A company that has been marketing to new homeowners for 35 years will launch three products aimed at helping national and regional advertisers reach people three to six months before they move and immediately after they settle in.
GETKO Direct Response, Westbury, NY, is debuting the Welcome Wagon Pre-Mover Planner, the Welcome Wagon National Address Book and a new version of the Getting to Know You Local Address Book in June. The first two are being branded with sister company Welcome Wagon, Trumbull, CT, which markets to new homeowners. Both companies are subsidiaries of Cendant Corp.
A 1996 survey of new homeowners conducted by GETKO and administered by independent research company Data Research found that a new homeowner spends between $10,000 and $12,000 on goods and services during the first year in his or her new home.
According to Dave Smith, GETKO vice president of marketing, phone services, banks, auto services, retail chains, lawn services and moving services already have shown an interest in the new products.
Smith said that between 75,000 and 125,000 names will be sent the Welcome Wagon Pre-Mover Planner monthly. The list will be managed by GETKO, which guarantees that people on it plan to move. GETKO compiles the list from real estate information, mortgage applications, people requesting school information and survey data, among others. This information is cross-referenced and verified by telephone. The list also will be for rent.
The Planner will contain moving tips and service information. All three products will be published as four regional editions.
“Four-color ads will be strategically placed throughout the planner to help guide the premover's purchasing decisions,” Smith said. “The cover of the planner and shipping box are also available to co-sponsors of the program. This is going to give national and regional companies the chance to reach consumers at a critical time.”
The Welcome Wagon National Address Book is a personal address book that will be mailed annually to 2 million new homeowners.
“Advertisers will be listed on the index page in the front of the book,” Smith said. “Four-color ads will be placed behind each tab. For example, auto stores will go behind the 'A' tab. And companies will have the option of including a discount coupon as part of the package.”
Advertising space for national companies is available in the Getting to Know You Local Address Book. Smith said that 70 percent of the local address books still are used by people five to seven years after they receive them.
“There are now two options for people who want to advertise in the local book,” Smith said. “They can purchase remnant space as listings in their given business category for local address books around the country. The second option is a four-color ad included in a national advertising section of the book in which perforated coupons can be incorporated.”
The local address book is sent out to 1.2 million new homeowners annually.
