We work with a number of independent pharmacies across Australia. When we work with a client in our Pharmacy Mastermind program, we like to be able to see as much information as possible, whether it's trading data, financial and tax data, or marketing. For myself in marketing, this includes social media analytics, email marketing, loyalty program statistics, health services and website analytics. Unfortunately, some of our clients don't have access to this information as they don’t have a website or their own email marketing capabilities. From a marketing perspective this really hinders your ability to measure and track success.
In this blog I would like to share some of the benefits and the challenges of your pharmacy building its own website. The aim is for you to have a better understanding which in return will allow you to seek opportunities to ensure you make the best decision for your pharmacy.
User Experience
When we look at marketing, your website is a key player in the customer's journey. Most of your customers will become aware of your brand before they walk through the pharmacy doors. This interaction usually begins online at the home front. Sometimes it may be through a google search, social media, or maybe through paid targeted advertising. The next natural stage would be for the customer to find out more information about your brand. So, if you don't have a website how do they find more information? Most pharmacies should have a google business profile and hopefully a presence on a third-party site such as Medadvisor, but this is not enough.
Let me give you an example of why having an independent website is so important. Let’s say a customer is looking to book a service such as a vaccination. On an independent pharmacy website, the customer should be able to access what they are looking for in a few simple clicks, based on location and service. The website will show images of the people they expect to see in store, and this builds a sense of trust. When a customer looks to book a service on a third-party site such as Medadvisor they will have to scroll through a long list of services. Then another long list of locations, and then finally to a page to make a booking. This process is not as succinct, and it is not personalised. Pharmacy services are something consumers need to feel confident in purchasing. It is essential that pharmacies offer a professional and trustworthy persona online to give confidence to their customers.
Analytics
Having the ability to analyse website analytics brings another piece to the overall puzzle…