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Marketing
Develop a proactive marketing plan.
Marketing involves promoting your business, services, and products to your customers and the market at large. The best place to start is with a comprehensive marketing plan. Like your business plan, your marketing plan will change over time. You’ll want to begin your marketing activities before your pharmacy actually opens.
Once you’ve opened the doors of your pharmacy, you may want to hold a “store opening.” Plan for this event to occur several weeks after you have actually opened to ensure that things are running smoothly.
Start spreading the word right away. Contact your local referral sources by reaching out in person and/or by letter to local physicians, hospital discharge planners, senior centers, hospices, and so on to let them know that you are in business. Encourage them to patronize the pharmacy by offering discounts on products or some other enticement. Visit the NCPA Ownership Academy to learn more.
You’ve no doubt heard the phrase, “It pays to advertise.” With that in mind, you may want to display signage and use banners, balloons, and other promotional tactics to announce the opening of your pharmacy. You may also want to consider holding a wellness screening event to alert new patients and customers to your pharmacy and the services you provide.
Remember, marketing should be an ongoing process of communicating with customers and prospects as often as possible. So, once you’ve established your presence in the community, continue your marketing efforts in order to keep your business “top of mind.”
Health Mart can help you plan and execute effective marketing programs for your independent pharmacy. Visit the Health Mart Web site for more information.
With so many options to consider, financing the purchase or development of your pharmacy is a major hurdle that often requires a great deal of deliberation.