being new to town. The Our Town America Welcome Package is just one of the ways new movers can save money as they look to regain footing after spending thousands on a move and, at the same time, support local businesses. Our Town America connects people who are new to town with established local businesses who are looking for new customers and interested in welcoming them to the community. We provide a one-time housewarming gift certificate from each partnered local business in the area, which enables the new resident to try many businesses at a much lower cost, and many times even for free! Kurt North, owner of Our Town America of Fort Collins, met with ABC Denver to discuss how new movers can support their economies and save money while local business owners increase their customer base. Click Play below to watch the ABC interview. — Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If your Northern Colorado business is looking to gain new customers, contact Kurt North at ‭970-692-3859‬ or complete a Contact Form. If your business is outside the Northern Colorado area, please contact Our Town America corporate at 1-800-497-8360 to be connected with your local representative. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

Our Town America Named 2022 Best Advertising Franchise by Franchise Business Review

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

2022 Top Advertising and Sales Franchise Our Town America

Clearwater, FL – Our Town America has once again been named Best-in-Category in the Advertising and Sales sector on Franchise Business Review’s list of the Top Franchises for 2022. This is the 17th annual ranking of the 200 best franchise opportunities as rated by franchise business owners. The list is available here. Since 1972, Our Town America has been welcoming new movers with one-time gifts, inviting them to sample neighborhood businesses upon move in. This unique advertising model has helped local establishments across the nation grow loyal customer bases while allowing Our Town America to thrive for five decades. Franchise Business Review, a market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction and employee engagement, provides the only rankings and awards for franchise companies based solely on actual franchisee satisfaction and performance. Franchise Business Review publishes its rankings of the top 200 franchises in its annual Guide to Today’s Top Franchises. Our Town America was among over 300 franchise brands, representing more than 30,000 franchise owners, that participated in Franchise Business Review’s research. Our Town America’s franchisees were surveyed on 33 benchmark questions about their experience and satisfaction regarding critical areas of their franchise systems, including training & support, operations, franchisor/franchisee relations, and financial opportunity. In 2022, Our Town America has also been recognized as a Top Franchise in the following categories: Overall Top Franchise Top Low Cost Franchise Top Franchise for Women Overall Brand Culture Our Town America has also been recognized in 2022 for their Rockstar Franchisees, Scot and Amy Hecht of Boise, ID. The Hechts, a husband-and-wife team, have run the Our Town America of The Treasure Valley franchise for eight years. “They’ve done a wonderful job of introducing local businesses to our New Mover program, Saturation and Targeted postcards, and our digital apps,” said Brittany Johnson – Chief Marketing & PR Officer of Our Town America. “Everyone in our system values their input, hard work, consistency & arguably most important during the past few years – their optimism.” “While the pandemic impacted various business sectors differently, the last 18 months have clearly demonstrated the inherent strengths of the franchise business model. The old franchise adage of ‘being in business for yourself, but not by yourself’ has never been more important,” said Franchise Business Review founder & CEO Eric Stites. “Thanks to fast innovations, significant support, and responsive crisis management, many franchise brands have emerged stronger from the pandemic, and that is reflected in high franchisee satisfaction.” “We are honored to be named the Top Advertising & Sales Franchise by the Franchise Business Review,” said Our Town America President/CEO, Michael Plummer, Jr. “While we appreciate each and every achievement, this one – being named Best in Category – is really special to us as this is our forte. For 50 years now, we have been helping local businesses gain new, loyal customers and it never gets old!” ### About Our Town America For 50 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. The franchise is also the #1 Advertising & Sales Franchise as ranked by the Franchise Business Review. 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. Visit ourtownamerica.com or call 1-800-497-8360 for more information. About Franchise Business Review Franchise Business Review (FBR) is a leading market research firm serving the franchise sector. FBR measures the satisfaction and engagement of franchisees and publishes various guides and reports for entrepreneurs considering an investment in a franchise business. Since 2005, FBR has surveyed hundreds of thousands of franchise owners and over 1,100 leading franchise companies. FBR publishes free and unbiased franchisee satisfaction research reports throughout the year on their website. Click here to read their publications. 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. […]

Our Town America Rolls out Digital Program to Celebrate 50th Anniversary

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Our Town Digital by Our Town America

Digital Journal — Our Town America, the nation’s premier New Mover Marketing franchise, is celebrating its 50th year of helping local businesses create and maintain relationships with customers who are new to the area. Since 1972, Our Town America has been welcoming new movers with one-time gifts, inviting them to sample neighborhood businesses upon move in. This unique model has helped local establishments across the nation grow loyal customer bases while allowing Our Town America to thrive for generations. Unheard of in the marketing industry, the franchise is partnered with businesses who have been employing their marketing strategy for over two decades. These businesses, with the outreach of the New Mover Marketing program, cultivate relationships with a new audience of new movers every month. “Not many business owners are able to say their business has been around for 50 years,” said Michael Plummer Jr., Our Town America’s President/CEO. “My father started this company with a simple idea to help local small business owners while he was running his own retail company. We’ve been able to take his simple idea, add in technology, and run with it for five decades and that’s something we are proud of.” Over the years, Our Town America evolved into a data-driven company using the latest technology available to help small business owners target specific geographic areas, interests, or even income levels. This creates a high return on investment for local businesses looking to maximize their marketing budgets. And for those small businesses who don’t have a large marketing budget, Our Town America built their Budget Billing program allowing them to spend within their means by capping their monthly invoice. This year, the company is proud to introduce its newest program, Our Town Digital, which combines a direct mail push with digital marketing to target consumers in different spaces at the same time. “This service greatly enhances our direct mail offerings. Our Town Digital allows businesses to share their message via direct mail, social media ads and Informed Delivery emails. And, for those businesses who want to stick with just a direct mail postcard or our trackable New Mover package – that option will always be there as well,” says Plummer. Expanding their offers is something they’ve been eager to do, but Our Town America remains steadfast in their data-backed belief that direct mail holds unparalleled potential to reach consumers where they’re at. “As a consumer, there’s just nothing like holding that piece of mail in your hands and yet, in the same token, digital ads impact your subconscious,” says Brittany Johnson, Chief Marketing & PR Officer of Our Town America. “So, it just makes sense to pair the two and get the best bang for your buck”. “You see an ad for Pete’s Pizza on Facebook, you open your email and see a Pete’s Pizza postcard coming your way, you receive a tangible postcard in your mailbox, & days later you see that ad again on Google?,” says Johnson. “I don’t know about you, but I’m going to be craving pizza that night, and the first place that comes to mind will be Pete’s”. Aside from pizza, the fusion of direct and digital marketing is what customers are craving today – and Our Town America is proud to deliver. For more information on Our Town America, please visit ourtownamerica.com. For information on Our Town America franchising, please visit ourtownamerica.com/franchise. About Our Town America For 50 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. The franchise is also the #1 Advertising & Sales Franchise as ranked by the Franchise Business Review. 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. Visit the Our Town America website at ourtownamerica.com or call 1-800-497-8360 for more information. 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. […]

Celebrating Our Town America’s 50th Anniversary | NBC News

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Gayle Guyardo and Michael Plummer Jr of Our Town America 50th Anniversary

WFLA News —After decades of success connecting local businesses with new customers, Our Town America is celebrating their 50th Anniversary. The President/CEO of the successful national franchise, Michael Plummer Jr., has continued to level-up the company each year by introducing new technologies to this tried-and-true marketing strategy, but how did they get here? In 1972, Plummer Jr.’s father, Michael Plummer Sr., opened a pizza shop in Newton, Iowa. He soon realized that people moving to town didn’t know where to get good pizza. Using a list of names retrieved from the power company, Plummer family members personally delivered free pizza certificates to new neighbors by foot. After seeing the success, Plummer Sr. started doing this for other businesses and the rest is history. Fast forward to today, twelve years after the unfortunate passing of his father, Michael Plummer Jr. has stayed loyal to this simple concept of welcoming families to the neighborhood and helping local businesses gain new, loyal customers each month. Businesses like restaurants, dentists, salons, veterinarians, and others want to gain new customers. They are losing approximately 15-20% of their customers, whether they realize it or not, simply because they just moved. New movers are a lucrative market as they don’t have established habits yet, and Our Town America gives businesses the opportunity to make a great first impression with a strong one-time offer before their competitors have a chance. This type of marketing is powerful and people appreciate being noticed upon move-in. Month after month, year after year, is a new opportunity for businesses to reach a new set of new customers. Article continued below video… Click the Play button below to watch NBC Bloom Interview. Our Town America’s 50-Year Evolution While Our Town America started as just a small print shop with a list, they evolved into a data warehouse that personalizes every piece that is mailed out. They went from only being able to segment by a ZIP code, then homes and apartments, to being able to hyper-target into neighborhoods and demographics like age, income, and family size –thus maximizing a business’ reach within its budget. And not only does Our Town America offer New Mover Marketing, but they also offer Postcard Marketing — both Targeted and Every Door Direct Mail® Postcards blanketing the neighborhood. Their mobile app presents analytics and information such as who responded, written feedback, and the best types of offers, follow-up postcards, and social media targeting. Our Town America’s developments are always proprietary and printed in-house at their Clearwater, FL headquarters. “What we offer now is worlds away from what wasn’t even a dream decades ago, or even when my father passed,” says Michael Plummer Jr. “I believe if you aren’t innovating, you aren’t going to grow. We went from just a few cities to mailing in 28 states with 65 franchisees.” Plummer Jr. says Our Town America is in the relationship business. “From the families to the companies we serve. From the businesses and the franchisees and even ourselves at corporate,” he says. “We have businesses who have been marketing with us for a decade, some even two. Even people at our corporate office have been there that long. Our kids have grown up seeing this – just as I did.” What was once just his father’s legacy is now a part of his and many others within the franchise system. Our Town America enters their 50th year with gratitude for their success, hope for the future and an everlasting remembrance of their founder Michael Plummer Sr. — Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. If your business is looking to gain new customers, please contact Our Town America corporate at 1-800-497-8360 to be connected with your local representative. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

Royal Oak New Mover wins $3K from Our Town America Survey | NBC Detroit

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Royal Oak New Mover wins $3K from Our Town America Survey

NBC Click On Detroit — For 50 years, Our Town America has been connecting new movers with local businesses and harvesting feedback on their marketing program from thousands of new movers across the country. This year, a Metro Detroit new mover won Our Town America’s $3,000 grand prize for simply filling out that survey. Emily Ciaramellano is the lucky winner! She said some friends questioned if this is a scam, but Ciaramellano kept hoping for the best. In Emily’s words, “This is definitely a good sign to fill out your [Our Town America] survey, because somebody will win and it could be you!” Our Town America has been sending new residents a Welcome Package containing a survey and gift certificates to local businesses upon move in for half a century. “We help new movers connect with businesses; it’s a win-win for everybody,” said Larry Neal of Our Town America Detroit South & West Metro. Emily Ciaramellano filled out the survey and used a few of the gift certificates within Our Town America’s Royal Oak welcome package – including TLC Car Care, Hollywood Markets, Pet Supplies Plus, and Jax Kar Wash. “This is great,” said Robb Remick of TLC Car Care, a 9+ year partnered business of Our Town America Detroit East. “And that’s what we try to build on. Obviously, once we get the customer through our door, it’s our job to make them a customer for life”. Ciaramellano moved from Rochester Hills to Royal Oak and added to her growing family by adopting two rescue cats. Ciaramellano tells Local 4 she plans to buy $300 worth of pet supplies and donate it to local shelters! “I think the more supplies they have, the longer they can keep those animals in the shelter,” she said. The New Mover Marketing company prints millions of personalized gift certificates to send to millions of movers across the United States, introducing them to their new communities and local businesses in the area. Watch video for full interview with Our Town America franchisees, Curtis Crawford, Larry & Becky Neal, Robb Remick of TLC Car Care, winner Emily Ciaramellano & her partner Andjela Grabovac. Our Town America supports small businesses across the nation 365 days per year. Local Detroit businesses looking to gain new customers via direct mail, please contact one of our Detroit area franchisees: Becky Neal (South & West Metro Detroit) ➞ 248-672-6048 Curtis Crawford (East Metro Detroit) ➞ 248-760-2966 If your business is outside the Detroit area, contact Our Town America corporate at 1-800-497-8360 to be connected with your local representative. Brittany N. JohnsonBrittany is the head of Our Town America’s corporate marketing department. She specializes in digital and print media, social media, and public relations. […]

Should Your Small Businesses Consider Hyper-targeting?

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Hyper-targeted Marketing Our Town America

Forbes Technology Council — Keeping your small business staffed and profitable can be a challenge, and determining the right marketing strategy is even trickier. A helpful small business marketing tip is to devote time to discovering your ideal customers and then implement hyper-targeting to improve return on investment. Hyper-targeting can be an efficient tool for small businesses to reach their target demographic, decrease ad spending and create a positive connection with customers. In a nutshell, hyper-targeting is the practice of delivering relevant messaging to your target consumer. Rather than blanketing a neighborhood, technology can now allow you to pick and choose who receives your direct mail piece. Being choosy improves your ability to get qualified leads versus over-saturating a community with people who won’t be interested in your services. Hyper-targeting takes some work upfront, but can deliver better results in the long term. Benefits Of Hyper-targeting • Reach the right audience. Sending direct mail to an entire neighborhood might be beneficial for grocery stores or dry cleaners, but many small businesses appeal to a specific audience. A fitness center with senior customers, a swim school franchise or a CBD store does not cater to everyone in the community. Hyper-targeting can help ensure you are reaching your target audience to increase your ability to garner loyal customers. Hyper-targeting can be a useful tool when it comes to improving your digital marketing efforts. Digital platforms, including Facebook and Google, allow you to tap browser searches, likes and views to customize your campaign. If you already use email marketing to drive sales, hyper-targeting can allow you to personalize digital content to reach specific groups based on demographics or hobbies. • More bang for your buck. My company focuses on new mover marketing, and we have a wealth of experience with direct mail marketing. Sending your message to an entire ZIP code can provide an uptick in customer traffic, especially if you include a proven offer. In our experience, however, delivering targeted mailers can not only increase customer traffic but can also help improve retention and drive repeat visits. Hyper-targeting can allow you to pinpoint your ideal consumer by a variety of markers—including age, income, educational level and lifestyle. Providing stellar customer service when they visit can ensure your efforts convert. • Provide better customer service. Hyper-targeting can enable you to customize your marketing message, which can create a personalized experience for your customers. For example, your ideal customer may be both a Millennial who lives downtown and a senior with disposable income. Hyper-targeting can allow you to change your message between the two age groups to make them more receptive to your brand. How To Get Started With Hyper-targeting Implementing hyper-targeting effectively requires small business owners to do some research and get creative. Here are my small business marketing tips to help you start taking advantage of hyper-targeting. The first step is to take the time to identify your target customer demographic and segment it into several different buyer personas. A buyer persona is a fictional representation of your ideal customer. Understanding your ideal prospect can help you attract high-value customers to boost profits as well as improve products and services. To find out the best buyer personas for your small business, do your research. Talk to your employees and your customers to learn where your patrons work, live and play. Once you compile this information, determine how you want to separate your personas. You may choose to separate them by age, ZIP code or industry and then create a fictional customer from this information. In my experience, a manageable rule of thumb is to start with three personas. Once you have your personas, it’s time to get started. One disadvantage of hyper-targeting is it can take many man-hours to implement. If you think hyper-targeting will help drive traffic, my advice would be to consider finding a partner who can support your efforts and track results. Handing the job off to someone with experience may come at a cost, but a successful marketing strategy can be the differentiator in achieving your sales goals. Staying abreast of new technology, like hyper-targeting, can help small businesses reap the rewards of their marketing efforts. Article by Forbes Technology Council Member and President/CEO/CTO of Our Town America, Michael Plummer Jr. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. 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. […]

3 Ways to Use Demographics in Your Marketing Plan

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Target by Demographic Our Town America Marketing

Dentistry Today — Using demographics as part of your marketing plan can help your dental practice cut costs by reaching your ideal customer. To prepare for the grand opening of a pediatric dental practice, for example, it’s likely you’d hang televisions, paint the walls bright colors, and launch an interactive new website. While these steps are helpful, they aren’t all you need to do to have a thriving practice. Marketing plays a key role in building your customer base and educating the community about the benefits of pediatric dentistry – or any dental practice, for that matter. Find Your Target Demographic One of the first components of any small business plan is to develop your target demographic. Demographic data looks at the characteristics of a population, including markers like age, gender, location, education level, and occupation. It can help give you a broad understanding of your customer base. The target demographic can impact your dental practice decor, procedures, and hours of operation. Look around your pediatric dental practice and take note of the fish tanks, video game consoles, and the big bin of prizes taking up prime real estate. Whether you put pen to paper and defined your ideal customer, it’s clear you had one in mind as you prepared to open your doors. Reaching the decision-makers is key, and speaking directly to a defined audience — parents — will help separate you from your general dentistry competitors. Why Are Demographics Important? Kids grow up, and adding new clients on a regular basis is necessary to sustain your practice for the long haul. Targeting your demographic can help reduce what you spend on generating leads to help grow your business. It can also help build customer loyalty and help you learn more about the needs of your customers. Using pediatric dental practices as an example again – they are in a unique position. An important component of your job is to educate the community on the benefits of seeing a specialized provider. As you know, tooth decay is one of the most common chronic health issues in children. Regular dental visits can increase school attendance, improve grades, and prevent future complications. Treating a specialized clientele allows you to hone your focus and improves your ability to provide quality care. Using demographics in your marketing efforts can help introduce children to dental care and allow you to provide parental support. My company, Our Town America, uses demographics to reach a unique market. We target new movers by sending them a welcome package filled with proven offers before they form loyalties with competitors. New mover marketing has proven to be a great tool for dental practices. One of the first things every new resident does is secure healthcare providers. Here are three ways to incorporate demographics into your pediatric dental practice – or any dental practice’s – marketing plan. Direct Mail Postcards. Even in the age of video calls, blue light glasses, and Twitter, direct mail continues to provide a tangible message that converts. The Data & Marketing Association reports direct mail receives a whopping 9% response rate. Every Door Direct Mail from the United States Postal Service allows you to blanket a neighborhood with your message. It also allows you to target specific zip codes, incomes, and household sizes. Your postcard can include a proven offer to help drive traffic or provide a QR code to prompt people to learn more about your practice online. Community Marketing. Weekends with young children include trips to the farmers market, tee-ball games, and other outdoor community events, preferably where a playground is involved. Pediatric dentists can go straight to the source and put a logo on it. Reach your target demographic by sponsoring a youth sports team, a local 5k charity run, or setting up a booth at the farmers market. Community marketing can amplify your message, allow you to engage with customers, and help create brand recognition. Content Marketing and SEO. Producing valuable content focusing on your target market’s interests and concerns is another way to reach your demographic. Learn what your audience searches for online and use those keywords to optimize your content and drive traffic to your website. Blogs and infographics will also serve as a tool to help educate your ideal customers on the value of pediatric dentistry. Targeting your ideal customer using demographic information takes some work up front but will pay off in the long run by helping keep your schedule fully booked. 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. […]

Businesses should cash in on May’s National Moving Month

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

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

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

Unique Ways Restaurants Can Use QR Codes to Drive Sales

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

Restaurants Use QR Codes to Drive Sales Our Town America Marketing

Modern Restaurant Management Magazine — As the impact of the pandemic wanes, restaurant owners should evaluate the contactless service options they implemented to keep customers and staff safe to see how they can help drive sales. When restaurants got the green light to reopen their dining rooms, they implemented a host of safety procedures to prevent the spread of germs. Restaurants across the country shelved their paper menus and turned to digital options to reduce touchpoints. To go contactless, customers scanned a small black and white square called a QR code on their mobile device to see a digital copy of the menu. Although the new tool required many restaurant staffers to serve dual roles as waitstaff and technical consultants, using QR codes was a resounding success. Some restaurants even took safety a step further by eliminating in-person ordering and offering contactless payment. At least 45 percent of Americans preferred reading the menu, ordering, and paying with their phone to reduce touch points during the pandemic, according to an online survey of 2,081 people conducted by Appetize. Contactless options are also helping restaurant owners weather the labor shortage. Nearly three out of four restaurants said automated tools and integrated apps are helping them fill the gaps during the current labor crunch, Square reported. The digital provider recently partnered with Wakefield Research to survey 500 restaurants and 1,000 consumers. QR codes are nothing new. QR codes were invented in 1994 by Denso Wave, a Japanese-based subsidiary of Toyota, to track vehicle parts during manufacturing. They hit the mainstream back in 2002 when technological advancements enabled a QR-code reading feature to be added to mobile phones. While the adoption of QR codes ramped up gradually, they became ubiquitous during the pandemic as people relied on their phones to do business. While QR codes are a great tool for contactless service, they have a wide variety of uses, particularly when it comes to marketing. Restaurants can capitalize on the growing familiarity of QR codes to help drive sales. Here are a few easy ways you can provide better customer service and increase profits by using QR codes. Feedback. One of the best ways to connect with your customers is to listen to their feedback about their dining experience. Having great online reviews can also help drum up business. At least 63.6 percent of consumers are “likely” to read a Google review before visiting a business. Restaurants can use QR codes to solicit feedback by guiding them to Google, Yelp, Facebook, and TripAdvisor, where they can type their opinion on your restaurant’s food and service. QR codes are a great way to collect data on customer experience. Direct customers to an online survey regarding their dining experience by using a QR code. Direct Mail Campaigns. Despite the growth in online marketing through email and social media, direct mail remains one of the best tools for promoting your restaurant. Zoom fatigue and crowded email inboxes make a tangible postcard that arrives in your mailbox stand out. Every Door Direct Mail® (EDDM) postcards and new mover marketing campaigns are great tools for getting the word out about your business. EDDM allows you to send postcards to an entire zip code or filter your options by age, income, or household size. New mover marketing gives your restaurant the chance to capture new customers before they form loyalties to other businesses. Adding a QR code to your mailer can provide customers with more information about your eatery. The landing page for your QR code might be your menu, your location details, or get creative and showcase a video clip of your chef creating a new dish in the kitchen. The opportunities are endless. Boost Social Media. Approximately three out of 10 United States adults are “online almost constantly,” the Pew Research Center reported. Facebook has more than 2.9 billion users worldwide, including nearly 177 million people in the U.S. Clearly, social media allows you to reach potential customers where they spend their time, but growing your following can be an uphill battle. Add a QR code to your marketing materials leading people to your Facebook page. If your restaurant is on multiple social media platforms, you can create a QR code that displays multiple platforms on one mobile-optimized page. Promotions. Drum up traffic to your restaurant by using a QR code to guide people to a new special or BOGO offer. Having the offer on their phone will make redemption a breeze. Book Reservations, Join Waiting List. As new technology advances and customers are able to book reservations and join your waiting list online, make their life easier by providing them with a QR code to point them in the right direction. Housekeeping Details. In addition to digital menus, ordering, and contactless payment, QR codes are a great tool for other housekeeping concerns, such as Wi-Fi login, hours of operation, directions, and dress code suggestions. QR codes are no longer just for menus. The consistent application of QR codes can help you maintain safety standards, streamline operations, fuel marketing efforts, and improve customer service. 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. […]

5 Ways New Mover Marketing Helps Pizza Restaurant Owners

Written by Brittany N. Johnson

5 Ways New Mover Marketing Helps Pizza Restaurant Owners Out Town America

To help rebuild his business after a COVID-induced slump in sales, pizzeria owner Steve Dapolita relied on new mover marketing to drive the location’s dinner menu. New mover marketing helped his business thrive, and these five tips can help your business get back in the black as well. Bisonte Pizza Co. owner Steve Dapolita implemented new mover marketing to drum up business following the outbreak of the pandemic. The pizzeria, located in Charlotte, North Carolina, was a popular lunchtime location for area workers. COVID safety measures shuttered office buildings near the restaurant, and his customers were forced to do business remotely, sending Dapolita’s lunchtime sales on a downward trend. Bisonte Pizza Co. won first place in the third annual CBS Radio Pizza Wars and won “Best Wings,” at the Charlotte Wingfest. The restaurant specializes in Buffalo, New York-style pizza, pasta, subs, salads and wings. Dapolita uses family heirloom recipes passed down through generations. To help rebuild his business, Dapolita relied on new mover marketing to drive the location’s dinner menu. The new marketing efforts helped increase traffic, and the location is now thriving. Sales in 2021 jumped more than 35% from the prior year. In addition to adding new mover marketing, Dapolita opted to use direct mail postcards offering a BOGO deal. New mover marketing helps pizza restaurants add new customers before they form loyalties with competitors. And moving is on the rise recently. At least one out of 10 Americans moved in 2021, a study of more than 2,000 people by Zillow revealed. As part of the new mover marketing program, new residents receive a welcome package filled with proven offers. Getting settled in a new home takes a lot of work, and a home-cooked meal is likely not in the cards during the first weeks in a new home. Receiving a proven offer to your pizza shop will bring your location top-of-mind when dinner time rolls around. Here are five ways new mover marketing can help you increase foot traffic and add loyal customers at your pizza joint: New movers open wallets New movers are big spenders. Research suggests new movers spend more than $10,000 on furniture, appliances and home repairs during the first year in their new homes, according to the National Association of Home Builders. In addition to renovations, they are willing to spend money to turn their new houses into homes. While they are settling into their new communities, many new movers are willing to try new brands as they establish their routine. New mover marketing is designed to send them a proven offer shortly after their arrival. Capturing a new resident’s attention quickly is key to making your pizza shop a regular pitstop. Drive repeat business While pizza sales soared in 2020, pizzerias had to work hard not to lose market share as the number of restaurants offering delivery climbed. Faced with initial success, competition from other fast-food chains and delivery businesses like Uber Eats caused sales to dip, U.S. News & World Report revealed. Once a new mover comes into your pizzeria to redeem your offer, providing customer service and a quality product will ensure their loyalty. Some new mover marketing companies take it a step further by sending a follow-up offer to thank them for their visit. The follow-up offer typically includes another proven offer to give them the incentive they need to stop by again. Accurate mailing lists One of the hallmarks of a successful new mover marketing program is accurate mailing lists. An outdated mailing list defeats your goal of reaching new residents. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that 27.1 million people moved in 2021. As the surge in people relocating continues, making sure your new mover mailing lists are updated is vital. Find a company that gets lists of people who file an address change. Make sure the list is filtered to weed out duplicates and updated at least once a month. High return on investment Industry data indicates pizzerias and pizza restaurants often see high response rates from enlisting in a new mover marketing program. The average response rate for a Marco’s Pizza location in Mansfield, Ohio, is 22%, and a Pisanello’s Pizza in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, garnered an average response rate of 21%. Crowded email inboxes and an influx of online advertisements make a tangible offer that arrives in the mailbox stand out. While people can delete an email with one click and scroll past your ad on their newsfeed, they take note of high-quality, new mover marketing mailers. Strong tracking tools Developing an effective marketing strategy takes time. As you experiment with different options that will work for your business, it’s important to track your return on investment. Updating your social media feed on a daily basis might not be essential if it’s not generating sales. Pick a new mover marketing provider with high-tech tracking tools that makes it easy for you to scan redemptions and track results. Current events and labor shortages make running a small business a challenge. Achieving self-sufficiency and being in charge of your future make it worth the effort. Having a marketing strategy that converts will help lighten the load and allow you to achieve financial freedom. 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. […]