Start your year with a social media plan for your pharmacy

We’ve seen remarkable change in our lifetimes, but what we’re experiencing now is different. It’s not just evolutionary change; it’s transformative change that requires us to alter our patterns of behaviour and learn new skills. Just having a nice pharmacy with good products and services in a good location isn't enough anymore.Consumers and your patients are using modern conveniences such as mobile apps that can connect them directly with their stores, and you must be willing and able to meet those needs. Although specific apps may not be feasible for certain pharmacies, the likelihood that your customers are already using the latest social media is high. With social media firmly established as a viable online marketing opportunity, how can you use technology to promote your pharmacy and its products and services? First of all, you don’t have to leave it to the big boys with the big budgets.It’s time to get socialThe most important point about social media is that it’s a marketing channel not a standalone marketing strategy. Your online marketing objectives should include aiming to grow your business, convert consumers, educate them and/or engage patients with a social media plan that offers visibility and connection as well as convenience. The result can be time and money-related savings of your scarce resources for marketing, as well as increased customer loyalty.Social media allows you to connect with your regulars on another, deeper level. Are you considering using or enhancing your social media to promote your business this year? Find your audienceThis phrase is used a lot when discussing social media marketing. And it sounds intuitive, right? You must find the people who will want your offerings and target efforts towards them. But putting this phrase into practice can be a bit daunting. You might be asking yourself: Where is my audience? How do I find them?The first step to answering this question is simple. You must understand the environment of each social media platform. Not only does the type of communication available on each platform differ, but the expectations for communication differ as well. It’s hard to keep up with the many types of social media. So, let’s break this down and look at the social mechanics of each site in this infographic that uses donuts to explain the differences. (Note: social media channels are changing all the time. You need to be, too.)Schedule content as you discover itCreating an effective social media plan can be overwhelming and time-consuming, but by staying organized and planning as much in advance as possible, you can manage all your social media in one place by using a dashboard service for posting.Both Hootsuite and Buffer offer free or paid options. On a free version they generally allow up to three social sites to post to, and on a paid basis there are plans to suit your needs. If you’re early stage the best strategy to begin is to use both as a free service; that way you’ve got six sites you can post to. Then measure the impact of your social media campaigns through comprehensive reporting. Both dashboard services come with robust analytics to help you get the most from your activity. It’s easy to set up, but maintenance can be complicated, so your store should be running well before getting involved in social media because it needs to be consistent and maintained to be effective.Social media for businessA large portion of social media activity should be generated by the pharmacy itself and relate to non-promotional content, such as photos from community events and other activities that enhance your brand. About 10% of the content should be generated elsewhere, such as news from other sources, and another 10% of content should relate to promotions occurring at your location.Don't forget, social media must have that personal touch. It’s what makes your pharmacy your pharmacy.Recommended posting frequency for the most popular social media sites for business: X (Twitter):1 to 5 times per dayPinterest:3 times per weekFacebook:1 x per dayInstagram:1 x per dayLinkedIn:1 x per dayWebsite/Blog:1x per week Experience accumulatesDon’t get overwhelmed with all the options you hear about. Pick two or three to get started; dip your toe in the water, and wade into the pool from the shallow end first.Above all…don’t just set it and forget it. Make sure to engage and have conversations with your online community. These conversations just might lead to customers making a visit to your pharmacy to engage with you instead of patronizing another pharmacy.Gerry Spitzner is an entrepreneurial thinker, retailer and marketer with a love story for retail pharmacy. Fascinated with retail trends and customer experience I teach, guide and advise entrepreneurs.

Start your year with a social media plan for your pharmacy

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