YOUR BUSINESS IN FLIGHT by Dave Manzer
News flash: small, independent pharmacies have brands that benefit from media exposure!
I bet you don’ t typically think of independent pharmacies using PR to their advantage. Am I right? And yet many of them have done just that for decades, and some quite successfully. Here’ s what is worth knowing, which is that using smart, practical PR for small pharmacies today is more important than ever.
More and more consumers are looking to locally-owned pharmacies for their health and wellness needs. Many local pharmacies, however, have a real challenge allocating enough resources to get the word out about how they are a great alternative to chain stores and their standard cookie-cutter approach to health and wellness. In other words, how do you use PR in an efficient yet affordable manner so that more people recognize the value of staying with a small pharmacy where they aren’ t simply a number?
Main Fact: A majority of small pharmacies have little experience with PR.
Secondary Fact: Many small pharmacies may not realize the potential benefits an ongoing PR campaign can have on the business, from brand awareness to new customer traffic.
Reality: Most businesses will do that which is“ closest to the money,” meaning they will invest in activities that they believe will result in fastest route to cash. Examples of these traditional marketing activities include newspaper inserts, direct mail, and yellow page advertising. The trap many small enterprises fall into is forgetting to add up the real costs of acquiring a new customer. Sadly, many traditional marketing methods end up costing a pretty penny when it comes to driving customers to the pharmacy.
Compounding Works: Just like in a pharmacy where compounding results in the right blend of medication to best treat the patient’ s needs, an effective go-to-market strategy should reflect a unique combination of activities that reach the most prospective customers for the least amount of money. That’ s precisely why PR should always be part of a small pharmacy’ s“ marketing medicine cabinet.”
Next Steps: If you wait for the news media to come to you for news leads, you will be waiting a long time. You now need to formulate a plan for getting your pharmacy in the news, and begin to execute on a calendar that commits you to regular PR activities, just like you would send out emails or other marketing material.
Remember to be creative in what you promote, and always look for ways to tie your news to general news trends like allergy seasons or Breast Cancer Awareness month.
Determine the ways reporters and TV producers like to receive news tips: emails sent to a news-tip address, phone calls to the news desk, tweets, etc. Then once you start communicating, never stop, because you’ re success depends upon how well you engage with the world around you.
Since nothing expands your reach quite like a flattering story in the local news media, the financial health of your pharmacy will be enhanced from positive news placements even as you improve the health and well being of the local community you serve.