Veterans Day, Nov. 11, is a timely way for your pharmacy to show support for active military and veterans in your community and beyond.
Your pharmacy can demonstrate the commitment to our country’s armed services, while strengthening your patient base through community engagement and patriotism.
Here’s how to show your pharmacy’s support for those who have served this Veterans Day.
Host a community care package event
Consider organizing an event for your community to come together to assemble care packages for troops overseas. You already have many of the in-demand items for care packages at your pharmacy, such as hygiene, personal care, and over-the-counter (OTC) products, which you could donate.
Distribute lists of other items that patients can donate, such as non-perishable snacks, entertainment items and more. Here’s a list of military care package ideas, items that can’t be sent and mailing requirements.
If you don’t have specific units to ship care packages to, organizations such as Operation Gratitude and Operation Shoebox can get your packages into the hands of deployed troops, veterans and Wounded Warriors.
Operation Gratitude has as Halloween Candy Program that incorporates extra candy into the care packages, so you can encourage your participants to bring any excess candy to your event, too.
You can further involve your community, especially youth, by hosting a thank you card writing campaign, or by making parachute cord survival bracelets to send to troops overseas.
Don’t forget to publicize your event on social media and in your store with flyers and by word-of-mouth. Even if patients are unable to attend the event, they still might want to donate care package items.
Ask patients to share their stories
Share your own stories of friends, family or staff members who have served via social media, and encourage your patients to do the same. Patients will love the opportunity to share their stories of veteran loved ones with their community, and it’s an excellent way to show your pharmacy’s appreciation on the local level for those who served and their families .
Offer special discounts to active military and veterans
Consider offering a 20 percent discount to all active military and veterans on all front-end purchases. They’ll appreciate the gesture, and remember your pharmacy’s gratitude the next time they need to fill a prescription or purchase OTC or personal care items.
Donate sales to an organization that supports veterans
Feature a popular product or product line, and donate all profit from that item on Veterans Day to a military charity of your choice. There are many charities to choose from, such as Wounded Warriors, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Charitable Trust, and more.
Make sure to advertise this special promotion on social media, and tell each patient who comes into your pharmacy about the fundraiser. Chances are they’ll want to stock up on that product once they know its proceeds will benefit an important cause.
Reward customers who donate
Offer patients the opportunity to make a monetary donation to the military organization you’re supporting. Consider offering a discount on front-end products with their donation of $10 or more, or give away small American flags or patriotic button pins in exchange for smaller donations.
Use these ideas in your pharmacy to honor those who have served this Veterans Day.
