| First, let's cover our bases. What exactly is a | | | | on your area, to find the names of newcomers. In |
| Welcoming Service? A Welcoming Service serves | | | | some areas, the water or electric departments area |
| two purposes: 1.) to welcome newcomers to the area | | | | good source. The courthouse always keeps records |
| & 2.) to support and market area businesses. This | | | | of new people moving into the area. If you have any |
| service involves soliciting sponsors from area | | | | connections with real estate agents, those may be |
| businesses, creating a pretty gift bag, compiling a list of | | | | good sources too. I know some people who use title |
| newcomers and making the delivery. Sound easy? | | | | companies and pay a monthly fee for access to their |
| Well, it is, in theory. Putting these ideas to work can be | | | | lists. If your area has a newspaper with a good |
| a little more complicated. | | | | website, many times you can find these names and |
| Basically, what the consumer (newcomer) gets is a | | | | addresses in the Real Estate section. Having a rough |
| nice, friendly welcome from you & a beautiful gift | | | | estimate of how many newcomers move in monthly |
| bag filled with goodies from area businesses. Since | | | | will be a deciding factor to many sponsors. Some may |
| Welcome Services are individually owned and | | | | not want to spend a lot of money through this form of |
| operated, you can choose what types of 'gifts' you | | | | advertising, while others will want to reach as many |
| want sponsors to include. Some welcome services | | | | people as possible. |
| allow sponsors to include coupons or generic | | | | I would also recommend having some businesses |
| advertising flyers and such. Other, more selective | | | | cards printed up. You can find a few websites that |
| welcoming services will only allow promotional items or | | | | offer free business cards, others are very inexpensive |
| gift certificates. It is generally up to you how to | | | | or you can buy business card stock and print them up |
| approach this. Some businesses may not have | | | | yourself. It may also be wise to print up some |
| promotional items available, and this might be a chance | | | | informational letters about your business. Keep it simple |
| for you to team up with a promotional items company | | | | and to the point, and use bullets to highlight your |
| and earn some commissions from those businesses. | | | | services and what it will offer the sponsors. |
| From a consumer standpoint, the advertising that will | | | | Remember: to businesses, the bottom line is what you |
| stick out in their minds will be the gift certificate and | | | | can do for them, they don't really care about the rest. |
| promotional items. Those don't generally end up in the | | | | After you have a good estimate of the number of |
| trash like junk mailers often do. I know from personal | | | | bags you will deliver monthly and you have some |
| experience that if I get a nice fridge magnet or a pen, I | | | | sponsors set up, please be sure to have the sponsors |
| am not going to just throw it away. Flyers and | | | | sign a contract. In your contract, you should state the |
| coupons, in my house at least, get tossed upon arrival. | | | | purpose of your Welcome Service, the fee-per-bag, |
| Experienced Welcome Services will usually advise you | | | | when and how you wish to be paid. You will also need |
| to stress the importance of actual gifts to your | | | | to set up a time on a monthly or weekly basis to meet |
| sponsors. That said; please use common sense when | | | | with your sponsors to pick up their promotional |
| approaching the sponsors about their items. You | | | | material. Once you have all of your bases covered, |
| certainly wouldn't want to lose a sponsor simply | | | | you are ready to start putting your bags together. |
| because you are too stubborn to bend your rules here | | | | You can make your bags as simple or as elegant and |
| and there. | | | | you wish. I recommend scooping out a dollar store of |
| Sponsors are paying to advertise in your bag. A good | | | | some kind and find some attractive bags to use. |
| businessperson will understand the importance of | | | | Ribbons and tissue paper should also be purchased |
| gaining the newcomers as customers. If they can | | | | and any other inexpensive ornaments you desire to |
| catch them before their competitors do and they | | | | spice up your bags too. You should aim to make your |
| provide excellent service, it is highly likely that they will | | | | bag attractive, yet don't go overboard since these |
| gain a loyal and repeat customer. Most businesspeople | | | | expenses cut into your profit. After you have your |
| will tell you that it is much easier to keep existing | | | | supplies and promotional items in hand, feel free to |
| customers than to solicit new ones. From my | | | | arrange your bag in any manner that you see fit. |
| experience, most businesses are very receptive to this | | | | Simple elegance is a sure-fire way to impress just |
| idea of personalized advertising. | | | | about any newcomer. |
| Think about a time when you were new to an area. | | | | It is recommended that you attempt to contact the |
| What kind of businesses or services were you | | | | newcomer prior to the delivery. A quick phone call to |
| interested in knowing more about? Doctors, dentists, | | | | say hello and tell them who you are is an easy way to |
| pharmacies, churches, beauty shops, daycares and | | | | set up a meeting time. If you cannot find a contact |
| plumbers are just a few of the businesses that | | | | phone number, you can always drop the bag off |
| newcomers will need to know about. I suggest | | | | without notice, however, this should only be done in |
| thumbing through the Yellow Pages or even looking at | | | | extreme circumstances. Be friendly and open with the |
| your local Chamber of Commerce's website to make | | | | newcomer; most will be glad to see a smiling face in |
| a list of potential sponsors. The possibilities are endless | | | | an area that they don't know anyone. They will be |
| and you should always be on the lookout for new | | | | very appreciative of your gifts and may even ask you |
| sponsors. Joining your local Chamber of Commerce is | | | | questions about the area. Be prepared for them to ask |
| also a great networking tool. | | | | you some common questions such as shopping |
| Though prices vary, it is up to you to set a price for | | | | centers, daycares, doctors, churches, etc. The point of |
| sponsors who wish to advertise. You want to be sure | | | | your visit is not only to bring them the gift bag, but also |
| you are making a profit after all of your expenses, but | | | | to sincerely welcome them to the area and make |
| at the same time you do not want to overwhelm the | | | | them feel at home. |
| sponsors. Another good rule of thumb is to set your | | | | Your income from this business can vary greatly, but |
| prices at a decent rate in order to allow yourself some | | | | mostly depends on your drive and determination. Don't |
| room to increase that price in following years. Always | | | | assume that just because you live in a very rural area |
| take into consideration your gas prices, prices for any | | | | that it can't work. Likewise, don't assume that because |
| lists of newcomers you may have to purchase, and | | | | you are in a metropolitan area that you will breeze |
| gift bag materials. I have seen sponsor prices range | | | | through the processes. Take your time in learning |
| anywhere from $2.00-$3.00 per bag delivered. | | | | about area businesses, look at local newspapers to |
| Another great method of selling your service to | | | | see who is advertising. Getting a good feel for your |
| sponsors is the monthly delivery list. You should | | | | market area is a necessary first step. Let's say for |
| prepare a list at the end of each month detailing your | | | | example you are charging $2.50 per sponsor, per bag |
| deliveries. The family's name, address and phone | | | | delivered and you secure 20 sponsors. You have a |
| number should be listed here. Not only does that serve | | | | rough estimate of 20 bags a month to be delivered. |
| as an invoice to the sponsors, it also provides them | | | | Before the costs of the bags and accessories (which |
| with a little extra marketing tool. You should ask them | | | | should be minimal), you have a gross total of $1,000 |
| not to abuse this information, but they can use it to mail | | | | per month. That, in my opinion, is a very good income |
| promotional and information items in the future. | | | | for such a very part time and flexible job. This is just |
| When calling upon sponsors it will be important to have | | | | an estimate - profit may be more or less depending on |
| a rough estimate of how many bags you will deliver | | | | what you put into it. |
| each month. Several sources are available, depending | | | | |