I get asked every so often, "Why don't my ads work?"
First, let me document that ads still work. Have you seen the pillow guy's ads? Yea, he's become a multi-millionaire selling pillows. Or, how about the company that sells rubber car floor mats for five times as much as they cost at Auto Zone?
These ads seem to work just fine. So, what's the trick? So, here's the formula:
1. Have something; Good To Say
2. Say it; Exceptionally Well
3. Say it : Often
4. Say it: In The Right Place
I realize this list is a bit like the NFL football coach telling his quarterback to throw a touchdown pass. That's always the objective, but eleven other guys are working real hard to keep that from happening.
Still, here are some more detail.
Have something good to say means finding what it is you do in your pharmacy that truly matters to your current and prospective customers. Hint, it's not, we've been serving the XYZ community for 50 years. It's not, fast, friendly services.
Try to find a hot button, something that truly speaks to your current and potential customers. The two biggest examples I know of in the current market are; pouch packaging and medication synchronization.
But both of these examples bring to bear the second rule, say it well. If you are using the words adherence or compliance or synchronization in your ads then you are not, saying it well. Consumers don't understand these terms.
Headlines like: Too Many Pill Bottles, Too Little Time? Or; Do You Ever Wonder If You Already Took Your Pills Today? These headlines avoid "jargon" and speak to real concerns of "some" of your patients.
Once you find a headline, topic and message that resonates keep using it. You and your team will soon get tired of hearing it and want to come up with something new. Try to resist that temptation as long as you can.
Finally, say it in the right place. Ah, that's a real challenge. The local newspaper, radio or cable TV station are always options. Facebook is popular. But the first place to start is in the store. Window banners, shelf talkers, bag clippers, buttons for the staff and even door hangers placed on homes in your vicinity are all good places to start.
I am a big fan of personalized email and even better, snail mail. Sending a truly customized message to 10 patients a week telling them about the service you provide, and and how it will help them, is a time tested approach. This takes time, but if done in a sensible manner and built into the job description of specific staff members, will pay off handsomely.
Here's my one last thought. The ability to do all the above is not a skill many pharmacy owners have. Say it well means you keep it short, sweet and simple. It means you come up with clever graphics that grab peoples attention. And, it means you come up with a call to action that gets people to call, or visit your pharmacy and ask questions. I suggest you find an ad/marketing agency that can help you do this. Because, ads do still work, and finding ways to build demand for services that generate the profit you need is essential to your success.
