Heat up your front-end sales this summer | 6 tips

6 marketing tips as temperatures rise

In brief:

• Summer offers creative ways to market to existing customers and visitors
• Experiment with what you sell and how you promote it
• Don’t just display and sell products like sunscreen; educate on proper use

By planning your summer marketing, your pharmacy can sell more than just sunscreen. (And you can sell more sunscreen too!) Try these ideas:

1. 1. Plan the calendar. From Memorial Day to Labor Day there are many opportunities to market different sections of your store. Customers might pick up cards for graduates, purchase an outdoor chair for Father’s Day, buy bug spray before a July 4^th picnic or grab hand sanitizer during back-to-school shopping. Vary displays to capture customers’ attention.
   2. Rethink traditional displays. Sell more of the summer products customers already buy—like sunscreen—by educating on the importance and proper use of sun protection.
      • Use signage to educate.¹

1. 1. • Add a golf ball or shot glass² to your display. Fewer than one third of people apply enough sunscreen;³ most apply only 25-50% of the recommended amount. A visual aid can show customers the proper amount to apply.

1. • Pair items that go together. Place sunglasses and sun-protective lip balm near sunscreen. Place koozies and small coolers near cold drinks.
2. Market based on the weather. Create posts in advance so they are ready. Examples:
   • “Its 100° today. Spend $100 at our pharmacy today, save 10%.”
   • “High pollen counts this week. Pick up your allergy medication now.”
3. Offer an experience. Give shoppers something they can’t get online.
   • Provide samples and expertise for sunscreen seekers.
   • Offer healthy summer eating classes and host a cookout to promote them. Have a local grill master demonstrate how to prepare vegetables.
4. Leave the store. Meet new customers at community events. In addition to hosting your own health fair (See “Host a Health Fair to Shine a Spotlight on Your Pharmacy“), you can:
   • Check blood pressure at a farmers’ market.
   • Provide goody bags at a race with samples of sunscreen and lip balm with SPF. Apply a sticker with your store’s information and add a coupon.
   • Chalk up some fun. Host a sidewalk art show by designating time and space for children and adults to draw.
   • Reward travelers. Offer a giveaway to customers who post vacation pictures on social media with a bag from your store. (See example from Hilton Pharmacy)
5. Be convenient for those on the go. Attract visitors to your area and regular customers heading on vacation.
   • Bundle products based on what people do in your area. Package small buckets for the beach with sunscreen and lip balm, or include a map of local hikes with backpack-sized first-aid kits and poison ivy relief medication.
   • Post a travel checklist by your register of travel-sized products so customers remember everything they need.

As you plan your marketing for next year, take a close look at the opportunities every season presents—especially summer—to grow your customer base and sell more products.

¹ “How to Select a Sunscreen,” Annie McKee, American Academy of Dermatology, 2017. LINK

² “How to Select a Sunscreen,” Annie McKee, American Academy of Dermatology, 2017. LINK

³ “Observational Study of Free Public Sunscreen Dispenser Use at a Major US Outdoor Event,” Megan Wood, Tom Raisanen and Ingrid Polcari, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, July 2017. LINK

Note: The information provided here is for reference use only and does not constitute the rendering of legal or other professional advice by McKesson. Readers should consult appropriate professionals for advice and assistance prior to making important decisions regarding their business. McKesson is not advocating any particular program or approach herein. McKesson is not responsible for, nor will it bear any liability for, the content provided herein.