How long has it been since you’ve updated your marketing approach?
Now that January has come and gone, you might be thinking about what your pharmacy can do to attract new patients. And, although marketing may not be top-of-mind for you, it’s the best way to get people interested in your pharmacy.
Fortunately, all you need to improve your marketing efforts (and stay consistent) is a good checklist.
Here are five things you should be marking off your checklist to improve your pharmacy’s marketing this February.
1. Hold a themed event
February is prime for holding events at your independent community pharmacy.
February is American Heart Month and Valentine’s Day is just around the corner.
Plan a Valentine’s Day celebration with heart health education, front-end promotions and health screenings. It’s an opportunity to educate and inform patients about heart health, while also helping to promote your business as a fun, family-friendly practice.
(Use our guide to plan your Valentine’s Day event.)
2. Plan a monthly schedule
To make sure marketing doesn’t fall by the wayside this February and beyond, make it a top priority to plan your monthly marketing schedule ahead of time.
Strategize which marketing platforms will be your focus this month. Will you concentrate on promoting your Facebook page? Or, will you be reevaluating your website?
Creating a monthly marketing schedule can be a great way to help you stay consistent. And, you’ll make a habit of focusing on your marketing when you have to take time out of your schedule each month to identify what your efforts will be.
RELATED: Are You Making These Pharmacy Marketing Mistakes?
3. Know your numbers
Did you know that it’s possible to find out how effective your pharmacy’s marketing actually is?
As a start, make it a point to go over your pharmacy’s web and social media analytics this month. When you know who’s looking at your Facebook page, how successful a post was or how many visits your page has gained in the last month, you can get a better insight into what you need to do to improve your marketing approach.
Reviewing Facebook Insights, Google Analytics, if it’s implemented for your website, and Hootsuite data can help you understand what’s working for your business and what’s not.
4. Make content the strategy
It can be difficult to create content for your pharmacy’s blog or weekly email newsletter. But, making time for your pharmacy’s content creation is crucial. A blog or e-newsletter is a simple way to stay in touch with patients regularly and keep your pharmacy top-of-mind.
To make things easy, write a list of the kind of content you’d like to post about. (Or hand off this task to a pharmacy intern.) Analyzing your pharmacy’s social media can also come in handy in helping you to develop the kind of content your patients want to read.
(Here are some tips to help you build a better blog for your pharmacy.)
5. Examine your brand
Maintaining your pharmacy’s marketing and maintaining your pharmacy’s brand go hand-in-hand.
A successful marketing strategy can increase your pharmacy’s credibility and make your presence known. These two components are also necessary in building an effective brand.
Take time out of your schedule this month to thoughtfully examine your brand. You can do this by taking note of the platforms you’re using to build your credibility and how you’re working to make your pharmacy unique.
For example, if your goal is to become a health destination for your community, holding a free educational seminar at your pharmacy about high blood pressure or diabetes could be the marketing tactic you need to employ.
When you know your brand, you’ll have a better idea of what you need to do to market your business.
Check out this yearly pharmacy marketing review checklist.
