Kids are ambassadors for their parents. They influence their parents’ purchases and their impressions of your pharmacy.
Making your pharmacy more kid-friendly can help boost sales while also improving the health care experience for your young patients—and their parents. If your pharmacy offers products, brands or services that kids enjoy, while also making kids’ wellness simpler for parents, then your pharmacy will become an indispensable part of that family’s health care, and they’ll be more likely to become loyal patients at your pharmacy.
Here are five tips to make your pharmacy more appealing to kids.
1. Start a free kids’ vitamin program
Offering free vitamins to kids can bring new families into your pharmacy, while also keeping kids healthy.
A free vitamin program for kids will encourage parents to check out your pharmacy, and when they come to pick up vitamins each month, you’ll have a chance to talk about your pharmacy’s services and recommend supplementary products, such as vitamins for adults, to boost your sales.
A vitamin program also helps kids who are picky eaters get the vitamins and minerals that they need, and parents will appreciate your efforts to keep their kids healthy.
2. Offer medication flavoring
Getting kids to take their medication can be difficult, but a flavoring service can help make medicine taking easier for kids and parents.
A flavoring service gives kids ownership and control in the medication-taking experience when they choose their own flavor—making it something they are a part of, rather than just something the have to do. When kids like the taste of their medicine, they’re more likely to finish the entire course of treatment. Parents will appreciate that flavoring makes medicine taking simpler, and less of a fight.
3. Host kid-friendly events
Get kids—and their parents—into your pharmacy with events that kids will be interested in. For example, have an ice cream truck set up in your parking lot for a day. Hand out coupons for a free ice cream with every purchase or pay ahead to make the ice cream complimentary for the day.
When kids are excited about your pharmacy’s event, they’ll be advocates for you and encourage their parents to attend. Once they’re at your event, you’ll have an opportunity to share information with parents about your pharmacy’s products and services.
4. Make the check-out counter a zone for kids
Place kid-friendly products, such as small toys or snacks, near the register. While parents are unloading their items and getting ready to pay, their kids will be exploring the area and picking out last-minute impulse buys. These small purchases can add up and boost your pharmacy’s front-end sales.
5. Stock branded items
Items like toothbrushes or Band-Aids® that feature cartoon or comic book characters often appeal to kids. Stock theses items in your pharmacy and feature them on end caps or at kids’ eye levels.
Consider recommending these items as add-ons to other front-end purchases. For example, if parents pick up a new tube of toothpaste, ask if it’s time to get a new toothbrush for their kid. Suggest that the kid pick out one with his or her favorite superhero. Kids will love their character-themed toothbrush and parents will appreciate that you’ve made the brushing routine simpler.
Make your pharmacy kid-friendly to create a positive experience for both parents and kids.
