Going mobile can benefit your pharmacy’s retail sales.
If you’re looking to differentiate your pharmacy’s marketing strategies, expand your pharmacy’s reach and allow technologically-savvy patients to shop with greater ease, now’s the time to implement mobile marketing at your independent community pharmacy.
Seventy-five percent of marketing managers reported a positive return-on-investment (ROI) due to social marketing, according to the 2016 State of Marketing research report by Salesforce, a cloud computing company.
In the next two years, 72 percent of top marketing teams will increase spending on marketing and tech tools, according to the report. If you haven’t improved your pharmacy’s digital marketing efforts, now’s the perfect time to latch on to the trend.
Check out these five mobile marketing trends that can enhance your independent community pharmacy’s front end.
1. Mobile pay
Make transactions simpler—and safer—for patients by adopting mobile pay at your pharmacy.
Mobile payments speed up the check out process by allowing users to make a purchase directly from their smartphone. Additionally, mobile wallets easily allow businesses to integrate online promotions and loyalty rewards into customer transactions.
Mobile transactions are also safer than using a credit card. Instead of using consumers’ account numbers to make a transaction, cards stored in mobile wallets are assigned unique tokens. These tokens are then paired with a random string of numbers, unique to the time and location of a specific transaction. Because of this, any hacked data is essentially useless.
2. QR codes
Quick response (QR) codes are a smart way to market a product or service that your pharmacy offers.
When patients scan a QR code with their smartphone, the code will take them directly to an article, video or website that gives them more detailed information.
For example, if a patient is unsure about whether or not to buy a certain vitamin or supplement, he can scan a QR code you’ve placed next to the product to learn more about it. This additional information incentivizes patients to make a purchase when they’re more educated.
3. Social media
Maintaining a social media presence is a pivotal tool when it comes to maximizing your pharmacy’s retail sales.
If you’re looking to increase front-end profits, let your social media followers know what you offer. A simple social media post advertising your products can help get patients shopping at your store.
Other social media tips include:
• Post on your social media accounts when you’re holding a front-end sale
• Give your social media followers a ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ deal
• Let social media followers know when you carry unusual retail products, such as locally-made soap or honey from an area beekeeper
4. Mobile apps
Compete with larger retail pharmacies by offering a mobile app for your pharmacy business.
If you’re looking to customize your own app, consider PocketRx, a branded smartphone and refill app for independent community pharmacies.
With PocketRx, patients can see detailed pharmacy information, refill prescriptions, choose delivery options, see announcements and more. If you want to boost your retail sales, use the app to send notifications to your patients about sales you’re hosting or products you recommend.
5. Text alerts
Remind patients of everything your pharmacy has to offer by sending convenient short message service (SMS) notifications, otherwise known as text messages.
While your pharmacy may already provide a regular e-newsletter to notify patients, SMS notifications can be more difficult for patients to overlook, as text messages have a 98 percent “open” rate, according to data from the Dynmark Report. The “open” rate refers to the number of people who view or open a text message.
Sending regular text alerts can help remind patients to stop by your store to make a purchase.
For example, if there’s an ongoing vitamin and supplements sale at your store, patients might be more inclined to visit your pharmacy and make a purchase if they receive a text message reminder that a sale is occurring.
Is your pharmacy making these five common online mistakes? Find out now.
