More than 14 percent of the U.S. population moves each year, according to Melissa Data.
More than 14 percent of the U.S. population moves each year, according to Melissa Data. This creates a large pool of new people buying homes and moving into your community — who could become new patients for your medical practice.
Some areas have more movement than others with homes selling within their first 60 days on market in many locations. This is outstanding for people in the real estate business who have been struggling since the Great Recession.
It’s even bigger and better news, though, for healthcare practices and medical businesses in communities looking for an opportunity to bring in new patients in the coming year. Chances are good that your community is a target rich environment of new residents.
Most medical practices know the true value of a new patient. New movers are an excellent way to gather new patients.
Why Should Medical Practices Target New Movers?
Most people moving into new communities do not yet have their fingers on the pulse of what’s what within the community, at least not upon initial acclimation to the area. Many of them are moving far from a home where they had been familiar and comfortable with a wide range professional healthcare services such as doctors, pediatricians, chiropractors, and dentists.
Targeting new movers is a quick and effective way to let them know you’re available and to make a good first impression. Welcome them to the neighborhood. Provide them with a welcome package, gift, or discount. It will make them feel welcomed and cast a favorable impression of your practice.
Even if they don’t need your service now, the odds are good that someone in their household may need your services at some point down the line. Many will go ahead and schedule an initial appointment with the first medical practice that meets their needs they come across. You want to be the first.
Finally, it urges them to take action for finding medical providers that meet their needs. Whether your practice offers dental services, chiropractic care, dermatology, surgical procedures, or another medical specialty, you’re creating a sense of urgency for getting their medical needs squared away sooner rather than later.
Getting More Value from Your Efforts to Target New Movers
If you’re like most medical practices, you want to maximize the potential return on your investment of time and attention. The following steps will help you get a little extra mileage from your efforst when targeting new movers.
- Ask Prospective Patients to Join your Newsletter List– This simple step turns one-time contacts into daily or weekly contacts in your marketing efforts. If you provide them with valuable, useful information relevant to their medical needs, chances are good that they will become patients in time.
- Follow-Up After the Initial Contact– Consider the first mailing an introduction – a soft pitch at best. Use the follow-up contact as an opportunity to explain more about the services you offer.
- Ask for Feedback– Use the initial contact or follow-up contact as an opportunity to ask how you can serve them. Chances are good that they’re willing to tell you if you can help. It makes people feel good, though, when businesses, especially medical practices, make them feel as though the business is interested in what they have to say.
New movers are an incredible opportunity for medical practices in almost every city and state. How are you taking advantage of this potentially red hot market for your medical practice?