Stage 1. Establishing contact
You only have one chance to make a good first impression. Psychologists tell us over and over again that a first impression is formed in a few seconds, at most a few minutes.
During this time, the pharmacy visitor decides:
- stay or go;
- ask the pharmacy worker a question, or better yet, don’t say anything;
- to buy the drug here or look for another pharmacy.
What influences the decision? First of all, the behavior of the pharmacy staff and its interior.
It is difficult for clients to judge the competence of a pharmacist or pharmacist based on his/her knowledge, so they are forced to rely on external signs. In addition, 90% of information is perceived subconsciously, so only a positive internal attitude can ensure true goodwill.
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Stage 2. Finding out the buyer’s needs
The basic rule is to listen carefully. More often than not, the buyer himself is eager to tell you what he is looking for. You should not bombard him with a hail of questions – this creates a tense atmosphere. He will answer the first question, after the second he will hesitate, after the third he will feel that he is being interrogated.
It is better to use affirmative sentences. For example, instead of asking, “What kind of cough do you have?” it is better to say, “The choice of cough medicine depends on whether your cough is dry or sputumy. The following are common mistakes.
Stage 3. Presentation of goods
At this stage, the most common mistake, which costs pharmacies a lot of money in lost profits, is a categorical refusal: “We don’t have that!”. In many cases, it is up to the pharmacy staff to find an acceptable substitution, especially for over-the-counter medicines.
By offering the customer a reasonable alternative, you’re doing a favor for both the customer and the pharmacy – it’s one of the most effective ways to bring their interests together!
Another source of error is the habit of “eyeballing” the purchasing power of a visitor based on his or her appearance and offering expensive or cheap drugs based on that. A modestly dressed customer can easily be offended by the words: “This medicine is very expensive”. Behind such phrases there is often inattention to the customer or fatigue.
If a pharmacy worker quotes a price that seems high, the customer will report it. At the same time, many people are embarrassed to ask about cheaper analogs and leave without buying. Conversely, by offering a knowingly cheap analog, you run the risk of not guessing. That is why, if possible, it is best to give two prices – the minimum and maximum.
This is especially illustrative with regard to medicines. By buying an expensive drug, the client may be expressing concern for his or her loved ones or for himself or herself. He or she may also be proud of it: “I can afford it.
Offering several options to choose from is a very powerful psychological technique. You put the customer in front of the choice: “Which of the drugs to buy in this pharmacy?” instead of thinking: “Should I buy the drug at this pharmacy or at the one I saw in the neighborhood?”. Of course, this technique should be used within the framework of ethics.
Read also: How to sell expensive products?”
Stage 4. Overcoming objections
The peculiarity of medicines is such that if the required item is available at a reasonable price, the buyer is likely to buy it.
Still, there may be objections. And here it is very important to learn how to deal with them, using the right counter-arguments. After all, even if the objector doesn’t buy anything, your answers will impress those in line.
Stage 5. Completion of the transaction
The customer says, “Okay, I’ll take this medicine,” pays and receives the product.
Offer the customer products that go along with what they buy. You will save them time and effort, increasing the pharmacy’s profits.
Of course, the goods offered should belong to the group of over-the-counter products. The number of options can be endless, it is important to put yourself in the shoes of the buyer.
Drugs to the needy, money to pharmacies
So how do you unite the interests of the customer and the pharmacy? The answer is to focus on the problems and needs of customers. The good news is that it’s up to you!
Put yourself in the patient’s shoes, help them save time and nerves and they will repay you a hundredfold by shopping at your pharmacy. As economic calculations show, the additional profit a pharmacy will get from a particular purchase is nothing compared to the dividends in the form of grateful customers.
Inna Porokhnyak, pharmacist, marketer, business coach
Shutterstock/FOTODOM UKRAINE photos were used
