by Jen Johnston
Marketing is more than selling. It’s not catchy slogans, costly advertising, and gimmicks. It’s not enticing people to do something they don’t want to do.
Instead, it’s a way of thinking. It’s an approach to business that puts customers in the spotlight. Marketing is also a way of doing. It’s a living, breathing process of research, planning, promotion, and evaluating.
The essence of marketing is learning what your customers want and then delivering it. It is a way of satisfying customer needs and solving problems all while making a profit. (And who doesn’t want that?!) In fact, effective marketing is THE KEY to profitability.
How many marketing classes did you take in college? Chances are not many. And if you did, they probably did not revolve around marketing in a retail environment. Maybe you’ve been primarily focusing your attention on internal store concerns such as pricing, merchandising, staffing, and paying the bills.
Those things are extremely important, however don't rely solely on what has worked in the past to keep your business profitable in the years ahead. At Hamacher, we want to help pharmacy owners develop a marketing mentality.
Marketers don’t always create needs, but they can usually influence desires. And through marketing activities, you can convince customers that the products and services your pharmacy offers will satisfy their needs.
Watch for future posts in this series where I discuss markets, developing a customer focus, and the importance of a marketing plan.