Cleanlist reported over 650,000 household moves in 2023, meaning there is a large population of customers that you need to include in your marketing strategy. If approached correctly, new movers can be some of the most profitable and long-lasting customers you have. Just like any marketing message, timing and targeting is crucial.
New movers are going through one of the most stressful times in their life, but it can also be one of the most exciting. During this time they are packing up their entire life and starting a new journey in a new home. And what comes with a new home? A fresh start. This is why so many new movers spend so much money on setting up their new space the way they dreamt. This is where your marketing comes in.
Different Shapes And Sizes
There are different types of movers and it’s important to understand what they are and then decide which type(s) is most important to you based on your product/service. These categories are:
Early Life Movers
- Young adults are potentially moving for the first time as they get accepted into college or university or are moving for their first job. Approx. half of young adults move to begin their journey in their own household, for school, or work. Those in this group are primarily renting as they are just beginning their professional careers.
Putting Down Roots
- This older group has paid their dues at school and their entry-level positions and are now interested in moving to a more permanent location with an established career and beginning a family. These new movers are typically looking for better quality housing, larger accommodations for a family, and ideally, a shorter commute.
Preparing For Retirement
- This last group is winding down in their career, looking to downsize as their kids have moved away, and are interested in relaxing. As many people in this group are starting to retire they may be looking at more strict budgeting, offloading some personal possessions due to downsizing, and looking into moving somewhere more quiet.
After seeing the different types of movers you can see why it is important to segment them as they all have very different goals and values. But one common value is starting fresh in a new space the way they want.
Right Place, Right Time
Knowing who to target is important, but knowing when to target them is just as important. You could have a perfect product/service for your ideal customer, but if they are not ready or need your product when you target them, how perfect it is doesn’t matter. This is extremely true when it comes to movers.
There are a few key milestones to be aware of in the mover’s journey. These are:
- When they place their home for sale.
- When the home has an offer placed (1-6 weeks before they move)
- When they move into their new house.
During each milestone, movers are more receptive to certain types of products or services. For example, new movers in the third milestone are not looking for movers as they have already moved in. But, new movers in the first milestone are likely still very receptive to moving companies and shopping around for what’s best for them
Other products and services new movers are more likely to shop for are home insurance, cable/internet, home improvement, furniture, and more. As 70%-90% of purchase decisions are made before the mover has left their home. There is a window of opportunity where you will want to reach them.
Where New Movers Spend Money
New movers spend more money than typical consumers as they are eager to get started on building out their new home the way they want. The most common ways new movers spend their money within 6 months of moving are:
– furniture
– appliances
– HVAC
– windows & doors
– family medical
– pet services
– automotive
– landscaping
– pool installation/services
– interior decorating
80% of new movers will take advantage of coupons before, during, and after the move. Using direct mail is a great way to reach these customers to take full advantage of this opportunity to get in front of this lucrative audience.
Although, like any message, timing is everything. Contacting new residents within 60 days of their move is exponentially more effective than contacting an established resident. One method that has been exceptional at creating new customers for businesses is a direct mail piece shortly after the move with an offer and a message that doesn’t specifically point towards their new move. With Canadians experiencing more personal privacy than our neighbors to the south, we are more inclined to keep our personal life private. For this reason, mentioning that they have just moved doesn’t tend to be received well. But sending a compelling offer at the right time with a message such as “new seasons new you” could be received more openly. This direct mail piece is personal without having to hyper-personalize the messaging.
Finding New Movers
Getting new mover data is a hot commodity within groups that target new movers already. But, not all new mover lists are equal. When sourcing a new mover list for yourself there are questions you need to ask both yourself and the list provider.
For Yourself
- Am I looking for people who are in the process of moving or am I looking for those who have just gotten into their new home? Or, am I a mixture of both and want those who are on both journeys?
- Do I have a specific geographic region I only want to work within because of my product/solution, or can I sell to anyone in any area?
- How many people can I target with my campaign?
- How often do I want to update my list?
For Supplier
- How often do you update your data?
- How many sources do you use to keep your data up-to-date and accurate?
- Can you differentiate between homeowners and renters?
- Can you enrich your new mover lists with additional data as well?
- Do you just send me lists or can you maintain my list and/or my database?
These are all very important questions for both parties. These questions ensure that you are prepared to begin your marketing campaign and target the correct people with the correct message. It also ensures you are getting the correct information from the right business and that this business knows what they are doing and provides accurate data.
Can Cleanlist Help?
Cleanlist specializes in this type of data collection, maintenance, and delivery. As Canada’s largest provider of consumer data, we collect not only new mover data but data on all consumers in Canada. This allows Cleanlist to provide extremely accurate data, help you understand how to use this data effectively, as well as maintain and enrich your existing data.
Cleanlist updates its new mover data daily and updates it with dozens of sources across Canada to ensure the most amount of coverage. Cleanlist puts data-driven solutions in your hands to supercharge your marketing efforts and drive your sales.
Now What?
Now is the fun part. Rounding out your marketing strategy, discovering if there is a specific milestone you want to target, if you want to take advantage of coupons and direct mail to reach your customers, what your offering is, what your message is, and more. It is not an easy step to get a plan together but it makes your life easier in the long run. There is nothing worse than buying an up-to-date list and then dragging your heels with marketing and letting your list become out of date.
The new mover window is a relatively short window, and waiting too long or buying your list too early means your target audience may not be looking for your product or service anymore and may have gone with a competitor. Don’t let this happen to you and get to your ideal customer sooner with Cleanlist.
