March 17, 2018

Produced in collaboration with Drug Store News


News, products, marketing and merchandising tips for the
front end of community pharmacies


* TIPS From NCPA's Front-End Guru, Gabe Trahan *


Everything with a timer adjusted to daylight savings time?

By now everyone has adjusted their clocks and watches to daylight savings time. How about the timer for your exterior lights and sign? Your exterior signage is a valuable part of your marketing. Marketing is a form of persuasion. If your sign is off, it is yelling closed, make sure it says "we are open". Invest in a light sensor (photocell) for your sign. If this is not in your budget, then set your timer to turn on one hour earlier and off one hour later. The worst that will happen is one more person will tug on your door.


A new myth

You know the old myths — No one has money in this town... People do not buy that stuff in our town... People in our town do not take vitamins — here is the new one: People in our town do not mind scrolling down on our webpage to find our address. Huh? It is a fact, for every extra click and additional scrolling you ask a customer some will lose interest in what they are looking for. Scrolling on your website can either work to users' benefit or drive them bonkers, pushing them to your competitors' sites. Your hours, phone number and address should be easily found on the top of every page of your website and your Facebook page


Profiting from compression

Many pharmacies are doing well in fitting and selling compression hosiery. Here is a good tip from my friend Barbara H. Not everyone wants to wear hosiery every day. Jeans etc. go nicely with compression stockings and socks. Extend your compression line to include compression socks for men and women. These socks can be offered in moderate graduated compression (15-20mmHg). Popular styles are Over-the-Calf, Mid, and Crew.

Looking to test the waters for compression stockings? Grab and go, no fitting required compression stockings are a great way to get started. All you need is an end-cap or 36 inches on a wall and one or two leg mannequins. The 8-15 mmHg and 15-20 mmHg strength of compression stockings are available, require no fitting and no billing! You can find them under Wearables at frontendmarketplace.com; the company name is Celeste Stein™ Designs.


Customers are getting outside more

March is typically the time most stores update their first aid and wound care sections. Doing this will ensure you are ready for the season of bug bites, bruises and sunburns. Make it a priority. Print or order your new shelf labels. Examine what items are selling exceptionally well, mark them as a never-out, and if room allows, double-face the product. If the item is a major brand name, you will want to introduce a private label alternative that will offer a larger profit margin. Note: Private label products for children in first aid, cough & cold, eye care, and oral hygiene are not as fast of movers as private label products in other categories.



* Front-End Marketplace Vendor of the Month *


Exciting and unique line that customers love

Frunutta's Micro Quick Absorb®, no-water-needed vitamins are not only incredibly easy to take, they are preservative free, non-GMO, gluten free, dye free, and pure vitamins — no fillers, no additives, no excipients. Order through the Front-End Marketplace and get Free Shipping!

"I know what you are thinking: 'I don't need another vitamin line.' You may be right, but Frunutta is not another vitamin. The Micro Quick Absorb®, no-water-needed tablets are amazing and your customers are going to thank you for having them. Start with one 4-foot shelf's worth and you will soon want the full line." –Gabe Trahan, NCPA Senior Director Store Operations and Marketing



* NCPA Innovation Center's Front-End Overhaul *


Congratulations to the NICE award winners!

Sponsored by CoverMyMeds®, the NCPA Innovation Center spotlighted the best of community pharmacy branding and marketing—the innovations and redesigns that have made promotions more effective and patients' experiences more rewarding. Thank you to all who submitted great entries this year for the NICE Awards! We recognized the NICE-est entries in the March 2018 issue of America's Pharmacist. Missed the deadline this year? We hope you make big improvements next year and submit them for the 2019 NICE Awards. Look for nomination information in early fall.



* More From Drug Store News *


Still snacky: New candy, snack products build sales

The candy and snacks categories are performing quite well at retail, thanks to a combination of product introductions, strong marketing and the basic desire of many shoppers to throw some tasty merchandise into their shopping carts. Read more...


Don't Forget

Being a member of NCPA means you have access to a treasure trove of helpful hints, tips, and resources to make your front end more profitable! Download One-Pager Tips on a variety of topics. Gabe typically posts a tip once or twice a day on his Twitter account — if you're on Twitter, give him a follow at @NCPAGabe. You can also find tips in Gabe's monthly column in America's Pharmacist. The Overhaul of Fame galleries contain hundreds of photos to inspire you, from effective signs to successful end-caps and everything in between. Finally, you and your staff can access several staff training videos that will help you take an objective view of your store, both inside and out!

This wealth of knowledge is due to the fantastic photos, ideas, and suggestions we receive every day from NCPA members like you. Drop him a line at gabe.trahan@ncpanet.org with your questions, photos, best advice, and recommendations. What's selling well in your store? Let us know.


"Profit Makers" is produced by NCPA in collaboration with Drug Store News




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