It’s no secret that word-of-mouth marketing can create buzz about your business. Person-to-person communication is often the most effective way to spread information about stores or brands.
A 2013 study from Nielsen found that 84 percent of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over all other sources of advertising. Eighty-four percent of shoppers take action as a result of these recommendations, too.
On the business side, the effect of word-of-mouth on sales is becoming clearer. The Word of Mouth Marketing Association recently released the results of a study aimed at determining the return on word-of-mouth marketing, and the numbers are impressive. Conversations and recommendations between consumers lead to 13 percent of consumer sales, which adds up to about $6 trillion a year in consumer spending.
But how can you get word-of-mouth marketing to work for your independent community pharmacy? Experts say that strong word-of-mouth is motivated by a few different factors: an interesting business story, superiority of products and services, and high visibility.
Any one of those reasons could get people talking about your pharmacy and filling their prescriptions in your store. While word-of-mouth often happens naturally, there are some things you can do to get it started. Here are some ideas.
Give them something to talk about
Get to know your patients, and let them get to know you. Your pharmacy has a story: Tell it. Maybe it’s your motivation for opening a pharmacy, or your commitment to helping an underserved population in your community. Maybe your pharmacy has been in your family for generations. Whatever it is, the story behind your pharmacy can help your patients connect on a personal level, maybe through an emotional response, or because it’s personally relevant. This connection will give your patients a reason to bring up your pharmacy in conversations with others, which can spark others’ interest in your store and services.
Get referrals
Sometimes the easiest way to increase word-of-mouth is the most direct: Ask for it. Reach out to local physicians who could recommend your pharmacy to patients, or ask your current patients to refer their friends and family. Beyond just asking, demonstrate to them why your pharmacy deserves their recommendation. What about your independent community pharmacy sets you apart from the competition? Is it your friendly demeanor, or specialized services? Think about what makes your pharmacy special, and then work to highlight that in everything you do. Physicians and your patients will be happy to give a well-deserved recommendation.
Utilize the Internet
One of the easiest ways to make yourself known in your community is through the Internet. Maintaining a website, a social media presence and staying visible on sites such as Yelp or Angie’s List is a great way to ensure that people can find you. But to get people talking about you on the Internet, you have to be proactive.
Beyond just being a source of information, make your online presence interactive. Connect with your patients on social media, answer their questions and respond to their concerns. Encourage your followers to share your posts, which will make your pharmacy even more visible online. Next time they need to go to the drugstore, it’s likely they’ll think of you.
Word-of-mouth marketing can be the most powerful—and least expensive—method of advertising you can use. Get your customers talking, and your business will benefit.
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.
