Getting Your Mail Opened: 3 Simple Tips

How can I make my mail piece stand out from the junk mail that most new movers receive?

1. Add a personal touch, hand address your envelopes
2. Use a real stamp opposed to a meter
3. Use eye catching colors

These are just some simple tips that can assure you direct mail gets opened particularly by new movers in the area.

Local direct marketing efforts can benefit your business by appealing to new movers in the neighborhood that are looking for goods and services.

Marketing When Times Are Tough

When times are tough it's not the time to stop marketing to potential consumers. At least being a consumer I know that during these tough economic times I'm reading junk mail more than I was when my financial state was better.

Why? I guess I'm looking for deals and to see how companies are using creative ways to attract the new mover, such as myself, that have recently moved into the area. I've blogged about moving into a new neighborhood and looking for necessities such as grocery stores, mechanics, and pediatricians. There are things that aren't necessities that during these tough economic times I had to cut back on such as hair cuts for the kids, I now do them. Car washes. Even my husband was doing a search on "how to change your own oil."

This is prime time to get direct mail coupons out to new movers in the area. Grand opening and contest are gold when it comes to marketing. Incentives such as popcorn for the kids or a free gift is even more enticing. It give people in the area a chance to see what you have to offer and a chance for you to introduce your business for the first time.

So although times are shaky and tough pulling the plug on aggressive direct marketing to attract new movers in the area is probably not a good idea. I know my kids would love a coupon to a nearby hairstylist.

New Mover... Sushi Wanted

I love sushi! I truly love sushi. Yellow tail, unagi, and tuna handrolls. After recently moving in to a new neighborhood I started scoping out local neighborhood restaurants. I found it hard to find restaurants to my liking. I was still a new mover to the neighborhood and ended up perusing through the yellow pages for nearby restaurants.

Local businesses can benefit from advertising to new movers in the local area. Fliers, coupon, or just basic information (phone number, hours, directions) about nearby restaurants could have been a great help instead of me schlepping 10 miles outside of my neighborhood for a dragon roll and saki...my favorites.

Movermail is a great direct mail website that provides services to attract new movers.

Moving On Up

After living in my parent's home while I was in college I longed for my own place. Finally I graduated from college and got a "real" job and was able to get out on my own.

My first place was in a high rise apartment. I have to say the freedom felt good. One of the things I found living in a new home and a new city was I knew nothing about my surroundings. I had a hard time figuring out where people shopped, affordable dry cleaners, where to order a pizza and the best bank to put my money. What I needed was direct mail.

15 years later I recently moved in to a new home in a new state and found coupons for a local cleaner and grocer, postcards, a local car repair place sent me a calender, and refrigerator magnets with pizza delivery numbers.

Direct mail efforts have changed or businesses have gotten more savvy over the years. Needless to say I'm more informed with this move and feel direct mail efforts have been extremely helpful for my recent move.

For franchises and local businesses looking for direct mail opportunities to target recently moved in consumers visit Mover Mail.

Good Customer Service

I recently read a book How To Become A Marketing Superstar by Jeffery Fox. One of the points that I got from it is not to tell the customer what they are gaining, tell them what they are not losing. I also took away the importance of the role good customer service plays in your advertising.

Sending coupons and advertising to recently moved in potential customers in the local area gets them into your business and sending thank you notes to customers will help bring them back to your business. Good customer service is key to getting new customers in your door and bringing back veterans.

Good customer service is not as salient on the mind of customers as much as bad customer service. With bad customer service people remember and make sure they tell at least 5 friends and family how unhappy the are.

Good customer service can potentially get your customers to tell their current and recently moved in neighbors about your business. Keeping this in mind, being at your best and finding creative ways to market to your business' local area is key.

Using Mover Mail to connect with recently moved in potential customers may help your business and expand your customer service efforts.

What Are You Going To Do For Me Once I Get Settled?

This is a different way of looking at it. But think about the last time you had to move. Me and my family of four recently moved-in to a new home. Talk about stressful, at least it was for me. It was expensive, I ask friends and family to help on a Saturday, I was sore and exhausted. So as I think about how I felt before, during, and after. There are not a lot of pleasant thoughts until I got to the after. All the stuff was in the house, some organization but mostly a mess. Of course I was not going to cook for my family of four that day so I searched around for the phone book hoping there would be a list of places that would deliver a hot meal for four.

What did I find in my mailbox that night as I was figuring out dinner, a flyer and coupon for a local pizzeria. They were close by and they delivered. Not sure if they were good but at that point I just wanted to feed myself and my family. Turns out they were quick and nice and delicious! We have ordered from that place for 3 years now. They know us by name and pretty much know what we want on game night.

The great part of this story is that if your able to catch that recently moved-in potential customer at the right time it can make all the difference in the world for them and your business. Their direct marketing efforts have rubbed off on me. Whenever anyone asked for a good pizza place I promote the place I've been ordering from for 3 years.

So if I was to give advise as a new mover, businesses need to let the recently moved-in mover know they are there. When I ordered the pizza that day of my move I asked the pizza deliver guy if he could recommend a place to wash my car and groom my dog.

Increases In Renting and How This Can Effect Your Business

With the housing market facing tough times it appears more people are renting that may have once owned. Plus with banks giving out home loans because of high risk more people are opting to hold out on buying and waiting out the tough market by continuing to rent their home or apartment.

This can be a challenge when local businesses start losing their customer base, committed regulars that use services and products in the area. However, it creates an opening for local business advertising efforts in areas where people are renting more.

People that have left a longtime residents and have recently moved-in to new homes/apartments/townhomes/condos in a new neighborhood still order pizza, look for a decent dry cleaner, get the kids' hair cut, and get a root canal done. Businesses that are focusing on direct mail efforts would be smart to jump on the opportunity to market their services. In addition, by providing an incentive such as recognizing that there are more renters, targeting services such as finding a new doctor or an affordable place to get groceries you are more likely to get that dedicated customer.

Local business advertising can be a creative endeavor depending on the type of neighborhoods your trying to market to and other business in the area. Local business advertising can also be a lot of work. Mover Mail may be able to offer assistance with direct mail franchises so that your business product can reach new movers.