Generation Y. Trophy Kids. Generation Next. Echo Boomers. Millennials. No matter how we refer to the demographic of Americans entering adulthood, this group is undoubtedly important to your pharmacy business.
Depending on estimates, they already have or soon will overtake their elders as the dominant generation in the workforce and economy. Attracting these young, tech-savvy consumers becomes more essential by the day, but targeting millennials may require a shift in your marketing focus. Here are a few tips to appeal to a younger generation in your pharmacy.
1. Consider speed and competitive pricing
Millennials have matured in an economy oversaturated with options, and their technological proficiency means they spend more time comparing products. As a result, they expect the best products at the best price. Where they buy these products depends on convenience. They are inherently distrustful of big business and value transparency, traits that independent community pharmacies can use to their advantage.
2. Use standout marketing
Millennials grew up in an environment swamped with media messages, where exposure to advertisements numbered in the thousands. The result? Your pharmacy’s marketing must be effective to cut through the clutter. Entice younger generations with creative advertising that directly appeals to them, such as through a contest on Facebook or with a direct mail campaign to win an iPad.
3. Create an Internet presence
Millennials are most markedly different from their predecessors in terms of technological prowess. These consumers turn primarily—and almost exclusively—to the Internet for information. Your pharmacy’s online presence is essential to engaging younger generations. And while the web is this generation’s phonebook, the opportunities for your pharmacy’s online presence extend beyond a company listing. Your pharmacy’s website should be an outlet for both information and education. For example, consider crafting a blog on health and wellness that targets a younger audience to draw traffic and establish your credibility with these customers.
4. Utilize tech tools
As smart phones become even smarter and more emphasis is put on mobile communication, the greatest potential for millennial engagement may lie in mobile technology. As part of a generation that was raised to value their uniqueness, millennials are accustomed to receiving instant rewards and personalized media messages through their mobile phones. Appeal to that individualism and their tech side by offering a pharmacy mobile app that allows them to order prescriptions, track refills and maintain their health care needs on their own time. A pharmacy mobile app provides superior, tailored service to these younger customers while also strengthening your database and creating channels for customer loyalty and rewards.
5. Get on social media
Millennials’ technological competence is most evident in their use of social media. To reach this younger generation of consumers, you’ll need to create a strong social presence. This extends beyond a bare-bones Facebook page or website. By broadening your pharmacy’s social brand image across a variety of platforms, you can increase opportunities for engagement. You’ll also positively convey your brand personality and provide multiple channels for customer feedback.
Twitter offers an unrivaled opportunity for community discussion; Yelp reviews can make or break a business; and you can repurpose entertainment-driven platforms, like Vine, Pinterest, and even Snapchat, for commercial use to target younger audiences.
Offering promotions through Facebook and Twitter will drive dialogue with your customers and build a younger following. But it’s important to keep in mind that your social media presence shouldn’t be strictly promotional: Join the community discussion, react to current events and insert charisma into your social content to attract and maintain younger audiences.
6. Focus on fitness
Millennials tend to be more socially conscious, environmentally-concerned, and fitness-oriented than their elders. Independent pharmacies can appeal to these traits by marketing front end products that promote health and wellness with minimal environmental impact.
