Adrienne Schodtler may be too busy at the salon to reach out personally to each of her new neighbors in the town of Fuquay-Varina, N.C., but Schodtler, owner of Nails by Adrienne, employs a service called New Neighbor to do just that. “New Neighbor receives lists of new homeowners in the area and visits them with a complimentary basket full of gifts from local businesses,” she says. “The cost is $3 per visit plus the cost of the supplies put in the basket (card, service menu, samples, etc.). My ladies average 50 visits per month. At the end of the month I receive all of the contact info for those that have been visited so I can follow up with the residents through mail, e-mail, or phone.” She includes a coupon for a complimentary express manicure because it is a quick and inexpensive service.

While Schodtler has found this face-to-face marketing approach effective, that may not always be feasible. So techs can orchestrate mini mail or e-mail campaigns by obtaining the addresses of people who have recently moved in from their local chamber of commerce. There are also companies like Moving Targets (www.movingtargets.com) that will, for a fee, provide you with mailing opportunities.