COMMUNICATION
COMMUNITY PHARMACY: GETTING THE MOST
FROM FACEBOOK BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH CUSTOMERS IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERY BUSINESS. WHETHER IT BE FACE-TO-FACE OR THROUGH ONLINE CHANNELS, CUSTOMERS NEED TO HAVE A PLATFORM TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU.
by John Whittam, Digital Marketing Coordinator, Numark
J
ohn Whittam, Digital Marketing Coordinator at Numark discusses the advantage of independent community pharmacies (ICPs) establishing a strong online presence to boost in-store sales and engage with the community.
These days, running a successful business can mean you spend just as much time talking to customers online as you do in store.
For pharmacies in particular, the internet can be a unique tool to build a real sense of community amongst patients, especially as it’s estimated that around 80 per cent of people in the UK are now seeking health advice on the internet1
.
Not only does it give pharmacists the opportunity to truly understand the needs of patients (both existing and potential) in a timely fashion, but also offer that all important trusted and tailored advice. Equally, more and more customers now expect their local pharmacy to be present on social media to turn to for advice.
Whether it be highlighting the new services a pharmacy has available, promoting the latest health campaigns or simply keeping in touch with customers, social media platforms like
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are great tools to let the community know what they have on offer.
Of all the social media platforms that can be used to communicate with customers, arguably, Facebook is often the most popular. So, here are some top tips for pharmacists looking to branch out into Facebook and make the most of their presence online.
‘THE SOCIAL NETWORK’
With more than 30 million users in the UK alone, Facebook is by far the nation’s most popular social channel. The network is home to a large portion of younger users, so it’s a good way for pharmacists to access every age group.
This popularity isn’t going unnoticed. A recent Numark2
survey found that
almost 80 per cent of pharmacists said they use Facebook on a daily basis, compared with a third who use Twitter every day.
GETTING SET UP
When setting up a Facebook page, it’s important to keep it updated with interesting content on a regular basis, telling users and potential customers what you can offer so they keep visiting your page.
You can also use the page to communicate basic information and
the latest updates, such as opening hours.
MIX IT UP It’s vital to share a variety of content. Just mentioning sales at the store, for example, will look too promotional, discouraging viewers from visiting the page again. Balance posts about products and services you offer with updates about local health campaigns, as well as general news from the local area to ensure the content is not too sales-focused and is interesting for users.
Including pictures and videos in posts can also help make the page feel more engaging to visitors. Posts with images get almost double the number of views of those that feature just written content alone.
Posting five to ten items per week will help to build a connection with users and keep them coming back for more. Updating your page at peak times (before work, during their lunch break – between 12 and 2 pm – and after 6 pm)4
will likely mean more
engagement with customers as that’s often when they are actively using the site.
LOOKING AHEAD
Establishing and maintaining close relationships with customers is invaluable and arguably the biggest advantage an independent pharmacy
has over larger chains. In time, if given the right attention, putting effort in to all channels can pay dividends, helping to grow the pharmacy customer base significantly and, in doing so, increase sales.
At Numark, we are on hand to offer in-depth advice both about online and social networking websites. We can give independent pharmacies the guidance needed to make their digital presence an effective tool to reach out both to existing and new customers. To find out more about Numark, visit:
www.numarknet.com •
REFERENCES
1. Building relationships with customers is important for every business. Whether it be face-to- face or through online channels, customers need to have a platform to communicate with you. 2 Numark, 2016
3 6 Powerful Reasons Why you Should include Images in your Marketing, Jeff Bullas:
www.jeffbullas.com/2012/05/28/6- powerful-reasons-why-you-should- include-images-in-your-marketing- infographic/ 4 The Best Time to Post on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in 2016, Hootsuite:
SCOTTISH PHARMACIST - 49
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
