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Americans are on the move.

More than 35.6 million Americans moved in 2016. And the average American moves 11 times in his or her lifetime.

Move the new residents in your neighborhood with a welcoming Direct Mail piece that invites them to your retail location. In this article, we will discuss four critical factors that will make your New Neighbor Direct Mail campaign a success and provide tips to transform neighbors into customers.

4 Success Factors

1. Timing

• The faster a retailer reaches a new resident with a welcoming offer, the more likely the new resident will become a customer. Consider the move from the resident’s  perspective: they will need to fill their refrigerator, perhaps buy furniture or storage to fit their new space and will need local entertainment. You can help ensure your new neighbors are getting their needs met at your retail location.
• The highest volume of moves happen during June, July and August. However, the number of people moving during spring and early fall are increasing.

2. The Offer

• Giving away free products or services is the best way to draw foot traffic. Coupons work, too. Consider the timing of the freebie on your Direct Mail piece—stagger the expiration dates so they have a reason to visit your business multiple times in the coming weeks. For example, offer 20% off a purchase of $50 or more that expires Week #1, a free loaf of bread that expires Week #2 and a third incentive that expires during Week #3.
• Make your offer useful. Considering that grocery shopping is a priority for new residents, grocers should offer milk, eggs, bread and a deal on meat. What do you sell that would be of the most value to someone who has just moved? (This could be something practical or entertainment.)
• Capitalize on your surplus inventory. Give away whatever item you have in excess with a minimum spend amount. For example, a hardware store with a surplus in its wrench inventory can give away a free wrench with a $20 purchase.

3. Personalization

• Make sure your Direct Mail solutions provider offers Variable Data Printing. This is the technology that automates personalizing a designated part of the Direct Mail piece, such as addressing your new neighbor by name. Over 84% of consumers said that personalization made them more likely to open Direct Mail.
• Think carefully about what to personalize and where the personalization should be—in a headline or in a letter format, for example. Addressing the recipient by name is the most common way to personalize Direct Mail.

4. Appearance

• The United States Postal Service delivered 153.9 billion pieces of mail in 2016. That’s a lot of mail! Make sure your mail stands out as treasure, not trash.
• A good design will make sure your Direct Mail piece’s call-to-action is easy to find. Your call-to-action is what you want your mail recipient to do. It should be prominently placed on your Direct Mail piece in a font and color that make it stand out.

Tips to Transform Neighbors into Customers

• Geographic Research

Find out what people in your neighborhood search for the most online and tie that to the offer you extend your new neighbors. Google Trends

• Idea File

Start saving Direct Mail that comes to your home or business. Mark those pieces up with notes about what you like and dislike. Look for ideas online and add your findings to your idea file. This gives you a starting point for when you are ready to work on your New Neighbor Direct Mail campaign.

• Enthusiastic Welcome

Make sure your physical store has a welcoming environment and friendly staff ready. Consider training your staff to prepare a special welcome message or gift when your new neighbor presents the Direct Mail piece at the store. New neighbors will become regular customers if you provide a pleasant experience.

• Hire Professionals

Hire an advertising provider with a proven track record of success. Fisher offers a cost-effective New Neighbor program starting at $1 per card. Most printers set quantity limits, but Fisher does not. No contracts and no minimums—start and stop as need. Find out more here.