In some countries like Nigeria, pharmacies are not allowed to advertise their services. To a lot of pharmacy businesses this has become a handicap. They are at a lot on how to promote their business to draw more customers into their business. There are several different ways to go around this restriction to market your business. One of such is to brand yourself as the health expert in your community. I will share a few ways to achieve this and in turn draw a hoard of customers to your pharmacy.
- Organize Regular Seminars: One way to recognize an expert is by what he teaches. When you organize seminars in your community to teach issues relating to the healthcare of the people, the people will begin to view you as an expert and will come to you for consultation and advice. Doing this regular will create an impression in the minds of the people of your expertise and will draw them to your business.
- Publish A Newsletter: You can publish a monthly or quarterly newsletter and distribute to your customers as well as the community in general. The subject of your newsletter should cover several areas including non-pharmacy related issues. You are educating and at the same time building relationship. You are ultimately branding yourself and your business as the local health expert.
- Commemorate Designated Days: The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated some days in the year to celebrate different healthcare issues for example world health day, world AIDS week, world malaria day etc. You pharmacy should commemorate these days every year. If you cannot do all of them you can chose a few and hold one event or the other. This is a branding strategy that will help grow your business and reputation.
- Embark On Outreaches: You can establish outreach programmes in your community. For example you can collaborate with donor organizations to distribute mosquito nets in your community or give free vitamins to children in schools.
- Participate in Media Events: Radio and Television stations are always looking for experts to interview on different subjects. You can reach out to them and offer your expertise. You can get them to feature you in their programme whenever they need an expert in your discipline. You and your business will get free publicity and branding.
- Participate In Community Activities: Whenever your community is holding any activities, ensure that you participate in them. Make sure that you are very visible in them. You may even offer to sponsor some parts of the events or create a health corner in the event which your pharmacy
When your community views you as the expert in health issues, they will come to you whenever they have any health related issues. They will trust your advice and you will in turn earn their patronage for the growth of your business.