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alphega

Pharmacies serve as crucial touchpoints for people in Communities seeking medical guidance, products and services, often acting as the first line of defence in healthcare provision. In today’s digital age, the healthcare industry is evolving rapidly, with a growing emphasis on accessibility and convenience through digital platforms.

Alphega, a leading pharmacy network in the United Kingdom, recognise the need to enhance the online presence of their members to better serve their customers, and reached out to our team at Pharmacy Mentor. Alphega wanted to develop a cost-effective yet impactful website solution, aligning with its mission to improve access to healthcare through pharmacies.

The Challenge

Alphega approached our team to understand what was possible. They sought a website solution that could be developed swiftly, integrating seamlessly with their existing app and booking calendar. While our team at Pharmacy Mentor are renowned for crafting bespoke, high-end websites, Alphega were keen on a more economical option to cater to businesses hesitant about digital transformation.

Our Approach

At Pharmacy Mentor, we understand the importance of providing value to our clients, regardless of the project scope. While we excel in creating top-tier websites, we completely understand the need for getting online quickly and developing a presence. We devised a unique solution – a beautifully designed landing page-style website that offers a powerful identity while remaining incredibly cost-effective. We aim to turn this type of website around in 2 weeks.

This website solution, though streamlined compared to our standard offerings, is fully optimised, flexible, and, importantly, owned entirely by the pharmacy. Unlike other providers, we ensure that our clients retain full control and ownership of their digital assets. While the functionality may be scaled down, the website still provides a robust online presence, enhancing the pharmacies visibility and accessibility to its customers. The website remains completely scalable and allows patients to book in for vital services. Take a look at the full website here.

The unique Alphega – Pharmacy Mentor website starter offering

Case Study

An exemplary illustration of our collaboration with Alphega is the development of this website, showcased at Broomwood Pharmacy in Timperly. By leveraging our expertise, we transformed their online presence into a user-friendly and visually stunning platform. The quick turnaround time and seamless integration of a blogging platform enables us to develop technically optimised content to promote more of their offering. With Pharmacy Mentor’s deep understanding of the pharmacy landscape, Broomwood Pharmacy simply had to fill out a form, and we took care of the rest.

Improving access to healthcare through pharmacy

Pharmacy Mentor is dedicated to supporting Alphega Pharmacy Members with their websites and digital marketing needs to enhance their online presence and drive tangible results. Both organisations are superbly aligned in improving access to healthcare through pharmacies.

Saam Ali, CEO and Founder of Pharmacy Mentor, gives us the following statement about working with Alphega on this initiative:

“Our partnership with Alphega Pharmacy, led by Rob and his team, has been a pivotal step in helping pharmacy owners get digital. By co-creating a unique website offering for Alphega Members, we’ve merged a top-class website with affordability, while ensuring minimal turn-around times, great impact, and importantly scalability and flexibility. This is a great starting point for Alphega Members, and the site can naturally evolve with their ever-evolving business. This collaboration is a testament to what innovative thinking and strategic partnerships can achieve.”

Rob Spooner of Alphega Pharmacy also had this to say:

“Collaborating with the Team at Pharmacy Mentor has elevated our digital offering for Alphega Members, blending innovation with our core values. Saam and his Team at Pharmacy Mentor brought our vision to life, offering a standout online platform that will help the pharmacy extend their healthcare offering. This partnership not only highlights our commitment to digital excellence but also marks a significant leap forward for our members.”

Order Your Website Now

If you’re keen on ordering this new website solution, simply book in for a quick consultation using the form below, where we can talk to you about it. If you’re happy to proceed, we’ll get you on your digital way!

This is a very clear example of how we’ve helped change the business model for this pharmacy and activate a whole new stream of business income, primarily from their Travel Clinic. Read on!

About This Pharmacy

This Midlands-based pharmacy, with a long history of providing exceptional healthcare services, has been our client for four years. They sought to expand their digital reach to grow their travel clinic, amongst other NHS and Private services. Our collaboration encompassed a full suite of digital marketing and development services, including building a new, optimised pharmacy website with integrated booking calendar, social media management, SEO, and paid advertising.

The Challenge

The pharmacy’s primary goal was to grow its travel clinic. Despite offering a quality service, they were not reaching their potential market. They needed a strategy that could effectively target and attract customers to their specialised travel clinic services.

The Solution

Following a strategy call and understanding what the main objectives were overt the next 12-months, we pursued with the following:

  • Google Ads Campaign: We launched targeted Google Ads campaigns focusing on components of their travel clinic services, leveraging well-researched keywords and compelling ad copy. Their campaigns were well looked after, optimised and nurtured over the duration of the year.
  • Conversion Tracking: To better measure the ROI of our ad campaigns, we implemented conversion tracking on the pharmacy’s website and booking calendar. This allowed us to track actions showing intent to visit and actual online bookings.
  • Integrated Digital Approach: Alongside the Google Ads, we continued to bolster the pharmacy’s digital presence through ongoing SEO efforts, social media engagement, and website optimisation.

The Results

The campaign delivered outstanding results:

  • Impressive ROI: With an ad spend of just £3,929 across the 12-month period, the campaign generated 4,870 website clicks, 1,680 actions showing intent to visit, and 628 digital bookings made through their booking calendar. If we’re assuming an average revenue of £100 per consultation, this equates to £62,800 in revenue, yielding a staggering 15.9X ROI. This is from paid advertising and online booking conversions alone. If we had spent more, we would have generated more bookings. However, we were constraint to clinic space availability.

 

The pharmacy has seen great returns from Paid Advertising on Google, from only a small monthly spend

 

  • Booking Surge: The pharmacy saw a total of 1,100 bookings across services, averaging 92 clinic bookings per month. The travel clinic emerged as the top service, followed by ear wax removal and NHS flu vaccines.

The pharmacy has recorded a total of 1100 bookings across 12-months

What’s next for this pharmacy?

With the travel clinic’s success, the pharmacy is now focusing on expanding its Pharmacy First services and existing clinics. Our agency is poised to continue our support with:

  • Enhanced Digital Marketing: Tailoring our digital marketing strategies to promote the expanded services.
  • Website Evolution: Further developing the website to highlight new services and streamline the user experience.
  • Data-Driven Insights: Utilising the data gathered from current campaigns to refine our approach and target new market segments.

Ready to take your pharmacy to the next level?

Whether you are just starting out in providing clinic services, or you have been dispensing vaccines for years, Pharmacy Mentor can help you grow. We’re a team of talented individuals helping pharmacies of all shapes and sizes drive revenue in new ways. Talk to us to see how we can help you:


This pharmacy, located in the Oxfordshire area, has seen tremendous growth recently, and is looking to reinvest profits back into marketing, to drive further sales and bookings. Read on to find out more.

About This Pharmacy

Located in the heart of Oxfordshire, this pharmacy has been a cornerstone of the local community, providing essential healthcare services. Despite its strong offline presence, its digital footprint was limited to a Google Business listing, resulting in missed opportunities in the rapidly evolving digital healthcare landscape.

The pharmacy is a true health hub in their community, offering an array NHS and Private Clinical services, which is the way a pharmacy should be.

The Challenge

The pharmacy’s challenges were multi-faceted:

  • Limited Digital Presence: The pharmacy’s only online representation was a Google Business listing and their NHS listing (previously, NHS choices) hindering its ability to attract and engage with a broader customer base. They were relying on people coming in via word of mouth mostly.
  • Limited Online Bookings: Without an online booking system, the pharmacy struggled to efficiently manage appointments, especially for high-demand services like travel consultations and ear wax removal. Furthermore, the pharmacy wanted to generate more bookings for their clinics.
  • Lack of Digital Marketing: The pharmacy had not tapped into digital advertising, an essential tool for modern businesses to increase visibility and drive conversions.

The Solution

Following the initial diagnosis and understanding where the main objectives of the pharmacy business, we recommended the following digital strategy:

  • Website Development & SEO: We built an optimised website, tailored to the needs of the pharmacy. This included an online booking calendar, providing patients with the convenience of scheduling appointments for services like travel health, ear wax removal, flu vaccines and aesthetics appointments. The website is fully flexible with no limitations on how it can be developed, should the business end up growing in new directions. The website launched with technically optimised content for the services they are providing.
  • Targetted Advertising: We initiated targeted advertising campaigns for their travel and ear wax removal services, tapping into unmet demand in the area. This was coupled with robust conversion tracking to measure and optimise the effectiveness of our ad campaigns.

The Results

The outcomes of our collaboration have been remarkable:

  • Fully Booked Clinics: The online booking calendar has been instrumental in managing the increased influx of appointments, resulting in fully booked clinics.
  • Increased Digital Footprint: The new website and targeted ads have significantly raised the pharmacy’s online visibility, attracting a larger and more diverse customer base.
  • Measurable Success: Through conversion tracking, we have tangible data demonstrating the effectiveness of our marketing strategies, paving the way for further optimisation and growth.

The following screenshots are taken from the pharmacy’s website, along with an understanding of the digital campaign’s effectiveness. From a spend of only £357.03 in promoting the Travel Clinic alone, in the last 30 days, it has resulted in:

  • 257 ad clicks
  • 23 phone calls
  • 77 tracked online bookings

Since this pharmacy is not taking payments online right now (which we have advised they should), we’ve attributed each booking to represent a £75 Travel Clinic sale, which is smaller than the general travel clinic spend. This means that £357.03 has generated £5775 in Travel Clinic sales. This doesn’t account for the calls to the pharmacy.

Note: this is a small travel clinic spend. Due to the popularity and demand of this service, we’re seeing higher CPC’s and recommend budgets of no less than £500 per month (and up to £2000+ per month), to maximise conversions and yield the best results.

Performance over the last 30 days across Paid Advertising

The pharmacy is completely booked up, not just for travel, but for flu vaccines and ear wax removal too.

This pharmacy’s clinic booking calendar is full

What’s next for this pharmacy?

We’re not touching the sides for this pharmacy in terms of marketing. There is much more potential in paid adverting, and we’re yet to go aggressive with SEO. It just depends on how much the pharmacy can manage in terms of workload and the space they need to free up in terms of consultations. The sky really is the limit for these guys.

Ready to take your pharmacy to the next level?

Whether you are just starting out in providing clinic services, or you have been dispensing vaccines for years, Pharmacy Mentor can help you grow. We’re a team of talented individuals helping pharmacies of all shapes and sizes drive revenue in new ways. Talk to us to see how we can help you:


tympa health

Pharmacy Mentor and Tympa Health: Revolutionising Your Ear Health Services

We are delighted to share exciting news about our recent collaboration with Tympa Health, a partnership that is set to reshape the landscape of earwax removal services in pharmacies.

At Pharmacy Mentor, our commitment to advancing pharmacy services aligns seamlessly with Tympa Health’s cutting-edge approach to ear healthcare. This partnership represents a strategic fusion of expertise, with Pharmacy Mentor bringing forth targeted marketing strategies and Tympa Health introducing revolutionary ear microsuction devices and solutions.

It’s the perfect partnership to help improve access to this wonderful service, and improve the healthcare of our Nation.

Elevating Earwax Removal Services through Marketing

Pharmacy Mentor is empowering pharmacies to effectively market their earwax removal services. Through tailored digital campaigns, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), beautiful ear clinic websites, and strategic branding efforts, we aim to position pharmacies as go-to destinations for professional ear health services, in particular, ear wax removal. Our goal is to not only boost service visibility, but also to underscore the importance of seeking expert care for ear health.

The Tympa Health Advantage: Cutting-Edge Microsuction Devices

At the heart of our collaboration is Tympa Health’s state-of-the-art microsuction technology. Unlike traditional methods that may be uncomfortable for patients, Tympa Health’s devices offer a more efficient, gentle, and patient-friendly solution. Pharmacies that partner with Tympa Health gain access to these pioneering devices, placing them at the forefront of earwax removal services. This advancement not only enhances the patient experience but also sets a new standard for professionalism in the field.

tympa health

Key Benefits of Partnership for Pharmacies

  1. Technology Leadership: Partnering with Tympa Health allows pharmacies to develop a comprehensive ear clinic with access to advanced microsuction devices, showcasing their commitment to embracing the latest technologies in healthcare.
  2. Enhanced Patient Care: Tympa Health’s devices prioritise patient comfort, resulting in a more pleasant and efficient earwax removal experience. This patient-centric approach contributes to positive feedback and increased trust in pharmacy services.
  3. Strategic Marketing Support: Pharmacy Mentor provides pharmacies with valuable resources, critical marketing strategies, and insights to supercharge their clinic. From powerful online campaigns to community engagement strategies, we ensure that pharmacies effectively communicate their earwax removal services, and help patients find them when they need the service.
  4. Discounts on Services: To help pharmacies invest in marketing support around this service, we’ve agreed to provide discounts to those using Tympa Health Technologies for the first time. *
  5. Empowering Education: As part of our partnership, we are going to provide more valuable, unique and free education in the form of blogs, webinars, videos, articles, and more. Our companies are big on education, and this is a core element of our partnership. Check out the Tympa Academy and The PM Academy. Watch this space.
  6. Community Integration: Through joint efforts, our partnership encourages pharmacies to actively engage with their local communities. This not only promotes earwax removal services but also raises awareness about the importance of overall ear health.

Growing Number of Case Studies

Our marketing activities mean that our clients are reaching, engaging and converting patients on a whole new level. It excites us greatly when we plant one of our pharmacies high on the first page of Google for very popular keywords. Or when we can see how many patients we’ve booked in via the paid adverting we do. It’s what we do, and we’re learning how to do it better every single day.

We’re promoting the ear wax removal service for pharmacies across the UK and Ireland with plenty of success. Here’s just one of those case studies that showcases how we’ve helped completely transform a pharmacy via this clinic. Their (continued) growth has been phenomenal:

A New Level of Business

Tympa Health Success

The collaboration between Pharmacy Mentor and Tympa Health signifies a pivotal moment in the evolution of both pharmacy services and digital marketing for pharmacies.

By seamlessly integrating marketing excellence with advanced earwax removal technology, we are not only enhancing the quality of care provided by pharmacies, but also setting new standards for patient-centric services.

As we continue to embrace innovation and prioritise patient well-being, the future of earwax removal services certainly looks promising. Contact our Growth Team to find out more and book a free marketing strategy consultation.

Contact Our Team

* Discounts on marketing/development packages apply to new purchases only, as per our Terms and Conditions. Please speak to our Growth Team for more information.

Pharmacy Websites - Good vs Poor - Know the Difference

Understanding Pharmacy Websites

A pharmacy website has the potential to generate as much business for you as your physical premises. In today’s digital age, a well-designed and functional website is crucial for any business, including pharmacies. A pharmacy website is often the first point of contact between patients and the pharmacy, serving as a valuable tool for delivering information, offering online services, and establishing a strong online presence. At Pharmacy Mentor, we understand the significance of pharmacy websites and take pride in building and selling websites that are tailored to the specific needs of pharmacists. In this blog, we’ll explore the key differences between good and poor pharmacy websites, shedding light on why a well-crafted online presence can make all the difference for your pharmacy.

 

Pharmacy Websites - Good vs Poor - Know the Difference

 

Why a Pharmacy Website Matters

Before delving into the distinctions between good and poor pharmacy websites, it’s important to understand why having an effective online presence is so essential for pharmacies. A well-designed pharmacy website offers several benefits:

Accessibility: A pharmacy website allows patients to access essential information 24/7. This means they can check opening hours, prescription services, and even order refills at their convenience.

Information Hub: A good pharmacy website serves as an information hub where patients can learn about the services, staff, and any updates relevant to the pharmacy. This enhances transparency and builds trust.

Online Services: Patients appreciate the convenience of online services, such as prescription refills, appointment booking, and health-related information. A well-crafted website can provide these services seamlessly.

Marketing and Branding: Your pharmacy website is a powerful marketing tool. It enables you to showcase your expertise, promote special offers, and build your brand identity.

Competitive Edge: In today’s competitive landscape, having a professional and user-friendly website can set your pharmacy apart from others, attracting new customers and retaining existing ones.

 

The Differences Between Good and Poor Pharmacy Websites

Now, let’s dive into the key differences between good and poor pharmacy websites, highlighting how a well-crafted website can benefit both your pharmacy and your patients.

 

>> Design and User Experience

Good: A well-designed pharmacy website is visually appealing and easy to navigate. It features a clean layout, clear typography, and high-quality images. Navigation is intuitive, allowing patients to find what they need quickly. It’s also mobile-responsive, ensuring a seamless experience across all devices.

Poor: On the other hand, a poor pharmacy website may look outdated, cluttered, and disorganised. Navigation is confusing, and patients might struggle to find basic information. It may not adapt to mobile devices, making it frustrating to use on smartphones and tablets.

At Pharmacy Mentor, we specialise in creating modern, user-friendly pharmacy websites. Our team understands the importance of a clean and intuitive design, ensuring that your patients have a positive online experience.

 

>> Information and Transparency

Good: A high-quality pharmacy website provides comprehensive information about the pharmacy’s services, staff, location, and contact details. It’s a valuable resource for patients, offering clarity on prescription services, insurance, and more. Transparency is a key factor, as it builds trust with patients.

Poor: A poor pharmacy website may lack essential information, leaving patients with unanswered questions. This can result in frustration and mistrust. Patients might even turn to competitors with more informative websites.

Our team at Pharmacy Mentor emphasises the importance of providing detailed and transparent information on your website. We work closely with you to ensure that your website is a valuable resource for your patients.

 

>> Online Services and Features

Good: A well-crafted pharmacy website offers a range of online services, such as prescription refills, appointment scheduling, and health-related resources. It makes it easy for patients to access these services and enhances their overall experience.

Poor: A poor pharmacy website may lack essential online services, missing out on opportunities to provide convenience to patients. This can result in decreased patient satisfaction and engagement.

At Pharmacy Mentor, we understand the significance of online services for pharmacies. We can help you integrate features like prescription refills and appointment scheduling, making your website a valuable tool for both patients and your pharmacy staff.

 

>> Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Good: A good pharmacy website is optimised for search engines, making it easier for potential patients to find you online. This involves using relevant keywords, creating high-quality content, and optimising page load times.

Poor: A poorly optimised website may not appear in search engine results, causing a loss of potential patients. It misses out on the opportunity to attract new customers.

Pharmacy Mentor specialises in SEO for pharmacy websites. We can help your website rank higher in search engine results, increasing its visibility and attracting more potential patients to your pharmacy.

 

>> Security and Privacy

Good: A high-quality pharmacy website prioritises the security and privacy of patient information. It uses secure and encrypted connections to protect patient data and complies with data protection regulations.

Poor: A poor website may neglect security measures, putting patient data at risk. This can lead to privacy breaches and erode patient trust.

At Pharmacy Mentor, we take security and privacy seriously. Our pharmacy websites are designed with the highest level of security to safeguard patient information and maintain trust.

 

>> Mobile Responsiveness

Good: A well-crafted pharmacy website is mobile-responsive, meaning it functions seamlessly on various devices, including smartphones and tablets. This is crucial in today’s mobile-centric world.

Poor: A poorly designed website may not be optimised for mobile devices, leading to a frustrating experience for patients trying to access it on their phones.

At Pharmacy Mentor, we ensure that your pharmacy website is fully responsive, allowing patients to access essential information and services from any device.

 

>> Regular Updates and Maintenance

Good: A good pharmacy website is regularly updated with fresh content and relevant information. It is well-maintained to ensure smooth functionality.

Poor: A poorly maintained website may have outdated information and broken links, leaving patients frustrated and uninformed.

Our team at Pharmacy Mentor provides ongoing maintenance and updates for your website, ensuring that it remains a valuable resource for your patients.

Question – Is your pharmacy website compliant? If it isn’t, it can have serious detrimental effects on your pharmacy business. Check out the free tool we’ve developed that helps you understand if you are compliant or not.

 

Book a Consultation Today

A pharmacy website can make a significant difference in the success of your pharmacy. The key differences between good and poor pharmacy websites encompass design, user experience, information transparency, online services, SEO, security, mobile responsiveness, and regular updates. At Pharmacy Mentor, we are dedicated to building and selling pharmacy websites that excel in all these areas. By choosing our services, you can provide your patients with a valuable online experience, enhance your pharmacy’s reputation, and ultimately attract more customers. Contact us today to learn how we can help you create a top-notch pharmacy website that stands out in the digital landscape.

Contact Us
Private online pharmacy website development
This online pharmacy that operates in the private space clearly needed to work with an agency who knows how they operate to get them out of a sticky situation. Now, they have a new system and a dedicated pharmacy-led agency to supercharge their growth.

About This Pharmacy

A private online pharmacy that extends its services not just across the UK, but globally. Distinguished by its unique variety of products and commitment to customer service, the pharmacy faced significant challenges due to a non-GPhC compliant website and a GPhC inspection that required them to adapt. Positioned for growth, they required urgent and comprehensive solutions.

The Challenge

The pharmacy approached us in the face of distressing circumstances. They have used several agencies in the past but none of them could help them navigate through the evolving GPhC landscape of selling POM’s and P-lines online. Some of the things they were challenged with:

  • Non-GPhC Compliance: An impending GPhC inspection had signalled a multitude of compliance issues on their previous website.
  • Broken Website: Several functionalities of the website were non-operational, creating a less-than-ideal user experience and jeopardising trust and sales.
  • Website Presentation: Poor quality medicinal images, formatting of critical pages and blogs. The website was in need of a huge face-lift.
  • Database Transfer: A massive database consisting of 100’s of products needed to be transferred seamlessly to a new platform, as well as a database of 1000’s of patents.
  • Digital Marketing Bottlenecks: Poor SEO strategies and challenges in paid advertising were shunting online visibility and sales potential.

The pharmacy team desperately needed to work with an agency who could guide them from a pharmacy, marketing and development perspective.

Pharmacy Mentor was the ideal solution.

The Solution

Since this business was already operating, a more detailed discovery session needed to take place, where we covered everything from website technical architecture, website transfer, GPhC compliance, content and marketing. Our discovery sessions with websites of this nature are always led by our CEO, who is a pharmacist, developer and marketeer. He’s usually accompanied by the Web Project Manager and Head of Development/Marketing.

The discovery session is a critical phase, and we developed a plan that consisted of a bespoke website designed around the online prescribing solution we had built i.e. the UPW.

  • Web Design & Development: Designed and built a GPhC-compliant website with a professional aesthetic. The website was constructed on the UPW platform, providing a robust foundation for growth and seamless user experience. We developed bespoke features for this pharmacy in accordance with their unique needs.
  • Database Management: Successfully transferred a large product database to the new system without disrupting sales or user experience
  • SEO and Paid Advertising: Rolled out a new and improved SEO strategy and tactfully circumvented ad blockers, thereby driving targeted traffic to the website
  • Social Proofing: Implemented a new review and testimonial strategy that had traditionally been neglected and forgotten about

The Results

Only nine months down the line, and this online pharmacy is reaping the rewards of working with an award-winning agency, dedicated purely to pharmacy:

  • GPhC Compliance: The pharmacy is now ticking the boxes when it comes to GPhC compliance, reinstating operational viability.

Not all standards were being met by this pharmacy, and their previous website was letting them down. We changed that.

  • Professional, Premium Website: The pharmacy is no longer stuck in the dark age. Their clean, professional website contends amongst the big players out there.
  • Enhanced User Experience: The newly designed website has an improved user experience, enhancing the overall patient experience.

A professional, clean and well-designed pharmacy website is crucial for growth

  • Sales: Almost £250,000 in online sales in the first 8 months of being with Pharmacy Mentor, with an ambitious goal to double this revenue in the next nine.
  • Paid Advertising: We’re continuing to drive revenue successfully from expert advertising, circumventing policy issues, testing new Ad variants and improving overall ad performance
  • SEO Success: We’ve seen a sharp rise in SEO from the consistent, quality content generation and technical improvements. The website is regularly receiving over 250 targeted organic website clicks per day

Going from strength to strength for this pharmacy business. More visibility = more sales

  • Elevated Social Proofing: Generating over 200 5-star reviews bolstering the pharmacy’s credibility and customer trust.

Social proofing is critical in helping a pharmacy website of this type grow

 

What’s next for this pharmacy?

There is a lot of potential for this pharmacy, and we have plans to help them grow. We envisage doubling their revenue in the next year and implementing more advanced marketing tactics to encourage higher user engagement. The sky really is the limit…

Ready to take your pharmacy to the next level?

Whether you have an existing prescribing business online, or you are just starting out, Pharmacy Mentor can help you grow. We’re a team of talented individuals helping pharmacies of all shapes and sizes drive revenue in new ways. Talk to us to see how we can help you:


This pharmacy has had one of the best digital starts we’ve seen in the history of launching websites at Pharmacy Mentor. They opted for a UPW system and after 3-months, it has truly changed the way they do business. Let’s explore.

P.s. We created this video using A.I. – what do you think?

About This Pharmacy

This pharmacy is a leading healthcare provider located in the heart of their community offering a range of NHS and private services. The pharmacist himself is an Independent Prescriber. Despite having a strong offline presence, the pharmacy faced significant challenges when it came to digital accessibility and e-commerce capabilities.

The pharmacy owner is forward-thinking and knows the importance of digitising his service offering. However, he needed the right partners to help him get to where he wanted to go.

The Challenge

Prior to engaging with our agency, the pharmacy had an outdated website that failed to meet the modern needs of their business and patients. The key challenges included:

  • Lack of Online Booking System: Patients could not book clinical services online, forcing them to rely on inconvenient phone bookings or walk-ins.
  • Inefficient POM Sales Channel: The absence of an online sales channel for prescription-only medicines meant a loss of potential revenue and increased operational and administrational burden. As the pharmacist himself is an Independent Prescriber, this was a key focus of theirs.
  • User Experience: The previous website was poorly optimised for mobile, lacked intuitive navigation, and had no clear focus on the private services and products the pharmacy wanted to emphasise.

The Solution

Following a discovery consultation with our Growth Team and our CEO, we immediately recognised what solution would be the best fit for the pharmacy owner. As a pharmacist-led organisation, we deeply understand the complexities within pharmacy operations, and the regulations that surround them.

Understanding the need for a complete overhaul, our agency employed the UPW solution – a purpose-built website designed to revolutionise pharmacy operations and patient accessibility. The new website features:

  • Online Booking for Clinical Services: A seamless, user-friendly interface allows patients to book their appointments for clinical services online, streamlining the patient intake process. The booking system is fully customisable with the ability to add risk assessment questions and take payment online.
  • Online POM Sales: The UPW solution integrated a secure, compliant, and effective online ordering system for prescription-only medicines, ensuring the Independent Prescriber could review orders online and have them dispensed by the pharmacist in their store.
  • Optimized for Conversions: Through a meticulous process of A/B testing and analytics assessment, we optimised the website for the private services and products that this pharmacy wanted to promote from the get-go.

The ultimate pharmacy website (UPW) has many, many more features that have not been explained in this case, but you can review them here. The pharmacy owner has a keen digital eye already and therefore the training and setup process was smooth. Before launch, we optimised a few particular products highly in terms of SEO to ensure they got off to the best performing start.

The Results

Within just three months of the website’s launch, the impact has been nothing short of transformative:

  • 300 Bookings: The pharmacy generated over 300 bookings for their private services, highlighting the effectiveness of the online booking system.
  • Over £18,000 in Revenue per month: In the last 30 days alone, the pharmacy has generated over £18,293 in revenue from the sale of only two high-demand POM products, through the website alone. This doesn’t account for people walking into the pharmacy because of finding them online.
  • Enhanced User Experience: Though not quantified, the streamlined and intuitive interface has undoubtedly contributed to increased patient satisfaction and engagement.

The products that we paid particular attention to have driven a significant number of clicks and impressions organically, appearing on page 1 of Google for particular in-demand searches.

Close to 300 bookings generated in three months

 

In the last 30 days, this pharmacy has generated revenues close to £20,000 from two POM products alone

This is only just the beginning of our journey with this innovative pharmacy. They have so much potential to grow with this solution, and we’re not even close to maximising the marketing. The online route is a journey, but a journey worth taking with the right dedication. Your “online” community pharmacy is just as powerful as your physical pharmacy.

Ready to take your pharmacy to the next level?

Book for a demo of our UPW with one of our Growth Specialists and let’s start driving revenue from all angles:


Setting Up a New Pharmacy - Digital Checklist
Whether you’re an aspiring pharmacist entrepreneur or an established pharmacy owner expanding your network, setting up a new pharmacy is no small feat. It involves more than securing a prime location and stocking up on medications. From modern tech integrations to maintaining a strong online presence, several digital elements need careful planning and execution. So, let’s delve into these key considerations that play an essential role in successfully setting up a new pharmacy in the digital age.
New Pharmacy Digital Setup Checklist

Leverage Technological Tools for Efficiency

Patient Medication Record (PMR) System

A PMR system is the heart of your pharmacy’s operation. It manages patient records, dispensing, and inventory control, streamlining workflow and enhancing patient care. In essence, a well-implemented PMR system is a catalyst for reducing errors and increasing efficiency.

Read this popular article to compare PMR Systems in the UK.

Pharmacy App and Website

In today’s digital and clinical age, a pharmacy’s online presence is nothing but paramount. An intuitive website acts as your business online, offering vital information about your location, services, and products. Your website is so much more than just information, however. It can be an incredible tool for growth, with a  plenty of interactive features like eCommerce, booking systems, virtual consultations and more.

If you’re an IP or you’re going to be offering PGDs, check out The UPW.

Moreover, a mobile app enhances customer convenience, enabling them to reorder/refill prescriptions, set medication reminders, and access health information on-the-go.

Automated Phone System and EPOS System

An automated phone system, like Google Voice, can manage multiple customer calls simultaneously, improving customer service. Moreover, an Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) system streamlines sales, inventory management, and financial reporting. These tools help your pharmacy team focus more on patient care and less on administrative tasks.

Drug Purchasing Solutions

In the busy world of pharmacy, drug purchasing software is a lifeline. It ensures timely inventory replenishment, prevents drug shortages, and identifies cost-saving opportunities. Essentially, it’s your secret weapon for efficient supply chain management.

Download the guide above and click on the links that our CEO has pointed out.

Harnessing Data for Performance Enhancement

PharmData

Performance tracking is key when setting up a new pharmacy. PharmData is like a household name in pharmacy now. It offers critical data insights, helping you analyse your pharmacy’s performance and guiding your strategy. Whether it’s dispensing volume or patient safety incidents, keeping track of these metrics helps to improve performance and maximise profitability.

Be sure to check the guide above for more analytics solutions.

Building out a Strong Online Presence

NHS Profile

Your NHS profile is vital for interacting with NHS services and patients. It’s essential to keep it updated with your pharmacy’s accurate details, including services provided, opening hours, and contact details. It ensures visibility to patients seeking services and helps maintain a positive relationship with the NHS.

It’s mandatory for you to set this up, and you can do so via this link.

Social Media and Online Listings

Social media and online listings, like Google Business, Yell.com and Facebook provide a platform to engage with customers, advertise services, and share health advice. Regular updates can boost visibility, customer engagement, and drive traffic to your website or physical pharmacy. These should not be overlooked as they are designed to generate business as you start up.

As always, we’re here to help you build out and optimise your profiles online. We work with 100’s of pharmacies across the UK and have advised 1000’s in all digital capacities. Be sure to get in touch with us when you’re setting up your new pharmacy, so we can help you create your perfect digital ecosystem.

 

 

The decline of footfall and consequential retail sales has impacted many Community Pharmacies. NearSt offers an innovative solution for boosting both.

Why should pharmacies appear in local searches? And why is NearSt a great tool for boosting pharmacy retail sales? The points below should convince you of its utility.

  • “Near me” or “close by” type searches grew by more than 900% over the last two years. (Source: Chat Meter
  • 83% of online shoppers are willing to go in-store if a product’s availability is guaranteed beforehand. (Source: Google)
  • 47% of pharmacy shoppers want digital inventory management to know if items are in-stock before they go. (Source: PYMNTS, 2022)
  • 78% of location-based mobile searches result in an offline purchase. (Source: SEO Tribunal)
  • 72% of consumers that did a local search visited a store within five miles. (Source: HubSpot Marketing Statistics, 2022)
  • 50% of all local search ends with a visit within 24 hours. (Source: Uberall, 2019)

All of those are applicable to Community Pharmacies. But the “Near Me” searches are where NearSt shines, and where the main benefit for you as a local business comes in.

How does NearSt help Pharmacies?

NearSt solves your community’s problem of needing something immediately but not knowing where it’s in stock. NearSt (hence the name) lets them know where the product is being stocked near them whenever (and wherever) they search for it online.

Anything that solves your customers and patients problems, is an asset for your business.

Turning online shoppers into in-store customers

People shop online for convenience. But waiting even a day for a product isn’t convenient compared with collecting it that same day from a local shop. With healthcare products, it’s even more likely your customers want things immediately.

A real-time view of what local shoppers want

Sir Lord Major General Alan Sugar has a phrase he rolls out every series on The Apprentice – “smell what sells.”

NearSt gives digestible insights into what nearby customers want to make sure your pharmacy is always stocking the right products, by providing real-time information about what shoppers near your pharmacy are searching for.

By stocking the things your community is searching for, and showing up when they search for it, you’re putting yourself in a winning formula which equals sales.

How does NearSt work?

NearSt integrates with your EPOS system and puts your live in-store stock onto Google, as well as product descriptions, price, and images. It’s constantly talking to your EPOS system which means the information online is always up-to-date.

The difference between NearSt and Pointy by Google

Those of you with Pointy might be thinking, I already have that! Well, yes, but not quite. Understanding the difference between Pointy & NearSt took me a while too, but there are critical differences.

The main differences between Pointy by Google and NearSt are:

  • Pointy is hardware, NearSt is software. Instead of having to manually scan your entire product range, it’s uploaded automatically, saving you loads of time.
  • Pointy is owned by Google, therefore only works with Google search engines. NearSt works with every search engine, including Facebook.
  • Because it’s linked with your EPOS system, NearSt has LIVE information about your stock levels, meaning people aren’t making the journey into your store then getting dissapointedd when you have no stock.

What if I’ve got an eCommerce website?

An eCommerce website is a great solution for declining footfall and the increase in online shopping activity. However, it may not solve the problem for patients and customers who need a product right now i.e. on the day and not delivered in 2 days, for example.

Using NearSt, even if you’re an eCommerce brand, you’re offering your patients and customers even more convenience by giving them an immediate solution as well as an online one, where they can go and get the product in store.

Can this work with my Pharmacy Mentor website?

You’re darn right it can! We can integrate NearSt with your website via different means. We can create hyperlinks, embed widgets and more. Get in touch with us to find out how.

Case Study – NearSt

I know you love a good case study, so here’s two for the price of one. (Sorry for the retail pun.)

How a local chemist used NearSt as a no-fuss solution to drive in-store customers

In just 4 weeks, Massingham’s products were discovered over 152,000 times in Google by nearby shoppers, driving 157 new customers in-store. One was noted as saying, “we didn’t know you existed, what a lovely shop!”

How a rural pharmacy got their product catalogue online instantly with NearSt

“It’s been great for us. It’s been useful to give people the opportunity to see what we have available in the shop. Our regular customers also use NearSt to check that we have a product in stock that they already know they want.”

– Nick, Clare Pharmacy

Whilst NearSt don’t operate purely with Community Pharmacies, their existing cases show it works. Knowing what I do about most Community Pharmacies’ desire to increase the retail sales, this for me seemed like an obvious solution.

And there’s no massive commitment, either. Pay monthly just like you would a Netflix account.

Head over to NearSt’s website or email us at growth@pharmacymentor.com and ask us for an introduction.

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Most community pharmacies have a pharmacy website. But just having a website is pointless if it doesn’t serve a purpose for your pharmacy.

What makes a good pharmacy website?

A good pharmacy website is one that creates value for your business. Good pharmacy websites are assets, just like a member of your team. And just like a member of your team, your website should be nurtured, not neglected.

This is a list of 5 features you should treat your website to. With all these in place, you’ll quickly see the value of a “good” pharmacy website.

what does a good pharmacy website look like?

1. Discoverability (Search Engine Optimisation)

Creating a website that gets no visitors is about as useful as opening up a pharmacy in the middle of the Sahara desert. Ie, you just shouldn’t bother.

With every website should be a plan to acquire visitors. Don’t have one? Get one.

A lot of people expect that somehow when their website is built, visitors will sort of just, happen.

There’s a definite blind spot between consumers and website designers, where consumers expect this to be part of their website build, and designers don’t ask the right questions for the client to realise that the on-page content needs to be optimised for search engines to pick it up.

So, whose responsibility is it?

I sympathise a little with the designers. Designers see themselves as architects, not interior designers. You wouldn’t expect your architect to choose your wallpaper. That’s how most web developers see the written content on your website. As your responsibility. After all, their speciality is coding, not writing.

However, I sympathise more with the business buying the website. Websites are relatively new, compared to my analogy of houses and architects. And because they’re new, there isn’t a common understanding of how they work. So in my view, it’s on the agency, service provider to make sure the client is at least aware of what having a website entails.

However, there are a surprising number of web development agencies who wash their hands of the success of a website once it leaves the design phase.

We are very transparent with our clients that without an SEO strategy in place to attract visitors to their site, the website won’t be as effective.

What is SEO and how does it attract visitors?

If you don’t know what SEO is or how it works, I’d strongly recommend you check out our complete guide to SEO. But in a nutshell, SEO is the process of optimising your website so it shows up on search engines.

SEO tells Google what searches you’d like to show up for

Whilst there are a lot of technical aspects that contribute to SEO that do fall under the responsibility of your web development team, your on-page content (ie the words on your website) determines which search terms you want your website to show up for. So it’s massively important this is given the attention it deserves, not swept under the rug like it often is.

Is there no other way to attract visitors?

Technically, there could be other ways you attract visitors to your pharmacy website, but realistically, most pharmacies don’t have anything like the right online infrastructure in place to do this. For instance, you could have a great email or social media funnel which regularly links to your website. But even if you did, that’s no reason to close the door on an opportunity to attract thousands of new visitors.

2. Modern, mobile-friendly design

Design matters so much when it comes to your website. Website design isn’t just how a website looks, but also how it works, how it’s laid out, and how easy it is to use. And especially nowadays, how easy it is to use on a mobile device.

Why design of a pharmacy website matters so much

In this whole section on design, and I can’t promise it will end there, user expectations will dominate the conversation.

Expectation vs Reality

There are three levels to expectations. You can either exceed, meet, or fall short of them. And at the time of writing, so many pharmacy websites fall short of the public’s expectations.

Where do these expectations come from? Experience. And not just with a pharmacy website. But with any website.

Your pharmacy website should be as easy to use as any modern website, because that’s what you’re up against in the eyes of the public.

If your website doesn’t meet expectations, people will leave, and quickly.

Ever-evolving design

Great design starts with good foundations, but it shouldn’t end there. Once your site is live, you can analyse how users are interacting with your site.

Understanding how your users behave on your website helps you create an even better design, which encourages more users to spend more time on your pharmacy website. The longer they spend on your website, the more they understand what you offer. The more they understand what you offer, the more likely they are to take you up on that offer. It’s a lovely little chain that all starts with the design of your site.

What are the expectations of a pharmacy website?

Expectations for a pharmacy website would be the same as the expectations of a pharmacy:

  • Clean and spacious feel
  • Intuitive layout
  • Clearly signposted areas of interest e.g., prescriptions, clinics, products
  • Short waiting times
  • Information & advice available on demand
  • Accessible contact
  • Ability to book and pay for services & products

The more you imagine replicating your pharmacy experience on your website, the better your website will be.

A good user experience (UX)

The bar for best practice is constantly being raised, as both technology and developer’s skills improve. This is why older designs aren’t feasible anymore. It’s like modern cars being designed without anti-lock brakes, or power steering. The technology is there, so there’s no excuse to not incorporate it into your design. Asking people to use your old website with poor functionality is like trying to sell a car from the ’90s in a new showroom. No one’s going to accept it.

3. Updated Information

Updated information on a pharmacy website helps both you and your community. The last thing your pharmacy team needs is pressure from patients who’ve read something on your website that doesn’t apply anymore, such as opening times, or prices.

Consistently updating your website might seem like a lot of effort. But if you think of how many people that information serves, compared to how many times you’d have to individually explain it over the phone or in-person…it is actually a time-saver.

Imagine how many fewer phone calls you’d get if your website had up-to-date COVID information on it. (Now, that particular example is extreme, as it isn’t your information, and it’s changing constantly, but it’s a relevant example for the moment.)

Search engines love updated content

Updated information also helps with your on-page SEO, which we talked about earlier. Search engines want to give their users the most relevant information for their queries, so fresh information has a better chance of being recommended more highly.

4. Booking Calendar

A booking calendar gives all your online marketing activities a focal point. It gives your customer journey a finish line. In short, as a pharmacy aiming for more clinical bookings – it’s your marketing’s raison d’etre (the reason it exists).

Directing people to your booking calendar

Social Media Posts

Now, this doesn’t mean that every time you make any post on social media ever, you link your booking calendar. But anything that relates to your services can (and should) absolutely have a link to book the service in question.

Blog Posts

The same goes for any blog posts you do. The reason you should be blogging is to drive relevant traffic to your website. Relevant, in a pharmacy’s case, means people who might well become patients or customers. Throughout these blogs, but especially at the end of the blog, you need to provide a link and show people they’re able to book now.

If the blog is about a health condition, there’s a good chance they’ve just searched their symptoms on Google. Now they’ve come to your website because of the updated information on your website that you’ve optimised for search engines, (see points 1 & 3), you might link to booking a consultation with a pharmacist.

If they found your private clinic page, it means they’re looking for treatment, and there should be an option to book that treatment, making it as easy as possible for people to use your pharmacy.

Free up your pharmacy team

Your pharmacy team is too busy to handle bookings. Especially when it’s often not just bookings, but rescheduling or cancellations. (20% to 30% of patients cancel or re-book their medical appointments ((Well App, 2021)).

Booking calendar on a pharmacy website

This pharmacy website has a separate booking calendar for each category of clinical services.

Improve Your Patient Experience

Booking an appointment online takes less than a minute. Booking over the phone takes 8.1 minutes on average, taking into account being put on hold. (CalendarHero, 2021).

87% of potential new patients do not leave a message or book an appointment when reaching voicemail (CallTracker).

An elegant solution, a simple website addition

Let your website handle your pharmacy bookings and you get:

  • Increased bookings – physicians who offer online appointments alongside phone appointments were booked 24% more than those who offer phone appointments only (Dental Economics, 2021).
  • Out-of-hours bookings made – 43% of patients search for health care professionals after business hours (Dental Economics, 2021).
  • Minimise no-shows (especially in combination with text/email reminders)
  • Give a sensible Call-To-Action (CTA) for any service-related digital marketing activities
  • Efficient appointments – online appointment scheduling makes time for two extra patients every day (Deloitte).

Booking software is cost-effective, especially if you have an already thriving clinical business. Just in the time saved for your pharmacy team, it pays for itself.

5. Payments

Having an online payments solution on your website hinges on whether or not you sell products or take bookings through your website. But on the assumption that you’re doing at least one of those two things, taking payments online is a real must.

Why should I accept payments on my pharmacy website?

Firstly, with a pharmacy eCommerce website, (follow the link for a how-to guide for eCommerce), payments are a must. You can’t sell products if you can’t take payments. There isn’t much more that needs to be said on that.

Even if you’re only promoting clinical services, however, taking online payments on your pharmacy website is a massive boon. We touched on minimising no-shows in the previous point, and it applies again here. When someone has paid for a service, they’re committed to showing up, allowing you to run your clinic without constantly wondering if the next patient’s going to be there.

It’s more convenient for both you and your patients

If a patient has already paid, they don’t need to remember to bring anything to the appointment. There isn’t an issue if your card machine stops working, or if you don’t have the right change.

Also…

Payments take up everyone’s time

Let’s say private Flu Vaccine Clinic appointment slots are 5 minutes, and it takes a minute to make a payment.

For every 5 patients you see, you lose an appointment slot. And if your calendar doesn’t take this time into account, it can quickly make your time run over for your appointments.

Allowing people to pay when they book kills two birds with one stone, allowing your clinic to run efficiently, and with peace of mind that those appointments will actually be fulfilled. Read more about online payments here.

Online Payment Gateways for Pharmacy

Read our article for the Top Online Payment Gateways for your Pharmacy.

 


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