Yes, I know it's October. But if you haven't already started your Christmas marketing campaigns I'm sorry to say. You are already behind.
Before you panic, it's okay. That is exactly what I am here for.
What is the first thing we think of when we think of Christmas in a pharmacy? For many it is novelty gift packs, Christmas cards, donations and people with silly hats (which I am already seeing plenty of).
Yes, these are all relevant parts of the Christmas marketing world. But as a community pharmacy your most important role is to provide quality health services, products and advice. Make sure in the madness of Christmas this doesn't get forgotten!
As well as the Christmas cheer we also have Christmas stress, impatience, financial pressures and family tensions. We want to make sure amidst this time your pharmacy team is there to provide the highest quality health care they can.
Now let’s talk about how to get the most out of your Christmas Marketing:
Big sale banners and catalogue promotions is what every retail store jumps to when it comes to increasing customer traffic. Which is a great tactic, it works. However, it is more than just putting up a sign, or printing a catalogue and putting it in your customers bag or on the counter.
We need to think beyond the four walls of your pharmacy and reach your customers where they are making their buying decisions, and for most of us that is at home. You need to be utilising your digital marketing channels to their full capacity during this time. And you need to start now.
Social Media:
Your social media is your best channel to reach the most people for the lowest cost (or free!). You should already have your social media strategy sorted, which will have weekly team posts, community posts, product posts and service posts. Keep these going.
Now it’s time to think about campaigns. A few different campaigns are designed for different results. You may want to increase brand awareness, drive sales or increase loyalty in your community.
A brand awareness campaign example would be a competition which encourages the viewer to follow, like, comment and share your post to win a prize.
This is a tried and tested method to build your audience and your engagement on social media. People will tag their friends and family, and then they will do the same, and so on.
An example of a sales based campaign for social media would be once a week offering a discount on a product or range which can only be accessed by your followers. Have a time limit on these posts and make sure the success is measured in store. This creates scarcity and promotes followers to stay engaged with your page for the next discount.
A loyalty based campaign would be aimed at those who are members, this needs to be a bigger reward whether it is points, vouchers or a giveaway. You need to communicate why it is valuable to be a member of your pharmacy.
When thinking of a campaign, think carefully about your target audience. Who are they? What are they likely to want, and who do we want to attract into our store? All these questions will help develop your offering.
Website:
Many of us forget about updating our websites when we launch campaigns, but marketing is all about consistency across channels.
Yes, your campaign may be running predominantly on social media but that doesn't mean you don't advertise it on your website. Make sure your campaign is clearly promoted on your website, link back to your social media and encourage more reach through both channels.
It is also essential you keep details like your services, opening hours and product offerings up to date.
Email Marketing:
Your email marketing is one of your most important channels for pharmacy. Social media is your tool to reach the masses, but email marketing is how you keep loyalty with your customers.
This is why your loyal customers should get rewarded, especially this time of year! Make sure that you are creating an offering that gets your members excited and in store. Whether that is a major discount exclusive to them, a free gift or an in store event. It is integral to maintain and grow customer loyalty through member only benefits.
Your email marketing is also a place to update your customers on all the good your store is doing and their efforts have helped to achieve. Let them know about any charities you've supported or local community groups you are teaming up with. These are the people who want to support you the most.
Collaborations:
Spread the Christmas cheer with collaboration. The best way to grow is by sharing the spotlight. Get local community groups involved with your giveaways and campaigns. If there is a local family event that your customers would be interested in, talk about offering a free ticket. Talk to local service providers, boutiques, or restaurants. You don't have to stay within the health sector, Christmas is a time to come together and help one another.
We encourage you to use this time to make those connections you have been meaning to make but life got in the way. Walk into a neighbouring shop with a Christmas card and an offering of 10% off for all employees. Throw in a hand sanitiser with a ribbon, some jelly beans and you've got yourself a new community partner.
Events:
As the Christmas school holidays approach it is the perfect time to hold events! Most community pharmacies will have a demographic of families and holding events which are aimed to benefit both kids and their parents are a great way to connect with this group.
If you are wanting to hold an event in December start advertising now! If you want to have a good level of attendance you need to get the word out 4-8 weeks early, and you will need more advertising than just a single post and a Facebook event.
This is where I would recommend spending some money for paid social media ads, reaching out to your community for advertising (local newsletters, schools, noticeboards, coffee shops) and sharing the event in relevant Facebook groups.
The event will depend on your store's demographic and target market, but whatever you choose to do remember it's not just about getting people through the door on the day.
I have said it before but I will say it again, pharmacy events need to increase customer numbers, increase customer frequency, increase customer spend and increase customer loyalty.
So, ask yourself once people are in store how can we make sure they spend more money? (product demonstration). How can we get them coming back? (discount services, quality advice, team connections). How can we increase loyalty? (showcase member benefits, offer sign up to all attendees with rewards)
This is an exciting time of year, full of lots of opportunities for community pharmacy. If you are interested in utilising your pharmacy marketing to its full potential during this holiday season let us know.
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Written by Renee Giesemann