How do you increase sales at your pharmacy without pushing patients to make purchases?
The answer is consultative selling.
Let’s face it: the pharmacists and pharmacy technicians at your pharmacy aren’t salespeople. In fact, many of your employees may feel uncomfortable trying to sell products to your patients.
Independent community pharmacies pride themselves on being trusted members of the community, and selling can sometimes have a negative effect.
But, by taking a consultative selling—or solution selling—approach, you can focus on having conversations with your patients and finding solutions to their problems. Your end goal isn’t to sell a product to make money, but rather to help a patient by solving a problem.
Follow these steps to use consultative selling to your pharmacy’s advantage.
Get to know your patients
As an independent community pharmacist, you have the unique opportunity to really get to know your patients, because you can devote time to developing relationships with them.
Understanding what prescriptions patients take, the side effects they experience and the individual behaviors they exhibit will help you to solve their problems and provide better care.
For example, if a patient has trouble remembering to refill her prescriptions, you can inform her about your pharmacy’s medication synchronization program. Or, you can work with her to create a refill calendar and set up a reminder phone call.
Once you learn a patient’s problems, you can work on finding a solution. In doing so, you’ll gain his trust and loyalty and ultimately increase revenue and referrals.
Ask open-ended questions
When you ask “yes” or “no” questions, you give patients the option of simply saying “no,” which won’t get you anywhere.
Instead, ask open-ended questions that give patients an opportunity to explain their situation or problem. Try to use who, what, when, where, why and how questions.
For example, ask a patient why she was unable to pick up her prescription on time. Or, ask her how she usually remembers to order a refill.
Train your employees on how to interact with patients and when to ask certain conversational questions.
Actively listen
It’s not enough to just listen, you have to actively listen in order to understand a patient’s problem and show that you care about his situation.
When a patient answers your question, paraphrase what you heard and ask a follow-up question. This shows that you understood and want to learn more.
For example, if a patient says insomnia is a side effect of his medication, ask him when it started and what methods he’s tried to improve his sleep.
Educate patients
As you work to find a solution, educate patients on all of their possible options, so that you can come to a decision together.
Give your honest, expert opinion and advice, and use what you’ve learned through your conversations with the patient to customize a solution that fits his needs.
For example, if a patient comes to you suffering from foot pain due to diabetes, tell him about diabetic shoe inserts or skin products that may provide relief. Then, show him the selection of supplementary diabetes products available in your pharmacy and make a recommendation.
With this approach, you don’t have to feel like you’re pushing certain products or services to make a sale. When patients recognize you’re simply trying to help them, the sales will follow.
Improve your consultative selling abilities by becoming a better listener.
A Member-Owned Company Serving Independent Pharmacies
PBA Health is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies reach their full potential on the buy-side of their business. Founded and owned by pharmacists, PBA Health serves independent pharmacies with group purchasing services, wholesaler contract negotiations, proprietary purchasing tools, and more.
An HDA member, PBA Health operates its own NABP-accredited secondary wholesaler with more than 6,000 SKUs, including brands, generics, narcotics CII-CV, cold-storage products, and over-the-counter (OTC) products — offering the lowest prices in the secondary market.
