Thinking about the messages you convey to patients and potential new customers, could make all the difference to your business. So keep things clear and use language the public understands to explain the many useful things your pharmacy offers and the benefits they can gain from visiting you. Making sure your message is effective is essential for the marketing approaches that you use.

The AIDA model is based on a simple mnemonic that will help you make your marketing more effective. It’s based on four actions you should take: these stages mirror the stages customers go through as they decide whether or not to buy:

ATTENTION

Is there something that will grab your customers’ attention? A list of bullet points will not encourage anyone to look at your marketing. Less is more. A single statement, question or image will attract attention and encourage customers to find out more.

INTEREST

Explain the benefits and advantages of what you offer. Don’t fall into the trap of solely listing features. Be clear about how your solution might fix the customer’s problem. Don’t assume they will see the benefits just from looking at these features.

DESIRE

Create the desire to purchase or access a service by taking the general message and applying it to a person’s circumstances. This is usually done by members of the pharmacy team and explains why your promotions should be supported with detailed staff training.

ACTION

Make sure the sale is closed. Considering appropriate factors, such as price point and the availability of a service during each day or week, and offering answers to questions, will ensure that extra barriers are not created. The next step is to put these ideas into action.