Do You Have a Mission Statement?
by Jen Johnston A mission statement is not “fluff.” This essential statement is what gives meaning and direction to any business. It answers the questions, “What business am I in and why?” and “Who are my customers?” The mission statement helps clarify whether your business is service-oriented, product-oriented, or both. It brings into focus just […]
23. Stock new items – the right ones
by Colleen Volheim for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy series New items are critical to growing your business. Regularly adding new-to-market products to your assortment keeps your inventory and selection fresh, and gives customers the impression that you are a progressive store that keeps up with trends. When you’re […]
27. Price wisely against competition
by Donna Boulieu for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy series Pricing wisely doesn’t mean pricing the lowest (which could equate to pricing yourself right out of business). A balance of lower margin competitively priced items, and higher margin less sensitive items is a strategy that can satisfy your customers […]
Develop a Customer Orientation
by Jen Johnston No matter how hard you try, you cannot mold your customers to fit your business. Don’t give them what you *think* they want, or what *you* think is “best for them.” You must find out what they want and adjust your business accordingly. This is called having a “customer orientation.” It’s easy […]
19. Develop a customer loyalty program
by Colleen Volheim for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy series You have a variety of shoppers. You definitely want to keep them all coming back, and a loyalty program will help you do just that. To begin, you need to know who is shopping your store. Information you capture about […]
51. Find a new market niche
by Julie Massey for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy series With competition an ever-present threat, you always have to re-assess your business and your position in your community. Knowing where your strengths and weaknesses lie in comparison to your local competitors will help you focus on areas where you […]
31. Remove slow-moving items from inventory
by Colleen Volheim for our 99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy series There will always be a few products that just don’t move in your store, for any number of reasons. Naturally, if they consistently don’t sell, you’ll want to remove them from inventory, but oftentimes an item might just experience […]
Reach out to your surrounding neighbors with a personal letter
by Jen Johnston Recently, I moved to a neighborhood with an independent pharmacy that I can walk to. It’s the neighborhood my husband grew up in. This independent pharmacy has been part of the community as far back as he can remember. I LOVE that we can walk to it. I LOVE that they already […]
52. Encourage full-store shopping
by Tom Boyer for our “99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy” blog series In order to maximize profits in your store, you should encourage full-store shopping. What do I mean by full-store shopping? When we conduct continuing education (CE) sessions, we often talk about “four-corner exposure.” The goal should be to expose your customer […]
57. Develop a healthcare information center
by Cari Sass for our “99 Ways to Make a Positive Difference in Your Pharmacy” blog series There are so many ways independent pharmacies can differentiate themselves from their competitors. We all know service is chief among them, which includes the personal relationships you can build with patients. You can strengthen relationships and build loyalty with new and […]