During a regular day at your pharmacy filling prescriptions, counseling patients and managing your staff, you likely don’t stop to consider what your patients hear when in your store. But, doing so could improve your business.
Like the other senses, hearing shapes your customers’ perceptions. Your customers use their sense of hearing to gather information about your business. What they hear can influence whether they think of your pharmacy as friendly or impersonal, soothing or stressful. What is your patients’ sense of hearing telling them about your business?
Sell with sound
We live in a visual society and are often more aware of what we see than what we hear, but sound influences us, even if we don’t realize it. Sound is tied to emotional connection. Hearing just a few cords from a favorite song can instantly bring back certain memories, for example.
Like the other senses, sound is a powerful tool when it comes to marketing. When you positively engage your patients’ sense of hearing, you can create a comfortable atmosphere in your pharmacy. One that patients enjoy being in.
When customers feel comfortable, they’ll likely stay in your pharmacy longer and possibly buy more. Give your business a boost by positively marketing to your customers’ sense of hearing. The easiest way to do that is to play music in your pharmacy.
Move with music
Music affects us physically. Research has shown that music with a fast tempo can speed up our heart rates, while the opposite occurs for music with a slow tempo. Restaurants, which want a high table turnover rate, often play fast music to get customers to eat more quickly. While, retail stores play slower-paced music to encourage customers to shop leisurely, which can increase sales.
You can use the same idea at your pharmacy. Play music to create a specific mood for your patients. Slower paced music will likely work best for your pharmacy. It will encourage your patients to hang around. And, when customers stay in your store longer they’re more likely to grab that tube of toothpaste they need or check out your section of personal care products.
The local radio station probably isn’t a good choice for background music. The constant interruption from commercials can be jarring and will interrupt the shopping experience for your customers. Instead, choose music that you can keep on a constant loop.
Also, keep in mind that no background music in a pharmacy can feel rather…sterile. A hospital-like atmosphere likely isn’t what you want at your community pharmacy. Playing the right music can promote a comfortable, friendly environment, which is more likely want you want for your business.
Marketing to the Senses Series
Learn more about each of the five senses and how they can improve your pharmacy marketing in our article series.
What Do the 5 Senses Have to Do With Marketing Your Pharmacy?
What Does the Sense of Sight Have to Do With Marketing Your Pharmacy?
What Does the Sense of Smell Have to Do With Marketing Your Pharmacy?
What Does the Sense of Taste Have to Do With Marketing Your Pharmacy?
What Does the Sense of Touch Have to Do With Marketing Your Pharmacy?
