There’s a lot to manage when relocating your business: securing a new space, packing and moving, handling employees, keeping your business operating throughout the process, and one thing that can be easily forgotten—notifying your clients and customers.
The difficulty of these tasks can vary based on the size and distance of your move, but one thing’s for sure: whether you’re relocating to the other side of town or testing the waters in a new city or state, announcing your move is one of the most important and delicate items on your to-do list, especially if your business relies on foot traffic. After all, the move is not only a transition for your company, but for those who patronize your business as well.
Here’s how to announce your business’s relocation:
1. Make an announcement as soon as you’re ready
As soon as you have the location lined up, let your client base know that a move is in the works so they have time to make any necessary adjustments. Provide as many details as you can so that they know how this will impact them and give them at least a month’s notice ahead of the moving date. This is especially important for businesses that welcome clients or customers to their location on a regular basis, such as retail businesses.
In your announcement, include answers to questions like:
- Will your business remain open during the move?
- If not, how long will it be closed and what dates will it be closed?
- If your physical location is shut, can you still be reached using other methods?
- Is there a temporary location at which you will be serving clients?
- Will your services be limited if you do remain open?
- Will your hours be reduced?
- Will they be impacted any other way?
The method you choose to make this announcement will depend on the services or products you offer and the type of patrons you have, but there are several different approaches you can take. If your business relies on foot traffic and has an active customer presence, consider:
- Advertising the move using traditional and digital methods of advertisement
- Promoting the move on social media platforms
- Posting signs within your physical location
- Publishing press releases
- Hiring a PR team to promote the relocation
If your business operates without a customer-facing location, you should consider:
- Personally emailing or calling your client list—this method is recommended especially for long-held clients with whom you have a close relationship
- Notifying them by traditional mail
- Publishing press releases
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If you have clients who will be largely unaffected by your company’s move, it’s still important to ensure they have your up-to-date address. Reach out to your point person at their company, as well as their finance department and administrative team to ensure that everyone is kept in the loop and has the correct address.
Make sure you follow up with them at least one more time before you move, and don’t forget to have your mail forwarded to your new address once you’ve relocated.
2. Update your marketing materials
There’s nothing more confusing than having multiple addresses out there floating around—new customers aren’t sure where to find you, and old ones aren’t sure whether you’ve made the move. Unless you have a physical location that customers can shop in, as soon as you have access to the new location, you should begin transitioning your marketing materials so that they include the new address.
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When updating your letterheads and business cards, don’t forget to change your address and phone number across all platforms. Remember to update:
- Company website and any secondary websites
- Social media accounts
- Online listings (Google, Yelp, Yellowpages)
- Employee email signatures
3. Provide regular updates and periodically remind clients about the move
Keeping customers and clients in the loop regarding your move will reassure them and get them excited about your new location. Whether that means sharing a blog or social post about the move on a biweekly basis, posting a notice in your store or handing out flyers, sending out emails and updating your regular email correspondence to have a notice about the move in the signatures, customers will appreciate being kept in the know.
TSI TIP: It may seem counterintuitive, but a move can also be a great opportunity to develop a stronger relationship with clients. Sharing Stories on Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, or Instagram about how your move is going, what changes are being made, interior design updates, and fun stories that include employees, are a great way to develop a bond with your customers, especially for small or local businesses.
4. Throw a grand opening or an open house party
Depending on the type of business you operate, throwing a grand opening party or a smaller open house celebration at your new location is a great way to boost the news of your move for anyone who missed the initial announcement. Send out the appropriate promotional materials such as mail flyers, emails, announcements in the newspaper, etc, and entice customers or clients into your new office, warehouse, or bricks-and-mortar space with a proper setup. Remember to include things like:
- Snacks
- Music
- Decorations
- Giveaways
- Ribbon cutting ceremony
- Invitations to your new neighbors and other local businesses in the area
TSI TIP: To get customers even more interested and encourage greater attendance, retail businesses often send out discount coupons to entice customers to show up at your new location. Since not everyone will be able to show up on the first day, give them a few days or weeks before the coupons expire.
Conclusion
When you’re relocating your business, there’s always a lot on your plate. A move affects more than just day-to-day operations and employees—your move also impacts how customers can access your services, so take the following steps to ensure you don’t inadvertently alienate anyone or lose customers in the shuffle:
- Make an announcement as soon as you’re ready
- Update your address
- Keep patrons up-to-date with regular announcements
- Have a grand opening or an open house party
Need more help with your move?
Check out the rest of our commercial moves posts:
About the author: Stephanie Rosenlund is the Director of Strategic Solutions at TSI, the long distance move and shipment provider for thousands of businesses, families, and individuals every year. Stephanie knows all the tips and tricks to make your move or shipment simple and specializes in freight shipping and interstate relocations. In her free time, she loves exploring the world with her husband and two kids.
