How effective was the last promotional piece you handed out to patients?
Many promotional materials are boring, contain weak calls-to-action and make unsupported claims, causing them to miss the mark.
As an independent community pharmacist, creating marketing materials probably isn’t your strong suit. While we recommend that you hire a marketing company or create an in-house marketing position, we understand that it isn’t always in the budget to do so. If you’re creating promotional pieces yourself, we’ve put together a list of simple tips to help you make the most of your next flyer, postcard or newsletter.
Follow these guidelines to create a compelling promotional piece that actually works.
Make it aesthetically pleasing
The goal of any promotional material is to grab the reader’s attention, causing him or her to keep reading and ultimately complete the desired action.
And in order to grab their attention, the piece has to be aesthetically pleasing.
Images need to be high quality and high resolution, and the font should be large enough that it’s easy to read.
It’s also important to use color to make the piece stand out, preferably colors that align with your brand. Don’t be afraid to tap into your creative side to make the material more interesting for your audience, but remember not to distract from the message.
Create a compelling headline
You only have a few seconds to pique your readers’ interest, and the headline is what they’ll read first.
Your headline needs to be compelling and effective, yet simple and to the point.
A good headline will immediately resonate with the reader, forcing him to keep reading.
For example, if you’re promoting your smoking cessation program, a good headline to try may be “Quit Smoking Once and for All”.
Convey the right message
When you craft the message for your promotional piece, make sure you’re able to fully support that message. Avoid using too many superlatives, and focus on backing up the claims you make.
Instead of just saying you’re the friendliest pharmacy in town, provide proof to make patients believe it. For example, mention how your pharmacists have a 24-hour access number or show a picture of a pharmacist helping a patient pick out the right product.
It’s also important to evoke the senses through descriptive language so that your message really resonates with people.
Use words that paint a picture for whomever is reading them. For example, if you’re promoting your fitness education class, paint a picture for the reader of himself as a happier, healthier person doing an activity he loves to do.
Include a clear call-to-action
A promotional piece can look and sound great, but without a clear call-to-action, it’s bound to be ineffective.
Think carefully about exactly what you want patients who read your promotional piece to do. Clearly state what that action is, and try to create a sense of urgency around it.
For example, if you want patients to get a flu shot at your pharmacy, you could write “Call us today at 555-5555 to schedule your flu shot appointment.”
Overlap with online materials
Whenever you create a promotional piece, it should complement your online marketing efforts.
The branding, colors and images you use need to reflect your website, email campaigns and social media channels.
The content of your promotional piece should also overlap with your online content, so that your message is consistent across all platforms.
Want to take your marketing efforts to the next level? Check out the pharmacy marketing options available from PBA Health, a pharmacy services organization dedicated to independent community pharmacies.
