May 30, 2020

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


* Gabe's Tips: *


Exterior Signage Made Easy

Phones are ringing, zoom is zooming and email is exploding with the same two questions! "What should my exterior sign look like, and how should I "wrap" my delivery vehicle?" Here is the short answer for both. Forget looking pretty, instead concentrate on simple easy to read lettering. Make the word pharmacy the largest word that can be read. If tight on space be willing to give up your phone number to make room for your web address. Our brain process pictures faster than words; for that reason, a simple and easily recognizable mortar and pestle is a must.


Fathers know everything, Mothers know best

It still makes sense to fill out the Mother’s Day worksheet. Anything you write down today will be of help for next year, especially notes concerning carryover stock and/or expected credit for returned or unsold greeting cards. You can find the Mother's Day works sheet by clicking here. And while you are at it, go ahead and download the Father's Day worksheet. Note: If Father's Day is anything like Mother's Day, then there is a good chance you will see a bump in inspirational gifts.


Stay Safe at Home

We are experiencing a time where there is some uneasiness in moving toward assisted living options. People are considering, if only temporarily, taking additional steps in making their homes safe for themselves or loved ones. Market your DME departments as a "Home Safety and Comfort Center." Place photos of assembled products on your pharmacy’s website and business Facebook page. Merchandise the department as more of a showroom than a wall of equipment. Add a section where the rollators, walkers, and canes are displayed as a "Mobility Headquarter." A short 30-second video of how easy it is to fold a rollator and place it in a trunk or a backseat of a car would be a valuable asset to your website.


OTC Update

Some merchandisers have fallen a little behind in updating their OTC categories. The month of May is typically when the First Aid and Footcare sections are reset, and the month of June is Feminine Care and Family Planning. When it comes to First aid, look to add all-natural remedies and expand wound care. When it comes to Feminine Care, remember that some items may only come in case quantity. If that is the true, consider cutting out a slower selling item to make room for a full case of a better selling product. Remember, items stored in a backroom tend to be forgotten.


Trivia Time

I have a question for you. Which one of these methods do you think would be best to increase out-front sales? New fixtures, new carpet, a new logo, adding wheels to the fixtures so they can easily be moved, adding new OTC categories, increasing the size of existing OTC departments, lowering retail prices, painting the interior walls, raising the height of the fixtures, lowering the height of the fixtures or rounding all the retail prices to end in sevens or nines. Think about it. Send me your answers (gabe.trahan@ncpa.org). I will reveal the correct answer in the next Profit Makers on June 13, 2020.




Front End Resources for NCPA Members

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@ncpa.org with your questions, photos, best advice, and recommendations. What's selling well in your store? Let us know.


Stay Connected
facebook twitter youtube  


line

Note: This message was distributed from an email account used for sending messages only. The inbox associated with this email account is unattended. Please do not reply to this message.

We welcome your comments at info@ncpanet.org.

National Community Pharmacists Association
100 Daingerfield Road, Alexandria, VA 22314
703.683.8200 - 703.683.3619 fax
Copyright © National Community Pharmacists Association.
All Rights Reserved.

To unsubscribe from emails like this but continue to receive important updates about community pharmacy issues, click here to manage your subscription preferences.

To unsubscribe from all NCPA emails, including alerts on developments impacting community pharmacies, click here.

[[tracking_beacon]]