What’s ‘New’ About New Movers?
by Barbara S. Long, APR
Welcoming a newcomer to a service area is hardly new. The “welcome wagon” concept has been around since America’s westward expansion. In those days, new settlers were greeted with a warm welcome and provisions as their wagon rolled into town. Today, the sentiment is the same, but the delivery method has changed. New movers are identified with high-tech data mining and engaged with personalized invitations that are as warm as a handshake.
Why new movers?
Last year, 12 percent of the U.S. population moved, according to a December 2012 U.S. Census Bureau report. Of those movers, 35.6 percent moved into another county within the same state or from another state. Logic holds that the same number of familiar faces moved out.
Clearly, no business can survive long without reaching out to newcomers and replacing customers who leave the area. That is why most hospitals have included some form of new mover marketing in their strategic plan for decades.
Higher stakes
Today, the stakes are getting higher. Thanks to health care reform, providers are being held accountable for the entire community’s health, in addition to attracting new patients.