Is your business relocating? Perhaps your lease is up and you're hoping to find something larger or more affordable? Or, are you just looking for a change – new year, new location, right?
There's more to it than simply signing a lease, packing up some boxes, loading the truck and watching it drive off to the new location. Regardless of where you move, when you move or how you move, it is important that you notify anyone who interacts with your company. From customers, to vendors, to business partners and anyone in between, a tangible relocation letter that lists the company's new information is crucial.
Here's how to effectively plan, write and deliver your relocation letters:
Plan of action
Strategize and develop a plan early on in the moving process. You may think a simple relocation letter isn't a big deal and can be done at the last minute, but this letter is important if you want to effectively reach the individuals and organizations you do business with on a regular basis?
Start planning at least six weeks prior to moving day, as this should give you plenty of time to brainstorm who to target, build a mailing list, gather addresses and, of course, actually write the letter. Plan to send your letters out three weeks before you're out of the old location. This will provide customers, vendors and others involved in your business with plenty of time to adjust to the change, update their records and even come into the storefront to ask questions about the move.
Who to contact
You want to make sure that everyone affected by your company's move is adequately informed, so developing a thorough list of who to reach out to is significant. This is especially important if you don't want to see a decline in your business. Credit card companies, banks, utility companies, advertisers, government agencies, customers and vendors should all be added to the list.
What to write
To make your relocation letters a bit more personal, consider drafting a different letter for each target group. It is important to inform your customers why you moved, whether it's to a better and more centralized location for retail shopping or to a bigger space to facilitate the company's growth. If you're moving because the budget is tight, let your business partners and vendors know you're downsizing to accommodate for other aspects of the company, such as internal enhancements. A letter that is sent to a government agency, such as the bank or post office, should be more formal and only provide the facts.
Regardless of who receives the letter, always keep it short and positive. Readers will get lost in too many words. Be sure to include the new street and mailing address, phone number, fax number, email address, business hours, website URL and social media handles. In addition, express gratitude to those receiving the letter, thanking them for their past services, and let them know the business hopes the relationship can continue at the new location.
Don't forget to include information about the grand reopening!
Constructing the letter
Start the letter with the company name, current mailing information and date in the top left corner. Next, address the letter with a proper salutation followed by your introductory paragraph positively stating why the company is moving. In your follow-up paragraph, include the closing and reopening dates and times, in addition to the new address and phone number. End the letter with a brief thank you and a handwritten signature from the owner or manager.
Delivering the news
As stated above, send the letters out three weeks prior to moving day. A company should also consider sending an email blast to everyone on the list in case the letter gets lost in the mail.
Since most information is digital nowadays, syndicating your relocation letter across the Internet can also be beneficial for your company. Reach out through social media and post the announcement about the big move on the company's website. This increases the chance of targeting those who may have been left off the mailing list. Social interaction can even help spark up a conversation about your business!
General actions to consider
Aside from the letters, it is important your business takes other means of action and provides updates where necessary. Online portals that list addresses including, but not limited to, Google Places, Yelp, Bing Places and Yahoo Local will all need to be updated with the company's new information. False addresses and phone numbers can send your potential customers to an empty storefront. That's money out the door right there! Although this is time-intensive, most consumers use phone applications to get them from point A to B, so this is an important step to incorporate into your moving plans.
Be sure to update all the company's marketing tools with the new information. This includes the website, email signature, business cards, social media handles and paid search campaigns.