Inside: Get your independent pharmacy’s marketing and promotions on track with a promotions calendar. Keeping a promotions calendar will help you stay organized and consistent.
It’s easy to forget to run promotions.
If you only do it when you think about it, you’ll run maybe one or two a year. Or none at all.
Independent community pharmacies are notoriously busy. But you don’t want to miss out on running promotions to bring in new business.
Running pharmacy promotions can help:
- Drive new prescription business
- Increase repeat prescription business
- Highlight pharmacy events
- Boost front-end sales of retail products
- Increase use of clinical services (health screenings, smoking cessation, vaccinations, specialty care, etc.)
Promotions can especially help your pharmacy’s front-end merchandise turn over quickly. And that means increased revenue. Promotions call attention to products and encourage patients to shop your front end when they come to pick up their prescriptions.
Here’s Why You Need to Create a Pharmacy Promotions Calendar Right Now
Don’t put off creating a promotions calendar as something you’ll do later. It’s not difficult. And it can make a big difference to your pharmacy’s marketing efforts.
Plan what to run
A calendar that details what promotions you plan to run—and when—can keep you on track.
Especially if you map out the whole year in advance. Scheduling your promotions ahead of time will give you a roadmap for the year and help you plan displays and signage.
And, it’s easier to allocate time and money to promotions when you’re organized and know what promotion is coming up next.
Budget as needed
When you plan ahead, you can budget ahead.
As you create your calendar, think about the strategy behind any discounting promotions.
For example, Dayne Shuda, Owner of Ghost Blog Writers, which offers blogging services for businesses, said you need to think about how any discounts you offer will affect your margins.
“It’s definitely a balance,” he said. “You want to bring in more business without giving away too much, but you have to give away enough to make it appealing to buyers.”
Stay consistent
Whether you’re hosting a block party event or offering a special deal on vitamins during women’s health week, a promotions calendar will help you keep a regular schedule.
That way you run promotions consistently. Instead of only when you remember.
Assign tasks
When you plan out your pharmacy promotions calendar in advance, you can assign duties and tasks to the necessary employees.
This will help ensure everything gets completed before the upcoming promotion.
For example, your front-end manager will know to order extra stock of a product you plan to promote next month. And, your pharmacy technicians will know you’ll need them to work on the day you’re hosting an ice cream social at your pharmacy.
Think about rules and regulations
Creating a promotions calendar is a great time to think about any rules and regulations that come with promoting. “When planning promotions like sales or discounts, make sure any brands you promote allow you to discount,” Shuda said. “Some brands won’t allow you to offer, say, 20 percent off.”
How to Make a Pharmacy Promotions Calendar
Making a pharmacy promotions calendar is easy.
You can create a calendar using a simple spreadsheet.
“Lay out the entire year by weeks or months,” Shuda said. “One promotion per week may be pushing it. But one every other week or monthly is a good place to start.”
What to include on your promotions calendar:
- Name of the promotion
- Details
- Dates
- Terms
- Marketing channels (email, social media, radio, etc.)
- Responsibilities
- Marketing elements needed (flyers, photos, signage, etc.)
- Due dates (for those responsible to prepare the promotion)
Next, you need to decide what promotions you want to run.
To make your own promotional calendar, simply take a look at each month and decide what you want to promote at your pharmacy. Maybe you want to offer 10 percent off smoking cessation products in January. Or, maybe you want to do a buy-one-get-one-free sale on vitamins during March, which is National Nutrition Month.
Ideas of pharmacy promotions to run:
- Hold sales during national holidays and observances
- Plan promotions around community events like block parties, 5ks and health fairs
- Participate in small business holidays (like Small Business Saturday)
- Run promotions during national holidays (New Year, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.)
- Highlight pharmacy milestones (business anniversary, new location opening)
RELATED: Mark Your Calendar: A Promotions Checklist for Pharmacies
Download a Free Promotions Calendar
Don’t know where to start?
To help you out, we’ve created a downloadable calendar filled with health and wellness holidays and national events for each month.
Use it as a starting off point to plan your promotions.
We’ve also included a bonus tip or idea for a pharmacy promotion you can do every month.
Don’t miss out on opportunities for your independent pharmacy. Create a pharmacy promotions calendar to drive new and repeat business.
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.
