What is New Mover Marketing?
Almost 30 million Americans move every year – and when they do, they make changes that go beyond their home address.
Moving represents a great deal of opportunity for businesses looking to capture new customers. Why?
When people move, they have to replace many local conveniences, like:
- Grocery stores
- Doctor / healthcare providers
- Restaurants
- Schools
- Furniture
- Appliances
- Financial providers / banks
- And more
Plus, new movers…
- Spend an average of $9,000 during and following a move… that’s 9 times more than non-movers.
- Spend more than what the average consumer spends in three years. Meaning if they’re reached early enough, they’re 5 times more likely to become loyal, lasting customers.
- Are one of the most receptive and responsive groups when it comes to customer acquisition – 90% of new movers are open to trying new goods, and 88% are open to new services.
To make the most of a new mover marketing campaign, it’s important to meet them where they are and understand their priorities. And when you’re looking for an impactful, personalized approach to a new mover marketing campaign, direct mail is the way to go.
New Mover Marketing and Direct Mail Campaigns
In recent years, the effectiveness of direct mail has risen dramatically, with a response rate that’s up to 9 times higher than email.
Why is direct mail so effective? And why do new mover direct mail campaigns represent such a unique opportunity?
Direct Mail is Proactive
Getting ahead of competitors is always important, but this rings especially true in the context of a new mover marketing campaign. Employing a direct mail strategy ahead of a move, as well as throughout the rest of the process, can keep a business top of mind and position the business as a community partner before the consumer even starts packing.
Direct Mail is Personalized
According to USPS, 70% of people believe direct mail is more personal than email… and in an age where data is king, it’s easier than ever to drive personalized campaigns. Organizations can leverage data to tailor direct mail campaigns to customer demographics, like age, location, career, and current life events. Particularly for new movers, during a period where they might be overwhelmed with all of the new choices they will be making – their new grocery store, their new doctor’s office, etc. – they expect a more personalized approach.
Direct Mail is Eye-Catching
One advantage direct mail will always have over digital advertising is the fact that a consumer can hold it in their hands. There’s something about receiving a letter in the mail – especially a personalized one. It makes people pause and can draw them in much more effectively than the promotions folders in their email accounts.
Over 40% of consumers who get direct mail read or even scan direct mail they receive. Consumers are constantly slammed with an endless stream of emails and digital ads that they’ve trained themselves to ignore – but when direct mail is right in front of them, physically in their hands, it leads to higher conversion rates.
See how secure third parties boost your direct mail campaigns in our recent blog, “Why Print Security Matters: Managing Third-Party Risk in Healthcare and Finance.”
The 4 Stages of the New Mover Marketing Journey
New Mover Marketing Stage 1 - Listing Their Property
- Marriage / divorce
- A new job
- Having children
- Retiring
- Or any number of other things.
Knowing which life event triggered the move can inform where else in their life the consumer will need to make changes. For example, if the move was triggered by marriage, the couple will likely need to consolidate their bank accounts and insurance policies, among many other things.
At stage 1, marketing communications should be more about building a base level of brand awareness rather than pushing toward conversion. Customization in these limited communications is key: consumers are marketed to heavily throughout the moving period, and making them feel individually heard, seen, and understood goes a long way.
One way to do this is through a third-party data partner. Obtaining a new mover mailing list from a mover data partner can help tailor and customize messaging to movers by offering insights into why they’re moving, how to reach them, and access to demographic data that’s essential in tailoring communications. Create a personalized new mover campaign driven by context-rich data with Drummond’s Cross-Media Marketing +
New Mover Marketing Stage 2 - Preparing to Move
Anyone who has moved houses knows that there’s no period more hectic than right before it actually happens. In the month or so leading up to a move, movers are making hard decisions about which providers they want to carry over to their new home and which ones they want to replace.
They are also taking inventory of their homes and assessing what will follow them to their new home vs. what’s getting discarded. Some services and physical items they’ll be looking to replace are:
- Utilities
- Home insurance
- Healthcare / pharmacy
- Bank
- Local spots like libraries, parks, post offices, etc.
- Schools
- Furniture / home goods
- Appliances
- And more
This is both the shortest and possibly the busiest of the moving stages, so it’s best to:
- Increase the frequency of communications to ensure your communications don’t slip through the cracks.
- Grow the urgency with limited-time offers to ensure your brand stays top of mind amidst the chaos of the move.
- Make special offers, such as delivery to their new address at a time of their choosing.
Tip: Movers aren’t looking to add on to their responsibilities in this stage by making major purchases or buying more items they’ll just have to put in another box. In a period of high stress and urgency, you can make them feel comfortable by taking at least one thing to worry about off of their plate. Offering delivery or alluding to future promotions in marketing materials can take the pressure off of them and grant them the convenience and grace that they’re craving at this time.
New Mover Marketing Stage 3 - Moving In
The move itself is a moment of critical truth: the decisions they make now may last years, and they may not even realize how impactful those decisions are. Winning them here is key.
For example, banks have an industry-wide customer retention rate of 75% because most consumers stay with the same institution for decades at a time; they usually only switch due to major life events… such as a move.
Getting in the door early and establishing a regular rapport through consistent direct mail communications is the key to developing a relationship with new movers at this stage. Just like their new home, you’re more than a distant idea at this stage: you’re a tangible, present partner in their day-to-day.
Tip: As movers get more comfortable in their new home and community, they’re more likely to start venturing out and trying new businesses. This is a great stage to send coupons or other promotional deals that will incentivize them to check out your business.
New Mover Marketing Stage 4: Settling In
Marketing to new movers doesn’t necessarily end at the move. Moving is an overwhelming, often dragged-out process – people need time to settle in, and sometimes that means they need some extra space to get their ducks in a row.
Once a new mover is settled, it can still take weeks or even months before they’ve arranged all of their new providers and replaced their local spots.
As they adjust to a new community, they’re looking to establish relationships with local partners and businesses – they’ll need businesses that are within close proximity, especially:
- Hair salons
- Gyms
- Retailers
- Landscaping
- Childcare
- Healthcare providers
- Veterinarians
- Banks / financial institutions
- And more
For up to 6 months after the move, make sure to stay repetitive and consistent – don’t give up on them just because you weren’t their first stop once they got to town. Continuing to insert yourself as a local partner both solidifies your name in their mind and positions you as a clear contender as they shop around for various options. And even if they initially pursue a different provider, there’s always the chance that they change their mind… and when they go back to the drawing board, that’s when they’ll turn back to you.
Tip: New movers receive an overwhelming amount of marketing materials from new providers trying to capitalize on this highly volatile period – consistency and repetition in communication are absolutely essential.
New Mover Marketing Campaigns: Driving Customer Loyalty, Retention, and Higher Lifetime Value.
Implementing a direct mail campaign in a period of high stress and vast unknowns can help bring consumers structure and take at least one concern off of their plate. Furthermore, aligning your marketing strategy with the exact stage of moving they’re in deepens the personal touch of your campaign and addresses their needs as (and even before) they’re happening.
By establishing yourself as a reliable, communicative community partner early on, you solidify a relationship with new movers and drive long-term customer retention and loyalty. And when consumers see you as a partner from day one, you’re more likely to add years of customer lifetime value to your business and reduce customer acquisition and retention costs. When done right, a new mover marketing campaign is only the first step in a lasting partnership.
Want to reach customers across more touchpoints than just direct mail?
Check out our blog on integrated omnichannel campaigns: “How Omnichannel Marketing Drives Revenue.”
