When was the last time you did something special for your patients to show you appreciate them?
Demonstrating that you appreciate your patients is key to building patient loyalty.
But with everything going on in a busy pharmacy, patient appreciation efforts can sometimes fall by the wayside.
Here are 10 ways to show patients your pharmacy’s appreciation and help build patient loyalty.
1. Choose a “patient of the day”
Making patients feel special is a great way to show them you appreciate their business.
Select one lucky “patient of the day,” and offer him or her a special reward. (You could also choose a “patient of the week” or a “patient of the month” instead.)
For example, offer a discount to the tenth person who purchases an over-the-counter (OTC) item that day. Or give out a gift card from a local coffee shop to a patient who looks like they could use a pick-me-up.
Post about the lucky “patient of the day” on your social media to spread the word and help drive more traffic to your pharmacy.
2. Personalize the patient experience
Though it may require a bit more effort, it pays to offer patients a personalized experience at your pharmacy.
Take note of the front-end products your loyal patients purchase regularly. Offer a discount on one of the items the next time that patient visits your pharmacy.
Or, simply use the information to start a personalized conversation that will make patients feel special. For example, ask a patient if the knee brace she bought last week is helping.
Use your point-of-sale (POS) system to help you track this information, and create a profile for repeat patients, so adding a personal touch is easy.
3. Acknowledge birthdays
Most people enjoy having their birthdays celebrated, or at least acknowledged.
Send patients a birthday card on their special day, and go the extra mile by offering a reward, such as a discount on their next OTC purchase.
4. Give out “thank you” notes
Everyone needs a little TLC once and a while, including your patients!
Let patients know how much you appreciate their business by slipping thank you cards into their prescription bags. Or send them to patients who visited your pharmacy that month.
5. Partner with local businesses
People love to shop local, and they love it even more when their favorite local businesses work together.
Partner with a local coffee shop or boutique that people in your community enjoy, and work out a mutually beneficial promotion.
For example, attach a coupon for discounted coffee to your patients’ receipts, and ask the coffee shop to do the same for your front end.
6. Give something sweet
Customer appreciation doesn’t always have to come in the form of discounts and promotions.
Make your patients’ day by offering them something sweet, like a chocolate bar, when they visit your pharmacy.
A simple gesture like this can go a long way, especially when patients are shopping with their kids.
7. Start a loyalty program
Loyalty rewards programs make patients feel valued, which increases the likelihood they’ll become repeat visitors and refer family and friends to your pharmacy.
Find ways to differentiate your program from your competitors, and make sure you provide a real value to patients, so they’ll keep coming back.
8. Donate a percentage of sales to charity
Make patients feel good about using your pharmacy by donating a percentage of sales to a charity.
You can choose different charities depending on the month, such as donating to a breast cancer awareness charity during the month of October. Or, ask your patients for their input on a charity that’s meaningful to them.
9. Hold a customer appreciation day sale
What better way to show patients you appreciate them than having a sale in their honor?
Host the sale during your slower months when you need to move front-end products. Inform patients about the details of the sale by sending out emails, postcards, and posting on your social media.
10. Celebrate patients’ accomplishments
As an independent community pharmacist, you get to know your patients on a personal level, which means they’re more inclined to share special news with you.
When patients are celebrating a special occasion in their lives, celebrate with them!
For example, maybe a patient is expecting her first child or grandchild. Or maybe a patient completed his first half-marathon. Send patients an email or card congratulating them on their milestone, and reward them with a special discount or gift.
A Member-Owned Company Serving Independent Pharmacies
PBA Health is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies reach their full potential on the buy-side of their business. Founded and owned by pharmacists, PBA Health serves independent pharmacies with group purchasing services, wholesaler contract negotiations, proprietary purchasing tools, and more.
An HDA member, PBA Health operates its own NABP-accredited secondary wholesaler with more than 6,000 SKUs, including brands, generics, narcotics CII-CV, cold-storage products, and over-the-counter (OTC) products — offering the lowest prices in the secondary market.
