So much has transpired in my life over the past few years and the most heartwarming change was my transition into motherhood and embracing the role as a proud parent to my son, Harry (fondly referred to as Hazza around the office). During my maternity leave, my interaction with pharmacists took on a new dimension; something any new parent can easily relate to! The frequency of my visits to pharmacies undoubtedly surged and well, pharmacies became my new best friend. These experiences have further expanded my knowledge so when I returned to work and started working with pharmacies and their marketing, my approach also evolved.
What I found when working with pharmacies previously was I didn’t explain the why as clearly as I could have. I was jumping straight into my marketing lingo and setting up strategies however it is important to come back to the basics! Marketing isn’t as foreign and scary as one might think. So, take a couple of minutes to read this blog and I promise I can prove this theory by sharing one of the most important and basic marketing concepts that will help grow your pharmacy business through patient experience.
Patient Experience
It’s common to believe that patient experience is defined by the interaction a patient has with a pharmacist when filling a script or a consultation within a health service. However this is only part of the patient experience and it actually extends beyond the four walls of your pharmacy.
If I can quickly describe what patient experience is, it would be this:
Patient experience in a pharmacy setting encompasses the impressions and interactions individuals have with the brand across multiple touchpoints, including in-store and digital experiences.
It involves providing seamless, personalised, and convenient experiences that meet healthcare needs, exceeds expectations, fosters loyalty, and drives revenue growth.
Experience is emotive and is derived from how your brand makes a patient feel. Furthermore, feelings can be developed well before ever having a face-to-face interaction.
To delve deeper into this, I want to share a story about the experience I had while on maternity leave that sparked my journey into reshaping my marketing approach with pharmacies. Harry was quite young and struggling with tummy problems around 8pm on a weekday. My husband was away, and our regular GP had already closed for the day. Being a new mother, I was in search of guidance. As many would, I turned to Google for potential helplines to reach out to. Upon entering the keywords "baby health," a pharmacy emerged on the initial search results page. So, I decided to pop Harry in the car (which is a tough feat) and drive up to see them before they closed.
Upon entering, I made my way past an array of baby items—formula, nappies, and various baby products—before approaching the counter. That’s great! I felt I could get the assistance I needed from this pharmacy as it supported their online expertise in baby health. So there I was chatting to the pharmacy assistant, detailing the concerns I had about Harry. I wasn't trying to uncover an immediate solution; rather, I was craving direction on who to speak to or a potential explanation for Harry’s tummy. After completing what could only be described as word vomit (picture a flustered first-time mother), I awaited a response, which did come eventually. The assistant’s words were apologetic yet disappointing: "I'm sorry, but I don’t know much about baby health." When I asked to speak to the Pharmacist behind the dispensary I was met with a similar response.
Here's a concrete example of how the patient experience stretches way beyond the regular consultation. So, I stumbled upon this brand on Google and their website, and from what I gathered, I had high hopes they would provide me with some sound advice for baby health. But what happened was when I had my chat with their team, it was clear they knew a lot of about pharmacy, but they just weren't on the same page as me when it came to what I really needed expertise on baby health.
So, how does the above tie into the promotion of your pharmacy? Well, that's because marketing offers you the tools to shape the patient experience and cultivate their loyalty. This example serves as a case in point where a pharmacy created a certain image that didn't quite match the actual in-store experience for a patient. However, with a strategic approach, pharmacies can leverage marketing activities like websites, emails, community engagement, and social media. This empowers them to effectively manage the kind of interaction patients have when engaging with various aspects of your brand, whether it's face-to-face or within their own environment.
We’re entering a new era of pharmacy, most certainly not welcome but it’s happening none the less, no stone can be left unturned. If you were to engage me as a consultant to guide you through 60 Day Dispensing, I would have a meeting with you to determine your desired patient experience. Following that, I'd ask the question: What is the actual encounter your patients are currently undergoing? Because your patient experience can make or break your credibility. You need to be aware of what opinions people are forming of your brand before they step foot into your store.
Once you've figured out your patient experience, planning your marketing becomes a breeze! You've got a solid base to convey your message to patients. You can shape an identity beyond the four walls of your pharmacy that showcases the experience they'll get by using your services or getting a prescription filled. You can establish yourselves as authorities in a specialised field and secure your share of the market. Every time you write an email or consider becoming a sponsor for a charity, make sure to double-check that it aligns with your desired patient experience.
These are the refined core principles that shape my guidance to pharmacies in marketing: an understanding of your patients' encounters within and beyond your physical store. Armed with this understanding, you can then curate a localised marketing strategy that propels your pharmacy's patient experience forward. Because you never know who is watching your brand from afar and making necessary purchasing decisions as a result.
As everyone readies themselves and devises strategies for the future of their pharmacy, I strongly urge you to focus on your local marketing plan. This aspect lies well within your control, and there's still time to invest effort into marketing for your pharmacy. To set you on the path, I've provided a discount code for our pharmacy marketing course, designed to guide you through how to craft your plan. Simply use the code "EXPERIENCE" before August 31, 2023, to enjoy a $100 off.