Bossio comes to Welcomemat after seven years as a sales manager with Microsoft. He said he’s always wanted to open his own business, and was drawn to Welcomemat because it meshed with his professional background and his personal passions.

“My marketing and sales experience made Welcomemat an ideal business given my work background, but more importantly, I also see it as a way to get more involved with the community and help support local businesses in my hometown,” Bossio said.

Welcomemat Services – a franchise that specializes in providing targeted new customer prospects to small businesses, professional service companies, restaurants and local attractions – provides targeted new customer outreach strategies to small businesses, connecting them with a cost effective pipeline of new and loyal customers in their communities.

Within 30 to 90 days of moving into their new home, new families receive their Welcomemat package. Within the package are specialized offers designed to invite the new families to try businesses and services in their new community. The Welcomemat program connects local business and organizations with a group of consumers who need their help and have a high propensity to provide long-term loyalty. The Welcomemat package is just the first touch. After the new mover redeems the initial offer, Welcomemat sends a thank-you note to the new family on behalf of the business to help solidify a loyal relationship. Furthermore, a mobile rewards system is attached to the program to encourage repeat visitation and loyalty for years to come.

“New movers present an incredible opportunity for businesses to attract new, loyal customers,” Bossio said. “Welcomemat helps small businesses approach this very valuable audience to welcome them to the community and get acclimated with their surroundings.”

In addition to Bossio, his wife Jenny will also join the Welcomemat team as head of operations. Bossio also hired Jonathan Patrick to assist with business development. Patrick, an Eagle Scout and lifelong Woodinville resident, has several years of business, marketing and sales experience.

And although Bossio’s first location is just getting ready to open, he already has big plans for the future, and expects to acquire a neighboring territory near Seattle in the next 12-18 months.

Welcomemat Services began franchising in early 2011, and operates more than 20 franchised and company-owned locations across the country. The company expects to add 12 additional franchises in 2013 toward a goal of 70 locations open within the next five years in high-profile, transient markets across the country. More information can be found at www.welcomematservices.com.

By Natalie Hayes

Winnetka native Brian Mattingly left the North Shore when he moved to Atlanta as a child, but now that Mattingly is CEO of his own Georgia-based marketing company, he’s eyeing his hometown as a hot-spot to open the next franchised location of his business.

Mattingly, a former salesman for a data management company, founded Welcomemat Services in 2003 and today has eight corporate-owned locations in addition to 14 franchises, most of which are based in the southeast U.S.

Mattingly still lives in Atlanta today, but calls Chicago his favorite city.

Years after leaving Illinois, Mattingly wants to rekindle his presence in the North Shore by opening a Welcomemat in Winnetka within the next year as part of a goal to eventually open up to seven franchise units throughout Illinois.

The high density of small local retailers coupled with an affluent demographic makes Winnetka an ideal place to open the next franchised Welcomemat, which works by getting small local retailers to sign on to be part of a direct-mail package of coupons, (Mattingly calls them gift checks) which are later sent to new residents.

“The Chicago market and the North Shore area as a whole are a big push for us right now, but we’re honing in on Winnetka in particular because it offers great schools and a higher-income and family-oriented demographic,” Mattingly said.

The package of “gift checks” sent to new movers – about 70 new families move to Winnetka each month on average (according to the Cook County Recorder of Deeds) include offers such as 50 percent off at a local dry cleaners for new customers or half-off a haircut at the local barber shop.

The idea behind Welcomemat is two-fold. The first part aims to help send new residents through the doors of local businesses by equipping them with money-saving coupons. Mattingly said his services also help out small businesses by providing a more strategic approach than other direct-mail services by helping business owners get new customers and keep them coming back again and again.

That approach comes in the form of a patented barcode located on each coupon containing a host of demographic information about the new customer such as name, address and ages of all members of the household.

Welcomemat then collects the redeemed coupons and extracts the customer information to provide the business owner with a customized tracking and information report that helps them get to know their customer better, so that marketing efforts can be more narrowly tailored to the demographics of the customer pool.

At the end of 2012 there were about 327 small retail businesses in Winnetka’s four business districts – Hubbard Woods, East Elm, West Elm and Indian Hill, according to Mike D’Onofrio, director of community development for the Village of Winnetka.

The heavy concentration of small retailers in comparison to the Village’s small population of about 12,240 residents creates strong competition between neighboring retailers to attract and retain new customers.

Mattingly believes the new resident segment represents a special customer-base because new movers aren’t yet loyal to any particular businesses, and are therefore open to finding and settling in with a new go-to family dentist, for example, or a favorite mom-n-pop neighborhood pizzeria.

“We’re helping this specific set of people find great spots to do business, and we also want local businesses to thrive by helping them get new customers,” Mattingly said.
“If someone moves to Winnetka from Indiana, for example, they become a great prospect.”

Winnetka’s affluent demographic – the median value of owner-occupied housing in the Village is $992,800 compared to the statewide average of $198,800 (according to U.S. Census data) increases the potential profitability for Welcomemat’s business model, which provides a recurring monthly revenue stream for franchisees paid by monthly subscription fees charged to small businesses that sign up for the service.

When customers visit the retailer to cash in their coupons—and more importantly keep coming back and spending their dollars again and again – both the small business owner and the Welcomemat franchisee are happy.

(Atlanta, Ga.)— Welcomemat Services, a marketing strategies and technology franchise that provides monthly direct-mail packages to individuals and families who have recently changed their address, is on track for a strong year of growth in 2013. The company earned recognition as a top franchise from both the Franchise Business Review and Entrepreneur magazine in February, marking it as a solid business investment with strong potential for growth.

Entrepreneur named Welcomemat Services No. 55 on its “Top New Franchises” list, which recognizes outstanding companies that began franchising in 2008 or later. Franchise Business Review recognized Welcomemat Services as No. 27 on its “Top 50 Franchises: Under 50 Locations.”

“We are thrilled and humbled to be commended by these publications and to see this kind of support for Welcomemat,” said CEO Brian Mattingly. “With this recognition behind us, we are on track for a solid year of growth in 2013.”

Welcomemat provides a valuable tool to local businesses with a patented technology that enables new resident information to be bar-coded onto every certificate, allowing local businesses to receive free, customized tracking and information reports regarding responses to their offers. After a customer uses a gift certificate, the business returns it to Welcomemat. The bar code is scanned and the resulting information is provided back to the business in an easy-to-read data sheet profiling the client’s new customers and providing demographics such as the customer’s name, gender, income level, neighborhood and home value. Welcomemat uses data from more than 35 sources to locate newcomer addresses.

New residents receive their Welcomemat package within 30 to 120 days of moving in, with offers for such things as $15 of free dry cleaning, complimentary haircuts or free car washes sent to hundreds of thousands of families across the country each year.

Welcomemat Services began franchising in early 2011, and operates more than 22 franchised and company-owned locations across the country. Projections call for the opening of up to 20 additional franchise locations in 2013 toward a goal of opening markets throughout the country during the next five years in high-profile, transient areas across the country. More information can be found at www.welcomematservices.com.

This is especially true of the Raleigh-Cary metro area. According to Forbes, the region is the fourth fastest-growing area in the U.S. That’s why Wilmington residents Frank and Shelli Bernardini opened Welcomemat Services, a company that specializes in providing targeted new customer prospects to small businesses, professional service companies, restaurants and local attractions.

Now a year and a half in business, the Bernardinis are adding another Welcomemat location in Apex as part of the company’s statewide expansion. The company is also targeting Charlotte, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Durham, Greensboro and other metropolitan areas for growth.

Natives of Hilton Head, S.C., the Bernardinis moved north to Wilmington, N.C. in 2009 after the recession hit their hometown hard. For the next two years the couple helped run a bar Shelli’s mother had bought but later realized was too much work for her to run on her own. After selling the bar in May 2011, the Bernardinis were at a crossroads with their careers. With the future wide open, the couple knew two things: they wanted to buy a franchise and they wanted to help local small businesses recover from the recession.

Frank and Shelli chose Welcomemat Services and opened the business in September 2011 in Wilmington. Welcomemat Services was the perfect choice for the Bernardinis because it not only gives local businesses access to new loyal customers, but it provides a valuable service to new residents by delivering custom-designed gift checks to their doors intended to introduce them to neighborhood retailers and service providers.

“We’re really excited to be making Welcomemat Services a thriving business here in Wilmington and also to be helping other small businesses in the process,” Shelli said. “Our goal is to do two things—introduce new residents in the community to local businesses and make enough money to earn a living.”

Welcomemat provides a valuable tool to local businesses with a patented technology that enables new resident information to be bar-coded onto every certificate, allowing local businesses to receive free, customized tracking and information reports regarding responses to their offers. After a customer uses a gift certificate, the business returns it to Welcomemat. The bar code is scanned and the resulting information is provided back to the business in an easy-to-read data sheet profiling the client’s new customers and providing demographics such as the customer’s name, gender, income level, neighborhood and home value. Welcomemat uses data from more than 35 sources to locate newcomer addresses.

New residents receive their Welcomemat package within 30 to 120 days of moving in, with offers for such things as $15 of free dry cleaning, complimentary haircuts or free car washes sent to hundreds of thousands of families across the country each year.

As the Bernardinis enter the next new exciting chapter of their careers with Welcomemat, the couple is looking forward to running a successful business that allows them to live the American dream.

“As the economy begins to recover, we are very optimistic about the future and our decision to bring Welcomemat to Apex and Cary,” Shelli said. “We truly believe in the Welcomemat product and look forward to helping local businesses gain loyal customers.”

Date: February 7, 2013

One in five Americans moves each year. On average, new movers spend more in their first six months in a new location than a normal customer does in three years.That means new residents are an ideal source of revenue and loyalty for small businesses. But the timeframe is limited: contacting new residents within 60 days of a move is 80 times more successful than reaching out to established residents. That’s why Wilmington residents Frank & Shelli Bernardini opened Welcomemat Services, a company that specializes in providing targeted new customer prospects to small businesses, professional service companies, restaurants & local attractions. Now a year and a half in business, the Bernardinis are adding another Welcomemat location in Apex as part of the company’s statewide expansion. The company is also targeting Raleigh, Greensboro and other metropolitan areas for growth.

Natives of Hilton Head, S.C., the Bernardinis moved north to Wilmington, N.C. in 2009 after the recession hit their hometown hard. For the next two years the couple helped run a bar Shelli’s mother had bought but later realized was too much work for her to run on her own. After selling the bar in May 2011, the Bernardinis were at a crossroads with their careers.With the future wide open, the couple knew two things; they wanted to buy a franchise and they wanted to help local small businesses recover from the recession. Frank & Shelli chose Welcomemat Services & opened the business in September 2011 in Wilmington, serving a 60-mile stretch from Wilmington to Myrtle Beach. Welcomemat Services was the perfect choice for the Bernardinis because it not only gives local businesses access to new loyal customers, but it provides a valuable service to new residents by delivering custom-designed gift checks to their doors intended to introduce them to neighborhood retailers and service providers. “We’re really excited to be making Welcomemat Services a thriving business here in Wilmington and also to be helping other small businesses in the process,” Shelli said. “Our goal is to do two things - introduce new residents in the community to local businesses and make enough money to earn a living.” Welcomemat provides a valuable tool to local businesses with a patented technology that enables new resident information to be bar-coded onto every check, allowing local businesses to receive free, customized tracking & information reports regarding responses to their offers. After a customer uses a gift check, the business returns it to Welcomemat. The bar code is scanned & the resulting information is provided back to the business in an easy-to-read data sheet profiling the client’s new customers and providing demographics such as the customer’s name, gender, income level, neighborhood and home value. Welcomemat uses data from more than 35 sources to locate newcomer addresses. New residents receive their Welcomemat package within 30 to 120 days of moving in, with offers for such things as $15 of free dry cleaning, complimentary haircuts or free car washes sent to hundreds of thousands of families across the country each year.

As the Bernardinis enter the next new exciting chapter of their careers with Welcomemat, the couple is looking forward to running a successful business that allows them to live the American Dream. “As the economy begins to recover, we are very optmistic about the future and our decision to bring Welcomemat to Wilmington,” Shelli said. “We truly believe in the Welcomemat product & look forward to helping local businesses gain loyal customers.”

Date: January 23, 2013

 
New to the area without a clue where or how to meet medical, food or entertainment needs? Have no fear, Welcomemat Services is here.
 

Welcomemat, a marketing strategies and technology company that provides monthly direct mail packages to individuals and families who have recently changed their address, this month opened its first Texas franchise in Collin County.

“Anytime you can use word of mouth, that’s always the best – it’s free advertising,” said Larry Kellam, owner of the new franchise. “But for new movers, it takes a while, especially in this day in time, to indoctrinate themselves into a lifestyle and community. Many times, it’s six months to a year before you can really plug yourself in to do things.”

That’s where Welcomemat comes in. Designed to target new residents when they move into an area, direct mail invitations targeted at specific zip codes provide them with professional certificates to local businesses. Welcomemat uses around 35 different databases to track when new residents arrive, and foster the invites from nearby businesses – restaurants, services and stores – in hopes of quickly acclimating residents to their community.

Welcomemat was founded in 2003 and is based out of Atlanta, Ga. It has close to 13 franchises mainly in North Carolina, Ohio and Indiana. Kellam’s franchise currently serves McKinney, Frisco, Celina, Little Elm, Prosper and the northern tip of Plano, and looks to expand.

“I’ve moved eight times during my career, so I’m very familiar with trying to find a new doctor or dentist or whatever,” said Kellam, who spent 32 years in the corporate world with Ally Financial. “All of that just really lined up with my passion: working with local small businesses. That’s sort of our niche, the local business; we don’t deal with the big box stores, but local stores, that little franchise that may need help attracting them. And the best way to do that is attracting that new purpose.”

Providing such a welcome benefits businesses as much as the residents, he said, because some of the smaller franchises often don’t have the means to effectively advertise to potential clients or customers, particularly those new to the area. Because he’s lived in Collin County for eight years, Kellam said he’s able to do the necessary “investigation” in finding and facilitating businesses and services fit for Welcomemat.

“I’m part of the community because I’ve invested in a business to be in the community,” he said. “We’re just like the local pizza place or the local hair stylist; we’re invested. And it’s long-term for me; it’s about working with that business and helping it grow.”

As for a growing client base, Welcomemat’s latest coverage area also fits the bid. McKinney’s population has grown from around 136,000 to nearly 141,000 over the past year, according to McKinney Planning Department records. Such an increase includes almost 2,000 single-family permits in the city in 2012, the most in five years. In eight of the past nine months, the city registered more single-family permits than it did the previous two years during those months, city records show.

More than 180 of those permits came in August, around when Money Magazine selected McKinney as the “2nd Best Place to Live in America.”

“When the No. 2 ranking came out, we did see an increase in the number of people asking for relocation information,” said Beth Shumate of the McKinney Convention & Visitors Bureau (MCVB). “We had a request (Tuesday) morning from a lady from Lexington, Ky., who had been in Frisco and Allen and said she fell in love with McKinney. We hear that a lot from people.”

MCVB employees said they received several calls in the last week and a half from people as far away as New Hampshire and California who were looking to move to McKinney. All of which serves Welcomemat well.

“For my territory, we ran some averages, and McKinney averages over 800 new movers a month,” Kellam said. “Frisco is right around 800, and altogether, we average a little over 2,200 new move-ins a month.

“I never really thought about it; I knew the area was growing…but it’s just phenomenal the residential and commercial growth here.”

Yet, with thousands of targeted clients, Welcomemat keeps it personal and professional, he said. Mail invites are tailored to specific residents and offers them just a handful of certificates to local businesses, instead of hundreds as is common in other mail-outs or coupon books. For those who take advantage of the invites, Welcomemat offers follow-up deals, or “bounce backs,” to help develop a loyal customer base.

“We have a 90 percent open rate,” Kellam said of those who receive invites. “That’s pretty good, because a lot of junk mail never even makes it out of the envelope. In a coupon and direct-mail world, anything from a 0.5 to 1 percent rate is good, and our response rates generally run 6 to 10 percent.”

Those rates aren’t surprising to Kellam, who said the company’s and other studies show just how much new residents spend, whether on household items, restaurant outings or even cars.

Giving them a clue as to where to find those things may be the ultimate welcome.

“A new mover will spend more money in six months than an established, settled resident will spend in three years,” he said. “We want to touch as many people as possible. “They want to experience the local scene, and the best way to get them there is to invite them.”

For more information about Welcomemat Services, visit www.welcomematservices.com

With the housing market showing new signs of life, it’s time to prepare your business to ride the rising tide.

Early this year, Becky Weiss, owner of Union Street Flowers and Gifts in Westfield, Indiana, began noticing things that suggested the housing market in her area might finally be due for a rebound. Laid-off construction workers were being called back to work. The city itself had broken ground on a two-year project to build a $45 million, 350-acre sports complex — a development she figured would help draw even more people to her community 20 miles north of Indianapolis.

Eager to take advantage of any momentum shift, Weiss began advertising via Welcomemat Services, a marketing company whose franchisees deliver “gift checks” from businesses to individuals and families that have recently moved into their areas. So far, Weiss says, the program has been paying dividends.

“As the housing market has improved, I’m seeing people coming in with my coupons who’ve never been in our stores before,” she says. “They’re new to the area. I feel like I’ve had a good return on my investment.” Encouraged by the results, Weiss is working on a new direct mail campaign that will target both her Welcomemat and existing customers.

It’s not just wishful thinking

National numbers back up Weiss’ anecdotal evidence about the housing market. According to the widely followed S&P/Case-Shiller national home price index, the typical sale price for a home rose 0.9 percent in August after jumping 1.6 percent in July, putting home prices at their highest levels since the summer of 2003. Meanwhile, new housing starts surged 15 percent in September to their highest annual rate in four years. And, the country added 1.15 million new households in the 12 months ended in September, far above the 650,000 annual average over the prior four years.

A strong housing market benefits businesses of all sorts, and not just the obvious examples: real estate agents, homebuilders, subcontractors, furniture retailers and the like. Banks sell more mortgages. Florists see an uptick in business as new homeowners dress up their purchases or receive flowers as welcome gifts.

Peter Findley, co-founder of a two-attorney law firm in Seattle, has seen new business from first-time homebuyers who’ve concluded they now need to write a will. Daniel Sentell, director of communications for Broad Financial in Monsey, New York, anticipates more business for his company as investors who want to include real estate in their retirement savings plans do so via the self-directed and solo IRAs his firm helps create.

If you think your company could benefit from a stronger housing market, it’s time to prepare to take advantage of the opportunity. On the manpower front, figure out where you’re most likely to need more help if business picks up. If you’re a manufacturer or retailer, assess your inventory levels and revisit potential chinks in your supply chain. If your own house has increased in value, consider whether you might be able to use it to secure financing now that you wouldn’t have qualified for a year or two ago. Finally, think about ramping up your marketing and advertising activities.

Think it’s still too soon to act? Here’s what some of your competitors are already doing:

- Networking. In addition to increasing their advertising, Sentell and his colleagues are attending and speaking at events that target real estate investors. They’re also looking to partner with real estate companies to promote buying real estate via self-directed or solo IRAs.

- Websites and social media. Gary Zaremba, president of Pepzee Realty in Dayton, Ohio, is upgrading his company’s website and simultaneously looking for more opportunities to use social media to publicize his property-rental business. He’s also reaching out to the investment community to promote the idea of investing in real estate. In the meantime, he says, the housing-market uptick is already helping by allowing some of his renters to upgrade from apartments to single-family homes and by stimulating demand for his property-rehabilitation services.

Marketing consultant Sonny Ahuja, who specializes in social media, says many of his construction and remodeling clients are launching upgraded websites, too, and boosting their advertising budgets. “All are seeing an increase in their businesses as more people are moving into new and old homes,” he says.

- Online advertising. Sentell says his firm has strengthened its Google AdWords campaign for real estate topics, a tactic that many of Ahuja’s clients are using, too. Ahuja notes that one such client — a mold-removal company based in Milwaukee — brought in so much new business in the course of a four-week AdWords campaign that it had to temporarily suspend it until its crews could catch up on the work.

Housing is not, by itself, a huge component of the U.S. economy. Residential investment historically has contributed about 5 percent to the nation’s gross domestic product. But a rising tide from a strong housing market lifts many boats. If this is the long-awaited start of a housing recovery, why not make sure your company is ready to take advantage of it?

A former acquisitions manager for Ally Financial, Kellam moved eight times throughout his 32-year career. Though the constant change might be challenging for some, Kellam said it was invigorating – and showed him the importance of working with new residents in business outreach. In addition, his experience as a consultant for small businesses showed him the importance of supporting and boosting his local economy.

“I was drawn to Welcomemat Services because it focuses on a demographic I can relate to – new residents and new movers,” Kellam said. “In addition, reaching out to local businesses and helping the community is important to me.”

Welcomemat Services – a company that specializes in providing targeted new customer prospects to small businesses, professional service companies, restaurants and local attractions – provides targeted new customer outreach strategies to small businesses, connecting them with a cost effective pipeline of new and loyal customers in their communities.
“I’m helping to provide a much-needed service to business owners in the Frisco/McKinney area,” Kellam said. “I’ve begun reaching out to several businesses already, and everyone has had the same response – that this is going to provide a huge boost.”

Within 30 to 90 days of moving into their new home, new families receive their Welcomemat package. Within the package are specialized offers designed to invite the new families to try businesses and services in their new community. The Welcomemat program connects local business and organizations with a group of consumers who need their help and have a high propensity to provide long-term loyalty. The Welcomemat package is just the first touch. After the new mover redeems the initial offer, Welcomemat sends a thank-you note to the new family on behalf of the business to help solidify a loyal relationship. Furthermore, a mobile rewards system is attached to the program to encourage repeat visitation and loyalty for years to come.

Although Kellam has moved quite a few times over the years, he has called Frisco home since 2005, and says he has no plans to leave. In additional to his consulting work, Kellam is highly involved in community organizations, and credits that with his desire to work with local groups through Welcomemat.

Kellam is heavily involved with both the American Cancer Society – he participates in Relay For Life each year – and North Texas Missions, through which he travels to Honduras to help provide medical and dental services to residents there. He also donates to the University of Texas at Tyler, where he, his wife, his two children and their spouses all went to school.
“I feel passionately about giving back to the community and making a difference in people’s lives,” he said. “Welcomemat is all about community, which is why the business is such a good fit for my personal values and goals.”

Welcomemat Services of Frisco/McKinney will serve the communities of Frisco, Plano, Prosper, Celina, Little Elm and McKinney.

Welcomemat Services began franchising in early 2011, and operates more than 20 franchised and company-owned locations across the country. Projections call for the opening of 20 additional franchise locations in 2013 toward a goal of opening 200 locations during the next five years in high-profile, transient markets across the country. More information can be found at www.welcomematservices.com.

November 11, 2012

By: Thomas Heath

Welcomemat Services, which mails new residents envelopes filled with gift certificates to local businesses, is falling in love with Washington.

The Atlanta-based company is eyeballing Georgetown, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, Capitol Hill, Dupont Circle, Loudoun County, Alexandria and Arlington as franchise locations.

Welcomemat is based in Atlanta and owned by private investors. There are no franchisees in Washington yet, but chief executive and co-owner Brian Mattingly said the company typically looks for areas that have a lot of turnover in housing.

“It has a wonderful demographic from the consumer side and also a high density of local businesses, museums and other organizations that benefit from meeting new families and professionals coming in to the area,” Mattingly said in an e-mail.

Welcomemat has 21 franchises across the country, including eight that are company-owned.

A 30-year leader in the finance and marketing world, Sullivan decided to leave the comfort of the corporate world behind after witnessing financial collapse and corporate downsizing in the international S&P 500 companies where he spent his entire career. In joining the Welcomemat family, Sullivan has transitioned into a second career where by providing a valuable service to the community he now holds more control over his own future and is building a solid legacy to pass on to his family.

“I have always believed the most powerful driver of a successful business is to get the right customers through the door and then provide excellent service to retain their business,” Sullivan said. “With Welcomemat I get to experience a win-win. I will supply local businesses with the tools they need to thrive while at the same time, help new members of the community get settled into their new homes and discover quality service providers in their new neighborhoods. I personally gain great satisfaction in bringing these two key components of the American Dream together.”

Welcomemat—a company that specializes in providing targeted new customer prospects to small businesses, professional service companies, restaurants and local attractions—is addressing what Sullivan calls “the stagnant economic climate in Southeastern Florida” by assisting in stimulating growth for local business owners by connecting them with a cost effective pipeline of new and loyal customers in their communities.

Providing local businesses access to highly qualified new customers moving into the area helps them develop and grow a regular, recurring customer base. Sullivan says the next revolution in local marketing isn’t discounting, couponing or online group deal buying – where customers are only as loyal as the coupon’s expiration date – it’s loyalty programs.

Within 30 to 90 days of moving into their new home, new residents receive their Welcomemat package containing specialized offers and/or free services at local businesses, such as a free appetizer with purchase of entrée at a local bistro, $15 of free dry cleaning, complimentary haircuts and free car washes. Resident information is embedded via patented barcode technology into the complimentary gift certificates. After a customer uses the gift certificate, it is returned to Welcomemat where the barcode is scanned and the data is provided back to the business in an easy-to-read data sheet that profiles customer contact, gender, income level and home value.

Sullivan will also be unveiling Welcomemat’s’ newly launched PunchPoints app to businesses in his territory.

The PunchPoints app takes traditional customer reward punch or stamp cards to the smart phone instead of overflowing consumers’ wallets.  The concept is simple—consumers download the app, visit local businesses, collect Punchpoints and get rewards. A GPS tracking feature allows users to pinpoint their location and see the closest participating businesses nearby. Businesses that join Punchpoints are provided with sophisticated analytics so that awards can be tailored to their most loyal customers.

“Welcomemat has provided me with all the tools and support necessary to not only start my own business and achieve success but to also assist other small business owners in Pompano Beach and the surrounding communities in achieving and maintaining their own success,” Sullivan said. “I believe that if I maintain a laser-like focus on helping my clients find and retain the right customers that our local economies will begin to grow and thrive. I want to help as many Florida communities and families as possible.”

Welcomemat Services of Pompano Beach serves the communities of Boca Raton, Coral Springs, Deerfield Beach, Del Ray Beach, Lighthouse Point and Pompano Beach.

Welcomemat Services began franchising in early 2011, and operates more than 20 franchised and company-owned locations across the country. Projections call for the opening of five additional franchise locations in 2012 toward a goal of opening 200 locations during the next five years in high-profile, transient markets across the country. More information can be found at http://www.welcomematservices.com.

While this is the 30-year-old’s first foray as an entrepreneur, Tabb says it’s something that has been in the works since he started his professional career as a beach attendant.

“It wasn’t a glamorous position,” Tabb said. “Turnover is high, with people typically only lasting two or three weeks. I turned it into a desirable position by focusing on working hard and providing outstanding customer service. My directors saw my ambition and potential and I was quickly promoted to pool attendant and then bellman. In my positions as a bellman, concierge and guest service director, it was always my mission to make every customer leave our resort longing for their next trip back. In the hospitality industry, loyalty is everything.”

Welcomemat specializes in providing targeted new customer prospects to small businesses, professional service companies, restaurants and local attractions by connecting them with a cost effective pipeline of new and loyal customers in their communities. Providing local businesses access to highly qualified new customers moving into the area helps them develop and grow a regular, recurring customer base.

Tabb, a resident of Victoria Park, is so confident in his entrepreneurial skills that he chose business ownership over home ownership and financed the business with his personal savings.

“In every position I’ve had, I did my job as if I was running my own company,” said Tabb. “Most recently as the general manager of a boat club that also offered rentals and training, my dedication and work ethic kept the company crowing during the recession. I am ambitious and hungry and I know I have what it takes to make my business, and other businesses in the community, successful.”

Within 30 to 90 days of moving into their new home, new residents receive their Welcomemat package containing specialized offers and/or free services at local businesses, such as a free appetizer with purchase of entrée at a local bistro, $15 of free dry cleaning, complimentary haircuts and free car washes. Resident information is embedded via patented barcode technology into the complimentary gift certificates. After a customer uses the gift certificate, it is returned to Welcomemat where the barcode is scanned and the data is provided back to the business in an easy-to-read data sheet that profiles customer contact, gender, income level and home value.

Tabb officially launches in September but he already has two clients on his roster, a car wash and a dry cleaner, both of which are businesses Tabb frequents. Tabb will also be unveiling Welcomemat’s’ newly launched PunchPoints app to businesses in his territory.

The PunchPoints app takes traditional customer reward punch or stamp cards to the smart phone instead of overflowing consumers’ wallets.  The concept is simple—consumers download the app, visit local businesses, collect Punchpoints and get rewards. A GPS tracking feature allows users to pinpoint their location and see the closest participating businesses nearby. Businesses that join PunchPoints are provided with sophisticated analytics so that awards can be tailored to their most loyal customers.

In addition to the Welcomemat and PunchPoints offerings, Tabb will also provide clients consultative services on customer training and service.

“In my position as guest service director, I oversaw 40 employees and designed all the training programs and customer service manuals,” said Tabb. “If the recipient of a Welcomemat gift certificate calls me because he or she had a less than perfect experience upon redeeming it, I will do everything in my power to work with the business owner to improve operations. At the end of the day, all of these people are my neighbors. I want both new residents of my neighborhood and the businesses to be supportive of one another and help the economy in which we live.”

Welcomemat Services began franchising in early 2011, and operates more than 20 franchised and company-owned locations across the country. Projections call for the opening of five additional franchise locations in 2012 toward a goal of opening 200 locations during the next five years in high-profile, transient markets across the country. More information can be found at www.welcomematservices.com.

Vertical Jump Guide

August 1, 2012

By Kelly Horn

Welcomemat Services is a marketing strategies and technology company providing monthly direct-mail packages to individuals and families who have recently change their address.  Four of the company’s franchise owners are mothers.

“Most mothers I speak with, including my wife, care about the neighborhood,” said Welcomemat Services President and CEO Brian Mattingly.  “The Welcomemat Services concept gives mom and opportunity to be a part of cultivating that community around them, becoming a resource for new families moving into the area and helping others get acclimated and connected to the community.”

Welcomemat Services’ franchise model is locally focused, offers flexible scheduling, provides unique technology and has a low startup cost.  The Atlanta, GA – based company has 11 franchisees with 13 locations with a goal of opening 2000 location during the next five years.

“With a steady stream of new residents every year, Florida offers significant growth opportunities for the Welcomemat Services concept,” said Brian Mattingly, CEO. “We’re excited to have a presence here and welcome David and Mark to our growing team. Like so many of the franchisees in our system, David and Mark both bring years of sales and marketing experience to their new businesses; we look forward to their positive contributions to the system. Other potential markets we’ve identified for expansion include Tampa, St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Orlando, North Palm Beach and Pensacola.

The Welcomemat program is designed to target new residents when they move into an area by presenting them with invitations to try various businesses and organizations, helping them to get acclimated to their new surroundings. Unique in the estimated $133 billion local advertising market, Welcomemat not only provides local businesses access to new loyal customers, but its specialized patented technology stores and logs customer demographics for use by the local businesses it supports. It’s the first and only cooperative mail service to employ proprietary technology that enables new resident information to be barcoded onto every gift check, allowing clients to receive free customized tracking and information reports regarding responses to their offers.

“One thing that has had a positive impact on our growth is that as the franchise matures, our current franchisees are able to validate the system with their results,” said Brian Mattingly, CEO. “Utilizing their success from these franchise opportunities with Welcomemat has been extremely helpful in the recruitment process.”

Additionally, Welcomemat has propelled the brand into the digital marketplace with the recent launch of a new mobile loyalty program that rewards customers for visiting local businesses regularly. The Punchpoints smart phone app helps new residents explore their new neighborhood restaurants, shops and other local service providers. The customer collects Punchpoints by scanning a QR code at each business they visit, and the points are later redeemed for exclusive rewards. With over 30 small businesses in Atlanta currently signed up for the app and over 200 users in the consumer marketplace, Welcomemat plans a nationwide rollout in August.

With its proven business model, large client base and unmatched innovation and sophistication, Welcomemat is well positioned as an up-and-coming franchise brand. Welcomemat franchise owners are not required to have industry experience, but solid sales and networking skills are required to effectively build relationships with advertiser clients. Many franchisees have experience in real estate, sales, marketing or business.

Since franchising began in early 2011, Welcomemat has expanded to 13 franchised units and maintains eight corporate-operated locations. Projections call for the opening of 5 additional franchise locations in 2012 toward a goal of opening 200 locations during the next five years in high-profile, transient markets across the country.

Date May 25, 2012

By Geert De Lombaerde

Welcomemat Services, a young franchisor of advertising bundles to new residents, has signed up a franchisee for the Nashville market. The move is part of a broader national push that seeks to take advantage of a strengthening housing market by adding new technological features to the tried-and-true move-in marketing model.

[I]ts specialized patented technology stores and logs customer demographics for use by the local businesses it supports. It’s the first and only cooperative mail service to employ proprietary technology that enables new resident information to be barcoded onto every gift check, allowing clients to receive free customized tracking and information reports regarding responses to their offers.

July 19, 2012

By Nat Levy

Peggy Gerber loved the view.

After spending much of her life in Indiana and Texas, she wanted something different. She visited Puget Sound a few times to see family and it was evident this was the place for her.

Only one problem: Gerber had three kids to put through school back in Indiana. She made a pact: when the youngest graduates from high school, she is out of there.

That happened last year and Gerber packed up everything she could fit into a 6 x 10 trailer, grabbed the family dog and headed west.

When someone settles into a new area there are a lot of ways one becomes entrenched in the community. Gerber, a new resident of North Bend, took a unique outlet. She started a business.

She purchased a franchise of Welcomemat, a company that tries to connect new residents with local businesses through mailing offers. She invested $50,000 to make the move and the franchise purchase happen, but the former executive said the business was primarily a means to enter the market.

“It’s a way to get me here; it’s something I know I can do,” she said.

Gerber isn’t bothered by the extra workload that comes with small business ownership, as she regularly put in 60 hours a week at her former job.

Her franchise territory covers much of the Eastside, including Bellevue, Issaquah and Redmond. The company obtains information such as change of addresses at banks, cable companies, etc., and then sends mailers with offers, such as discounts at restaurants, to the new residents.

“What really makes this successful is the new person who moves to a community is nobody’s customer,” Gerber said.

Businesses pay approximately $1 per piece of mail sent out. They choose which zip codes to target.

Stan Parente salon in downtown Bellevue is preparing to send out mailers with Welcomemat later this summer. Aaron Parente, assistant to the owner, said the Bellevue Way salon recently received a big renovation and business is really starting to pick up. Now is the time to make a push for new customers, and Parente thinks going after new residents will help build regular customers, rather than the one-off visitors that often come from daily deal promotions.

“We want to get a new long-time client in and build a relationship,” Parente said.

Name:  Brian Mattingly

Age When I Worked This Retail Job:  14

Name of Retailer I Worked For, and Location of Job:  Huey’s New Orleans Cafe located in Atlanta, Georgia – First job was washing dishes and making beignets. Then I ran a delivery service for a Mexican restaurant in college, then waited tables at several restaurants throughout college at Georgia State University.

My Current Job, Industry, or Business: CEO and co-founder of Welcomemat Services, an Atlanta, Georgia based marketing strategies and technology company that provides direct mail gift-checks to people who have recently changed their address.

Lessons Learned:

• The Mexican delivery service taught the concept of entrepreneurship and responsibility in business.
• The serving jobs gave lessons in communication including proper manners, how to listen effectively, sales strategy and connecting with people.

Story by J. Andy Murphy (June 2012)

One of the most important elements of growing a small, locally-owned business is to make sure you capture new customer growth in your own zip code and surrounding areas. Having an established presence oftentimes means competing with national chains that have millions of advertising dollars supporting their famous brands.

An interesting statistic from the United States Postal Service tells us that over 43 million new address changes are processed in a year! In other words, new customers are moving in within your business address area every day. These new residents will have a need for many different types of services and products but may not even know that your business exists. Even worse, they may not know how to reach you.

This is where Julie and Matthew McCord, franchise owners of Welcomemat Services, should be added to your Rolodex as soon as possible. Why so?

Research shows that families and individuals moving into your area are a group of potential customers like no other you have approached before. These customers are actively seeking to discover new neighborhood stores, specialty shops, ice cream and yogurt shops, family restaurants, car repair shops, grocery stores, pet care, cleaners, dentists, doctors, hospitals, and other local resources that they will use to fill their daily needs. And, these new residents will spend 5 times more in their first year of occupancy than the average consumer. If you render the service and they have a good experience with your business, statistics show they will become your most loyal customers. In today’s world, shopping within your own zip code is much preferred.

SO WHAT DOES WELCOMEMAT OFFER?

Welcomemat Services is a marketing strategies and technology company providing monthly direct-mail packages to individuals and families who have recently changed their addresses. Their Welcome to the Neighborhood program is designed to target new residents by presenting professional information on your particular business and location, with a come-see-for-yourself reward of a lovely gift certificate.

“Moving is never easy,” says Julie who worked as a successful real estate agent after she and her architect husband, Matthew, moved to Fishers. “I know what it’s like to feel like a fish out of water. You want to belong, be involved, and to get settled in your new neighborhood. Along with this, you need to quickly find those important businesses and services that your family needs. It can be a daunting discovery experience,” she states.

Welcomemat Services was launched with one goal: To help small businesses think like big businesses. “Our service directly fills the discovery mode for individuals and families when they find themselves in a new area,” said Matthew.

“Welcomemat provides one of the nation’s most technologically-advanced and sophisticated neighborhood welcome packages, which is mailed directly to the new homeowner. It is a nationally recognized and respected neighborhood program that immediately exposes your business to a prospective new customer,” adds Julie.

You can tailor this service to one zip code or several, depending on the desired reach of your business. Different packages contain gift certificates that are limited to one per business per category. This policy allows value and exclusivity for your business, as you are not lumped in with other competitors who also are looking for new customers. To new residents, this quickly identifies a local merchant’s existence (address, product, service, website/Facebook/Twitter) and helps them to quickly become acclimated in their new surroundings. When the gift certificate is presented for redemption, a data program is delivered to the business owner and this action initiates a follow-up “Thank you for your Business” postcard, with another promotional discount offer. “We call it a 3-step program that works … and our research is available to show how successful this program is,” adds Julie.

Matthew and Julie decided to become franchise owners when they discovered Welcomemat Services and the opportunity to own their own business and to grow the business at their own pace. It opened the door for them to become a family business unit that provides a superior business product with the freedom to work together, as well as the flexibility to be really present in their kids’ daily lives.

June 29, 2012

By Sheryl Nance-Nash

Kellie Schomburg is typing with one hand with her naked three year-old son on her lap yelling at the Bubble Guppies on television while her 5 year-old tears her house apart because he can’t find his blue light saber that he apparently needs this very minute. Such family fare is the stuff that she wouldn’t trade for anything – not even the stability of a consistent paycheck from an employer.

Some families where either the mom or dad decided to stay at home with their kids during the early years have decided against going back to the corporate craziness and instead are choosing entrepreneurship.

“My husband and I wanted to do something together for our family. Returning to my previous employer was not an option due to traveling and the required time spent from home,” says Schomburg, who formerly worked for a new home builder overseeing owner walk through and inspections.

So three months ago the Cypress, Texas couple opened Great Play, a kids gym. “The business is so new, but we are very positive about it so far. We were very aware of the risks and know that with our hard work we will have a profitable future.”

Scott Beskid just launched his GameTruck, a mobile game theater that’s a video game paradise and a big hit at parties. The Cleveland father of two boys, a former social worker, had been a stay-at-home dad for nine years. “When I was a social worker, I had no flexibility, I was essentially on-call. When my wife, who worked in business and finance, and I looked at what day care would cost, it didn’t make sense, especially after we had our second child.”

The opportunity to do something new, earn income, yet maintain flexibility, was too good to pass up. “It’s just our third month and we’re almost at full capacity. I work at least six hours a day, but it varies. I can follow up and work at night after the kids are gone to bed. I recently hired a person to run the party and drive the truck so I can run the business,” says Beskid.

He’s not naive about the risks involved in owning a business. “We lost a lot of money in the stock market with the down turn in the economy. We asked ourselves should we keep investing in the stock market in which we have no control or invest in ourselves?”

Entrepreneurship for sure offers challenges, but a year after opening Chyten Education Services, a tutoring business, Jennifer Paidosh is not looking back. In 2004 she had triplets. She worked part-time for awhile, but in 2008 when her position changed, she decided to stay home.

Triplets are expensive, so there was no getting around having to work. “It took me awhile to come to terms with the fact that I had to work. I realized that personally, I still needed to be with my children and that I needed to work it in a way that allowed me the greatest opportunity to be with my children.,” says Paidosh, who had worked in the equipment finance industry in sales, business development and training for 20 years.

“I didn’t want to go back to corporate America and start over. I’m an older mom and I wanted as much flexibility as possible to be with my children. And with my business, I get to talk heart to heart with moms who want the very best for their children, whether it’s ACT/SAT test prep, tutoring in math, reading or study skills,” says Paidosh who lives in Minneapolis. “I have complete flexibility. During the school year, the students don’t come into Chyten until 3 or so. I can take my children to school and then go to the center or I can be at their school for special activities. I can answer calls from anywhere really.”

At times, she says she has thought that it would have been easier if she’d gone back to work for an employer. “The paycheck would have started immediately, my house would be clean because I could hire a cleaning service and my nights and weekends would belong to my family. However, I’d feel bad having my children in before and after school care. This way, I have the flexibility to be with them whenever I want and they’re having a great time bonding with my husband, their dad. I have figured out how to make the negative a positive.”

Last summer, Matt and Julie McCord opened Welcomemat Services, a marketing and technology strategies company that provides direct-mail to new residents. After being a stay-at-home mom for five years, the mother of three children under age 10, she was ready to get back into action. McCord, had worked in real estate, but her former office had closed and her husband had been laid off two times. “We decided to look for something that we could be in charge of, instead of relying on others,” says McCord, who lives in Fishers, Indiana. “We really focused on finding something that would work for us, rather than us for it. We also wanted something we could have a little more control over.”

One year into the business, are there regrets? “Financially it has been a great move. You can never expect or plan on making a lot of money up front, but we have grown at a steady rate.” What’s better still is that there is the flexibility to be active in the children’s daily activities, she says.

In McCord’s world, she is not an anomaly, “I do know quite a few moms that have started working by selling jewelry, make up, or candles from home. They do their own businesses. Those type of businesses are very popular because you own it, and can have the flexibility parents need. You’re also in charge of how fast you grow,” says McCord.

Four people do not make a national trend, but everything starts somewhere. A confluence of factors fuel the theory that, once parents stay-at-home parent, increasingly some are reluctant to get back in the corporate ring.

For some, maybe there is no job to go back to as companies go out of business or down size. Others feel vulnerable in this economy and are want some sense of control, even if it means starting a business in these uncertain times. For all the talk about work-life balance, in many workplaces, it’s still more myth than reality, or real, but costly in terms of career trajectory. It’s not my imagination. In The Career Cost of Family, Harvard Economics Professors Claudia Goldin and Lawrence Katz write, “Some female MBAs with children, especially those with high earning husbands, find the trade offs so steep and leave or engage in self-employment.”

Then too, nostalgia is in the air. Some people are craving a time when family really meant something and you made a living as a farmer or sold your homemade goods at the market. You made a living, but not a killing, and everybody was seemingly happier. Much of the family somehow contributed to the business too.

Without question though, all sentimentality aside, the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well, period. Between 1997 and 2012 the number of businesses in the United States increased by 37 percent, and the number of women-owned firms increased by 54% — a rate 1 1/2 times the national average, according to The American Express Open The State of Women-Owned Businesses Report.

Maybe the trend is really nothing more than people deciding to swim upstream because they’ve figured out what’s most important isn’t the corner office, but a chance to be creative, to have control, to live in a house that is indeed a home.

Says Schomburg, “There are a lot of moms around here who start selling things that they make like bows, bags and dresses. It helps ease into a new career and when they get a little busier they open their own store online or even with a store front. I also think while staying at home women are always thinking of things they can do or would love to do. When the time comes to get back into the working field they have a better idea of what they want or need to make it work. A lot of times it is working on their own and for themselves.”

After the move, Jones worked to decide what his next career move would be. His experiences in the non-profit world allowed him to be his own boss and steer his own course, and he felt that becoming a small business owner would offer a fresh start. Jones ultimately found the Welcomemat Services concept to be the perfect opportunity and opened for business in May. The marketing strategies and technology company provides direct-mail gift checks to new residents throughout Buncombe County including Asheville, Black Mountain, Swannanoa, Hendersonville, Canton, Tryon, Flat Creek and surrounding areas.

“Being a recent mover myself, the Welcomemat concept made sense to me as a business opportunity,” said Jones. “As I researched potential career investments, I realized it would have been nice to receive a Welcomemat package in the mail as a new mover. I know we’re providing a valuable resource to not only newcomers in the community but local small business owners as well.”

Welcomemat helps the local community on two levels. First, it helps small business owners steadily build a stream of fresh loyal customers, ultimately growing the business and helping the local economy. Second, it helps individuals and families get acclimated to their new environment by helping them build loyal relationships with high-quality local businesses.

Welcomemat works by sending personalized packages of gift certificates to new residents that they can use at local businesses. Targeting the new resident segment and providing them with the services and products to fill their daily needs helps drive an influx of new repeat customers to local shops and businesses. Patented technology enables new resident information to be bar-coded onto every certificate, allowing local businesses to receive free, customized tracking and information reports regarding their offers. After a customer uses a gift certificate, the business returns it to Welcomemat. The bar code is scanned and the resulting information is provided back to the business in an easy-to-read data sheet profiling the client’s new customers and providing demographics such as the customer’s name, gender and income level. Welcomemat uses data from more than 35 sources to locate newcomer addresses.

New residents receive their Welcomemat package within 30 to 90 days of moving in, depending upon how quickly the consumer changes their address information. Offers include such things as free dry cleaning, complimentary haircuts or free car washes sent to thousands of new families in various communities each year.

Welcomemat began franchising in 2010 after receiving nearly $2 million in capital investment from private investors. Welcomemat has nine franchised locations as well as corporate-operated offices in Atlanta, Charlotte and Greenville, S.C. Projections call for the opening of 12 franchise locations in 2012 toward a goal of opening 200 locations during the next five years in high-profile, transient markets across the country.

Founder and CEO Brian Mattingly took the opportunity to bestow top franchisees with prestigious awards. Among them, Westfield, Ind.-based owners Dave and Sheryl Eickman were named Franchise of the Year, based on a series and ranking of Welcomemat key performance indicators. Wilmington, N.C. owners Frank and Shelli Bernardini were runners up for the award.

“We’re thrilled to have Dave and Sheryl on the Welcomemat team,” said Mattingly. “Over the past year, they have shown extreme dedication to their business. It was a hard decision with so many deserving owners, but Dave and Sheryl proved themselves and exceeded our expectations as new franchisees.”

Since franchising began in early 2011, Welcomemat has expanded to 10 franchised units and maintains seven corporate-operated locations. Projections call for the opening of eight additional franchise locations in 2012 toward a goal of opening 200 locations during the next five years in high-profile, transient markets across the country.

One of the fastest ways to boost sales is through licensing, franchising, partnerships and other sorts of alliances with other businesses. These arrangements help you tap capital, systems, energy and imagination of other enterprises, including much larger and more sophisticated ones. They’re not free or risk-free, and they aren’t for everyone, but they are worth looking into.

Forming a Franchise

Brian Mattingly, CEO and co-founder of Welcomemat Services, an Atlanta-based company that delivers monthly direct-mail packages to people who have recently moved, says that he began offering franchises in 2010 after eight years as an independent. “We recognized the value of having a local Welcomemat Services owner working and consulting with small businesses and organizations in their local community,” Mattingly says.

In fact, when Mattingly and his partner started Welcomemat they had franchising in mind. It took eight years to refine systems, obtain patents and raise nearly $2 million in investments to become a franchiser. During that time they opened a dozen corporate locations in four states and studied them to find out what worked.

In just over a year of franchising, they’ve opened 10 franchisee locations in seven states, with plans for more in 2012. The experience convinced Mattingly that their original vision was on target.

“We are significantly increasing overall new revenue each month and most important, our franchisees are experiencing positive margins, building recurring revenue, and building positive equity in their businesses,” he says.

Franchising Facts

Franchising is one of the most common ways for businesses to join together. The International Franchise Association says there are nearly 750,000 franchised business locations in the U.S., generating nearly $8 billion in annual combined sales. Bradenton Beach, Fla., franchise consultant Rick Bisio, the co-author of The Educated Franchisee Workbook, says that like Mattingly’s experience indicates, the process of becoming a franchiser is long, complex and expensive. While it can be exceptionally rewarding, he suggests that for most businesses it makes more sense to become a franchisee.

Why? Bisio says that small and medium-size businesses struggle to compete against larger organizations in everything from advertising campaigns and search-engine optimization to customer relationship management and brand development.

“By joining a really high-quality franchise operation, these advantages can be secured more cost-effectively,” Bisio says.

A franchisee usually pays a one-time upfront franchise fee to a franchiser, plus a percentage of ongoing sales. The franchiser provides training, branding, proven systems, marketing, advertising, lead generation, bulk purchasing and other advantages. When an existing business joins a franchise system, it is called a conversion franchise. Not all franchise systems welcome conversions, although the combination can benefit both parties.

Franchisee fees, which may run to five or even six figures, and royalties of typically 5 percent to 10 percent of sales are a significant burden. Bisio encourages would-be franchisees to talk to existing franchisees to make sure that joining the franchise adds enough sales to justify these costs. And he warns that being a franchisee isn’t right for most existing business owners, because they’re used to doing things their way.

“The hard part is, you have to be willing to change,” he says. “Many independents are fiercely resistant to this. However, if you’re going to maximize the value of the relationship to the entrepreneur, you have to change.”

The Alliance Way

Alliances, partnerships and joint ventures are other ways to boost sales by tapping into another organization’s strengths, often with fewer costs and constraints than franchising. The idea is to find someone who has built or bought what you need, and will share it in exchange for something you have.

“It’s using other people’s capital investment in their business to leverage your business,” says Naples, Fla., alliance consultant Robert Porter Lynch, CEO of the Warren Company and author of Business Alliances: The Hidden Competitive Weapon.

Such arrangements can range from simply agreeing to have a company carry your product in its distribution channel to jointly designing new products. One big benefit is time savings. An alliance can place your products into pre-existing channel or market in a fraction of the time it would take to build or develop the capabilities yourself.

Alliances aren’t free, however. Each alliance must have someone dedicated to managing it, Lynch says. And there are risks. Think twice or more before doing an alliance that requires relinquishing truly critical intellectual property, Lynch says. And only ally with people whose strategy complements yours, and who you can trust.

“You don’t do an alliance just because it’s your buddy you went to college with or you go golfing together,” Lynch says.

Licensing Lowdown

Perhaps the least-expensive way to boost sales is by piggybacking on someone else’s technology, distribution, manufacturing or other asset through licensing.

“Licensing is really simple. You’re basically renting an idea to a company. Every time they sell something based on that idea, you get paid,” says Stephen Key, a Modesto, Calif., entrepreneur who has licensed many ideas to other companies and also authored One Simple Idea: Turn Your Dreams into a Licensing Goldmine While Letting Others Do the Work.

Speed is one licensing benefit. A business can license an idea for a product to a larger company with pre-existing manufacturing, distribution and sales much faster than if it had to create the capabilities from scratch. That means sales can ramp up faster. It also can require significantly less investment than franchising or partnering.

Licensing also isn’t without risk or cost. Key says you must be careful not to license to a direct competitor. You also have to set performance benchmarks in the contract so that if the licensee isn’t selling enough, the license will be revoked.

While it may sound like licensing, alliances and franchising are too tricky to consider, in reality these are among the most common activities in business. Countless such arrangements are created every year, and the reason that continues is because collectively they represent one of the best sales-boosting tools in any business’s kit.

Learn more in OPEN Forum’s Sales Check-In 2012 series.

Welcomemat Services of Charleston has been operating as a corporate-owned territory since 2005. Rhea has been successful out of the gates with his operation in Augusta, but growth is limited due to the city’s small size. With family having lived in the Charleston area before, relocating to expand in the Charleston market just made sense for Rhea.

“When I saw how much potential this business had in a smaller town like Augusta, I immediately began thinking about expansion,” said Rhea. “Geographically, Charleston was the logical choice and Welcomemat already has a proven track record here. I’m looking forward to bringing a more personal touch to all of Welcomemat’s Charleston clients as the new local owner.”

Welcomemat mailing packages contain a select number of custom designed gift checks elegantly printed and personalized for each new resident, intended specifically to introduce them to neighborhood retailers and service providers. The “new resident” segment of consumers – who are actively seeking restaurants, health-care providers, auto care and more – is often ignored but represents one of the hottest markets available to businesses.

“After relocating numerous times over the past two years, I personally see a need for these services within the local community,” said Rhea. “I’m excited to not only help new movers adjust during what can often be a stressful and tumultuous time, but to also help small businesses prosper by giving them access to these new loyal customers.”

Many small business owners don’t realize the value of the mover market and how it pertains to customer loyalty. New residents are a unique market segment, actively seeking out neighborhood stores, shops and restaurants to provide them with services and products to fill their daily needs.

“Although ‘one-time’ mass discount programs are currently an extremely popular marketing tool, they don’t typically generate returning customers,” said Rhea. “The Welcomemat program takes a more strategic approach to getting new customers and actually retaining them.”

Welcomemat is the first and only cooperative mail service to employ patented technology that enables new resident information to be bar-coded onto every gift check, allowing local businesses to receive free, customized tracking and information reports regarding responses to their offers. After a customer uses a gift check, the business returns it to Welcomemat. The bar code is scanned and the resulting information is provided back to the business in an easy-to-read data sheet profiling the client’s new customers and providing demographics such as the customer’s name, gender, income level, neighborhood and home value. Welcomemat uses data from more than 35 sources to locate newcomer addresses.

Welcomemat Services of Charleston serves the communities of Mount Pleasant, West Ashley, Daniel Island, James Island, Johns Island, Folly Beach, North Charleston and Isle of Palms. Rhea would like to continue to grow the brand throughout the state and has his eyes on Columbia where he plans to expand within the next 18 months. Welcomemat has worked with many notable businesses in the Charleston area such as Cactus Car Wash, South Carolina Aquarium, The Crab Shacks, Pearlz Oyster Bar and TBonz Restaurant Group.

Welcomemat began franchising in 2010 after receiving nearly $2 million in capital investment from private investors. In addition to Rhea’s two locations in Augusta and Charleston, Welcomemat has franchised operations in Indianapolis; Columbus, Ohio; Wilmington, N.C.; Asheville, N.C.; Hilton Head, S.C.; Bellevue, Wash.; Nashville, Tenn., as well as corporate-operated offices in Atlanta, Charlotte and Greenville, S.C. Projections call for the opening of 12 franchise locations in 2012 toward a goal of opening 200 locations during the next five years in high-profile, transient markets across the country.

Welcomemat—a company that specializes in providing targeted new customer prospects to small businesses, professional service companies, restaurants and local attractions—was the perfect fit for Eickman, who left the real estate industry for a more flexible career that would allow her to set her own schedule and spend more time with her family, which includes her husband, three children and one grandchild. Eickman runs Welcomemat Services in Westfield along with her husband Dave, who brings an extensive background in business development and finance to the company.

Eickman’s long-term career working in the local real estate market means she knows better than anyone what types of businesses are most useful to new residents. Imagine moving to a new community for the first time—it takes time and research to find quality local businesses that provide necessities like dry cleaning services, dentistry, restaurants, retail services, etc. The Welcomemat program is designed to help new residents by presenting them with invitations to try various businesses and organizations, a service that helps them get acclimated to their new surroundings. Knowing exactly what types of businesses and services are most useful to new residents, Eickman works with a variety of businesses to provide a package of elegantly printed gift checks personalized for each new resident of family.

Welcomemat is also a valuable tool to local businesses. While “one-time” mass discount offers don’t typically generate returning customers, Welcomemat’s loyalty program is targeted at a specific market, representing a more strategic approach to getting new customers and retaining them. With a patented technology that enables new resident information to be bar-codes onto every check, local businesses receive free, customized tracking and information reports regarding responses to their offers. After a customer uses a gift check, the business returns it to Welcomemat. The bar code is scanned and the resulting information is provided back to the business in an easy-to-read data sheet profiling the client’s new customers and providing demographics such as the customer’s name, gender, income level, neighborhood and home value. Welcomemat uses data from more than 35 sources to locate newcomer addresses.

New residents receive their Welcomemat package within 30 to 120 days of moving in, with offers for such things as $15 of free dry cleaning, complimentary haircuts or free car washes sent to hundreds of thousands of families across the country each year.
As Eickman approaches her first year since launching Welcomemat Services in Westfield, she has already enjoyed fast sales growth as she begins to work with more and more local businesses. She’s quickly discovered that along with the flexibility of being your own boss also comes a huge time commitment and a lot of hard work, but Eickman is up to the challenge.

“Owning your own business is a great dream and there’s a lot of pride in it but to be successful you have to be prepared for a lot of hard work,” Eickman said. “I’ve always wanted to run my own business and Welcomemat has provided the perfect vehicle for me to do what I’ve always wanted with my career.”

Welcomemat Services of Westfield serves Noblesville, Westfield, Carmel, Zionsville, Brownsburg, Avon, Plainfield, Speedway, and the northwest Indy metro area.

Aside from the stresses associated with moving to a new community, new residents also have to seek out trustworthy places to do business with, which isn’t an easy task. Now settled and comfortable in her community, McCord, a former real estate agent who left the industry to spend more time with her kids as a stay-at-home-mom—decided to pursue a career connecting new residents with local businesses, easing their transition into their new community.

Along with the support of her husband Matthew, Julie opened Welcomemat Services in Fishers in July 2011. Welcomemat—a company that specializes in providing targeted new customer prospects to small businesses, professional service companies, restaurants and local attractions—provides a valuable service by connecting new residents with local businesses. Welcomemat helps the local community on two levels. First, it helps small business owners steadily build a stream of fresh loyal customers, ultimately growing the business and helping the local economy. Second, it helps individuals and families get acclimated to their new environment by helping them build loyal relationships with high quality local businesses.

“It’s so easy to get lost in a new community—everything is new and it becomes overwhelming to know where all the best local places are,” McCord said. “Your mindset automatically goes to what is known, which, unfortunately for small local businesses, is usually the larger companies that existed in your last town, and not necessarily the businesses that make your new town great.”

Welcomemat works by sending personalized packages of gift certificates to new residents that they can use at local businesses. Targeting the new resident segment and providing them with the services and products to fill their daily needs helps drive an influx of new repeat customers to local shops and businesses. Patented technology enables new resident information to be bar-coded onto every certificate, allowing local businesses to receive free, customized tracking and information reports regarding responses to their offers. After a customer uses a gift certificate, the business returns it to Welcomemat. The bar code is scanned and the resulting information is provided back to the business in an easy-to-read data sheet profiling the client’s new customers and providing demographics such as the customer’s name, gender, and income level. Welcomemat uses data from more than 35 sources to locate newcomer addresses.

New residents receive their Welcomemat package within 30 to 90 days of moving in, depending upon how quickly the consumer changes their address information. Offers include such things as free dry cleaning, complimentary haircuts or free car washes sent to thousands of new families in various communities each year.

“Welcomemat is different because it builds loyalty,” McCord said. “Your mind makes up its choice of where you’re going to take your repeat business within the first few months of moving somewhere, so by targeting these customers specifically, we really provide an invaluable service to business owners.”

SportsClips in Fishers has been a Welcomemat client since September 2011 and has already welcomed over 120 new clients through their door since joining the service. Welcomemat’s detailed monthly report also tells SportsClips owners that the average client coming into their Fishers location off the program lives in a single-family home, makes about $104,000 in annual income and is about 36.8 years old. That kind of detailed demographic data can be potentially useful for SportsClips as they explore additional avenues of marketing.

As the proprietors of three locations in the Indianapolis area, the owners of the Fishers location have already decided to expand to include a second store. They now mail gift certificates to about 565 new households each month.

Outside of Welcomemat, the McCord’s stay deeply involved in their local community and are involved with the American Cancer Society Relay for Life in Fishers, with Julie serving as co-chair and Matthew as the logistics chair.

The McCords’ Welcomemat business serves Fishers, Geist, northeastern Indianapolis, McCordsville, Fortville, Greenfield, Broad Ripple, Meridian Hills, Keystone, Castleton, Lawrence, Farmington, Downtown Indianapolis, and Beech Grove.

Frank and Shelli chose Welcomemat Services—a company that specializes in providing targeted new customer prospects to small businesses, professional service companies, restaurants and local attractions—and opened the business in September 2011 in Wilmington, serving a 60-mile stretch from Wilmington to Myrtle Beach. Welcomemat Services was the perfect choice for the Bernardinis because it not only gives local businesses access to new loyal customers, but it provides a valuable service to new residents by delivering custom-designed gift checks to their doors intended to introduce them to neighborhood retailers and service providers.

“We’re really excited to be making Welcomemat Services a thriving business here in Wilmington and also to be helping other small businesses in the process,” Shelli said. “Our goal is to do two things—introduce new residents in the community to local businesses and make enough money to earn a living.”

Welcomemat provides a valuable tool to local businesses with a patented technology that enables new resident information to be bar-coded onto every check, allowing local businesses to receive free, customized tracking and information reports regarding responses to their offers. After a customer uses a gift check, the business returns it to Welcomemat. The bar code is scanned and the resulting information is provided back to the business in an easy-to-read data sheet profiling the client’s new customers and providing demographics such as the customer’s name, gender, income level, neighborhood and home value. Welcomemat uses data from more than 35 sources to locate newcomer addresses.

New residents receive their Welcomemat package within 30 to 120 days of moving in, with offers for such things as $15 of free dry cleaning, complimentary haircuts or free car washes sent to hundreds of thousands of families across the country each year.
As the Bernardinis enter the next new exciting chapter of their careers with Welcomemat, the couple is looking forward to running a successful business that allows them to live the American dream.

“As the economy begins to recover, we are very optimistic about the future and our decision to bring Welcomemat to Wilmington,” Shelli said. “We truly believe in the Welcomemat product and look forward to helping local businesses gain loyal customers.”

Payne’s desire to be a small business owner was ignited while he was working on his MBA at Vanderbilt University more than 10 years ago. However, it wasn’t until he was downsized in February from his position as a client relationship manager at a regional bank that he saw the opportunity to pursue his passion.

“I’m very excited to be starting this new phase of my professional life,” said Payne. “For the past 10 years I have considered branching out on my own and I truly believe leaving the bank was the best thing that could have happened to me. Welcomemat has provided an excellent opportunity to start fresh. I look forward to serving my community in a new way outside of the banking world.”

Welcomemat helps the local community on two levels. First, it helps small business owners steadily build a stream of fresh loyal customers, ultimately growing the business and helping the local economy. Second, it helps individuals and families get acclimated to their new environment by helping them build loyal relationships with high-quality local businesses. Payne’s location services Franklin, South Nashville, Green Hills, Brentwood and Spring Hill. As president of the board of directors for Franktown Open Hearts, a local ministry that aims to help inner-city youth, Payne is already deeply rooted in community initiatives and views the Welcomemat concept as another way to get involved.

Welcomemat works by sending personalized packages of gift certificates to new residents that they can use at local businesses. Targeting the new resident segment and providing them with the services and products to fill their daily needs helps drive an influx of new repeat customers to local shops and businesses. Patented technology enables new resident information to be bar-coded onto every certificate, allowing local businesses to receive free, customized tracking and information reports regarding their offers. After a customer uses a gift certificate, the business returns it to Welcomemat. The bar code is scanned and the resulting information is provided back to the business in an easy-to-read data sheet profiling the client’s new customers and providing demographics such as the customer’s name, gender and income level. Welcomemat uses data from more than 35 sources to locate newcomer addresses.

New residents receive their Welcomemat package within 30 to 90 days of moving in, depending upon how quickly the consumer changes their address information. Offers include such things as free dry cleaning, complimentary haircuts or free car washes sent to thousands of new families in various communities each year.

Welcomemat began franchising in 2010 after receiving nearly $2 million in capital investment from private investors. Welcomemat has nine franchised locations as well as corporate-operated offices in Atlanta, Charlotte and Greenville, S.C. Projections call for the opening of 12 franchise locations in 2012 toward a goal of opening 200 locations during the next five years in high-profile, transient markets across the country.

A friend turned her on to a franchise concept called Welcomemat Services, a marketing and technology strategies company that provides direct-mail specifically to new movers. The corporate office was looking for a franchisee to operate the business in Washington State and Gerber jumped on the chance to relocate. Packing just her clothes, bedroom furniture and her son’s dog, Zeus, Gerber travelled cross-country in a 4X6 trailer to start her new life and her new business in Bellevue.

“I’m extremely excited about starting a new chapter in my life,” said Gerber. “For so long I’ve desired to venture out of the Midwest to pursue something I could be passionate about and Welcomemat has given me that opportunity. I’m looking forward to not only meeting new friends but building a successful business in my new community.”

Welcomemat helps the local community on two levels. First, it helps small business owners steadily build a stream of fresh loyal customers, ultimately growing the business and helping the local economy. Second, it helps individuals and families get acclimated to their new environment by helping them build loyal relationships with high-quality local businesses. Gerber’s location services Bellevue, Sammamish, Issaquah, Renton, New Castle and Maple Valley.

Welcomemat works by sending personalized packages of gift certificates to new residents that they can use at local businesses. Targeting the new resident segment and providing them with the services and products to fill their daily needs helps drive an influx of new repeat customers to local shops and businesses. Patented technology enables new resident information to be bar-coded onto every certificate, allowing local businesses to receive free, customized tracking and information reports regarding their offers. After a customer uses a gift certificate, the business returns it to Welcomemat. The bar code is scanned and the resulting information is provided back to the business in an easy-to-read data sheet profiling the client’s new customers and providing demographics such as the customer’s name, gender and income level. Welcomemat uses data from more than 35 sources to locate newcomer addresses.

New residents receive their Welcomemat package within 30 to 90 days of moving in, depending upon how quickly the consumer changes their address information. Offers include such things as free dry cleaning, complimentary haircuts or free car washes sent to thousands of new families in various communities each year.

Welcomemat began franchising in 2010 after receiving nearly $2 million in capital investment from private investors. Welcomemat has nine franchised locations as well as corporate-operated offices in Atlanta, Charlotte and Greenville, S.C. Projections call for the opening of 12 franchise locations in 2012 toward a goal of opening 200 locations during the next five years in high-profile, transient markets across the country.

• As seen in CNBC
• Consumers have gotten savvier about finding good bargains, so businesses have to work harder to build customer loyalty. Offering them one-time deals doesn’t work anymore.

Read More

(Charleston, S.C.)—Having moved three times over the past year, Charleston resident Randy Rhea knows how difficult it can be for people to get acquainted and familiar with their new community or neighborhood. The Atlanta native relocated to Augusta, Ga., in July 2011 and recently packed up again to move to Charleston. His first-hand experience of trying to navigate new cities was the impetus behind purchasing Charleston’s Welcomemat Services, a marketing strategies and technology company that specializes in providing monthly direct-mail packages to new movers to help them get acclimated to their surroundings. Rhea formerly worked as a commercial real estate agent before moving to Augusta where he launched his original Welcomemat business in November 2011.

Welcomemat Services of Charleston has been operating as a corporate-owned territory since 2005. Rhea has been successful out of the gates with his operation in Augusta, but growth is limited due to the city’s small size. With family having lived in the Charleston area before, relocating to expand in the Charleston market just made sense for Rhea.

“When I saw how much potential this business had in a smaller town like Augusta, I immediately began thinking about expansion,” said Rhea. “Geographically, Charleston was the logical choice and Welcomemat already has a proven track record here. I’m looking forward to bringing a more personal touch to all of Welcomemat’s Charleston clients as the new local owner.”

Welcomemat mailing packages contain a select number of custom designed gift checks elegantly printed and personalized for each new resident, intended specifically to introduce them to neighborhood retailers and service providers. The “new resident” segment of consumers – who are actively seeking restaurants, health-care providers, auto care and more – is often ignored but represents one of the hottest markets available to businesses.

“After relocating numerous times over the past two years, I personally see a need for these services within the local community,” said Rhea. “I’m excited to not only help new movers adjust during what can often be a stressful and tumultuous time, but to also help small businesses prosper by giving them access to these new loyal customers.”

Many small business owners don’t realize the value of the mover market and how it pertains to customer loyalty. New residents are a unique market segment, actively seeking out neighborhood stores, shops and restaurants to provide them with services and products to fill their daily needs.

“Although ‘one-time’ mass discount programs are currently an extremely popular marketing tool, they don’t typically generate returning customers,” said Rhea. “The Welcomemat program takes a more strategic approach to getting new customers and actually retaining them.”

Welcomemat is the first and only cooperative mail service to employ patented technology that enables new resident information to be bar-coded onto every gift check, allowing local businesses to receive free, customized tracking and information reports regarding responses to their offers. After a customer uses a gift check, the business returns it to Welcomemat. The bar code is scanned and the resulting information is provided back to the business in an easy-to-read data sheet profiling the client’s new customers and providing demographics such as the customer’s name, gender, income level, neighborhood and home value. Welcomemat uses data from more than 35 sources to locate newcomer addresses.

Welcomemat Services of Charleston serves the communities of Mount Pleasant, West Ashley, Daniels Island, James Island, Johns Island, Folly Beach, North Charleston and Isle of Palms. Rhea would like to continue to grow the brand throughout the state and has his eyes on Columbia where he plans to expand within the next 18 months. Welcomemat has worked with many notable businesses in the Charleston area such as Cactus Car Wash, South Carolina Aquarium, The Crab Shacks, Pearlz Oyster Bar and TBonz Restaurant Group.

Welcomemat began franchising in 2010 after receiving nearly $2 million in capital investment from private investors. In addition to Rhea’s two locations in Augusta and Charleston, Welcomemat has franchised operations in Indianapolis; Columbus, Ohio; Wilmington, N.C.; Asheville, N.C.; Hilton Head, S.C.; Bellevue, Wash.; Nashville, Tenn., as well as corporate-operated offices in Atlanta, Charlotte and Greenville, S.C. Projections call for the opening of 12 franchise locations in 2012 toward a goal of opening 200 locations during the next five years in high-profile, transient markets across the country.

“Couples make a great fit for the Welcomemat Services franchise system. They enjoy the flexibility of the business and are able to divide up daily tasks based on their different skill sets,” said Brian Mattingly, CEO of Welcomemat Services.

Frank and Shelli Bernardini opened a Welcomemat Services franchise in Wilmington, N.C. and North Myrtle Beach, S.C. in September 2011.

“I think it’s good for couples because you can be located out of your home so there is no overhead there. You can discuss business regularly. You do not have to hire anyone for office work. You will kind of create the same schedule so you can plan things around the business,” Shelli said.

Welcomemat currently has franchisees in Indianapolis, Ind.; Columbus, Ohio; Wilmington, N.C.; Hilton Head Island, S.C. and Augusta, GA. Corporate offices include Atlanta, GA, Charlotte, N.C.; Charleston, S.C.; Columbia, S.C.; and Greenville, S.C. Projections call for opening of 12 franchise locations in 2012 toward a goal of opening over 100 locations in the next five years.

st. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!