Social Media Advertising for Pharmacies
Bridget Hanna, CPhT, Pharmacy Marketing and Social Media Specialist
Advertising your pharmacy on social media can be very successful. Each post you create has the potential to reach and connect with so many people. These can be current patients, potential patients, providers, and even beyond your local community.
By building your pharmacy’s following you are creating your online community. You have the opportunity to both educate and learn from your followers. Your pharmacy holds a variety of solutions that you can provide with your products and services. However, these solutions will not be seen or heard unless you are actively educating about them. This is where social media marketing can be a great option.
As a pharmacy technician, you will engage with your patients and get to know them. Your customers will ask you questions and will share with you their needs and wants. This knowledge can provide you insights into how to create content that connects and resonates with your target audience.
Every product or service your pharmacy provides is a solution. Your knowledge of working with your products and your experience with the services you provide can enable you to clearly see the problems that they solve.
Working in the pharmacy you will have access to unlimited resources to advertise your services, products, and pharmacy. Make sure to plan for special events and sales so that you have enough time to introduce, educate and promote.
Before you get started with advertising any product or service you need to take the time to identify your target audience. You also must understand that you could potentially have multiple sets of target audiences. Do your research and get clear on each audience. If you do not know who you are directing your marketing message to you will not be able to convert successfully.
You can advertise your pharmacy on social media organically or through paid ads. Organic advertising for your pharmacy will require you to rely on implementing your strategy to convert. When creating and running paid ads you must understand the community standards on each platform. If you do not follow the platform guidelines, you run the risk of your ad account potentially being shut down. As with any marketing process, do your research first to choose the best option for you and your marketing goals.
Advertising your Products
Your pharmacy has many different products ranging from supplements and OTC items to medical equipment and everything in between. To successfully market your products, you must know your products. This means knowing your brands and the benefits of their products to educate your followers.
Create a strategy and process for how you will create, schedule, and deliver your content.
- Introduce products
- Educate on products
- Recommendations on products
- Sales on products
Advertising your Services
Each service your pharmacy provides supports the patients’ wellness journey. This support could be in the form of convenience, adherence, safety or even saving the patient time. Create your content centered around the support your services provide and the benefits associated.
- Define your services
- Promote your services
- Invite to enroll in your services
You know your pharmacy and how your pharmacy has made a difference in your community and in the lives of your patients. By advertising your products and services you are educating your followers on how your pharmacy can support them. By learning from your patients and how you have supported them you can better understand how to reach those in need of your products and services.