A new year is synonymous with fresh starts and new beginnings. The impossible made possible. Perhaps the only time of year where we approach change with excitement rather than reluctance or fear.
Not surprisingly, a huge percentage of New Year's resolutions revolve around health. Ranging from weight loss and eating better to exercising more and smoking cessation. Good Intentions and New Year's vibes aside, none of these things are easy to accomplish without the right tools, knowledge, and support. And, many people are willing to invest in those things if it means sticking to their resolutions.
The need for the right tools, knowledge, and support makes community pharmacies the perfect headquarters for New Year's resolution needs. Here are some tips to help your customers meet their New Year's goals.
Promote Services
This is the perfect time to be vocal about the services you offer in your pharmacy, like smoking cessation support, weight loss tools, nutritional services and functional testing. Promotion doesn’t have to mean spending money. Print bag stuffers, put information on the bottom of your receipts, record information to play while patients are on hold. Make a note to discuss during pickup with Med Sync. Identify all of the places you have contact or visibility with your patients and determine whether there’s an opportunity to share knowledge on any or all of those contact points.
Bundle Products
Bundling products and/or services together is a great way to help customers find everything they need in one stop. It’s a great option because it removes guess work for customers on what the right or best products are, and it also doubles as a promotional avenue. For example, a customer might know you sell supplements, but might not know you offer functional testing. Bundles can be simple things like essential vitamins, or more robust options like a nutritional counselling session paired with a food scale and appropriate supplements. Set up these bundles in your pharmacy point-of-sale system for easy checkout.
Partner
Partnership is another great way to help patients stick with and reach their New Year's goals. Partnerships can include clinics and physicians (can you collaborate with someone you’re already working with on remote patient monitoring or clinical consulting?) or other health and wellness professionals. Collaborations with personal trainers or nutritionists can offer both businesses and clients awesome benefits. Even your local gym might be a great place to start if they don’t carry supplements or other wellness products. If you have the space, you can offer your pharmacy as an after-hours spot for smoking cessation support groups. Whether you work together on a collaborative product/service or simply have an agreement to provide referrals and coupons, partnerships can be a great avenue to grow your customer base.
If you’re looking for more on services like the ones mentioned in this article, check out our panel discussion on Chronic Care Management. In addition to helping your patients meet their health and wellness goals, these strategies can help your pharmacy business start the new year with more traffic and sales. It’s a win-win!
