Chamber, bank rolling out welcome mat to newcomers

Beginning July 1, the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce and MidWestOne Bank will be rolling out the welcome mat.

In an effort to make new Fairfield residents feel at home and help them get acclimated to their new community, the chamber of commerce will be partnering with MidWestOne Bank to provide welcome bags to every individual and family who relocates to Fairfield. As part of the new Fairfield Welcomes You program, new residents will be contacted and invited to pick up their welcome bags at the chamber. Each bag will contain information about local businesses, special offers and free gifts.

?When a new family or individual moves into Jefferson County, the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce wants to make sure they receive a friendly welcome from their new business community,? said chamber administrator Nancy Morrissey.

Newcomers appreciate the hospitality, she said, and there?s a perk for participating businesses, too.

?Not only are the gift bags a wonderful way to welcome people to our community, these families and individuals are also the best source of new business for companies, helping newcomers develop relationships with local providers,? said Morrissey. ?New residents are the best prospects for growing a business.?

The Fairfield Welcomes You program is a spin-off of Welcome Wagon, the world?s largest welcoming service to new homeowners. Welcome Wagon once was active in Fairfield, but has not greeted newcomers for more than 10 years.

?We?re trying to bring back the essence of [Welcome Wagon], the best parts of it,? Morrissey said.

According to Welcome Wagon statistics, new residents to a community are optimistic, credit-worthy and powerful spenders in good or bad economic times. They spend 20 times more than established residents. Annually, Americans spend $102 on move-related goods.

In addition, new residents can be great for business because they have no existing buying loyalties in their new community.

?Because they have just recently moved into the area they are actively looking for services of all kinds in their new community,? Morrissey said. ?These families are truly the best source of new business for companies servicing the consumer because they have no current relationships with local providers.

?They are seeking information for products and services they need,? Morrissey said, explaining why the gift bags are important both for new local consumers and the businesses that will serve them.

?They will establish long-term relationships with businesses including home services, restaurants and entertainment, retailers and professionals,? said Morrissey.

To be represented in the gift bags, business owners and chamber members can pay an annual fee of $120; non-chamber members can participate for $180 annually.

?This is a wonderfully easy opportunity for all businesses to welcome new residents to Fairfield,? Morrissey said.