The brand is undoubtedly one of the most important assets of the company, so it is important for pharmacies to create a stable, value-generating brand that „withstands” changes and maintains its „strength,” leading to a consistent and unified brand presence.
According to the definition by the American Marketing Association (AMA), „a brand (brand) is a name, term, sign, symbol, design, or a combination of these, intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or a group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors”. Thus, the brand is nothing more than the sum of perceptions in the consumer's mind about a particular product or service.
Brand building
Branding is the process by which marketers consciously try to influence what the consumer knows, thinks, feels, and experiences.
A key element of effective branding is the coordination of marketing activities implemented at different levels, as asynchronous communication can lead to image perception disorders and ultimately to brand weakening. Although branding is becoming increasingly common in pharmacies, their experience in this area is still relatively limited.
What makes a pharmacy brand „work”?
Although branding is not a „magic bullet,” it increasingly solidifies a good reputation with its more sophisticated tools, (1) builds brand loyalty, (2) enhances the consumer value of the product and service (thus allowing for higher pricing), and (3) the consumer may perceive that by purchasing, they become a member of an imaginary community.
Unfortunately, many brand owners still believe that brand building is only about the logo or the website. While these are important, there are many other touchpoints that are of outstanding significance in branding, including the use of social media channels, regular sharing of quality content, the pharmacy's appearance and accessibility, consumer opinions, employee dress codes, the communication style of staff with each other and with consumers, etc.
To achieve branding goals, an entire arsenal of touchpoints must be established and consciously managed.
Aspects of successful brand building for pharmacies
A strong brand is authentic, reliable, provides identity, makes it memorable, and encourages consumers to purchase from that particular pharmacy.
To achieve these goals, pharmacy brand building has some proven practical steps, including the planning of the pharmacy's marketing strategy, brand planning (allocating resources to the strategy that enables the brand to achieve its goal), identifying consumers and assessing/understanding their needs. (which is important from the perspective of brand segmentation), the dispositional brand building (recommended in the case of promoting over-the-counter drugs, pharmaceutical products, and services), the design (helps to showcase the value of the pharmacy and enhances the customer experience), the brand's value proposition (can create a significant competitive advantage), as well as the proper communication of messages, continuous brand management and risk management (risks generally have quantifiable negative impacts).
It is also worth considering that most consumers want to know about the people behind the products – this knowledge can influence which brand they choose. While this presents a challenge and an opportunity for pharmacies, it can significantly improve their relationship with consumers.
In summary, it can be said that the role of branding is becoming increasingly significant for pharmacies as well. In our country, there is a noticeable growing demand in the healthcare services market that highlights the role of consumer orientation, in which conscious brand building and its continuous maintenance are of great importance.
You can read more about the topic in the PirulaTrend magazine!
Rita's further articles on the marketing secrets blog:
- The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pharmaceutical marketing
- The story of the blue pill
- Condom marketing over 50?
- The unsolved Tylenol murders
- Neuromarketing techniques in pharmaceutical advertisements
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