Prescriptions are the number-one reason that patients come into your pharmacy - but they don’t have to be the only reason. In order to help keep your profits up (and keep things interesting) here are a few tips on how to increase sales for your retail pharmacy business.
1. Do your research
Relying on your intuition is a great way to go about some areas of life, but it shouldn’t always be used for business. Instead, do your research. Just because you like a product doesn’t mean your customers are going to like it or that it will sell. By finding data on what over-the-counter products are trending, you’ll get a good idea of what you should supply in-store.
It’s also a good idea to look at your own sales to see what’s the most popular. Hint: it usually has to do with cold/flu treatment, allergy prevention, vitamins and dietary supplements, and pain relief.
2. Optimize your floor plan
Overtly display items that your customers want to buy. Change it up - don’t let the layout get stale. Keeping things interesting will keep customers curious (although changing it up too often might not be the way to go). Change up what you place in areas that receive the most foot traffic to see what sells the best. Then, you’ll know what to place in locations that are highly visible.
3. Develop strong customer relationships
Customer service is so important. Good or bad, it sticks with someone for their entire day. You want the experience within your retail pharmacy to stick with your customers in a good way! By creating rapport with your customers, you’ll create regulars, and regulars mean guaranteed business (and bright spots in both of your days).
4. Friendly customer service is key
There’s a fine line between being the friendliest in town and being a helicopter pharmacist, so make sure you err on the side of the former. Make sure to be present when your customers need help, but allow them space when they’re shopping - no one likes to be followed around a store.
Patience and listening skills are key, even when customers aren’t the easiest to deal with. If they feel that their pharmacist is on their side and truly cares about what they have to say, it builds a strong bond and will increase pharmacy sales in the long run.
5. Increase your social media presence
This doesn’t mean you have to go all out with advertising, so don’t worry. But it’s important to note that the average internet user spends over 2 hours a day on social media, and if your pharmacy has a strong social media presence, it’s likely that those internet users will come across your page. By posting relevant and relatable things, you cater to your audience and increase your presence in the online community.
6. Focus on adherence
Make sure that your patients are adhering to their medications. Not only is this good for your business, it’s also beneficial (and sometimes crucial) to your patients’ health. You can encourage adherence by implementing simple things like text/phone reminders and automatic refills.
7. Accurate online information
It’s possible that information that’s listed correctly on your pharmacy’s website could be listed incorrectly on third party sites like Google, Yelp, or FourSquare. It’s a good idea to make sure all this information - like your hours of operation, address, and phone number - lines up, so customers don’t feel put off by the differing information. Being confused could make them not want to visit your store, which is definitely not ideal!
8. Make shopping more convenient
Everyone’s always looking for ways to make life more convenient. With the advance of technology, this mindset is more prevalent than ever. One way you can make life easier is by creating a mobile app that your patients can order their prescriptions through without having to make a call - you can also integrate your loyalty program into your app so customers can earn points. Introducing curbside pickup or delivery can make the experience of using a mobile app work even more seamlessly.
