It’s no secret that community pharmacies play a crucial role in promoting public health and wellness. One effective way to enhance this role and boost community engagement is by hosting health-related events such as health checks and wellness workshops. These events not only provide valuable services to the community but also strengthen the pharmacy’s relationship with its customers, foster loyalty, and attract new clientele.
Here’s a closer look at the benefits of hosting community health events. To get you started, we have also prepared a step-by-step guide on how to plan and promote these events effectively.
Some of the Benefits of Hosting Community Health Events include:
- Enhanced Community Engagement
- Health events bring the community together, allowing people to interact with healthcare professionals in a relaxed setting. This fosters a sense of trust and community support.
- Increased Foot Traffic
- Hosting events can draw more people into the pharmacy, potentially leading to increased sales and awareness of other services offered.
- Public Health Promotion
- Offering flu shots, health screenings, and wellness workshops helps improve public health by making preventative care more accessible.
- Brand Awareness and Loyalty
- Regular events position the pharmacy as a community health hub, building brand loyalty and recognition.
- Educational Opportunities
- These events provide a platform to educate the community on various health topics, empowering individuals to take charge of their health.
Step-by-Step Guide to Planning and Promoting Community Health Events
1. Identify the Event Type and Objectives
- Determine the type of event (e.g., diabetes screening, nutrition workshop) based on community needs and your pharmacy’s capabilities.
- Set clear objectives for what the event aims to achieve (e.g., number of flu shots administered, health education outreach).
2. Plan the Logistics
- Date and Time: Choose a convenient date and time for the target audience.
- Venue: Decide if the event will be held at the pharmacy or an external location. Ensure the venue is accessible and has adequate space.
- Staffing: Assign roles to staff members and consider hiring additional healthcare professionals if needed.
- Supplies and Equipment: Ensure all necessary supplies (vaccines, testing kits, educational materials) are ordered and available.
3. Partner with Local Businesses and Organisations
- Healthcare Providers: Collaborate with local doctors, clinics, and hospitals to lend credibility and expertise to the event if relevant.
- Community Organisations: Partner and promote your event with schools, community centres, and non-profits to broaden outreach.
- Local Businesses: Engage with local businesses for sponsorship or to provide complementary services (e.g., refreshments, venue space).
4. Promote the Event
- Marketing Materials: Create flyers, posters, and banners to advertise the event within the pharmacy and around the community.
- Social Media: Utilise social media platforms to spread the word. Create event pages on Facebook, share updates on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, and engage with local community groups online.
- Email Newsletters: Send invitations and reminders to your pharmacy’s email list.
- Local Media: Reach out to local newspapers, radio stations, and community bulletins for event promotion and coverage.
5. Execute the Event
- Setup: Arrive early to set up the venue, ensuring all stations are ready and materials are organised.
- Welcome and Registration: Have a welcoming team to greet attendees, manage registrations, and provide information.
- Event Flow: Ensure the event runs smoothly, with clear instructions for attendees and efficient management of any queues or waiting times.
- Engagement: Encourage interaction by offering informative talks, Q&A sessions, and providing take-home materials.
6. Follow-Up
- Feedback: Gather feedback from attendees to assess the event’s success and identify areas for improvement.
- Thank You Notes: Send thank-you messages to attendees, partners, and staff. This can be done via email or social media.
- Report and Review: Analyse the outcomes of the event against the initial objectives and document findings for future reference.
Tips for Partnering with Local Businesses and Organisations
- Identify Synergies: Look for businesses and organisations that align with the health focus of the event. For example, partner with a local gym for a wellness workshop or a nearby clinic for a health screening.
- Leverage Mutual Benefits: Highlight the mutual benefits of partnership, such as increased exposure for both parties and the potential for cross-promotion.
- Formalise Agreements: Ensure roles and expectations are clear by formalising agreements in writing. This helps avoid misunderstandings and ensures a smooth collaboration.
- Engage Early and Often: Reach out to potential partners well in advance and maintain regular communication throughout the planning process.
- Celebrate Success Together: After the event, share successes and acknowledge the contributions of partners publicly. This fosters a positive relationship and paves the way for future collaborations.
By hosting community health events, pharmacies can significantly contribute to public health while enhancing their own visibility and customer loyalty. With careful planning, effective promotion, and strategic partnerships, these events can become a cornerstone of a pharmacy’s community engagement strategy.
Written by Dee McNamara, Marketing Manager – AP Group
AP Group are the leading pharmacy experts in Australia, helping hundreds of pharmacists into ownership every year – our team can help with sourcing finance for your purchase, as well as providing the right legal advice to help you navigate the process.
We connect existing pharmacy owners with over 5000 ready and eager investors via our cutting-edge online Data Room. Our Data Room keeps confidential listing data secure and allows buyers to make informed decisions on each of our pharmacies for sale.
About the Author:
A national level surfboat rower (you’ll want to Google what that is), Dee has an adventurous spirit and zest for life that’s contagious to those around her. When she’s not rowing a boat into 6 foot swells, she’s riding the brand and marketing wave, successfully implementing marketing strategies for more than 15 years.
To put it simply, Dee knows marketing. She takes a one-size-does-not-fit-all approach, having learnt leading marketing practices from not just Australia, but around the world. Before joining AP Group, Dee worked as the creative director at a leading marketing agency, filling her marketing portfolio with a range of industries — from sports to tourism to fashion.
As for credibility, Dees got it. She’s been published in Marketing Magazine (2017) and graduated a Master of Marketing with Distinction.