Why You Need A Good Tag Line

They look simple enough; 15 minutes will save you 15%; the pause that refreshes; push button, get mortgage.  These tag lines are famous and I bet you can conjure up the product they support without too much thought. 

But, coming up with a really good tag line is harder, and more important, than you might think. The payoff for creating a simple, short, descriptive and effective tag line can be increased profits. 

So; what is the process?  What does it take to come up with a truly effective tag line? 

To start you’ll need to spend some time thinking about what your pharmacy does that makes it appealing to consumers.  That will help you identify your pharmacy’s Unique Selling Proposition, or what ad agency people call your, USP.

Knowing the core benefit of your pharmacy will help with everything else you do. For example, your ability to train your employees will improve because you’ll be able to tell them who you are and what you stand for.   Your ads, posters and other marketing materials will be better because you know, and can artfully communicate, your core attributes. 

Well, enough background; here are four things to consider when crafting an effective tag line:

1.      It needs to be simple.   Too often we get tied up in jargon or fancy words.  Make sure your tag line speaks to the needs, wants and emotions of your patients.  Allstate has done this well with…

          You’re In Good Hands

2.      It needs to be “yours”.  While this bit of “wisdom” may be a little overstated it makes an important point.  That being, if some other pharmacy can use your tag line then it is not really yours.  The tag line should speak to a distinctive consumer benefit that ties back to the product or services you provide.  M & M candies has done this well with their classic..

                                         They Melt In Your Mouth, Not In Your Hand

3.      Keep it short.  I love the story told of how at the close of a long letter Mark Twain apologized to the recipient by saying, “I would have written a shorter letter but I didn’t have time.”  Finding ways to say things in a clear concise manner is hard and it takes time; but it is important!  Papa John’s has done this well with…

Better ingredients, better pizza

4.      It needs to help describe a unique consumer benefit.  Your tag line should point out how your pharmacy is not just different, but better.  I like the old Burger King tag line…

Have It Your Way

Many years ago I was the director of marketing for an 80-location drug chain.  It was a combination of leased space grocery store and Walmart pharmacies combined with a dozen free standing traditional drug stores scattered across 4 states.  After a lot of thought we finally settled on this tag line….                               
 Helping You Feel Better

Our reasoning was that as a pharmacy our job was to help our customers feel better.  We did this by filling prescriptions that addressed health problems but we also did it by coming out from behind the counter to help customers find the right OTC product.  In our traditional stores we did it by selling gifts, cards, candy and other items.  And, we worked hard to call people by their name.  Each of these things, when done right, helped people feel better, brighten their day or lighten their load.   

Here’s hoping something here will help you think about your tag line and come up with a good one that will serve you well. 

Arizona Pharmacy Finds Creative Ways to Protect Employees Amid COVID-19

“The commitment to patient care can only be kept if a pharmacy also finds effective ways to protect the people who provide that care,” said Jason Dykstra, PharmD, the owner of Chino Valley Pharmacy in Arizona.

The independent pharmacy owner is taking his own advice to heart, finding several creative ways to help protect his staff members while serving patients. 

Dykstra’s first piece of advice is both most effective and simplest. 

“My team and I wash our hands -- a lot, and we have implemented a process of thoroughly cleaning the pharmacy on an hourly basis,” he said.

In addition, the pharmacy checks each team member’s temperature when they arrive at work. 

Unlike many independent pharmacies Dykstra has not yet adopted a closed-door policy, as he still wants to allow patients to walk into the pharmacy, talk with him or another staff member, and maintain the feeling of care and concern that has made Chino Valley Pharmacy successful.

“After all, providing good health care extends beyond the process of filling prescriptions, he said.

However, Dykstra said that keeping the doors open may change if the situation in the pharmacy’s rural community changes, but for now he thinks a “moderate and common-sense approach” is best. 

The pharmacy does limit the number of people in the pharmacy to no more than 5 at a time, via temporary signs placed at eye level on the front door. The signs also ask that customers maintain social distance while inside the pharmacy. Dykstra has taped large blue “X”s on the floor showing customers the preferred distance when standing in line to drop off or pick up or a prescription. 

To help keep staff members safe, the pharmacy is aggressively promoting the drive-up window. The pharmacy is very busy, often filling 600 or more scripts per day. So, to help keep up with the increased number of cars in line at the window the staff members use walkie-talkies. This allows a team member to approach cars in line and while staying a safe distance away talk with the person in the car to find out what they want. Then the staff member communicates the patient’s needs via the walkie-talkie to team members in the pharmacy who can start working on filling prescriptions. 

Dykstra said that this approach not only speeds up service but also helps with customer service, as patients can see that they are being taken care of, even if the wait is a bit longer. 

Meanwhile, the mental health and morale of the pharmacy team are of paramount concern. Staff education and developing a sense of teamwork is critical to maintaining a productive work environment.

Since opening the pharmacy in the summer of 2017, Dykstra has instituted a number of well-entrenched policies and procedures that he said are proving useful during this crisis.

The procedures, which he said seem to make dealing with this new and unusual situation a bit less stressful, include how to treat customers with respect and go above and beyond to ensure that patients understand and take their medications properly. 

In addition, Dykstra said that by paying attention to the media and working closely with his 2 major suppliers, Associated Pharmacies Inc and Cardinal Health, the pharmacy has not faced drug shortages and has been able to fill prescriptions for patients.

This includes those appropriately taking chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, and other drugs in high demand, because of reports of their possible application in treating COVID 19, he said.

Dykstra’s biggest piece of advice to other pharmacy owners is to pay close attention to local and national media reports, as well as social media, as doing so will provide a sense of what patients are hearing. 

Pharmacists should then filter all this through a sense of what they know as health care professionals and strive to find a balanced approach to caring for the community, patients, staff members, and themselves through common sense and planning ahead.

This article was originally published in Pharmacy Times, April 2020

So, Now What?

Here is an invitation for pharmacy owners to start thinking about how they will prepare for the post COVID world.

Pharmacy owners that come up with a good plan now, will find that going forward their practice will be more profitable and professionally rewarding.  And, while I am not smart enough to know what that plan looks like I do have a few suggestions. 

First, for decades one competitive advantage independent community pharmacies had was, delivery.  The problem, the pandemic has made delivery common.  True, most chain, grocery store and big box pharmacy delivery comes with a fee.  So, I propose that this provides you with an opportunity to rethink your delivery program.    

How?  By adopting a formal enrollment process.  Create one that ties into your loyalty program.  Educate people on the benefits of your program and establish some criteria for participation.  For example, have a brochure that lays out in clear terms the ways your program is better than the ones the chains offer.  This would include mentioning that your delivery person is a trained member of the pharmacy staff, not a contractor who knows nothing about your patient.  Let them know your delivery person comes with an iPad or smart phone and can instantly connect your patients with the pharmacy to answer questions and clarify any medication related issues. 

Perhaps the time has come to adopt a scheduled delivery process, not an on-demand or Domino’s Pizza format.  Maybe even have a map that shows various delivery zones and how the delivery area has been broken into specific times and days you cover each area.  And, perhaps you start legitimizing a modest charge.  This can be softened by letting current patients know that as part of your loyalty program they get one delivery per month free.  Or, hat as a valued long-time customer they get the first three or even six-months delivery under the new program for free.  The point is, your competitors are legitimizing a delivery fee so maybe now is your chance to migrate into a fee structure where you sell the benefits of a superior “personal” delivery service. 

Next, you may want to consider selling the benefits of being smaller.  This means you can provide a cleaner, safer shopping experience.   Create a flyer and window signs telling how you have adopted other sanitation practices.  Tout the benefits of your drive-thru or curbside services. Perhaps you even explain how having fewer people in your pharmacy than the chains mean it is a safer place to purchase their prescriptions and other healthcare products.    

Most of you have adopted some sort of Plexiglas shield at your drop-off, pick-up and cash register areas.  If they are less than professionally done, find a way to make them more impressive. 

One area I’d suggest you ponder is that of a dress code.  Having your staff in clean, logo’d and professional looking attire will be more important as you build on the idea that your pharmacy is clean and safe.  It should be easy for anyone coming into your pharmacy to know who is working there.  This does not have to mean shirts and ties or smocks or lab coats.  Vests, logo’d polo shirts, scrubs, or smocks are my personal preference.  Do what ever you think is best for your image and style, but don’t simply let what you have always done be continued without making a conscious decision on your dress code. 

Finally, and this is critical.  People have come to expect change and this makes it easier than ever to make changes.  So, now is the time to make your plans for adding new, more and better clinical services.  Point-of-care testing for strep, flu, COVID antibodies and even incorporating pharmacogenetic testing is wide open. 

Other clinical services have a long history of being provided in pharmacies, such as A1c or lipid testing.  Drug nutrient depletion programs and nutraceutical products, particularly those with documented ability to boost immunity will be more acceptable now than ever.  And, the good news is, many of these services on sold on a cash basis.  No PBM involved!                                              

Now is the time for you to plan ahead and answer the question – So, now what?