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Module 3: Marketing your Community Pharmacy Immunization Niche

Jonathan G. Marquess, PharmD, CDE, CDM

Creating an Immunization Niche in the Community Pharmacy

Learning Objectives• Discuss the components of an effective

marketing program for a pharmacy based vaccination niche

• Explain the role of patient outreach in immunization marketing efforts

• Outline an effective marketing timeline for a pharmacy based immunization program

• Discuss the vehicles for various marketing targets for a community based immunization niche

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Pre-Assessment Questions

Pre-Assessment Question #1

The marketing of an immunization niche the most easily converted target is:

A. The physician communityB. Your current customers C. Local employers

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Correct Answer

The marketing of an immunization niche the most easily converted target is:

• B. Your current customers

Pre-Assessment Question #2

Which of the following is not a consideration in establishing an immunization niche?

• A. Store demographics• B. Physician climate• C. Reimbursement• D. The existence of other store niches

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Correct Answer

Which of the following is not a consideration in establishing an immunization niche?

• D. The existence of other store niches

Pre-Assessment Question #3

For a successful marketing outreach the least important of the following is:

• A. In-store signage• B. Newspaper advertising• C. Bag stuffers• D. Staff involvement

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Correct Answer

For a successful marketing outreach the least important of the following is:

• B. Newspaper advertising

Marketing Overview

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Marketing Overview

• Marketing is vital to ensuring the success of a pharmacy-based immunization program– Can be as simple as hanging a sign on the

door “we do immunizations”– Many opportunities to reinforce your

immunization niche• Fax cover sheets• Pharmacy cards and letterhead

Key Marketing Concepts

• Create your pharmacy’s service to be a unique health care experience for the patient – Build relationships– Share expertise– Improve outcomes

• Communicate the benefits of your pharmacy’s “niche” successfully – Immediate trading area (ITA)– Professional community

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Marketing Targets

• Current patients• Patients who are not customers• Caregivers• Physicians• Employers• Others

Current Patients

• Most obvious group• Build on trust relationship• Progress from counseling to outreach• Suggest additional family members, co-

workers, friends

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Patients Who Are Not Customers

• Convenient hours • Accessible location• Less paperwork• No appointment needed• Vaccination given by concerned health

care professional• Personal attention provided to answer

concerns / questions

Caregivers

• Primary health care decision-maker• Use the following businesses/forums to

promote your immunization services– Adult day care centers– Day care centers– Local Alzheimer’s society– Caregiver support groups

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Physicians

• Work with local physicians• Stress non-competition• Good professional relations

Employers

• Influenza vaccination has direct benefits on employers– Decreased sick days– Decreased health care expenditures and

hospitalizations• Offer to bring immunization staff to the

place of employment• Advertise in common areas• Provide payroll announcements

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Other Marketing Targets

• Senior citizens centers

• Long-term care and assisted living facilities

• Church groups• Parks and recreation

groups, country clubs• Clubs and social

organizations (eg, Rotary Club, Kiwanis)

• Schools, colleges and universities

• Prisons• Adoption agencies • Travel agencies• Private companies• Other pharmacies

Components of an Immunization Marketing Program

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Patient Marketing

• Market through patient interactions– Build relationships with your patients– Target those who would benefit most

• Store signage, brochures, direct mailers, newspaper, radio, and TV – create a “center of influence”

• Encourage customers to tell their neighbors and extended family of the immunization services you provide

Conventional Communication Strategies for Existing Customers

• Newsletter articles for pharmacy newsletter

• Articles in the local press (see resource kit)

• Posters • Flyers• Bag stuffers• Word-of-mouth• Fax/email blast

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Articles in the Local Press

• Press release (resource kit)• Contact local paper and offer to write a

story or serve as a local expert on vaccinations

Unconventional Communication Strategies for Existing Customers • Tent cards at the register• Reference event on bottom of cash

register receipts• Print special auxiliary labels• “Immunization bucks”• Use staff as walking billboards• IVR or telephone hold messages• Staff scripting

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Communication Strategies for New Customers

• Outward facing sign in your store• Postcard mailing• Go door-to-door • Church bulletin listing• Advertisements in newspapers, radio, television,

local businesses• Media interviews• Direct Mail to customers, employers, facilities,

etc. (see resource kit for samples)

Physician Marketing

• Build relationships– Detail– “Open house”– Direct mail or fax

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Physician Marketing

• State the benefits – You are a referral base– Enhanced service results in greater retention– You have the products and services to meet

their patients needs• Build a partnership

Sources for Free Marketing Materials

• CDC• State vaccine coalitions• Departments of Health• NIH• CMS• Vaccine manufacturers • Immunization Action Coalition

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Sources of Free or Low Cost Advertisement

• Word of mouth• Staff communication• Media interviews• Bag stuffers

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Interactive Checkpoint• George, a 70 year old man, comes into your

pharmacy with a prescription for metforminto be filled. What are some questions that you should be asking George since you recently started an immunization niche?

A. Have you had your influenza shot this year?B. Have you had your pneumonia shot this

year? C. Have you had your shingles shot this year?

Interactive Checkpoint

• All of these of questions are correct– Senior citizens are prime targets for influenza,

pneumonia and shingles vaccines. – Having just started a vaccination program,

you will want to query your existing customer to see where they are in regards to their annual and lifetime vaccines.

– Of course, if they are behind schedule, you will want to offer your pharmacy as a option for them.

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Planning a Pharmacy Immunization Event

Events to Consider

• Summer travel season event• Back-to-school event• Influenza event

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Summer Travel Season

• Schedule an event early in the summer travel season

• Promote to regular customers and local travel clubs and travel agents

• Promote special travel oriented sundries/make special “trip packs”

• Make sure that you let customers know that travel immunizations are given all year round

Travel-Related Sales

• Insect repellents• Sunscreens• Hand cleansers• Travel-size

toiletries• Travel pillows• Compression hose

• Protective clothing• Anti-diarrheals• Folding canes• Travel games• Luggage tags• Travel journals

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Back-to-School Event

• Schedule event in August/September• Market to parents of school age children

– Check state/local/district regulations for HPV– College freshmen living in dorms could

require special vaccinations (i.e., meningococcal)

– Advertise other vaccines that could be needed

– *Make sure that you let customers know that immunizations are given all year round

Back-to-School Related Sales

• Notebooks• Back packs• Pens and pencils• Calculators• Hand sanitizers• Kleenex

• First-aid kit• Shampoo• Phone cards• Laundry detergent• Aspirin/Pepto• Iron

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Influenza Event

• Schedule event in October/November• Market to all customers with a

concentration on special populations– Over 65 years of age– School age children– Health care professionals– Immunosuppressed patients– * Make sure that you let customers know that

immunizations are given all year-round

Influenza-Related Sales

• Vitamin C• Echinacea• Kleenex• Hand sanitizer• Cough drops• Blistex

• Antihistamines• Decongestants• Analgesics• Eye drops• Nasal spray• Multivitamins

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Case StudyPlanning a Pharmacy Event

A Focus on Influenza

Step 1 – Select Your Dates and Times

• Pre-book vaccines• Begin spreading the word in August and September• Contact local employers (sample letter in resource kit)• Decide on days/hours of event (consider customer base,

staffing and space)– Consider offering a mix of days and times – weekdays and

weekends or before work, during lunch hours and after school• When planning workplace events speak to human

resources to schedule dates and times that will ensure maximum participation by employees. Lunch hour events or events timed to catch workers at the end of their shift may be the best opportunities

• For community events speak with the directors of community centers or facilities to identify optimal times

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Step 2 – Review Influenza Materials with Staff

• Review protocol for immunization event with staff

• Assign responsibilities

Step 3 – Prepare Event Materials

• Write letters to customers, employers, facilities

• Prepare posters, flyers, buttons, bag stuffers for the event

• Program IVR and cash register for event message

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Step 4 – Promote Your Event• Start publicity campaign 3-4 weeks before

the vaccination event– Place brochures at the pharmacy pick-up

window or check out counter– Use shelf-talkers in high-traffic aisles– Hang posters where they will catch the eye of

customers in the store and pedestrians– Send out press releases– Provide materials to employers to promote

workplace events (employee email announcements, payroll stuffers, brochures, posters)

Step 5 – Pre-Book Patient Appointments

• Be prepared – book customer vaccination appointments ahead of time if possible

• Keep supplies on-hand to cover your pre-booked appointments and to handle walk in customers as well

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Step 6 – Set Up Your Event Space

• Convenience is important! Make immunization area easily identifiable, have plenty of staff are on hand to direct. Make the process as simple as possible

• Comfortable vaccination area • Signs to indicate where the event is

taking place• Keep protocols and checklists handy • Make sure emergency protocol is in

vaccination – area accessible to staff

Step 7 – Show Time• One day prior to the event, inventory supplies,

emergency equipment and forms• Set up vaccination area • For employer events try to get there at least an

hour early to ensure that you have the area and supplies set

• An hour prior to your store event – review the protocol with immunization event staff and review staff assignments

• Remember – it is important that every patient signs a consent form and gives the pharmacy the name of their primary physician for follow-up

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Step 8 – Follow-up

• Fax vaccination documentation form to patients’ primary physician so that their medical records can be updated (sample in the resource kit)

• Send thank you letters after your event (samples in the resource kit)

Sample Marketing Timeline

Hold events and continue marketing

November –January

Increase advertising intensity

October

Plan and draft educational materials

April – June

Secure a vaccine manufacturer

March

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Adult Immunization Campaign

September October* November December

Influenza

Pneumococcal

Travel Vaccines

* Last Week of September

For some vaccinations, there is no season…

• End of flu season ≠ end of vaccination season

• Most vaccinations can be promoted and administered year-round

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Conclusion

• Marketing is vital to the success of your immunization/vaccination niche

• There are key customer groups to focus your marketing efforts on

• Many marketing vehicles both traditional and non-traditional exist to focus attention on your niche service

Please Proceed to the Post-Test