Pharmacy Growth Strategies Archives

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5 Customer Service Mistakes Your Pharmacy Can’t Afford to Make

August 3, 2015/0 Comments/in All, Pharmacy Growth Strategies/by pdsmarketing

You may not have had a course dedicated to delivering excellent customer service in pharmacy school, but it’s a critical skill needed when owning and operating a service based business. As an independent pharmacy owner, how you address customer complaints can directly impact your retention rates and ultimately your profitability. The concept of customer service is fairly straight forward, we all want to be treated well when being served as customers. But, actually navigating through unhappy customers, angry vendors, and even disgruntled employees ends up feeling more like a landmine than a day filled with shaking hands and kissing babies. Below are five customer service mistakes that your pharmacy can’t afford for you to make.

Don’t Use Jargon and Expect the Customer to Understand

The vast majority of your customers did not attend pharmacy school. Medical and industry terms might as well be a foreign language to them. Don’t assume that because you understand your instructions, your customers will as well. Train your staff to be mindful of the person they’re speaking to and keep things as simple as possible. A confused customer does not care about anything other than clearing their confusion and solving their problem. Help them do that by being clear, concise and kind when discussing any situation with them.

Don’t Appear Flippant About Your Customer’s Complaint

We’ve all been there, our order was wrong, the item we ordered took forever to arrive, or the movie we wanted to see was sold out, because only one theater was showing it. Running a business is busy, it takes a lot of time and energy and you may hear dozens of complaints each year. Approach each difficult situation with grace and show customers that you really do care and empathize with how frustrated they may be. Simply being human can be the difference between losing a customer and gaining an evangelist.

Don’t Argue with a Customer

The days are long and the weeks are even longer, you put everything you have into your pharmacy and when a customer tries to discredit that or criticize your hard work, it’s not easy to keep your cool. But, when you stepped into pharmacy ownership, you accepted that you must rise above the frustrations and always put your customers and their business first. There will be a day when someone pushes all of your buttons, don’t let them. Understand that losing the battle today, means winning the war tomorrow.

Don’t Fail to Share Information Internally

Even if your pharmacy is small, it is very possible that your customers will interact with more than one person. Because of this, it’s vital that you create systems that allow for easy and fluid conversation between your team members, especially as it relates to your customers. This could be as simple as utilizing the Notes section in your pharmacy software to provide updates. Customers who feel appreciated by every member of your staff are significantly more likely to remain a customer and refer your services to their friends and family.

As you work to create the perfect experience for your customers, it is difficult to accept that you and your staff may be making customer service mistakes. The list above will help get you on the right track toward removing these common pitfalls from your daily routine and move you even closer to the experience you’re striving for.

For even more ways to help your pharmacy grow, download our free eBook 3 Innovative Ways to Compete in the Pharmacy Market.

4 Ways Your Staff Can Help Increase the Profitability of Your Pharmacy

July 31, 2015/0 Comments/in All, Pharmacy Growth Strategies/by pdsmarketing

As a small business owner, you’ve put a lot of time and effort into hiring the right people – those who you think will stay and contribute to the overall success of your business. Whether you realize it or not, your staff is the face of your pharmacy. Their personalities and the way they interact with your customers and perform their daily tasks is a direct reflection of how well you do your job as a business manager. So, how do you motivate your employees to perform to the best of their ability? Here are some tips:

Set Appropriate Standards and Goals

Ina healthy work environment, everyone knows exactly what is expected of them. Setting goals infuses daily work with a sense of purpose and holds everyone accountable. It may come in the form of enforcing standards of professional conduct or in coaching your employees to sell more products. For example, if you are working toward the improvement of your team’s cross-selling techniques, a goal would look like setting a target of X number of customers that purchase a particular product, to also purchase a beneficial vitamin supplement. Or it may be something more simple like teaching your staff to reduce prescription refill times. Whatever standards and goals you decide to improve on first, be sure to make your expectations clear to everyone who will be held accountable for reaching them.

Tie Performance Standards to Compensation

With everyone aware of what is expected from their positions, develop a reward system to praise your staff for a job well done. Besides financial compensation, you may choose to reward your team with gift cards to their favorite restaurants or simply take them out to lunch to celebrate successful project completion and other team milestones. Even small gestures like sending a thank you note or giving a shout-out to your superstar employee in a weekly team meeting goes a long way.

Track and Publish Positive Results

Rewarding each employee for individual accomplishments should be done in the context of the mutual team effort. By tracking the results of performance closely and announcing the positive gains in team meetings, you will generate positive competition, help boost productivity and increase performance.

Ensure Their Happiness

The happiest employees are the ones who consider their jobs meaningful and valuable. They are more willing to engage with customers and provide excellent service than those who simply come in to punch the clock. Keeping your employees happy isn’t as difficult as you may think and increasing salaries is not the only way to create happiness in the workplace. By providing positive feedback, making yourself available for conversations and showing respect, you can considerably increase your employee morale and create a happy and stable work environment.

As an independent pharmacy owner, you rely on your employees and their ability to run daily operations. Let them know what is expected, track overall performance, and reward those who excel. These tips can not only keep your employees happy, but they can also ensure your pharmacy is positioned for growth.

Looking for more tips on how to increase your pharmacy’s profits? Download our free eBook 3 Innovative Ways to Compete in the Pharmacy Market

4 Strategic Ways to Build Your Pharmacy’s Culture

July 29, 2015/0 Comments/in All, Pharmacy Staff Development/by pdsmarketing

“Culture” has become a huge buzzword in business lately, and it’s hard to ignore its importance in your pharmacy. From higher employee retention to more satisfied customers, cultivating a strong culture in your pharmacy can no longer be an idea, but a mission. Everyone has their own definition of what it means to have a successful company culture, and there’s no right or wrong when it comes to defining a culture that works for your store.

The good news is that you don’t need to be a Fortune 500 company to define and cultivate a great culture. You don’t need to have a slide in your pharmacy or give away lunches every day either. Although these extra perks are nice and often feel like a a great assets, they can distract you from building a true lasting culture.

Your pharmacy’s culture is your vision of who you are, how you treat your employees and customers, and all that you strive to become. It’s what makes you a desirable employer, and it’s what compels people to work for your pharmacy.

If you’re looking to build your pharmacy culture from the ground up, here are four tips to follow:

Create a Compelling Vision

There’s a good chance that you have all of these ideas in your head, so be sure and get them down on paper and define your vision. Putting your vision in writing will make it successful, allowing your team to have a reference point of what they’re working toward. The goal of a vision statement is to define your pharmacy’s purpose. It also provides direction and inspiration for your employees, and serves as a guide for your culture. Your vision statement should be short, memorable, and concise.

Determine Your “Why”

It’s not enough to define what you do. You also need to understand why you do it. If your business exists solely to make money, your employees won’t stand behind you for long. Your “why” is your passion behind your business and the reason you wake up every morning to go to work. It’s the reason you do what you do. It’s important that you determine your “why” and convey it to your team. Your “why” should benefit your company and your community. If you have a strong enough “why”, you will attract passionate employees who want to help you fulfill your company’s purpose.

Set the Tone with Your Leadership

In the beginning, your pharmacy’s culture is mostly shaped by how you and other leaders in your pharmacy act. It’s important that your leadership team embodies everything you want your company culture to be. If teamwork is important, it’s essential that your leaders actually work as a team. If transparency is important, your leaders need to be transparent, even when it’s difficult or uncomfortable. Culture starts at the top and works its way down to your team. If you don’t embody your pharmacy’s culture, you can’t expect your team to embody it either.

Always Communicate

Communicate your values, vision, and culture both internally and externally. It’s important that your team not only understands your culture but also knows why it’s important. Be transparent with your employees about your expectations. Reward those who work to advance and embody your culture, and be honest with those who don’t. The only way that your entire team will be able to understand your culture is if you communicate with them openly and honestly, every step of the way.

Building a strong culture in your pharmacy isn’t something that happens overnight. It takes time to craft your vision statement and to explain your vision and culture to your team. However, by following the four tips above, you will be able to build a stronger culture in your pharmacy.

Want to learn more about building your pharmacy’s culture and running a successful pharmacy business? Register for our free webinar: The Roadmap to Pharmacy Business Success.

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5 Ways to Make Your Staff Love Their Jobs & Why It Matters

July 29, 2015/0 Comments/in All, Pharmacy Staff Development/by pdsmarketing

Pharmacy ownership shares many traits with more traditional business ownership. While every industry has it’s own niches, nuances, and problems, everyone can relate to the struggle of staffing their companies. Offering a candidate a fair wage and a free uniform is no longer enough. Many workers view their jobsas more than a paycheck and rather something they and even . You’ll never find a more productive, loyal, and profitable employee than one who feels appreciated, needed, and is genuinely happy to come to work.

According to a survey conducted by the staffing firm Manpower Group, nearly two-thirds of the American workforce are not happy with their current jobs. That’s two-thirds of employees who dread going to work, dislike their boss, and more often than not, make it blatantly evident to customers. Think about the last time you had poor service – did it make you want to go back?

You naturally want your staff to love working for you and research shows that you’re justified in seeking ways to make this happen. Here are five ways to create employee satisfaction and turn your employees into brand ambassadors who love your customers:

Be Willing to Step In

As a company owner, you must be willing to get your hands dirty. Your time is ultimately best spent operating your pharmacy, but opportunities will arise that will allow you to lead your team in the best way eg; by example. Your team members need to know that you can and will step in and provide support when they need it. Leading by example creates an environment where everyone is willing to pitch in and help no matter how hard the job is. This technique will create a culture of accountability and mutual support and will help propel your business toward greater success.

Define Pharmacy Goals

Defining goals doesn’t automatically sound like something that would cause your employees to love you, but a simple display of forward-thinking shows them how much you care about them. When a company sets, strives for, and achieves their goals, everyone wins. Devoting the time to create a business roadmap will help create an environment of security. An owner who cares enough to keep their eye on the horizon is one that deserves the loyalty of his staff.

Create Continuous Improvement Plans and Education

The vast majority of people don’t come to work every day to fail, or to feel like they’re failing. Develop personal growth strategies for all of your employees, but especially those who are facing difficult times personally or professionally. Be clear about what you need from them while they’re on the clock, but lead with empathy. If an employee needs additional training, resources, or a little more time and you believe they can become a valuable asset, help them. When things turn around for them, they’ll be one of your most loyal employees.

For your employees who excel, foster continuous education plans for them. Develop career tracks that allow them to train for higher positions. Investing in their future is investing in your future.

Be Diligent About Hiring

The single greatest asset your pharmacy has is your staff. Show them how much you appreciate them, by being diligent during your hiring process. Take into consideration how a candidate would fit in with your current team dynamics. Do they have the skills your team needs right now? You may not always make the right decision, but the mere fact that you carefully vetted candidates will earn you the respect of your employees.

Never Stop Showing Gratitude

Yes, you pay them a fair wage for a day’s work. But, you should always be grateful for the excellent team you have. Don’t simply take your rockstar employees for granted, thank them. Show them your gratitude, let them know that you appreciate and need them. Beyond money or fancy gifts, employees want to know that they are making a difference in your pharmacy and their community. Tell them, show them and do it often.

Creating a culture of happiness in the workplace starts with you, the pharmacy leader. If you put the right framework inplace, you are setting yourself and your pharmacy up for success. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty, work alongside your team, and clearly define team goals. Offer career advancement opportunities, avoid hiring the wrong people, and show your team that they are appreciated and valued. Follow these steps and you’ll be well on your way to creating an enjoyable work environment and being an admired pharmacy owner.

Interested in making some changes in your pharmacy to create a better work environment? Download our free ebook The Pharmacy Owner’s Guide to Exceptionally Effective Implementation

5 Myths about Independent Pharmacy Ownership and How to Dispel Them

July 27, 2015/0 Comments/in All, Pharmacy Growth Strategies/by pdsmarketing

Are you proud to be an independent pharmacy owner? You should be. Community pharmacies represent a large portion of our country’s health care delivery system, and they are among the most accessible and trusted sources of health related information around. By counseling your patients and providing guidance on a variety of health-related concerns you help contribute to the health of your neighbors. According to the National Community Pharmacists Association, independent pharmacies like yours fill 1.42 billion prescriptions a year, accounting for an 88.8 billion dollar marketplace. While you may be aware of the significant impact of your pharmacy in the community, there may be a few things you didn’t realize. Let’s take a look at a few common misconceptions regarding independent pharmacy ownership:

1) You Cannot Compete with the Chain Stores

This myth prevails in many industries. The news stories are similar, a corporate giant moves into the neighborhood and shortly afterwards independently owned stores close their doors. It would be foolish to believe that this does not happen, but it is equally foolish to accept it as fact. If there are multiple chain pharmacy stores in your area, don’t panic. In fact, many customers prefer shopping small, local businesses versus the big box retailers.Your customers are looking for more than cost savings,they want:

Excellent customer service
To support local businesses
New and niche services
A convenient location and staff who knows them personally

By focusing on the areas that your pharmacy can outperform larger competition, you can dispel the myth that independents cannot compete with chains.

2) Today’s Customers Only Care About the Lowest Price

Even with our economy gaining steady ground after the recent recession, there are still customers who shop solely at stores that offer the lowest price. For some shoppers stretching their dollars is an absolute necessity. But for a growing number of people, price is not the only consideration. These are the customers that your pharmacy should be attracting. Listen to the conversations happening in your store, study the demographics of your current customers. Interview and get feedback from the ones you cherish the most. Ask questions like: What are they looking for? Why do they visit your pharmacy? What would they like to see in the future? Listen, react, and prove that value is not always calculated in currency.

3) Success is ONLY Monetary

There is no shame in working to make a profit. Without it your pharmacy could not survive. You could not afford to provide for your family, or pay your staff to provide for theirs. But, as any business coach will tell you, success should mean more than the balance in your bank account. There was a reason, maybe a few, that you chose the pharmacy profession. Remember those reasons, use them for inspiration and to ignite your motivation when the hours are long and the days are even longer.

4) It’s Easy to Be Your Own Boss

From the outside, owning a company seems like the best job in the house. With no one to answer to, the ability to make any decision, and the ability to sign checks, what is there not to like about business ownership? Let’s review some of the challenges of being the boss. For starters, there is tremendous responsibility, decisions you have to make that affect your business, your employees and even your family. While you may not have a “boss” to report to , you certainly have a plethora of interests you must protect. Regardless of the industry, owning a company is hard work. (This is where we suggest you revisit myth #2.)

5) You Are in This Alone

We understand if you’re not getting together for dinner with the owners of your competing pharmacies and that it’s hard to relate to the rest of your graduating class who may hold pharmacist positions. But this does not mean that you are alone, or that you have to face the future of your pharmacy by yourself. There are entire communities of pharmacy owners who face the same stresses, concerns, questions, fears, and joys that you are right this very moment. Seek them out and join them. If you’re facing pharmacy ownership alone, you may not know how to connect with your peers. There are many different avenues you can take such as joining online groups, small business owners organizations, and even industry conferences.

What are you doing to make sure these myths don’t ring true in your pharmacy? Start by connecting with others who know exactly the position you’re in- independent pharmacy owners. The PDS 2016 Together Toward Tomorrow pharmacy business growth conference brings together the brightest minds in pharmacy together with community pharmacy owners to move the entire industry forward.

Find out more about PDS 2016, including how you can access up to ten of last year’s speaker sessions, and save your seat below.

Navigating Change Management in Your Pharmacy

July 23, 2015/0 Comments/in All, Pharmacy Staff Development/by pdsmarketing

As an independent pharmacy owner, you will find that your pharmacy, like any other business, will go through periods of change or adjustment. These modifications to your business will be necessary for your pharmacy to grow and stay competitive, but they may be scary for your employees. Managing the fears of your personnel may be difficult and definitely not something you learned in pharmacy school. However, you don’t need a business degree to navigate the challenges ahead. Here are a few suggestions to help you and your team through a period of disruption:

Discuss the Changes

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to NOT communicate that change is coming. If your team doesn’t hear it from you, they may come up with their own version and spread inaccurate information. A change to someone’s job responsibilities should be explained professionally by a supervisor. Don’t let your valued employees hear gossip from their co-workers which will lead to confusion and possibly combativeness. Hold a meeting and articulate exactly what changes are coming and how this may affect your team.

During the meeting, share any details you can. This includes addressing the who, what, when, how and why. Eliminate as many unknowns as possible and you will eliminate worry and speculation.

Be Available for Questions

Even after you present your message clearly and professionally, your employees will most likely have questions. Be available for questions, and consider holding “office hours” each week where your employees can come talk to you. Listen to them with open ears and provide any additional information and reassurance your staff may need to accept the coming changes. Be prepared to answer any concerns as honestly as possible. Worries like “Will I still have a job?” and “Does this affect my salary” are merited, so don’t avoid the tough questions. Your employees will thank you for your openness and professionalism which will ease the transition for everyone.

Focus on the Positive

Any significant change comes with its own pros and cons. Be sure to convey the benefits of the change, and stay as positive as possible. If you remain upbeat and optimistic, your employees are more likely to follow suit. Is the change to a new computer system one that will simplify their job? Or is there a new process geared at making closing the pharmacy easier at night? Whatever the change may be, showcase how it will benefit your employees in their day-to-day routine.

Hold Training Sessions for New Programs

Everyone knows the change is coming. Now what? Your employees are much more like to willingly accept change if they feel prepared for it. Make sure to provide ample training and support to set your staff up for success. If the change is a new billing program, train them on how to use the software. If you are offering a new vendor service, ask the third party representative to come and explain the product to your team. Whatever it takes to educate them will be well worth it when all of your employees are learning new skills and improving production.

Reward Employees Who Take Charge

Some of your employees will naturally take to changes better than others. Reward them! Making an example of those that are doing what you expect is always a good idea, but in a period of change it is even more paramount. It may be a financial reward, extra time off from work, or simply verbal recognition. Whatever you decide the reward should be, make it meaningful for your staff and you’re much more likely to see others follow suit.

Regardless of what is changing, most people prefer to maintain the status quo rather than try something new. But a pharmacy, like any business, cannot remain stagnant. New computer software is released, new drugs come onto the market, and new laws go into place. You can’t change human nature, but you can make it easier for your staff to move from fear to acceptance during periods of transition. Looking for more helpful tips on how to implement change in your pharmacy? Download our free eBook “The Pharmacy Owner’s Guide to an Exceptionally Effective Implementation”

4 Ways to Differentiate Your Independent Pharmacy from the Chain Pharmacies

July 22, 2015/0 Comments/in All, Pharmacy Growth Strategies/by pdsmarketing

Your pharmacy is like many other small businesses; you have to compete with the big box retailers. But don’t be intimidated! There are countless ways to show the positive difference your pharmacy can bring to your local community and draw customers away from the chain stores. According to a study conducted by online marketer WebVisible and reported in Entrepreneur.com, the top reasons customers patronize small businesses, instead of chain stores, is to support their communities and to receive more personalized service. Lucky for you, both of these are things you demonstrate every single day. Here are some great tips on how to differentiate your pharmacy:

Offer Niche Services

Independent pharmacy owners who take advantage of niche markets will take their business to a whole new level. Identifying and leveraging specialized services targeted at specific groups of customers is an excellent way to differentiate yourself from larger pharmacies. You can help your patients address unique health concerns, provide convenient services and offer preventive care options. These specialized services might include:

Travel Vaccines
Wellness Testing
Hospital Discharges
Fertility Treatments

Encourage Customer Feedback

Your customers want their voices to be heard! The small number of employees in a business like your pharmacy allows customers to interact more with key decision makers such as owners and managers. In large chain stores, a customer’s suggestions rarely makes a difference, but for you, this is a great opportunity to show your customers that you are listening to their needs and can make it happen. Whenever possible, ask customers for feedback and recommendations to improve their experience in your store.

Provide Extraordinary Customer Service

As a small business owner, you have the freedom to provide personalized, hands-on service to your customers. From the greeting they get at the front door to the “thank you” they hear when they’re leaving, there is an opportunity for you to make your customers feel welcome. By treating them like family, you can make them feel appreciated for their business. Make sure that your staff takes every opportunity to go above and beyond the call of duty and exceed customer expectations whenever possible, from making follow-up “care” calls to remembering personal details such as family member’s names or upcoming vacations.

Give Back to your Community

Beyond the monetary benefit of dollars being kept within your local community, small business owners like yourself can help your neighbors by volunteering and supporting schools and charities. Philanthropy is a great way to strengthen partnerships with residents, other small business owners and community leaders. Embracing local causes will enhance your reputation and create more good will within your community!

Exhibiting the value of your pharmacy begins with , the local business owner who knows your neighbors and the community better than anyone, especially your corporate competitors. For more ideas and suggestions, download our free eBook 3 Innovative Ways to Compete in the Pharmacy Market.

New Opportunities for the Independent Pharmacy

July 20, 2015/0 Comments/in All, Pharmacy Growth Strategies/by pdsmarketing

Personalized medicine has become increasingly popular in the recent years by allowing doctors to tailor their medical decisions, products and services to each individual patient. Under this model, appropriate therapies are determined by a patient’s genetic content or other molecular or cellular analysis.

Pharmacogenomics is one of the key aspects of personalized medicine, which focuses on how genes affect the way people respond to medications. With the knowledge gained from research, scientists are now able to predict whether a medication will be effective for a particular person and whether or not it will cause negative side effects. Based on this insight, pharmacogenomics allows customized treatment for a wide range of health problems including; cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, HIV/AIDS, and asthma.

Independent pharmacists can serve an integral role in applying pharmacogenomics to their practice to improve the quality and safety of healthcare, strengthen patient-doctor relationships, increase patient safety and reduce costs.

Integrating Pharmacogenomics through Medication Therapy Management

One avenue for implementing Pharmacogenomics is through medication therapy management (MTM), where pharmacists assess and evaluate a patient’s complete medication therapy regimen, rather than focusing on a specific therapy product. By gathering key pieces of information, e.g. which medications and supplements a patient is currently taking, pharmacists can assess current treatment and suggest alternative therapies.

Strengthening Patient-Doctor Relationships

At the patient–physician level, pharmacies that implement Pharmacogenomics can lend their knowledge of all medications prescribed for a patient and the patient’s genomic data to determine whether a prescribed drug will be the best solution for treating a specific condition. Most doctors aren’t equipped to fully assess genetic contributions for the treatment of different conditions and because of their comprehensive medications training, pharmacists are able to provide doctors with valuable insights into the best treatment options.

Increasing Patient Safety and Reducing Costs

Integrating Pharmacogenomic data into the independent pharmacy practice will contribute to increased patient safety and reduced costs. According to Medco Health Solutions, 1.5 million preventable serious medication errors occur annually in the United States. Those numbers translate into $177 billion spent on services associated with the corresponding illness and death. In addition, nearly 40% of the compounds in the drug pipeline are targeted therapies. A majority of these drugs will be prescribed for oncology applications and will take into account a patient’s genetic or biomarker information, which in turn, will help lower errors and reduce cost.

As the knowledge base of drug therapy and pharmacogenomics grows and new systems are developed to share this information, independent pharmacy will play an even greater role in creating an infrastructure for improved patient care and tailored healthcare delivery.

3 Things To Consider When Choosing Your Pharmacy’s First Niche Program

July 20, 2015/0 Comments/in All, Pharmacy Growth Strategies/by pdsmarketing

Niche services are becoming increasingly popular with independent pharmacies and are an excellent way to stand out from the competition of large chain stores in your city. What exactly is a niche service? Niche services are hyper-specific services that focus on the needs of a single group. Examples of niches for independent pharmacies include things like compounding, diabetes management, and fertility services. These customized services allow you to move from simply filling prescriptions toward the goal of being a health care resource for your patients. Deciding on the best program to implement in your pharmacy will depend on several factors.

These are the first things you should consider when choosing your pharmacy’s first niche program:

Demographics of Your Customers

Much like everything you do in your pharmacy, when deciding on a niche service, focus first on your customers. Who are they? What do they want? What do they need? What do they value the most? After you understand who your new program will be serving, you can begin to narrow down the best options to launch. For example, if your audience is mainly Baby Boomers, specialized services you may want to consider include:

medication therapy management
diabetes card
blood pressure monitoring
cancer awareness education

These services specifically target Baby Boomers and their needs and wants. Define your customers by reviewing any data you have available in your store. Take an interest in watching the people who come into your store. Even interview your best customers. Ask them the questions you need answers to.

Conditions of Surrounding Industry

Consider what other businesses and industries are near or around your pharmacy. If your store is located close to an airport or major cruise ship port, you may want to consider implementing an immunization program geared toward international travelers. Most travelers forget to update vaccines when planning a trip.

If your pharmacy is located near a local hospital, consider offering Bedside Delivery to discharged patients. Offer to bring new mother her medication so she doesn’t don’t have to stop on the way home with the new baby or provide delivery for an elderly patient who doesn’t drive and would find it challenging to get to the pharmacy. Bedside Delivery is both customer-centric and very convenient for many types of people.

Current Nationwide Trends

Health and wellness are very important to a variety of demographics, especially those groups that have a higher risk of obesity and/or diabetes. Healthy nutrition is one of the fastest growing healthcare niches. Most nutritional supplements are sold over the counter and are not covered by insurance which means that educating customers about these products could be profitable for you. Additionally, when sudden disease outbreaksbecome worldwide news, establishing yourself as the local source for a vaccine or a type of medication could be extremely profitable. Pay attention to what is in the news and you’ll have a good idea of what your customers are looking to find at your pharmacy.

Understanding the unique audiences of your pharmacy will allow you to identify new services, compelling products, and you will stand out from your competition. Serving a niche market will be extremely profitable for your pharmacy, as long as you chose your targeted group carefully. No one knows your local community better than you, so use these tips to narrow down and decide what programs will be the best for your business.

To learn more tips to help your pharmacy grow, download our free eBook “3 Innovative Ways to Compete in the Pharmacy Market.”

3 Ways a Free Children’s Vitamin Program Can Benefit Your Pharmacy

July 15, 2015/0 Comments/in All, Pharmacy Growth Strategies/by pdsmarketing

Children aren’t always the healthiest of eaters. They’re always up for chicken nuggets and french fries but rarely do they enjoy eating their string beans and spinach. Between busy schedules and picky food preferences, parents often have a difficult time ensuring that their children are getting the right amount of vitamins and minerals. As a result, they’ll supplement with multivitamins to help ensure their children are as healthy as possible.

Implementing a free children’s vitamin program is an excellent opportunity for your pharmacy to reach the parents in your community. Not only does this type of program help families with better nutrition, it also provides a great value to your pharmacy. If you’re on the fence about whether or not to implement a free children’s vitamin program in your independent pharmacy, here are three things for you to consider:

Free Services Are a Great Way to Launch a New Pharmacy

Just opened your doors? Congratulations! Many new pharmacy owners find building their initial customer base to be more difficult than they anticipated. An easy method for getting started and increasing your pharmacy’s brand awareness is to invite your potential customers into your store, with a low-risk offer of free vitamins. Once you establish a relationship with a few families, your word-of-mouth (read: FREE) advertising will increase.

Feel Good About The Impact You’re Making in Your Community

The ultimate goal of any business is to create a comfortable living for it’s owners and employees; but there is certainly something to be said for the morale boost that comes with being in an industry that promotes health in your community. While you could choose any number of products to “give away,” define the ones that have the greatest impact and focus on those.

What could be better than to wake up every day and know that you’re playing a key part in keeping the children in your community healthy? We’ll tell you, there isn’t one.

Attract New Customers

Much like a recently opened pharmacy, well-established community pharmacy owners are always looking for ways to increase the number of their customers – we don’t have to tell you that. For the same reasons that a free vitamin program benefits those newer pharmacies, leverage the same principles to revive your existing customer base. There will always be new parents in the community and devoting resources to attracting them will pay off. Once these families will become frequent visitors in your pharmacy to stock up on their vitamins, they’ll naturally think of you when an illness or medical situation requires a paid prescription. Whether they need a flu shot or cough medicine, your pharmacy will be at the top of their mind.

The concept of giving away vitamins free of charge may not have been one of your first thoughts, but the benefits of cost versus return on investment for your pharmacy through a vitamin giveaway program is something you should consider. Welcome new customers, engage long-lost ones, and go to sleep each night with a smile on your face. Your pharmacy won’t soon be forgotten when it comes time for your vitamin program parents to fill prescriptions or purchase over the counter medicines.

Looking for more helpful tips on programs you can start in your pharmacy?

Download our free eBook The Pharmacy Owner’s Guide to an Exceptionally Effective Implementation.