Marketing environment of a pharmacy organization new pharmacy magazine. Scheme of marketing research of the range of medicines
FEDERAL AGENCY FOR EDUCATION
Yaroslav the Wise Novgorod State University
Faculty of Postgraduate Education
Department of Pharmacy
Graduation work of a pharmacist-intern
in the specialty "management and economics of pharmacy"
Topic: "Modern marketing technologies in pharmacy organizations"
Performed: Khizhnyak A.V.
Checked:
Zheznyakovskaya L.F.
Veliky Novgorod 2012
Content
Introduction.
I. Literature review
Chapter 1. Marketing activities of a pharmacy organization.
1.1 Features of pharmaceutical marketing.
1.2 The most important marketing parameters of retail pharmacy organizations.
II. experimental part
2.3 Application of marketing principles in modern conditions pharmacy work.
Chapter 2. The use of marketing technologies in pharmacy organizations in the city of Pskov.
III. Conclusions.
IV. List of used literature.
Applications
Introduction
Medicines are a special category of goods, they affect the most valuable thing a person has - his health. The health of every citizen is a strategic value of any state. Thus, the pharmaceutical industry is one of the key industries in the economy.
The rapid expansion of the network of pharmacies is forcing all participants in the retail chain of the commodity distribution network to seriously think about how to strengthen their positions in the pharmaceutical market. It is clear that uncontrolled pharmacy growth, partly due to the abolition of standards for their placement, will ultimately be optimized by market mechanisms of self-regulation. At the same time, the fittest will be able to survive - those who can provide better services at the most affordable prices for consumers. In this regard, the problem of maintaining the competitive advantages of a pharmacy organization becomes one of the most significant for its subsequent well-being.
Today, methods of practical marketing aimed at ensuring the competitiveness of the retail network are widely known. These include, in addition to the professionalism of pharmacists and pharmacists, effective assortment management, since the costs of assortment policy can seriously shake the economic balance in a pharmacy. Then, this is the optimal pricing, which allows you to withstand the often severe pressure of competitors. This is also rational "merchandising" - convenient organization of retail space and the correct display of medicines on pharmacy shelves, display cases and stands. Indeed, in the conditions of increasing competition in the retail segment of the pharmaceutical market, there is no longer enough knowledge about the quality of medicines. Of fundamental importance is the training of pharmacy staff in the basics of practical marketing, including the ability to communicate and deal with people, listen carefully to each client and intelligibly talk about the advisability of using his "targeted" medicines. It depends on whether the client becomes a regular visitor, or goes to a nearby pharmacy, and in the end - whether the pharmacy will be a prosperous or unprofitable enterprise.
Thus, understanding the needs of the consumer and the buying process is the basis of successful sales, a kind of “marketing art”.
The purpose of the work is to evaluate the effectiveness of applying the basics of practical pharmacy marketing and the ability to build a technology for providing services to consumers.
In accordance with the purpose of the work, the following tasks:
- consideration of the theoretical foundations of pharmaceutical marketing;
Conducting a survey of pharmacy managers using a questionnaire and processing the results of the survey in the form of a scientific and statistical report;
Evaluation of the effectiveness of the use of marketing technologies used in pharmacies in Pskov.
I. Literature review.
Chapter 1. Marketing activities of a pharmacy organization
1.1 Features of pharmaceutical marketing
Marketing is a complex of activities in a market, company, pharmacy, pharmacy warehouse, which is aimed at meeting the needs of consumers. It is the process by which goods and services are developed and made available to people to provide a certain standard of living.
Marketing as a management system is based on the following general principles:
Firstly, marketing is aimed at achieving the final sale of the product on the market;
Secondly, marketing involves the subordination of all activities of the enterprise to the requirements of consumers;
Thirdly, in the implementation of marketing activities, a program-targeted and systematic approach is applied;
Fourthly, marketing is based on the policy of market research, active adaptation to the market and targeted simultaneous impact on the market;
Fifthly, there is an activation of the human factor of marketing activity, which involves the education and provision of activity, entrepreneurship of employees, officials of all ranks.
In pharmaceutical marketing, the emphasis is on pharmaceutical care, not just drugs, and the ultimate goal is to satisfy the needs of the patient, not the manufacturer or pharmacist. Pharmaceutical marketing, which is an integral part of marketing, can be described as the process by which pharmaceutical assistance is provided. Any product, service or idea related to pharmacy (including the marketing of drugs) can be the subject of pharmaceutical marketing. The latter is not synonymous with the concept of drug marketing. As with consumer product marketing, any pharmaceutical company seeks to focus its efforts on selling the right product in the right quantities at the right place at the right time at the price that the consumer is able and willing to pay. These are the four components of classical marketing.
Currently, most pharmaceutical companies adhere to the concept of socially responsible marketing, which involves identifying the needs, needs and interests of target consumer groups and satisfying their requests in a more effective way than competitors, while maintaining and strengthening the well-being of the consumer and society as a whole. One of the most important factors for the successful operation of a pharmaceutical company is the implementation of a rational marketing strategy using effective marketing technology. At present, domestic pharmaceutical enterprises have accumulated sufficient experience in the field of marketing, so it is advisable to systematize and consider the main tools used by them.
However, in practice it turns out that the sale of medicines has a number of features. This is due to the fact that medicines are a special commodity, since they affect the most valuable thing a person has: his health, and the prosperity of any state depends on the health of a nation. Thus, the pharmaceutical industry, one of the main tasks of which is the production and distribution of safe, effective and high-quality drugs, plays one of the key roles in the economy.
The task of the marketing department is to determine the correct price for the drug and ensure the availability of the drug at the right time. It is very important to determine the right time to introduce the drug to the market.
Undoubtedly, for the introduction of an effective and relatively safe drug for the treatment of patients with diseases that were previously difficult or not amenable to treatment, any time is suitable - if only as soon as possible.
Thus, pharmaceutical marketing is specific marketing. This is due to the peculiarity of the pharmaceutical industry and its role in the life of all mankind.
1.2 The most important marketing parameters of retail pharmacy organizations.
The competitiveness of any organization is a relative concept, is dynamic in nature, depends on many factors external environment and internal capacity. The main goal of the pharmacy service is to meet the needs of the population in pharmaceutical care. And competition is, first of all, a struggle for the consumer.
Competition is increasing in the domestic pharmaceutical market due to the low income of the majority of the population, limited growth in drug spending, and a significant increase in the number of pharmacy organizations. One of the main reasons for the unsatisfactory economic situation of pharmacies is the lack of a clear placement policy among the heads of pharmacy management bodies. pharmacy network.
In the conditions of market relations and competition for successful work it is important for a pharmacy organization to flexibly adapt to changes in the external environment, develop a strategy and tactics for development, seek resources for implementation, and deal with issues of optimizing the organizational structure.
The pharmacy operates in the market, engaging in retail trade, and in each pharmacy organization the head determines his methods of marketing activities . In accordance with the concept of marketing activities, there are 5 of its methods:
1. Improvement of production, i.e. improving the behavior of pharmacy workers in customer service, conducting trainings with staff, ensuring the availability of prices for medicines and medical devices.
2. Product improvement. This marketing principle applies to drug manufacturers (quality assurance, reliability, design improvement).
3. Intensification of commercial efforts. When the product is already on the market, the pharmacy organization faces the task of increasing sales and winning new consumers. To achieve these goals, pharmacy organizations resort to sales promotion methods.
4. Determining the needs and requirements of the market and ensuring that these needs are met in a more efficient way than competitors. The pharmacy should differ in the style of communication with the buyer, i.e. high culture. An important role is played by the image of the pharmacy, the design of the trading floor, and the sufficient breadth of the assortment. As my studies have shown, more than 46% of respondents note a high degree of influence on the competitiveness of the pharmacy of such factors as the reputation of the pharmacy organization with the consumer, the appearance of the pharmacy, its image, location. 38% of respondents consider it necessary to use a merchandising strategy in their work.
5. The principle of social and ethical marketing - identifying the needs, needs of the target market, providing the desired satisfaction with methods that are more productive than those of competitors, while maintaining the well-being of consumers and society as a whole. For this purpose, social departments are organized, the sale of medicines at a discount for veterans of the Second World War, the disabled, and pensioners. In a crisis and a sharp polarization of the income level of different groups of the population in a number of pharmacies, differentiation of the retail margin is very effective. It is advantageous to keep the mark-up on mass drugs of wide demand at a minimum level. On the contrary, for a number of expensive drugs targeted at wealthy segments of the population, the mark-up can be quite high.
Currently, marketing activities, to one degree or another, are used by all dynamically developing pharmaceutical companies, thereby setting almost the same prices in the regions and providing a similar set of medicines, despite their fairly wide range. Therefore, in order to get ahead or at least retain the previously won positions, the role of non-price competition among companies will increasingly increase. First of all, it includes the constancy of the assortment, the level of service, the overall comfort of the pharmacy with the supplier, discount incentive programs.
The main direction of competition in relation to the assortment is to ensure its breadth, taking into account the specifics of the clientele. The basis of assortment and price management is the analysis of the pharmacy clientele. In this case, one of the most important factors is the location of the pharmacy, because. depending on the location, its customers are dominated by either regular visitors who live in the area or happen to be there by chance.
The possibilities of specialization in the pharmacy business are very limited, therefore, the possibilities of assortment competition are also limited.
Modern marketing techniques allow you to build a strong pharmacy-customer link, but they are all based on the benefit for the buyer. The benefit for the buyer is not just a discount on the product. It is necessary that a person remembers well and receives positive emotions from the benefits received. Consider the methods of forming loyalty among customers in a pharmacy.
discount cards- the most common way to keep the buyer. Discount cards are offered by most pharmacies, the conditions for their distribution are different - somewhere they will give a discount card for a large purchase, somewhere they will sell it. Of course, the introduction of discount cards plays a huge role in the development of the loyalty program: after all, the mere presence of a discount card of a certain pharmacy already implies a desire to make a purchase in this particular pharmacy.
bonus program- a very effective method of customer retention. Such programs are carried out as follows - the person who made the purchase is given a bonus card, with which he will receive a discount or bonus next time. This technique has an element of surprise - a person buys a medicine, and along with the change, he is given a pleasant surprise. It can be not only a bonus card, but, for example, a cosmetics sampler, or a discount card. Thus, the buyer on a subconscious level forms a positive attitude towards the pharmacy. The bonus program can also be expressed in material rewards for customers who bring their acquaintances to the pharmacy. That is, the buyer is invited to bring several people to the pharmacy, and for this he will receive a significant discount when buying goods, or a valuable gift. A bonus can also be a discount when ordering through the website (when buying next time, the buyer, after passing authorization, receives a message about the discount, usually permanent).
Promotions are used in almost all trade enterprises. As a rule, this is information about a significant reduction in the price of a particular product. The main tricks to attract buyers is a warning about the limited period of the promotion and the limited number of goods.
Using these techniques, you can achieve an influx of visitors, as restrictions stimulate the buyer to quickly take part in the promotion. It is also possible to organize the presentation of free gifts, or win-win lottery tickets. You can make a tricky move - announce at the end of the promotion period its extension at the request of buyers. Promotions should not be one-time - the buyer should have a strong positive opinion about the pharmacy, which regularly hosts various bonus, promotional and discount programs.
Customers can get information about loyalty programs in the following ways:
By phone or e-mail (according to the customer database)
Via local newspaper, local TV channel (as a rule, the prices for advertising in local TV channels allow this)
In the pharmacy itself (information about promotions is placed in a showcase, trading floor)
Communication with buyers must be confidential, dismissive, arrogant treatment is completely unacceptable. You should especially pay attention to customers who claim that they are in your pharmacy for the first time. If the pharmacist listens carefully to the customer, recommends a medicine based on the characteristics and needs of the customer, there is a high chance that he will return. You can not let the buyer go without a purchase, if this drug is not available, it is necessary to advise an analogue, if it is too expensive, find a drug with the same qualities at a lower price. The main thing is that the buyer makes a purchase. If the buyer leaves empty-handed, he will go to another pharmacy where he will buy what he needs, and most likely, he will go there.
It is important to understand that loyalty programs not only attract the buyer into the circle of regular customers, but also create in the buyer a sense of "feature, belonging to some kind of society." Such feelings must be maintained by expressing concern for a regular customer. It's a good idea to keep a database of customers with detailed information so that you can wish them a happy birthday, on which they can get an additional discount or little present. Such an attitude will make the pharmacy for the buyer not just a place where you can buy medicine, but also a place where he is loved, appreciated and cared for.
1.3 Application of the principles of marketing in modern conditions of work of pharmacies.
In any economic situation, the main source of income for pharmacies is the sale of medicines. Therefore, an important strategic element in the work of the head of the pharmacy has been and remains marketing and its main components - pricing, product policy, analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the territorial location of the pharmacy, affordable advertising of the services of a pharmacy institution.
Anti-crisis marketing, or rather, a set of measures within its framework, is mainly aimed at solving short- and medium-term tasks for the most effective opposition to adverse external and internal factors.
The specific measures taken within the framework of crisis marketing programs depend on the specific situation. 10 principles are formulated that are most relevant for an average pharmacy located in a large or medium-sized settlement in Russia. Following them can greatly facilitate the task of survival and even development in today's adverse economic conditions.
PRINCIPLE #1: STUDY YOUR CUSTOMER
The secret to increasing demand lies in attracting buyers visiting competing pharmacies. However, before trying to "win back" the consumer, you should carefully study it and form a clear idea about it:
Who is a typical pharmacy consumer (age, gender, financial status, professional affiliation, etc.);
What exactly attracts visitors to the pharmacy ( low prices, a relatively wide range, convenient location, acceptable work schedule, etc.);
How often do they visit the pharmacy, do they buy medicines only from you or from other pharmacies;
Are customers satisfied with the level of service in the pharmacy, etc.
In order to obtain this information, it is not at all necessary to use the services of special agencies and conduct full-scale marketing research. It is useful to use the observations of the staff of the trading floor, data on sales by hours and days of the week, directly ask visitors these questions when making a purchase. Having carried out such a marketing analysis, two very important tasks can be solved at once. First, by monitoring current activities, find out the strengths and weaknesses of the pharmacy. Secondly, identify your own competitive opportunities.
PRINCIPLE #2: DEFINE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES
With a similar assortment of many pharmacies, the presence of drugs from the same manufacturers on the shelves of the trading floors, other factors become decisive in the struggle for the consumer. These include: consistency of assortment and low prices (or, conversely, higher prices with exclusive service, richly decorated interior, etc.), convenient location and opening hours, pharmacy specialization (for example, a pharmacy for hormonal drugs, mother and child and etc.). Determine the strengths of the business and the results of the study will help.
PRINCIPLE #3: PROVIDE ALL UTILITIES
Why does the consumer come to the pharmacy? The answer "buy medicines" is certainly correct, but far from complete. Along with the usefulness of the product itself, in this case, the drug, the usefulness of time (convenient pharmacy hours), service (attentive attitude of pharmacists to visitors, speed of service), information (the ability to get qualified advice directly from pharmacist), the usefulness of the location (convenient location of the pharmacy, the presence of signs, signs), etc. The usefulness of the drug stimulates the buyer to buy. Therefore, one of the primary tasks of the pharmacy manager, who would like to get ahead of competitors in the struggle for the consumer, is to provide his customers with all kinds of utility. With the help of marketing analysis, you can determine the optimal work schedule, if necessary, expand it or change the time of the lunch break, set service standards, and, if necessary, conduct additional interviews with employees in order to ensure an appropriate level of service, etc.
PRINCIPLE #4: USE AVAILABLE ADVERTISING
"The advertisement is engine of the trade". It is generally accepted that large and medium-sized firms can afford active advertising campaigns. This is by no means the case: each pharmacy can carry out an advertising campaign without great expenses in its district, city, nearby places of concentration of people (bus stops, metro stations, etc.). The first step could be the production of affordable outdoor advertising: signs, lightboxes, portable billboards, signs, etc. Medical and sales representatives of large domestic and foreign pharmaceutical companies with which the pharmacy works can help in the manufacture of all kinds of signs and signs. Followed by direct advertising. You can make leaflets with information about the pharmacy on a photocopier, risograph or printing method and distribute them "hand to hand" to people passing by your pharmacy, or in any nearby busy place. It makes sense to distribute leaflets in the immediate vicinity of the pharmacy, and do this not near the entrance, but a little further away (10-15 meters). If the leaflets are distributed far enough from the pharmacy (for example, near a nearby metro station), a small diagram should be included in the leaflet illustrating how to find the pharmacy.
PRINCIPLE #5: USE THE HELP OF BUSINESS PARTNERS
It's no secret that pharmacies are not alone in their quest to sell as many drugs as possible. The same goal is set by distribution companies and drug manufacturers. A pharmacy is the final link in the chain of promotion of medicines from the manufacturer to the consumer, and all participants in this process are interested in the fastest and most efficient passage of goods.
In practice, manufacturing companies, or rather, their representatives in a given territory, can provide the greatest assistance to a pharmacy. Such cooperation can be expressed in the provision of promotional materials, souvenirs, presentations of new drugs directly in the pharmacy, distribution of test samples, etc. As a rule, such promotions, if properly organized, help to increase sales in the short term, and sometimes in the long term. Distribution companies can play a similar role if manufacturers are not active in your area and distributors act on their behalf. Some wholesalers independently carry out various promotions in the retail network.
PRINCIPLE N 6. MAXIMIZE THE POTENTIAL OF THE TRADING ROOM
As real estate becomes more expensive, rents and utility bills rise, the ability to effectively use the space of a retail establishment, including a pharmacy, is becoming increasingly important. At the same time, hundreds of pharmacies still pay little attention to this. And in vain, because the design of the trading floor, shop windows, lighting, the appearance of staff, the location of cash registers, etc. both from an aesthetic and commercial point of view, they are an extremely important factor influencing the visitor to make the final purchase decision. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to make European-style repairs in order for the interior to start working "for sale". It is important that the trading floor correspond to the status of a pharmacy. For example, if a pharmacy specializes in the sale of medicines and medical products for mothers and children, the trading floor can be designed in pastel colors, well lit, and best places in show-windows are taken away the most "selling" goods of the specialized assortment. It is also desirable to provide a place for prams in the area of direct visibility from the trading floor. Another important factor is pharmacy merchandising .
Merchandising
- this is a series of measures for the most effective placement of goods and information and advertising materials on the shelves and showcases of pharmacies.
etc.................
Marketing is a complex of activities of a company, pharmacy, pharmacy warehouse, which is aimed at meeting the needs of consumers in market conditions. It is the process by which goods and services are developed and made available to people to provide a certain standard of living.
Marketing is a market concept for the system management of an enterprise, focused on meeting consumer requirements.
Marketing as a management system is based on the following general principles:
- 1. Marketing is aimed at achieving the final sale of goods on the market;
- 2. Marketing involves the subordination of all activities of the enterprise to the requirements of consumers;
- 3. When carrying out marketing activities, a program-targeted and systematic approach is applied;
- 4. Marketing is based on the policy of market research, active adaptation to the market and targeted simultaneous impact on the market;
- 5. There is an activation of the human factor of marketing activity, which involves the education and provision of activity, entrepreneurship of employees, officials of all ranks.
Marketing in pharmacy is not so much a business function as a broad view of the entire field of drug production and their implementation.
The general principles of marketing are also valid for the activities of a pharmacy enterprise and are embodied in specific areas of marketing activity, which include:
Comprehensive market research and forecasting:
- 1. research and analysis of its main indicators
- 2. development forecast
- 3. consumer research
- 4. definition of the "key" factor of economic efficiency
- 5. segmentation of the market and its individual parameters.
- - implementation of commodity policy;
- - implementation of pricing policy;
- - implementation of the communication policy;
- - planning the assortment of medicines;
- 6. Development of sales policy:
- - selection of distribution channels
- - analysis and sales forecast
- - planning of goods turnover
- - determination of optimal conditions for the sale of pharmaceuticals
- - management of marketing activities and control over its implementation.
Marketing is one of the fundamental disciplines for market professionals such as salespeople, retailers, advertisers, marketing researchers, new and branded product managers, etc. They need to know how to describe the market and break it down into segments: how assess the needs, demands and preferences of consumers within the target market: how to design and test a product with the desired consumer properties for this market; how to convey to the consumer the idea of the value of the product through the price and promote the product so that consumers know it and want to buy it. A professional marketer must, no doubt, have an extensive set of knowledge and skills. What is behind the concept of "marketing"?
Most mistakenly equate marketing with sales and promotion.
Marketing is a complex of activities in a market, company, pharmacy, pharmacy warehouse, which is aimed at meeting the needs of consumers.
It is the process by which goods and services are developed and made available to people to provide a certain standard of living.
Marketing is a market concept for the system management of an enterprise, focused on meeting consumer requirements.
Marketing as a management system is based on the following general principles:
First, marketing is aimed at achieving the final sale of the product on the market;
Secondly, marketing involves the subordination of all activities of the enterprise to the requirements of consumers;
Thirdly, in the implementation of marketing activities, a program-targeted and systematic approach is used;
Fourthly, marketing is based on the policy of market research, active adaptation to the market and targeted simultaneous impact on the market;
Fifthly, there is an activation of the human factor of marketing activity, which involves the education and provision of activity, entrepreneurship of employees, officials of all ranks.
Marketing in pharmacy is not so much a business function as a broad view of the entire field of drug production and their implementation.
The general principles of marketing are also valid for the activities of a pharmacy enterprise and are embodied in specific areas of marketing activity, which include:
1. comprehensive study and market forecasting:
Research and analysis of its main indicators
Development Forecast
Consumer Research
Determination of the "key" factor of economic efficiency
Segmentation of the market and its individual parameters.
2. implementation of commodity policy;
3. implementation of pricing policy;
4. implementation of a communication policy;
5. planning the assortment of medicines;
6. Sales policy development:
Choice of distribution channels
Sales analysis and forecast
Merchandise planning
Determination of optimal conditions for the sale of pharmaceuticals
7. management of marketing activities and control over its implementation.
Marketing activity of a pharmacy enterprise
for market research. Studying the needs for pharmaceuticals.
The marketing activities of a pharmacy enterprise for market research include the following steps:
1. Studying the market potential (market capacity), that is, the maximum possible number of specific medicines that can be sold on the market in a certain period of time. It is important to determine the market capacity in relation to the product because on this basis it is possible to evaluate the efficiency of the pharmacy enterprise, the role of advertising and the requirements for its effectiveness.
2. Market segmentation analysis. This stage involves the allocation in the market in accordance with the selected criteria (geographical, demographic, behavioral, etc.) of individual segments (shares) of the market. Segmentation is carried out with the aim of subsequent identification of the most relevant to the needs of consumers and the capabilities of the enterprise in target markets.
3. Research of market structure, competitors' positions. At the same time, the main groups of firms operating in this market are determined: partner firms, competing firms, and neutral firms. In practice, most often an analysis is made of changes in the structure of the offer of competitors, the pricing policy of competitors, and the ongoing competitive advertising policy. For this, the following channels for obtaining information are used: receipt of information from intermediary and pharmacy enterprises; analysis of advertising brochures, visits to exhibitions, interviews with individuals, filling out special forms for competitors.
4. Studying information about customers The company carefully examines the factors influencing the needs of customers. The pharmacy company must determine the main criteria that determine the choice of a particular medicinal product by the buyer.
Market research marketing activities should begin with the collection of information. The value of marketing information is determined by a decrease in the uncertainty of the pharmacy enterprise's ideas about the state of the market and, as a result, a decrease in commercial risk based on the analysis of the collected information.
Marketing Information System - constantly operating system the relationship of people, equipment and methodologies designed to collect, classify, analyze, evaluate and disseminate relevant, timely and accurate information for use by marketing managers in order to improve the planning, implementation and control of the use of marketing research. Information is collected and analyzed using four auxiliary systems, which together make up the marketing information system: internal reporting systems, external current marketing information collection systems, marketing research and marketing information analysis systems.
Internal reporting system - reflects the indicators of current sales, the amount of costs, the volume of marketing stocks, cash flow, data on receivables and payables.
A system for collecting external current marketing information that provides marketing managers with day-to-day information about events taking place in the commercial environment.
The system of marketing research is designed to ensure the collection of information that is relevant from the point of view of the specific marketing problem facing the firm.
Carrying out marketing research is a necessary condition for developing a strategy and tactics for the functioning of a pharmaceutical /pharmacy/ organization /pharmacy, warehouses, bases/ in the modern pharmaceutical market, regardless of its organizational and legal forms. Marketing research of the drug market should form the basis of their production and marketing. Without these studies, it is no longer possible to promote medicines to the end consumer. Marketing research is the systematic determination of the range of data required in connection with the marketing situation facing the company, their collection, analysis and reporting of results.
Marketing research scheme
assortment of medicines
In the course of marketing research, various activities of the organization are analyzed, among which the study of the range of medical and pharmaceutical products sold in order to optimize it is of paramount importance. A necessary condition for conducting marketing research is a deep knowledge of medicines as a product, its main pharmacotherapeutic properties, indicators for use, forms of release and other commodity characteristics. Of great importance is the analysis of evaluations of consumer properties and indicators of use for each name of medicines in the assortment of a pharmaceutical organization. Assortment policy assumes the optimal saturation of the product range and type of product available in a pharmaceutical organization. Subspecies of drugs include dosage forms: tablets, dragees, capsules, injection solutions, ointments, etc.
Depth of assortment - characterized by the presence of varieties of one type of product. A variety of drugs is understood as specific drugs of a certain dosage form, dosage, packaging, etc.
The degree of use of the assortment of drugs is an indicator of the use of the assortment of drugs or FTG available in the pharmaceutical organization for a certain period of time.
In order to determine how the profitability of pharmacy trade changes depending on the range of drugs, 50 pharmacies of various types were subjected to marketing research. All drugs were divided into 40 pharmaceutical groups. As a result of the analysis, it was shown that with an ideal assortment of drugs in a pharmacy, all 40 pharmaceutical groups should be available for sale. But in reality, in each of the groups there is an unequal number of drugs.
In addition, while some drugs are interchangeable, others are not. If the pharmaceutical group has a high interchangeability of drugs, then it can be represented by a relatively smaller number of items. If not, then the pharmacy must have at least one package of each drug name. Such an assortment could be ideal, but not necessarily profitable in terms of pharmacy income.
Segmentation of the pharmaceutical market.
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But in order to optimize both the income of the pharmacy and the assortment of medicines in it, one should take into account the income for each pharmaceutical group and the number of drugs on sale that are included in one pharmaceutical group.
In this figure, all drugs are divided into five segments.
Income from the sale of medicines from the first segment grows very quickly, then saturation sets in, and further expansion of their range does not provide a significant increase in income. For example, if no more than three types of antibiotics /penicillins, cephalosporins, tetracyclines/ are constantly on sale, then the appearance of another one /erythrocycline/ in the pharmaceutical group practically does not increase the monthly income from the sale of this group. Even if the range of drugs of the first group expands to ten items, there will still be no tangible increase in income.
The same segment included insulins and synthetic antidiabetic drugs, antiasthma drugs, tranquilizers, lipid-lowering drugs and vitamins. The drugs in this segment bring the highest income.
Medicines of the second segment give slightly less income: antiulcer, antianginal, hypotensive, sedative, antiparkinsonian, antipyretic, antirheumatic, analgesics, digestive enzymes, antifungals, antiaggregants.
The range expansion reserve is larger, however, the profitability of these drugs is lower than that of the drugs of the first segment. The pharmaceutical groups of the third segment include expectorants, antispasmodics, synthetic antibacterial drugs, nootropics, antithyroid, antiepileptic and antiallergic drugs, their income is half lower than the drugs of the first segment.
Based on this, pharmacies first of all purchase drugs from the first segment, several items from each group, in order to satisfy the demand by 30%, they also purchase drugs from the second segment - satisfying the demand by 40%. The purchase of the third, fourth, fifth segments must satisfy the demand of visitors, respectively. up to 50%, 60%, 70%.
The main thing was to determine the optimal ratio of each pharmaceutical group. If the assortment is expanded to the maximum, then the moment will come when its expansion will cease to increase profits, i.e. groups of medicines have a certain period of profitability growth. But if for drugs of the first group the profitability decreases after customer satisfaction is 50%, then the profitability of the fifth segment is maintained throughout the expansion of the range. In the first case, this is due to the fact that when more effective drugs appear on the market, there is a reduction in purchases of cheap and ineffective drugs. At the same time, it is impossible to replace drugs from the fifth group with others.
Directions of pharmaceutical marketing.
Let's consider the main directions of pharmaceutical marketing on the example of a long-term successful study of the activities of pharmaceutical companies in countries with developed market economies.
Pharmaceutical companies manufacture and market two types of products:
Drugs prescribed by a doctor's prescription, which can be obtained by consumers only after they are prescribed by a doctor who has the right (license) to do so;
Drugs sold without a doctor's prescription. Recent years have seen an expansion of the OTC market, but the main business of pharmaceutical companies is still related to the production and sale of prescription drugs.
The marketing line of business in this industry is unique in that it is directed not at the end user of the products, but at physicians (or other prescribers such as dentists). Although, ultimately, patients are the buyers and consumers of medicines (prescribed), it is the doctor who determines which medicine to use, in what dosage form, in what quantity and for how long. Thus, prescribers are the main targets of marketing efforts in this area.
Another object of pharmaceutical marketing is a pharmacist (pharmacist) (the field of prescription drugs). The value of this group in Lately is intensified due to the growing role of pharmacists in deciding which company's raw materials will be used to prepare medicines. So, the emphasis here is on the intermediate, not on the final consumer.
The sale of prescription drugs to the public also includes some atypical ingredients. For a trading institution that has a stock of ready-made funds and sells them, a professional license (permit) is required. Further, sellers and manufacturers of products must also be authorized. The sale of prescription drugs is thus limited to a small circle of pharmacists in the wholesale and retail sector.
These facts, combined with other unique features of prescription drug marketing, are extremely important when gathering market data. For research, it is not difficult to find doctors, pharmacists, as well as pharmacies or hospitals. First of all, due to the licensing requirement, information about them is contained in standard lists. Relatively little is required from a researcher to characterize a potential research subject in the pharmaceutical market. He has access to information about the specialization of doctors, their experience, place of study and work. You can also find information about pharmacies: their type, size, location. Hospitals can be identified by profile, number of beds, school affiliation, prescription, and equipment installed and available. But if we take the end user as the subject of research, then it is almost impossible to make such a characteristic.
Another element that simplifies research in the pharmaceutical market is homogeneity (both within and between study groups). For example, these physicians and pharmacists receive the same primary education as other physicians and pharmacists. From the point of view of social economics, there is no difference between the two doctors; this also applies to consumers. Similarities in the thinking and behavior of members of a particular population usually facilitate research.
Researching the market for prescription drugs also proves to be easier than researching the market for over-the-counter drugs, as the decision to buy them is based on knowledge, not on emotions or whims.
Modeling retail in pharmacies should take into account the fact that pharmacies vary greatly in the composition of sales. Some of them deal with a small amount of prescription drugs, but they have a large sales volume. Others sell mostly prescription related products. Some deal with prescriptions from a small number of doctors, others deal with prescriptions from several hundred doctors. A statistical model for the sale of over-the-counter drugs does not have to match the same model for prescription drugs.
Market and marketing research services.
A large amount of marketing research for the pharmaceutical business is carried out by independent research companies (sometimes referred to as service or support). Relatively new services are market research firms, for example, describing the frequency and characteristics of sales in retail pharmacies. This information is important for the current state of the market, but not so necessary for its general description.
The development of marketing research technology has been accompanied by the development of services that facilitate the collection and processing of information that was not previously available or could not be collected and studied. For example, recent advances in the development of pharmaceutical service systems have ensured that prescription information is stored in computer memory and can be easily accessed for the most detailed analysis.
Services provided by independent research companies can be classified into two main categories: general and custom.
General Services
Indicate that all users receive identical information. Most companies use these services.
Custom services
They turn out to be one company (client) that needs special information. In this case, only the client with whom the contract is concluded receives the data.
Another classification of marketing services is based on their frequency or duration. They can be long-term (long-term), periodic or one-time, unique.
Periodic and long-term studies and reviews. There are seven main types of long-term studies and reviews of the pharmaceutical market:
Survey of purchases of retail medicines by pharmacies;
Research on drug procurement by hospitals,
Study of purchases by warehouses (wholesale buyers);
Survey of consumers of prescription drugs;
Survey of doctors;
Survey of sales agents (intermediaries);
Retail research.
These services keep the entire national market in their field of vision, but each of them deals with its own specific market segment, exploring it with a certain frequency - by months, quarters, etc. The assessment of market activity, which can be expressed in monetary terms, in the number of prescriptions, specific demand, reflects the data of the built model, which in turn characterizes the environment under study - a doctor, hospital, pharmacy. In addition, this data represents the current level of production. They are combined with data on therapeutic categories (groups) of medicines or data obtained from manufacturers, and ultimately with general market data. In addition to general assessment consumers are also provided with information about their share of total production and market trends.
Research on the procurement of retail medicines by pharmacies
The survey is conducted to determine the number of purchases of pharmaceutical products for retail sale in pharmacies. Studying the procurement of pharmaceutical products is actually an "input flow" study, measuring the flow of products directly from the manufacturer or wholesalers to retail pharmacies.
The methodology used to collect information on purchases, in fact, comes down to the study of invoices.
These studies are in contrast to studies dealing with "outflow" (eg, prescription studies), which reflects the movement of a product from pharmacies to specific consumers. Theoretically, at any time, by studying lists and archives, you can find out the difference between "input" and "output" streams
In private pharmacies, the survey is conducted monthly for the entire list of purchases. Retail sales research is not limited to the study of recipes, but, as a rule, also includes freely sold (over-the-counter) ones.
Marketing research in hospitals
In terms of general methodology, style, and pharmaceutical work, hospital surveys are similar to those of retail pharmacies. But the main difference is that these studies focus on consumers in hospitals. Behind last decade The share of consumption in the drug market by hospitals has increased significantly. This part of the pharmaceutical market is much more stable. In addition, in the last 10 years there has been an increase outpatients in hospitals, which translates into an increase in the consumption of medicines by hospitals for these patients.
Thus, the analysis of the results of the two types of studies mentioned above should be carried out in the context of specific pharmaceutical products. At the same time, data on other items, such as toiletries, etc., must be collected and processed. Finally, information is needed on items such as needles, suture threads, cover material, X-ray film, and diagnostic reagents.
Bulk Purchasing Research
This part of pharmaceutical market research deals with bulk purchases of medicines from wholesalers and warehouses. The object of these studies is the “output flow” of pharmaceutical products from warehouses, which is also the main one when considering the “input flow” of drugs from a warehouse to pharmacies and hospitals. Since the nature of purchasing from warehouses is very similar to purchasing from wholesalers, the question arises as to the appropriateness of two types of studies. However, it should be noted that there is a difference between studies of purchases from warehouses and studies of purchases from wholesalers. Analysis of the flow of products from wholesalers makes it possible to determine whether hospitals or pharmacies buy medicines directly or through intermediaries. A study of only purchases from warehouses does not provide an answer to this question.
On the other hand, although the market analysis is based on research in hospitals and pharmacies, bulk purchases are in all respects a general indicator of the activity of the pharmaceutical market. The volume of information that can be obtained through these studies is much greater than in the study of retail purchases. The large amount of data obtained makes it possible to isolate and then analyze separately various areas of the pharmaceutical market, for example, sales dynamics or territorial dependencies. This possibility is especially important when analyzing such market parameters as the purchasing potential of individual regions, differences in purchasing interests within them, regional differences in drug needs, and differences in sales forms.
If a wholesaler considers itself to be a physical distributor, then in accordance with the concept of physical distribution, it must satisfy the needs of the market in which it operates as much as possible. However, the specifics of the pharmaceutical market is such that it is impossible to supply medicines to everyone you meet.
For personal selling to be effective, the salesperson must strive to obtain as much information as possible about the customer both before and during sales negotiations.
Conducting pre-negotiation intelligence means trying to answer the following ten key questions:
1. Who is your buyer (his position, habits, interests)?
2. What are his needs (his problems, possible motives for buying)?
3. What can you offer (your product, related services)?
4. What are the main advantages of your product?
5. How much does the consumer know about you and your product?
6. How do the needs of the buyer match the advantages of your product?
7. What benefit will the consumer get from buying your product?
8. What objections can he raise, and how can you answer them?
9. What concessions can you make?
10. How to complete the sale, what to strive for?
Reconnaissance before the start of negotiations should be supplemented by "reconnaissance in combat", i.e. clarification of information at the very beginning of direct contact with the buyer
In this regard, we note the following: usually a medium and large pharmaceutical company is a complex formation of a dozen services, and all the problems and shortcomings of these services fall on the manager (or partially on the operator), since it is he who is between the company and customers. The opposite is also true - all information from the client about his needs and market changes also gets to the manager and both the face of the company and the decision that the company makes based on the information received from the manager depend on him.
Retail research on prescription drugs.
Conducted for marketing analysis of prescription drugs coming from pharmacies to specific consumers. According to prescription demand, one can, for example, determine an increase in the number of purchases of antibiotics in August, on the eve of the “antibiotic season”. But it should be remembered that this surge is not associated with a change in the opinion of doctors about antibiotics. Prescription demand data is also considered by many researchers as the best indicator of the results of their marketing or advertising efforts. It is not possible to determine the effectiveness of marketing efforts by looking only at consumer demand for medicines, as it is not known how many patients have already used these medicines and how many have become users as a result of successful marketing operations. However, the change in the number of prescriptions written for this drug is an indicator of the trend in the distribution of this drug.
There are two main methods of collecting information for long-term studies of the prescription part of the pharmaceutical market.
The first method is based on a study of retail pharmacies, since pharmacists in each of them register information regarding prescriptions sold by this pharmacy.
The second method uses advances in pharmaceutical services - prescription registration systems; while the required information is issued by computers.
Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. The amount of computer data is large, they are easily and quickly available, simply processed. However, these data provide information only about what products are prepared in this pharmacy.
The pharmacist survey method provides less data, takes more time to collect and process, but the data obtained reflects both the amount of drugs prescribed by doctors and the amount of medicines prepared by pharmacists. Ideally, research should combine the best aspects of both methods.
Survey of doctors
Most of the studies described above are focused on the study of the movement of a product from one side to another, a survey of doctors allows us to describe the use of a product in its various variations.
Surveys are conducted in a specific group of doctors. Each physician is interviewed to obtain specific information about each patient admitted during the survey period. Information is requested on the diagnosis, patient characteristics, type of visit (at home, in the clinic), prescribed medications, their effects. After evaluating the number of drugs used and the results of their use, the data obtained as a result of these studies are used to establish relationships between the following parameters: under what conditions the drug was used, for what purpose, frequency and for what type of patients, for what specialization of the doctor.
Another type of survey is used to collect the latest prescription data from private practitioners. The data of these surveys over a certain period of time demonstrate changes in the adherence of a doctor or a sample of doctors to a particular group of drugs, the dependence of this adherence on the specialization of the doctor, location, age and volume of prescribed funds. The results of such a survey are often used when testing a new drug: it is determined which doctors began to use it and thanks to what characteristics; whether prescriptions are written for a new drug and, if so, in what volume, for how long and for what reasons, if, of course, pilot batches of this drug were produced.
Survey of employees involved in sales promotion.
Three segments of advertising activity should be studied in long-term studies of the pharmaceutical market - "detailed" advertising, magazine advertising and advertising by mail. The results of "detailed" advertising that is directed to private practitioners and the results of mail-order advertising for the same group of doctors can be obtained from information from surveys of a group of doctors who report their opinion on the quality of marketing research efforts. A study can also be conducted that reflects the interest of doctors.
Retail research.
This method has been used for a very long time, mainly for marketing analysis of over-the-counter products. One type of retail sales research can be defined as "initial list" plus "sales completed" minus "end list". This type of research is the basis for long-term analysis and review of the pharmaceutical market. Since information on the number of sold packages of medicines in monetary and quantitative terms is collected during the retail sales research, it is possible to analyze the prices of medicines.
The main chain of prescription trade research is to determine total prescription drugs sold, but information on prescribed doses, quantities and costs of treatment may also be collected. It should be pointed out that it is very important to use the results of other works in these studies. For example, data on prescription drugs provide information about both the drug itself and the raw material from which it is made. Finally, in last years great progress has been made in combining the results of individual studies into common databases, which allows for an almost unlimited study of their interdependence.
In addition to the above, there are many other marketing services and types of research provided to market researchers. Some of these services are provided in the form of analyzes or surveys by specialized firms, others are carried out individually through interviews with employees or using the "focus group" technique. "Focus group" provides a small number of people interacting with each other and solving a common problem.
The following are some types of additional research and analysis in various areas:
The effectiveness of activities to increase sales;
Place on the market:
Innovations;
Awareness and use of information;
Checking the status of marketing analysis:
Identifying doctors writing the maximum number of prescriptions:
Patented and licensed research;
Private and strategic planning. In addition to those already described, there are many other sources of marketing information.
Measures to stimulate the sale of pharmaceuticals.
Advertising
Advertising is an integral part of marketing. Modern advertising of pharmaceuticals is a deeply thought-out and scientifically organized process. Information about the state of the pharmaceutical market is collected and analyzed in detail as part of a marketing research, regarding the characteristics of analogue drugs, competitors, and consumers. She is exposed complex analysis in order to identify that part of the pharmaceutical market, which receives a new pharmaceutical product; the degree of its competitiveness, the circle of potential consumers - the population and medical institutions are determined.
It is important not only to enter the market with a new drug, but also to “push” it to the consumer, using such a type of promotional activity as sales promotion. This can be achieved through press conferences and seminars, demonstrations, special exhibitions, souvenir production and other means. The most important thing in advertising is a reasonable combination of the advertising text itself and its stylistic design. In fact, the very concept of "advertising" is only a certain part of the broader term "marketing communication", which refers to the process of preparing and distributing targeted messages.
Sometimes drug advertising is so effective and active, has such an unprecedented impact that even after the appearance of analogues under international names on the market, the drug under the brand name continues to dominate the market, despite exceeding its price for similar drugs by several times.
marketing data. Analysis and interpretation.
The successful analysis and interpretation of marketing data or, in general, any data depends on a number of factors. Accounting for these factors is essential, whether we are talking about a group of five doctors or data reflecting multiple wholesale operations.
Perhaps the most important factor for the successful use of marketing data - understanding. Its first element is the understanding of the problem to be solved, the question. Before starting any study or analysis, the question to be solved must be carefully formulated. The analysis should not be limited to answering questions like: "Find how doctors use product A"? The first step is to define what the term "use" means. Does it mean diagnostic use or in what amounts and dosage, or how long to use, single use or in combination with other agents. When analyzing, it is necessary to determine: whether the term “doctors” means doctors in general or any particular specialty is implied; whether the use of the drug occurs in the treatment of multiple diseases or with a specific diagnosis; you are using a medicine at home or in the hospital, now or for a long time. In very many cases, the most detailed, accurate and accurate examination is carried out only on special requests.
It also requires an understanding of the data the researcher is working with. The main requirement is an understanding of the methodology used in collecting data or processing information. If, for example, the data were obtained from any population group, then the researcher must understand the structure of this group:
What specific traits or characteristics does this group reflect?
On what basis were the members of this group selected?
What is the collection methodology?
Are the answers to the previous two questions consistent with common line research?
What mode or method was used to collect the data?
If documentation was examined, what pieces of information are contained in those documents?
What instructions were given to the information collectors?
A researcher who thoroughly knows the methodology of collecting information in studies, reviews will better understand their chains; what questions research can, and just as importantly, what they cannot answer.
A researcher who believes that the amount of money received from the sale of drugs by pharmacies is equivalent to the amount of money received by the manufacturers of these drugs is mistaken. The fact is that only retail pharmacies are being studied here. But pharmacies can also get medicines through wholesalers and warehouses, and the difference can be up to 15%.
An accurate understanding of every piece of collected data is not necessary when analyzing a single set of data, but is especially important when using multiple data sets together. In summary, understanding the issue or problem, understanding the data related to the problem, and correctly assessing how accurately the data reflects the problem are the three main factors for successful analysis and interpretation of marketing data.
The analyst should strive to explain the observed phenomena as fully as possible. If the sale of the drug has increased, then the researcher must determine whether this is a real increase in purchases (an increase in the number of purchases) or simply the result of an increase in prices. If this is real growth, then is it not determined by seasonal fluctuations? At the same time, it is necessary to compare these data with data for another period, and if the increase in purchases does not depend on the season, then this indicates that doctors prefer the drug in question.
It can be said that there is no division in a pharmaceutical company that has not at least once used the services of these services and their data. For example, one of the most important issues for any firm is planning:
Which drug or product area is suitable for long-term research and financial investment?
What medicine should not be tolerated even for a short-term investment.
Marketing data can help with planning in areas such as determining the size of the market and its potential, whether the drug is suitable for use, whether it has been used before, and what the next logical step in its use should be. Short-term studies can help determine the areas of the market available to individual divisions of the firm. For example, the market for analgesics is very large. Therefore, some firms specialize in certain parts of it, for example, in medicines for migraine headaches. Or, other firms specialize in the market for drugs for respiratory diseases, for example, releasing drugs only against sinusitis. These data can be useful when considering prospective studies and development plans. What company will refuse further research if it is found that the drug they have developed is effective for certain diseases?
Marketing data can help in determining and planning the parameters of a future drug, such as the potential size of the market, the competing drugs used, the form of a particular disease. It should be pointed out here that the determination of the size and potential of the market is necessary both for prospective and basic studies, since the answer to the question of whether to continue research in the future or not depends on this. Many companies conduct marketing research on drugs to treat very small populations.
There are many areas of development research that require analysis of marketing data. For example, these data show that osteoarthritis is often accompanied by an increase in blood pressure: If anti-arthritic drugs are used as side effect increase in pressure, they cannot be used in the treatment of such patients.
Data from a survey of doctors will help determine how often these two diseases occur together and estimate how much money needs to be allocated to create a specific drug.
The answer to the question about specific dosages of drugs can be obtained from marketing research. Diagnostic data, for example, will help to establish that otitis is most often found in pediatric practice. Therefore, if the medicine for otitis is not produced in liquid forms, then it will rarely be used.
Marketing data may also be useful in planning further clinical trials. If the drug is active in various conditions, then data showing the relative importance of certain conditions can be used to determine the specific conditions of clinical trials.
Seasonal, regional data on a specific effect are also important when planning a clinical trial.
Companies can use various combinations of areas, seasons, specialties of doctors, giving largest number patients under the right conditions. Finally, if the drug is already on the market, the manufacturing part of the firm needs data on the required production volume of the drug. Marketing data can help with this determination. Design requirements such as total number, package sizes, for example, are also derived from the analysis of competing samples. Financial and legal staff also use marketing data in their work. But, of course, most often marketing data is used in the marketing departments of the firm. One of its main directions is preliminary planning (pre-marketing). Part of this planning is an analysis of the market in which the drug affinity is expected to be sold. The researcher must have different types of information for successful marketing research of the drug:
Doctors of what specialization will treat or diagnose with the drug?
Is the hospital an important link in the marketing of this drug?
What patient characteristics are required?
What are the current competitive conditions in the market?
How do competitors provide an increase in demand for this drug?
Is there an unmet demand for it? Preliminary studies are carried out in order to determine how doctors will react to a new drug, find it worse or better than existing ones.
In the case of over-the-counter drugs, advertising personnel examine the data in order to determine the image of the patient for whom a particular drug is intended.
Conclusion
When the product is already on the market, the main task of marketing is to determine the attitude towards it, taking into account all market fluctuations. The volume of drug sales, frequency of prescribing, the total number of physicians using it, or their breakdown by specialty, by type of use of the drug by regional dependencies of its use, should be observed both to determine the place and dynamics of the drug in the market, and to determine its competitiveness.
Measures to stimulate the sale of pharmaceuticals: free delivery to the consumer, deferred payment, various types of discounts, material rewards, consumer contests, assistance in promotional activities for the sale of products, a guarantee of the return of unsold products.
Summing up all of the above, we can say the following: the final stage of marketing is the sale of drugs to the buyer and ensuring the survival of the pharmacy enterprise in a competitive environment.
Literature
1. Reikhart D.V., Sukhinina V.A., Shilenko Yu.V. "Pharmaceutical market: its features, problems and prospects", 1995.
2. Maksimkina E.A., Loskutova E.V., Dorofeeva V.V. Appendix No. 3/99 to the New Pharmacy magazine.
3. "Economic Bulletin of Pharmacy", magazine, 6/99
4. Economic Bulletin of Pharmacy, Journal, 7/99
5. Economic Bulletin of Pharmacy, Journal, 8/99
6. Economic Bulletin of Pharmacy, Journal, 9/99
7. "Economic Bulletin of Pharmacy", magazine, 12/99
8. "New Pharmacy", magazine, 7/2000
9. "New Pharmacy", magazine, 10/2000
10. "New Pharmacy", magazine, 11/2000
11. New Pharmacy, magazine, 9/2000
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Resources are required to organize marketing activities to open and promote a pharmacy. These are gifts for buyers, services of promoters, consultations of specialists, circulation of leaflets, printing and placement of posters.
With little experience in the field of marketing and in the absence of funds in the pharmacy chain to finance risky activities, the question of resources for a marketer becomes acute.
This course examines the issues of attracting resources from partners, as well as the possibility of minimizing advertising costs by more accurate use of them.
Focusing
Pharmacies are all different. One is located on the main street, in the boutique area, the other in the working area, the third in the bedroom, and so on. Different customers go to different pharmacies.
And you need to speak with buyers in their language and offer them exactly what they want.
Focusing actions means isolating the characteristic type of buyer inherent in this pharmacy, and preparing marketing activities specifically for this type.
Precisely targeted promotions are more efficient, delivering more value at a lower cost than standard mass shopper activities. We will form a marketing mix for the consumer segment.
The target audience of the network of pharmacies is women aged 25-45 years.
How are shoppers different target audience and what is the difference?
Specificity:
- Age of women, presence and age of children. Young women with small children or older children predominate.
- income level. Low in the working area. Average in a standard bedroom. Tall in an elite bedroom, in the center among office buildings.
- Purchase conditions. Near home, on the way to/from work, at lunchtime, weekend shopping, after visiting the clinic, along with groceries, etc.
You can determine the specifics of buyers for a particular pharmacy based on the reviews of first-desk pharmacists and the location of the pharmacy, neighboring buildings, and characteristics of the area.
As a result, one or several main segments of buyers of this pharmacy are formed.
For example:
a) young mothers, average income, live nearby, go to the grocery store on the way
b) factory workers, schoolchildren and older, average and low income levels, stop by on the way to work,
c) ladies from offices, high level income, on the way to/from work, weekend shopping.
For each segment, we define our own marketing mix:
1. Product groups.
1-3 characteristic groups that are attractive specifically for this segment. First of all, parapharmaceuticals: dietary supplements, hygiene, cosmetics, children's products, etc.
2. Manufacturers of goods of these groups.
Selection of manufacturers based on the principle of a suitable product price for this segment and the availability of medical representatives.
3. The nature of events and gifts.
You need to choose the most appropriate category for this segment. Consultations on the use of goods, lotteries, sample distributions, games, seminars, discounts, sweet gifts, small souvenirs, etc. All of these are prizes in promotions for selected segments. As a rule, at the expense of manufacturers.
4. Communication channels.
Through them, customers learn about events in pharmacies. Here you need to find inexpensive means of communication with buyers.
You need to explore the possibilities in neighboring buildings within a radius of 15 minutes on foot. Grocery stores, fitness centers, offices, kindergartens and schools, clinics, higher educational establishments, cafes, restaurants and canteens, hairdressers and beauty salons, shops with a high frequency of purchases, entrances and elevators of residential buildings. The form of communication is posters and announcements.
5. Appeal style, poster design.
Expensive or democratic option.
The following table is the basis for developing a pharmacy promotion plan.
Marketing mix for the consumer segment
Fill example
| Pharmacy 5 | |
| Segment Description | Young mothers, low income, working district, grocery store |
| Product groups | No more than 50-100 rubles. Small toys for children. Means to increase attractiveness - masks, dietary supplements for weight loss, etc. Hygiene products. |
| Manufacturers | Ruideimen, etc. |
| Events, gifts | The conditions for obtaining a prize are minimal - for one package, one purchase. Consultations on the use of funds. Small gifts and sweets. Discount cards. |
| Communications | Posters in the grocery store. Discount cards through factory workers. |
| Address style | Democratic |
Based on the table, in accordance with the pharmacy promotion methodology, specific promotions are planned. Marketing packages for all pharmacies make it easier to plan relationships with medical representatives. It becomes clear who to contact, what resources you need to get, what shares to build.
When determining the benefit for the customer segment, we take into account the income level of the customer segment
| Income level | low income | Medium and high income |
| Example | Young mothers in the working area | Office Ladies |
| Regularity of purchases | The product is bought randomly or by necessity | The purchase of drugs and preventive measures is carried out regularly and is planned. |
| attitude towards discounts | Since the purchases are irregular, the discount does not matter much | There is a positive response to the discount |
| Promotions 2+1 | Not interesting | Attractive as savings on the right product |
| Restriction on receiving a gift | Any purchase, no size limit | Purchase limits allowed |
| Tests, probes | Cosmetics, tea, sweets | Together with consultations |
| small gifts | Sweets, a souvenir, toys can cause a stir | nice compliment |
A special consumer flow is transit. This is a market, a train station, a large supermarket outside the city. The concept of customer loyalty in transit pharmacies is almost non-existent. Signage is the main communication. Here, discount cards practically do not make sense, promoters and ads outside the trading floor are not needed. Consultations in the hall and promotions to increase the average check are allowed only if there are no queues.
Interaction with partners
Partners help the pharmacy chain with development resources.
We distinguish two main types:
- Medical representatives
- Other partners.
What you can get from them, what to offer them, what to focus on, is discussed in the following table.
| Type of partners | Medical representatives | Other partners |
| Example | Johnson and Johnson | Shopping malls, grocery stores, fitness centers, offices, banks, kindergartens and schools, clinics and other clinics, universities, cafes, restaurants and canteens, hairdressers and beauty salons, stores with a high frequency of purchases |
| Selection criteria | Parapharmaceutics. From drugs - vitamins. Small companies are most interested in their promotion. It is easier to negotiate with them, they have less bureaucracy, it is easier to work out the main schemes on them. And there are fewer restrictions in parapharmaceutical advertising. | The distance between the partner and the pharmacy is no more than 15 minutes on foot. |
| The main task of the partners | Provide an event on the trading floor and gifts / prizes for buyers | Ensure communication with customers. Direct the flow to the pharmacy. |
| Benefits for partners | Promotion of a product, brand, obtaining information about sales | Obtaining additional benefits for your customers or employees (discount cards), directing the flow of customers from pharmacies to partners (when exchanging flyers, business cards, announcements) |
| Additional features | Sale of shelf space. Sale of stained-glass windows. If the manufacturer delivers the goods to the pharmacy directly, an additional order is issued. agreement to the contract for the service. If through a distributor, it is more difficult to draw up a contract. | Prizes for buyers are supplied by the partner - with their own goods and services. The pharmacy pays, but in this case, you can negotiate a substantial discount. |
| accents | 1. Use of external communications when organizing an event. 2. Mass, popular promotions (one prize at the end of the competition - not a mass event)3. Events for customers, not pharmacy staff.4. Event, product, communications correspond to the selected customer segment. | 1. Simple texts with the main meaning - come and get it. No extra information.2. Discount cards are issued only in a pharmacy, in exchange for a completed questionnaire.3. "Tag" buyers who came to a particular ad. The buyer presents a flyer, or tells how he learned about the gift or discount. Keep records of the effectiveness of communication channels. |
General remarks.
1. Partners should always be considered as consumers of pharmacy chain services, that is, as customers. Therefore, with partners that are interesting for the network, you need to be customer-oriented. Interaction with a partner is carried out through his representative.
This special person with your expectations, preferences, etc. You need to maintain regular relations with him, exchange information, ideas, news. Relations should be centralized, closed in on itself, not allowing direct access of medical representatives to the head of pharmacies.
2. You need to go to a partner with a specific proposal. A clear description of the action, an emphasis on the partner's benefit, a list of desired resources, a schedule of joint events. During the negotiations, the proposal is adjusted taking into account the wishes of both parties.
3. It is necessary to consider any event as a complex solution. A promotion at the expense of the manufacturer will always require a stock of goods on the trading floor, information about the promotion on the trading floor, staff briefing and final events at the end - do not forget to remove posters and announcements at the end. The failure of the event through the fault of the pharmacy chain will affect the relationship with the partner.
The partners can also include suppliers of the pharmacy network - pharmaceutical distributors. They are interested in their own share of sales in the pharmacy.
In this regard, suppliers can provide:
- Funds for a new pharmacy - music Center, pieces of furniture, equipment.
- Means to motivate staff from prizes for competitions to trips.
- Transfer funds from manufacturers - credit note. An example is Sanofi Aventis, when the sales plan for given commodity items is fulfilled, % of sales is returned by a credit note from a supplier, Protek, for example. Theoretically, this is how you can try to arrange the sale of shelves or stained-glass windows.
The problem under item 1. and partially 2 is that resources are provided at the expense of price increase, and this can negatively affect the results of the pharmacy.
Low budget communications
The cost of communications can be assessed in two ways:
- Absolute costs. How much money is paid for the period. When the result is uncertain, large expenses are risky.
- The cost of an attracted buyer. The estimate makes sense when it is possible to identify with sufficient accuracy how many buyers are attracted through a given communication channel.
Statistics are needed to compare communications by the cost of an attracted buyer.
While there is not much of it, we use general considerations:
People come to the pharmacy once a week, once fortnight, which is much more often compared to clothes, furniture, books and CD stores.
Consequently, people will not go to the pharmacy specifically on the other side of the city (occasionally this happens, but as an exception, not the rule).
This means that they will go to the nearest one - near the house, place of work, located on the main daily or weekly route.
Hence, the pharmacy works exclusively with the local market.
Therefore, communications must be local.
Global communications - TV, radio, citywide newspapers - will by definition be ineffective, since information is distributed throughout the city, and not just to the local market. That is, part of the funds is clearly wasted.
You can think of a situation where global communications will be effective. This is a promotion for popular expensive goods with a significant discount. An example is tonometers. Here it makes sense to place a cut-out coupon with big discount in newspapers.
And there will be many buyers. But they will not become permanent, this is a one-time flow. The manufacturer/supplier of blood pressure monitors will get the biggest benefit from such a promotion. He must pay for the ad and compensate for the discount.
Local communications are usually cheaper than global ones. Global ones are in high demand from stores with a rare purchase frequency, where they will go to the other side of the city. There are many such shops.
Therefore, we will consider methods of local external communications, their absolute costs are not so high, and we will call them low-budget.
| Types of communication | Application area | Requirements | Increasing efficiency |
| Announcements, posters, stickers | The cheapest type. Pluses - it is possible to catch the target stream cheaply, it works until it is removed. Cons - the attention of buyers is weak, the ad can be removed. Almost all partner institutions: schools, kindergartens, hairdressers, clinics, clinics, shops, banks, etc. .e.Platforms on the floors, elevators of residential buildings.Suitable for long and short promotions. | Stop a pedestrian! Attract attention with one phrase, an unexpected color, a picture. Advertisements are printed not in thousands, but in units, tens, in extreme cases, hundreds. Here you can not save too much. In no case do not overload with information. It is advisable to track feedback. An example is a card upon presentation of a residence permit. Those who show registration must be counted. | Experiment with the placement, shape, color, text of ads. Study what works better and what works worse. Ads are very convenient material for experiments. |
| Types of communication | Application area | Requirements | Increasing efficiency |
| Promoters with flyers | Plus - the leaflet is given to the hands, attention to it will be high. Minus - expensive, limited in time, valid while the promoters are working. Use on urgent promotions, such as opening (you need to sharply direct the flow of customers) on dense pedestrian routes. | The leaflet should be bright and colorful. It is not worth overloading the leaflet with information, but it is allowed to use the reverse side. | Keep your own base of promoters - that is, be able to contact trusted responsible people at any time, without commission to the agency. Clearly instruct promoters (who stands where, what and how he says, to whom he hands the leaflet) and strictly control the implementation. |
| Leaflets in supermarkets, clinics | They lie in the cash register, whoever wants it takes it. Plus - savings on the cost of distributing leaflets, targeted flow (people are ready to buy or they need medicines). Minus - poor attention to leaflets from buyers (no one gives them hands) and partners not too interested, they can simply throw the pack away at the checkout. Limited period of validity, while they are at the checkouts or on the shelf at the register. Use on urgent short promotions on ready-made customer flows. | The leaflet can be cheap, not necessarily colored. In no case should you overload it with text and pictures. We have the only chance to catch the eye with a word. It catches the benefit of the buyer (gift, discount card, discount). .Perhaps the opening date. Be sure to track the effect. To different stores or channels different types leaflets. | Search for channels with high returns by comparing the effect of different stores and clinics with each other. Experiment with the shape of the leaflet, color, text flow within the indicated restrictions. Establish and maintain relationships with partners so that they are interested in issuing leaflets. places. |
