Refreshing Your Pharmacy on a Budget
When was the last time you spruced up your pharmacy? I’m sure your answer may come as a surprise. Updates do not have to break the bank. Fortunately, there are quite a few updates you can apply to your pharmacy that will make a big difference while costing very little time or money on your part.
Are you ready for your pharmacy customers to fall in love with your pharmacy all over again? Then try these low-or-no-cost tips. After a makeover, your customers will be able to see what you sell and enjoy spending more time – and money – with you.
Tip 1 – Get on Your Customer’s Level
First impressions matter. Come in through the front door and see what your customers see. Are there dim or burnt out light bulbs that need replacing? Do the walls and baseboards need a bit of touch-up paint? Are your switch plates cracked? These are all minor cosmetic updates that you can complete in a weekend.
How about the cleanliness of your store? Is there dust building on the shelves and dirt on the rugs? Is the hand sanitizer refilled? With Coronavirus still on the rise, it is essential more than ever to keep up with the cleaning and sanitizing in your store. Put together a weekly chore chart and assign specific tasks to employees to help keep up with the cleaning.
Tip 2 – Outside Curb Appeal
Look at your storefront windows – are they cluttered with posters? Do they need to be cleaned or washed? What about your sign? Is it outdated? You may also consider updating your front doormat. A cheerful front doormat offers a friendly greeting to visitors and makes them feel welcome and invited.
If possible, also consider durable, mobile, seasonal curbside décor such as:
- A bench or chairs that you can bring in each night
- A living Christmas (or holiday) tree that can be donated each year
- Dried corn stalks, or pumpkins and gourds in the fall
- Potted plants and flowers in the spring
Tip 3 – Change Out Your End Caps
Update your outer end caps to reflect seasonal trends. With school starting up, highlight PPE equipment, school supplies, and children and adult vitamins for wellness. It’s also a necessary time to get out your cough and cold products to jump on flu season.
Plan-o-grams are helpful, so make use of them! These diagrams show how and where specific retail products should be placed on retail shelves or displays to increase customer purchases.
Tip 4 – Create a Discount Section
Raise your hand if your favorite aisle is the Clearance aisle at a store? ? Most of the time, this is the first aisle customers check out as soon as they walk into your pharmacy: highlight low sellers or past seasonal products. Discount sections will help drive sales, attract new/and loyal customers, plus it helps to clear out old stock. Make discounts feel like a bonus to the consumer rather than something they’d take for granted.
Tip 5 – Add Visibility & Flow to Your Pharmacy Counter
With an estimated 90% of an independent pharmacy’s revenue derived from the sale of prescription medicines, it’s recommended that the prescription drop-off area be visible from the store’s entry area. The pharmacy shelving used in this area should be attractive and inviting.
Also, include essential health information, copay assistance coupons, or signs to promote your social media pages. Your counter is also an area that needs a hand sanitizer bottle for customers to use when dropping off or picking up their prescriptions.
Closing Thoughts
Refreshing your pharmacy’s front-end doesn’t have to mean investing thousands of dollars in rehabs and remodels –– it can be something as simple as an updated sign, a scrub-down, and savvy product placement. These practical, easy-to-implement strategies can help customers notice your pharmacy and, most importantly, spend their money on your offerings.
Not sure where to start? Through our partnership with Aspire Health, alliantRx has the knowledge to help spruce up your pharmacy and attract new/and existing customers into your store. To learn more about our solutions, please connect with us.