Is 2022 The Year You Get Serious About Customer Referrals?

Here's wishing you all the best for the Holiday Season.  I'd like to give you one gift that will keep on giving by sharing a couple thoughts on how to engineer positive word-of-mouth recommendations from your current customers.  

One thing that I have seen work over the years is a well designed Customer Card.  The idea is to create some piece that tells the story of your pharmacy in a few simple words.  Let people know you are serious about being a healthcare provider and outline a few things you do that separate you from the competition.  Mention how you have invested in technology so you can provide better care, highlight how you communicate with physician's to help them find the best medication for patients and perhaps even describe how you take on the insurance companies to help get medications covered.  This is work - sit, ponder, doodle, brainstorm with team members but come up with a compelling - but very short story on how you take care of patients.  

Give these cards to your current customers and invite them to fill out the bottom portion and enter a drawing, or sign-up for your newsletter or join your birthday club.  Provides some reason for them to fill out, tear off and leave the card.  

Then, give them 2 or 3 others and invite them to give them to neighbors, friends or relatives but make sure they know to put their name on the "referred by" line.  Explain that when they give away a card and a person comes in with the card - and a new or transfer prescription  - that the person will get a $10.00 gift card towards the purchase of any private label item in the pharmacy and that the current customer will get the same.  

It's a winner.  Everybody wins and it costs you noting until it works.  

So, Happy Holidays, start thinking now how you and your team can start the New Year of right with a nicely designed Customer Referral Program.  

Two Things I Learned On The Road That May Help You Do More and Be Better

So, thanks to Liberty Software I just took my 12 major pharmacy road trip.  I formally visited four remarkable pharmacy owners in four southern states; Flower Mound Pharmacy in Texas, Caldwell Drug in Arkansas, Kirby Whitten Drug in Tennessee and Roche Pharmacy in South Carolina.  

Like independent community pharmacies all across the country the people running the pharmacy, the services they offer, the physical facility they operate from and the communities they serve are all different.  That makes for an interesting road trip, and because each of them is going to market in a slightly different manner it makes for a great way for others to learn from these owners.  

I learned a lot, and articles I have written for a couple pharmacy journals will cover some of the highlights.  For now I really want to share two thoughts for pharmacy owners all across the country.  

1. The future of independent community pharmacy is bright.  True, the glare of the son may make it hard to see but the fact is that creative, energetic owners are making good things happen and making money.  Perhaps the most important thing is they are changing - or, I'd rather say they are - improving.  I heard one owner says something like this. "If you try something new and it doesn't work, then try something else."  Try some new, do a little bit more, be different than your competitor and strive to be better tomorrow than you are today seems to be the attitude of all four of the pharmacies I visited.  

2. I have a neighbor who writes for a magazine that is read by independent auto repair shops.  We marvel at how many of the same issues confront both industries.  He taught me to look for something he calls the "invisible competitive advantage."  

I saw this "invisible" advantage in action in all four of my southern pharmacies.  What you are looking for is the atmosphere that permeates the pharmacy.  Are they happy, do they smile, do the talk to each other with courtesy, clarity and respect.  People can simply feel the electricity in the air - or the lack thereof - when they walk in the door.  If you don't have it you will loose customers and forget about getting word of mouth referrals.  

Finding ways to build a team is a challenge.  But it can and must be done and it has to start with the owner and other key staff members.  Take some time off together, away from the pharmacy, and really listen to your team, apologize for past mistakes and ask for suggestions on how you can make your pharmacy a better place to work.   Then, make some meaningful changes.  

As I close I truly don't want you to say, oh, another plea for an attitude adjustment.  That's part of any success plan but no, I am calling for more.  I want an action adjustment.  Start doing new, more, and  better.  Soon you'll see new more and better things happening in your pharmacy.  Action begets results, it all starts with you deciding you want more for yourself, your family, your team and your community.  Then you need to implement new, more and better practices, stock and sell new items,  train your people so they know more and can explain your new services with confidence and conviction. Finally, if you try something new and and it doesn't work, try something else.  

We All Make Mistakes

We all make mistakes.  Yesterday I found an old picture of me shaking hands with "Stormin' Norman" Schwarzkopf at the 2001 NCPA Annual Convention in Philadelphia.  Schwarzkopf is the general famous for winning the first gulf war in 5 days.  He was the featured speaker at the 2001 NCPA meeting   

The picture reminded me of a mistake I made at about that time.

You see, a few months prior to the NCPA conference I was the VP Independent Retail Sales for  the AmeriSource Drug Company.  In August of 2001 AmeriSource and Bergen Brunswig merged.  The October, NCPA meeting, was being held in Philadelphia, also the headquarters of the newly combined company, and it was a BIG deal for the company,

The two senior management teams worked hard to make sure the launch of our new company went well.  In an August planning session we wondered what type of "give-a-way" we could hand-out in the booth.  I had always liked box cutters.  They were small, had a little "heft" to them and they were a functional tool for a pharmacy owner to have.  So we bought 5,000 box cutters with the AmerisourceBergen logo imprinted on them.  They were to arrive in late September, in plenty of time for the convention being held in October.  

The quicker reader will spot the irony immediately; but for the rest of you, here is the mistake.  On September 11, 2001, terrorists took down four commercial airliners by killing the flight crews with box cutters.  When the freshly printed box cutters arrived in my office late in September I shut my door and pondered - what do I do now?  Eventually I went in to see my new boss, he came from the Bergen side of the merger so we were not yet well known to each other. We looked, we mused, he said an expletive and then we agreed that the box cutters would not be used at the upcoming convention.  

We exhibited at the convention in October.  I have no memory of what we gave away.  We had our first AmerisourceBergen national sales meeting in Nov.  Dec. was pretty hectic as we worked to know our new colleagues.  In early in January, 2002, my new boss invited me to sit and chat. To be clear, it wasn't just the box cutters, there are lots of reasons - but the box cutters didn't help.  You see, during that meeting my new boss told me the newly combined company no longer needed my services.  I walked out the door and in a few weeks and became a consultant.  

But, I kept a handful of box cutters.  I used one to open a box the other day.  I like them, they are small, they are hefty and they do a great job of cutting open boxes.  But, ordering 5000 for the convention was a mistake, not in planning, or thinking, but in the fact that; life happens!  Bad things happen to good people.  

The real point is, as a pharmacy owner, as a parent or a co-worker, you are going to make mistakes.  Sometimes the consequences are minor, you adjust and you move on.  Other times the consequences are huge.  But, the response is still the same, you adjust and you move on.

Here's hoping something I shared here will help you Do More & Be Better.  

So, if you own, manage or work in a pharmacy you may find this helpful.  I was recently exposed to a book called, The Rabbit Effect.  The title comes from an experiment the book tells of where scientist, in an effort to measure the effects of diet on cholesterol, took several groups of rabbits and fed them a high fat diet.  

The experiment’s details are not as important as the unexpected findings.  Evidently one group of rabbits, fed the same diet as another cohort and with the same general age, weight, sex characteristics ended up with a 60% lower cholesterol as their control group.  The scientists were baffled so they doubled checked all the data and tried to come up with a reason for the remarkable difference.  

The author of the book states that as a result of all the double checking and interviewing lab technicians they finally found what they decided was the cause of the difference.  A new lab technician, somewhat unfamiliar with all the protocols, fed the rabbits the controlled diet at the designated time.  But, being new to the lab she was attracted to how cute the rabbits were so when she feed them, she picked them up, cuddled them and spoke gently too them.  

The final determination of the study is that love, attention and caring has a demonstrable healing effect.  

So, why share this cute rabbit story with a group of hurried and harried pharmacy workers.  Because it has been shown, care, kindness and speaking gently with people has a positive effect on health outcomes. 

Much has been said about the importance of clinical competence.  But, the phrase – bedside manner – comes to mind.  Couple that with the the right atmosphere, ambience and general feeling of the Pharmacy and you are likely to get better outcomes.  

Here is a short take asway from the author of the report I read on the book. “The rabbit effect means that when it comes to our health, we’ve been missing some crucial pieces: hidden factors behind what really makes us healthy. There’s a social dimension to health that we’ve completely overlooked in our scramble to find the best and most cutting-edge medical care. Ultimately, what affects our health in the most meaningful ways has as much to do with how we treat one another, how we live, and how we think about what it means to be human than with anything that happens in the doctor’s office.” 

So, while it will be tough, my challenge to you is continue to build your clinical skills and deploy as much technology as makes sense.  Adopt new health care services, like point of care testing or medication synchronization.  But, in all you do, find a way to do it with a personal touch.  Talk to people about their health, and about their life.  And, as they come to know that they are appreciated as people, in your pharmacy, they will get better and be better customers. 

I know it’s a tough challenge, but according to what I just read it will make a difference in your life, the life of your patients and in the health of your practice. 

For more ideas, information or inspiration on how to improve your pharmacy check out my blog at: www.pharmacycrossroads.com  

Here's  hoping this will help you do more and be better. 

I had an eye opening experience today.  This morning I spent an hour or so reviewing entries on pharmacists nominated in the entrepreneurial category for the Next-Generation Pharmacist Awards.  My career has been centered on independent community pharmacy for 4 decades.  As The Road Trip Guy, I have driven to and visited amazing pharmacies all across the country.  Still, I was blown away by the uniqueness of the 10 pharmacy owners I read about today.   They have indeed found a way to think outside the box.   

Some of them have created retail pharmacies that sell only generics or that that do not accept any insurance.  Others operate in "the cloud" but provide same day hand delivery.  One is a mobile pharmacy that does only vaccinations.  They literally have no physical location.  Another bought a medical transportation business to help people in underserved communities get to their healthcare providers.  Then there is a specialty pharmacy doing amazing things with HIV, Hep. C,  and monitoring progress doing laboratory testing under a CLIA waiver.  

One comment made famous in the movie, Jurassic Park, is, "life will find a way."  My comment from today's experience is that pharmacy, will find a way.  My thanks to Parata and Pharmacy Times for inviting me to be a judge for this awards program.  But, more importantly, my thanks to those pharmacy owners who realize that the problems are opportunities in disguise and are finding ways to do more and be better.  

If you've not had a chance to meet Joe Moose, partner is several community pharmacies in North Carolina, then you are in luck.  Joe takes some time to visit with me and share some success stories.  The podcast went live the other day.  You can listen in at this link:  https://omny.fm/shows/pharmacy-podcast-network/pharmacy-industry-living-legend-joe-moose-pharmacy

Thanks Joe for sharing so many good ideas and explaining how they came to be and how they work.  The podcast; PharmacyCrossRoads has been created to help community pharmacy Do More & Be Better.  

 I am told almost everyday by a pharmacy owner that "My customers won't pay out-of-pocket for extra services." When I hear this I am reminded of the quote attributed to Henry Ford; "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right."

Deborah Bowers was a guest on the podcast; PharmacyCrossRoads, in early May.  She tells our podcast listeners about how - and why - she established a special web appointment system and when people want some serious help understanding and organizing their medications she refers them to the web site, suggests they schedule an appointment; and..... wait for it; pay cash for the service.  

You just may want to take a listen to the whole 35 minute interview; https://omny.fm/shows/pharmacy-podcast-network/dr-deborah-pharmacy-crossroads 

Here's hoping something you learn on any of our podcast shows help you do more and be better.  Check them all out at: www.pharmacycrossroads.com  and subscribe on Apple iTunes or where ever you get your podcasts.

 

The Pharmacy Marketing Mandate....

Most independent pharmacies retain the services of a lawyer and an accountant.  The reason, legal and accounting functions are complicated and most pharmacists do not have the skills, nor the time, to perform these critical tasks.   With so many pharmacies adding new services such as; Point-of-Care testing, medication synchronization, convenience packaging, etc., I’d argue the time has come for pharmacy owners to add a marketing professional to the list of needed experts.   The reason, most consumers do not understand the need for these new services.  And, some of the ways I have seen independent pharmacy owners try to promote them is counterproductive.  For example, I see web sites that say the pharmacy does compounding, MTM, or drug nutrient depletion.  How is a consumer supposed to know what those words or acronyms mean, never mind wanting them bad enough to pay for them?    As a pharmacy owner or manager, you are faced with two marketing problems:   You need to carefully determine what new services you can profitably provide You need to find cost-effective ways to build demand for these new services.    Wholesalers, buying groups, technology providers have been urging you to make changes to your practice for years.  Phrases like, “practice at the top of your licenses,” are commonly repeated.       One solution would be for your pharmacy to hire a marketing “guru”, or retain a pharmacy marketing firm.       Yes, it costs money to do “marketing”.  Money that is hard to come by with reduced reimbursement, claw backs and egregious audit practices.  But, the solution to most of these third-party problems is adding these new services to your practice.  If done properly you can find ways to make these changes, and see them to start paying for themselves, in just a few months.    Here’s wishing you well as you work to profitably serve the people in your community.

The Story Is Told.....

 

of the general manager of a prestigious country club.  While examining the books he was appalled to see how much they spent on shampoo for the men’s shower.  As a first-class club they had a pattern of putting our full bottles of a top-notch brand of shampoo and conditioner and it seems the members were taking the liberty of taking a bottle home with them in their sports bag.

The GM met with senior staff and board members to discuss what they could do.  No one wanted to accuse members of stealing.  Ideas such as putting in security camera’s or checking members bags or even posting signs asking people to not take the shampoo home were deemed too intrusive and dismissed. 

At a loss for what to do the GM eventually went down to talk with the custodian. Since this was such a low-level employee, he did not have much hope.  But he was stunned when the custodian came up with the perfect answer.  He said, “If you want, when I put out a new bottle of shampoo, I’ll can remove the cap.”

What is the morale?  Sometimes the people on the front lines, stocking the shelfs, and working the cash register are in a better position to know how to solve a problem than the people at the top.  Try to involve everyone when solving a problem or trying out a new idea.  

Pharmacy Is At A Crossroads And That Is Good News

Some pharmacies continue to generate sufficient profit by filling ever increasing numbers of prescriptions while using technology to reduce operational costs.  While that may work for some pharmacies that strategy will be hard for most independent community pharmacies to follow. 

Fortunately, creative pharmacy owners and dedicated suppliers have found new avenues for profitable growth. Many pharmacies are successfully incorporating cash-pay services into their practice.   Among them are point-of-care testing, weight loss, health coaching and drug nutrient depletion.  Some of the more aggressive pharmacy owners I know openly talk about how they work with patients and prescribers to take people off of prescription medications in favor of nutritional supplements.   

I recently had a discussion with an innovative pharmacist that is working with physicians all across the country.  He contracts with them to provide a specially trained pharmacist that works in the doctor’s office.  As a contractor the pharmacist meets with patients, provides counseling and does medication reviews.  These services are billed by the doctor using well established billing codes and the pharmacist is paid by the hour for the services he or she provides.      

Pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing is growing as it takes much of the guess work out of prescribing.  True, it is expensive, several hundred dollars per test and most people won't pay; but, some will.  Counseling with the patient on the meaning of the results and then working with the patient’s doctors to adjust therapy is an exceptional opportunity for pharmacy.   At this time, third-party reimbursement for the PGx testing seems to be a ways-off.  One innovative pharmacist successfully selling this service told me he hopes insurance companies never pay, saying, “As soon as they do reimbursement will decline.”  

Then, to the point on almost every pharmacy owners mind, COVID testing and vaccination.  Retail pharmacy has benefited from numerous press reports on how pharmacists stepped-up and helped solve the vaccine administration problem. Building on this platform of success will open doors for pharmacy in lots of new areas.   

The bottom line, filling prescriptions will still be a major component of community pharmacy.  Helping people with their medications is a critical aspect of healthcare; and, one that rightfully belongs to pharmacy.  But it is also clear that dispensing alone will not be sufficient for most pharmacies going forward.   

Community pharmacy is at a crossroads.  Change is coming and the good news is there are already several practice formats that have proven to be practical, and profitable.  But it won’t be easy.  My advice, think, research and then find a new product line, program or service that best fits your communities need as well as your skill set and passion. Then, get started and remember the Nike sports wear company slogan; Just Do It.  

If you own a pharmacy, or if your job brings you in close contact with pharmacy owners, you may want to check out my podcast:  www.pharmacycrossroads.com.  Each podcast runs about thirty minutes and provides information from successful pharmacy owners and industry experts who are kind enough to share their management, marketing and clinical success tips.  

Mark Cuban Helps Start The Cost Plus Drug Company

I am excited to be part of this upcoming program.  Lots of new companies and new methods of serving patients are entering the pharmacy landscape.  The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company is one of them.  I can't wait to hear what this guy has to say.  

Press Release:  Dr. Alex Oshmyansky, CEO and founder of the recently launched Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company will be the featured guest on an interactive webinar.  The program is designed to help pharmacy owners understand how this new company will benefit pharmacists and consumers.  The webinar is scheduled for March 2, 2021 from 2PM until 4PM Eastern Standard Time.  It is being produced by the Pharmacy Podcast Network in coordination with RxSafe and will be recorded for on-demand listening. Click here to register.  

 Todd Eury, CEO and Founder of the Pharmacy Podcast Network says, Dr. Oshmyansky, who goes by “Dr. Alex”, is eager for his new company to help consumers avoid the high cost of medications. Dr. Alex, is a board-certified radiologist who says he has seen too many patients suffer, and some even die, due to high prices and the complicated distribution, formulary and prior authorization systems that have made medications cost far more than necessary.

 Late last year, Dr. Alex was introduced to Mark Cuban. Cuban is the outspoken billionaire entrepreneur who has gained national attention as the owner of the Dallas Maverick’s professional basketball team and as a member of the acclaimed TV show, Shark Tank. Dr. Alex says Cuban understood his vision and has provided funding, leadership and opened doors for the company. 

 During this webinar Dr. Alex will chat with co-hosts, Todd Eury and Bruce Kneeland.  Kneeland is the host of the  popular podcast, PharmacyCrossRoads, which is one of the 30+ podcasts featured on the Pharmacy Podcast Network.  Joining Eury and Kneeland as panelists will be Bill Homes, Founder and CEO of RxSafe, Brad Jones CEO of Retail Management Solutions (RMS) and Kyle Fields, CEO of Appro-Rx which is sponsoring the podcast.     

 “I am really looking forward to listening to ideas and suggestions from those that participate in this webinar. This is a big problem and a huge opportunity for all of us to work together to take unnecessary costs and operational hurdles out of the pharmaceutical industry,” says Dr. Alex.   

 According to Eury the webinar & podcast will be a combination of panelist and participants asking questions, while at the same time, serving as an advisory board to Dr. Alex. He says the company is already providing one major generic medication to consumers at one tenth of the price of the current product.  Other medications are in the pipeline and will be announced soon, according to Dr. Alex. 

 Pharmacy Is At A Crossroads

Some pharmacies continue to generate sufficient profit by filling ever increasing numbers of prescriptions while using technology to reduce operational costs.  But that path will be hard for most independent community pharmacies to follow. 

Fortunately, creative pharmacy owners and dedicated suppliers have found new avenues for profitable growth. Many pharmacies are successfully incorporating cash-pay services into their practice.   Among them are point-of-care testing, weight loss, health coaching and drug nutrient depletion.  Some of the more aggressive pharmacy owners I know openly talk about how they work with patients and prescribers to take people off of prescription medications in favor of supplements.   

I recently had a discussion with an innovative pharmacist that is working with physician practices all across the country.  He contracts with them to provide a specially trained pharmacist that works in the doctor’s office.  As a contractor the pharmacist meets with patients, provide counseling and does medication reviews.  These services are billed by the doctor using well established billing codes and the pharmacist is paid by the hour for the services he or she provides to the physician practice.    

Pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing is growing as it takes much of the guess work out of prescribing.  True, it is expensive, several hundred dollars per test.  Counseling with the patient on the meaning of the results and then working with the patient’s doctors to adjust therapy is an exceptional opportunity for creative pharmacy owners.   At this time, third-party reimbursement for the PGx testing seems to be a ways-off.  One innovative pharmacist told me he hopes insurance companies never pay, saying, “As soon as they do reimbursement will decline.”    

Then, to the point on almost every pharmacy owners mind, COVID testing and vaccination.  Independent pharmacy has benefits from numerous press reports on how they stepped-up and helped solve the administration problem. Building on this platform of success will open doors for pharmacy in lots of new areas.   

The bottom line, filling prescriptions will still be a major component of independent community pharmacy.  Helping people with their medications is a critical aspect of healthcare; and, one that rightfully belongs to pharmacy.   But it is also clear that dispensing is not sufficient going forward.  The future is not what it used to be and waiting for things to go back to normal is not a good strategy.

Community pharmacy is at a crossroads.  Change is coming but the good news is there are already several proven ways forward.  Pharmacy owners can choose a new path that best fits their community's need and the pharmacist's skill set and passion.  Here’s hoping many more of them make the necessary changes in the very near future.   

If you own a pharmacy, or if your job brings you in close contact with an owner, you may want to check out my podcast at:  www.pharmacycrossroads.com.  Each podcast runs about thirty minutes and provides information from successful pharmacy owners who are kind enough to share their management, marketing and clinical success tips.  

Here's A Customer Service Idea Every Pharmacy Can Use

 A few years ago, I attended a pharmacy CE session that impressed me.  The unique thing was the speaker was not a pharmacist nor did he speak about pharmacy, he owned a small chain of hair salons. 

He espoused a customer service technique he called, the F.O.R.D program.  I think the ideas he shared were ingenious.  Indeed, I’d like to see some pharmacy management system find a way to build the capability of using it into their software. 

As you’d expect for a hair salon his business management system kept track of appointments, the salon’s pricing schedule and calculated the commissions to be paid to each stylist.  But in his business, he said, relationships where paramount, so he’d added the ability for the system to house other information that helped his staff build relationship. 

Here’s what they put in, under the acronym of F.O.R.D.:

1.      Family: names of spouse, children, pets, etc.

2.      Occupation: What kind of work do they do, what company, how long there, etc. 

3.      Recreation:  How do they like to spend their free time, skiing, bingo, reading, etc.

4.      Dreams:  What do they wish they could do, have kids, travel, get married, etc.

So, here’s an example: the receptionist gets a call from a customer, Mary Jones asking, “When is the soonest you can get me in to see Wanda?”  The receptionist says, “Let me check,” and then while checking casually asks Mary Jones, “What’s up, why the rush?”  Mary explains her mother passed and she needs to leave in two days for the funeral.  The receptionist tells her there are two times available tomorrow. Mary Jones selects one and the receptionist books the appointment.  But that is not all, she also adds a note about the funeral in the customer relationship module. 

When Mary Jones comes in, Wanda has reviewed the note, expresses her condolences and chats about Mary Jones’ mother.  A relationship is strengthened because the system captured and shared the information. 

Sally Smith comes in on her regular visit and while chatting mentions she is up for a promotion.  Wanda makes a note and when Mary comes in six weeks later, Wanda asks for an update.

Whenever a new person comes in the stylist is trained to ask how the new person heard about the salon.  The reply is entered into the system for management review.  If the new person indicates a current customer suggested the salon the stylist adds that into the customer relationship management module.  The next time the person who referred a friend comes in the stylist thanks the person.  she is also authorized to provide the customer with a small gift, a bottle of shampoo, or other item the salon features.    

You get the idea, get, capture and appropriately use all the information you can on your patients.  People rarely leave their stylist because a new salon opened down the street.  Independent community pharmacy, like the hair salon business, is a people business. Finding new, more and better ways to build relationships is a critical success factor.  

For more ideas on what other pharmacies are doing to be successful check out my podcast:  www.pharmacycrossroads.com 

Can A Pharmacy Charge For Cognitive Services?

A housewife went to the basement to do laundry.  She soon discovered that no water flowed to the washing machine so she called a plumber.  The plumber examined the pipes in the basement, took out a hammer and hit a place where two pipes joined.  Immediately water flowed to the washer.  

The plumber handed the housewife a bill for $100.  She protested at such a high price for such a simple task.  The plumber took the bill back and rewrote it.  This time the bill said, $1.00 for hitting the pipe, $99.00 for knowing where to hit it.  

So what does this mean for pharmacy owners?  Your expertise has value but finding ways to charge for it will not be as simple for you as the plumber.  It can be done. I know because I have been in pharmacies that do it.  But it will take some careful thinking about what you can do, where you provide it and how you explain it. 

Surely you won't start charging for simple OTC advice or counter-side consultations.  But that doesn't mean you can't set up a program where you offer to sit down, on an appointment basis and do a thorough medication review where you capture all the medications a person takes, including OTC, essential oils, supplements and even discuss some dietary issues. 

An offer to do that, by appointment in a private, or even virtual setting, for a fee could appeal to a small percentage of your patients.  Once you get started and have some success your confidence will grow and you'll find ways to get others to participate.  I'd even be willing to bet some of your patients will suggest the service to others and you'll attract new customers.    

For more ideas, and to hear first hand how other pharmacy owners are implementing new, profitable programs and services check out my podcast; www.pharmacycrossroads.com

  

The Most Important Marketing Rule

I have written a number of pharmacy marketing articles and delivered dozens of live CE programs on the topic.  That's because I think good marketing is a critical success factor for independent community pharmacy.  

If you want to improve your marketing here are the four "rules" to consider, listed in order of importance. 

1. Have Something Good to Say.  That means, run an exceptional pharmacy.  Provide people with the products and services they want in a pleasing atmosphere with great customer service.  

2. Say It Well.   The words you choose to use matter.  One way to illustrate this is to imagine a young couple on a date.  The man looks into his date's eyes and says, "When I am with you time seems to stand still."  Or, he can say, "You have a face that will stop a clock."  Same idea, completely different response.  You'll want to work hard to create a persuasive message about your pharmacy.  

3. Say It Often.  You and your staff will share the message hundreds of times during the week and you'll be tempted to mix-it-up or, ad-lib.  But, before you do ask yourself if the message still resonates with your patients.  If it does, keep using it. For example, how many times have you heard, "15 minutes will save you 15%?  

4. Say It In The Right Place.  Where you promote your pharmacy should be consistent with the feeling or image you desire to create.  If you are striving for a clinical feel you'll want to focus on networking with healthcare organizations or writing articles for the local media.  If you seek a full-service drug store image, you'll want to sponsor little league teams, or fun-runs or perhaps have a cute delivery vehicle.   

Like a lot of things, saying all this is simple.  But doing it is hard but that's okay you do lots of hard things. Give these four guidelines some serious thought.  Talk them over with you team and challenge everyone to help make sure you are, first of all, running an exceptional pharmacy.  Then work on finding effective ways to tell others about what you offer.