Whether it's cold and flu season, the holiday season, or the changing of seasons, your merchandising strategies have to keep up. As an independent pharmacist, you must focus to a great degree on your customers and their health-care-related needs; however, the displays you use in your store also help create your image, and solidify your community position. Because of that, it's important to dress your pharmacy for every season:
Make sure displays are relevant to the current health season at hand
Chances are, your biggest business for over the counter medications occurs during cold and flu season (fall and winter) and allergy season (spring and summer). Although you may think you can simply create one display to house the medications commonly used for both cold and flu season and allergy season (pain relievers, antihistamines, cough syrup, and so forth), think again.
If you have a display that you leave in place all the time, customers will stop noticing it. It's also boring and blasé to do so, and could cost you revenue. By changing your displays frequently, you keep them fresh and visible so that your customers see them and will buy. Make an effort to change displays monthly if possible or at least for cold and flu season and then again for allergy season.
Incidentally, don't be afraid to try new products' displays right alongside your pharmacy "standby product" displays. A few surprises by a standard display will also keep customers' interest.
Get into the spirit of "holiday seasons" throughout the year
Your pharmacy is part of your community, and therefore should be reflective of your community and its celebrations. Pay homage to this by dressing up your store's interior for the various "holiday seasons" that occur throughout the year. Depending on your particular community, you may wish to be more generic about just how you dress up your store, but there's a lot to pick and choose from. In the fall, you may simply wish to focus on an "autumn" theme, but you can also take advantage of the Halloween holiday by putting spooky displays showcasing candy, costumes, and other items for sale specific to Halloween throughout your store. Thanksgiving is another fall focus that you can address throughout your store with specific displays that showcase food items if you carry them, or even gentle reminders about the benefits of digestive aids like antacids after a heavy meal.
When Christmas, Hanukah, New Year's, etc., arrive, make sure your store reflects the joy of this holiday season. Even if you choose not to be Christmas-specific, for example, you can dress your store up with festive red and green decorations, jingle bells, sprigs of holly, or even a "season tree" in your front window. (And of course, it's necessary to display any holiday items if you sell them, as well.)
Introduce new products in your store with exciting displays that take advantage of the holiday shopping season
If you sell any holiday-related items like toys, candy, wrapping paper, gift items, etc., this is a great time to introduce new products with exciting, eye-catching displays; they not only brighten up the interior of your store, but tap into the excitement of the holiday season.
Go ahead and partner with any "big brands" for merchandising ideas on products you sell
If you sell any "big brands" in your store, go ahead and use their displays and merchandising resources. It's true that you should set yourself apart from retail pharmacies, but the odd familiar display here and there will also create a connection with your customers that's different from your "home town" feel.
