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Subject:
Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
Category: Business and Money > Advertising and Marketing Asked by: brudenell-ga List Price: $50.00 |
Posted:
11 Apr 2004 18:31 PDT
Expires: 11 May 2004 18:31 PDT Question ID: 328687 |
Hello bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al The *branding* questions, comments, answers and threads since 12/12/03 re: lindstrom-ga have made some most interesting & inspiring reading. Martin Lindstrom is compiling a very interesting piece of work. Too bad the book is not yet available... On June 1, 2004 a new, innovative & totally independent pharmacy will be opening to the general public in Eastern Canada on Prince Edward Island. No truly *independent* drugstore has opened (to our knowledge) in Atlantic Ca nada in over 20 years - all other new pharmacies are affiliated with chains complete with *banners* and incentive programs. Currently this dispensary (and much more) is privately serving institutional clients and does not have a retail outlet. The new dr ugstore, accenting on being a very personable (young & keen pharmacist team) and *friendly pharmacy*, will feature the best in customer service and the latest in technological innovation. This will be a challenge as the customer base (1 pharmacy/ 3000 p e rsons in a 60,000 person market) is well provided for. Fortunately all of the competition is all led by regional or nation chain *banners* and limited individuality. The new pharmacy will feature internet shopping, an in house café, wi-fi, internet, dr iv e thru pickup (prescriptions, drycleaning, film, fresh flowers, homemade chocolates etc. + drop-off) & private 'in car' consultations. The doctors (young docs) in the same new landmark building, located on a terrific major thoroughfare waterside locat ion (easily found by spotting the special custom made 'heart shaped window'); will have patient records on secure PDAs and 'e'prescription expediency. Patients will have prescriptions ready before they are even dressed! My question following is addressed ONLY to all the Researchers that have previously responded to lindstrom-ga 's numerous branding related queries: bobbie7-ga , boquinha-ga, crabcakes-ga , czh-ga , easterangel-ga , hummer-ga , jackburton-ga , journalist-ga , juggler-ga, knowledge_seeker-ga , leli-ga , mother911-ga, pinkfreud-ga , ragingacademic-ga , sublime1-ga , & viola-ga . Based on the *lindstrom-ga compensation formulae* I solicit the following: What will it take for a new *friendly pharmacy* to get noticed, established, become a *brand* and develop new loyalties? Any (and all) of the above named Researchers are strongly encouraged to contribute their thoughts , ideas & suggestions resulting from the body of 'lindstrom-ga' Research that could enhance the above *friendly ph armacy* development & branding project. Compensation shall be between $5 - $50 per accepted comment. The only solicited exception shall be a comment by lindstrom-ga, if available. Unfortunately the only reward that I can offer is to buy & promote (http://www.martinlindstrom.com) Martin Lindstrom's forthcoming book. Thank you everyone for looking at and for taking this on question. ..... |
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Subject:
Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: pinkfreud-ga on 11 Apr 2004 18:49 PDT |
I love the "heart-shaped window." Here's an idea for an ad. Show a well-dressed, yuppie-type businessman sitting behind a big desk, with the caption "Every pharmacy corporation has a head." Then a picture of the signature heart-shaped window, with the caption "...Ours has a heart." |
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Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: sublime1-ga on 11 Apr 2004 20:27 PDT |
The window is certainly a key trademark, and I like Pink's idea. I also think an ad could be designed around 'appeal to youth and elderly alike'. The 'youth' portion could focus on the cafe, wi-fi, internet, chocolate and flowers, while the 'elderly' portion could focus on the drive-thru (with the heart-shaped window, again), in-car consultations, quick fulfillment, and, perhaps, the young docs... : ) sublime1-ga |
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Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: sublime1-ga on 11 Apr 2004 20:33 PDT |
As I re-read my comment, above, the theme 'romantic' keeps coming to mind. Something along the lines of: "Usually a pharmacy isn't thought of as a romantic setting. Ours appeals to hearts of every age." |
Subject:
Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: bobbie7-ga on 11 Apr 2004 22:10 PDT |
Hello Brudenell, A recognized name, term, symbol, smell, taste, sound, marque or design which identifies the specific product, service or experience attributes of one seller and differentiates them from those of a competitor. Hospitality Review http://www.wivenhoe.gov.uk/People/McCaskey/McCaskey-Apr02.pdf ?Most Rx pharmaceuticals are dispensed in the same bottles that the pharmacy provides,? he says. ?They all look the same ? no logo, no packaging ? and generally they have no taste or smell. There?s nothing to distinguish one from another. Just as important, they are never displayed, but are ?hidden? from the consumer behind the pharmacist?s register. Does Branding Work in Pharmaceutical Marketing http://www.cpsnet.com/reprints/2000/01/Branding.pdf Perhaps a distinctive bottle in which the Rx pharmaceuticals are dispensed could be a way to get this pharmacy noticed. A recent article published in March of this year: Company invents talking chips for prescription bottles ?iVoice Inc. of Matawan, is developing a miniature computer chip-and-speaker system that fits on the bottom of a prescription bottle. When pressed, the device will say what's in the bottle, how to take it and whether to watch out for side effects or interactions with other drugs or alcohol.? ?The information would be loaded into the computer chip using software at the pharmacy. Instructions typed into the computer for the label are transmitted to the chip via radio frequency or infrared signals.? ?That would add a few dollars to each prescription's cost, but that could drop below $1 once the product is mass-marketed and the system could simultaneously transmit the standard instructions to thousands of containers of nonprescription medicine, Mahoney said.? Bradenton.com http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/8175551.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp The following articles might interest you: Identifying and rewarding loyal customers through direct mail initiatives can return true dividends in today?s ever-competitive pharmacy retail marketplace. By Jill Daamen http://www1.auspost.com.au/priority/index.asp?issue_id=19&area=features&article_id=439 Four creative ways to add power to your marketing by Michele Pariza http://www.stickysauce.com/articles/webdesignarticles/four_creative_ways_to_add_power_to_your_marketing.htm Case study: Tesco Pharmacy http://www.hodes.co.uk/05_case_studies/pdfs/tesco%20pharmacy%202003.pdf I hope this helps! Best regards, Bobbie7 |
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Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: binkbop-ga on 12 Apr 2004 03:31 PDT |
Following on from bobbie7's comment - I always dislike the dull, "discrete" bags that the medicine is popped into (in the UK anyway, everyone knows what the bags contain!) How about cheerful colours with little phrases on like "Dispatched with care - hopes to repair"! |
Subject:
Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: hummer-ga on 12 Apr 2004 08:10 PDT |
Hi Brudenell - nice to hear from you again. Lately, I have been made aware that pharmacies offer health care screening. Maybe everybody in North America already know about this service, I don't know, but I think it is a terrific idea (especially with the aging population). If I were going to open up a pharmacy, I would be sure to provide a private area where one could relax and have routine checks taken, such as blood pressure, blood cholesteral, and sugar. If space permits, perhaps include some natural health care products and supplements in this area. I would also make the instructions on presription bottles large and bold, making it easier for seniors to read. I don't know if it would be legal, but I think it would be terrific if a senior could bring in their daily/weekly pill dispensor for refill at the pharmacy. It would reduce their frustration with pill bottles and would also help to ensure that they take their medication properly. I realize I haven't addressed the issue of branding - frankly, I haven't an advertising gene in my body. I did find the following online - sounds interesting for the younger crowd. "Favorite restaurant design Pharmacy in London: "Designed by Damien Hirst, this is a scene straight out of 'Valley of the Dolls.' The intoxicating color scheme is based on pills. All the models, writers and actors are buzzed with the atmosphere of its ironic concept." "A few thoughts on branding: A product is something that is made in a factory; a brand is something that is bought by a customer. A store can be copied by a competitor, but a brand is unique. Brand development is the process of adding value and a distinct personality to a product or service. What makes a strong brand? A strong brand consistently delivers product range, imaginative store design, visual merchandising, customer service, marketing, people, values and culture." http://retailtrafficmag.com/ar/retail_uncovering_soul_brand/ I hope you are enjoying spring, hummer |
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Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: journalist-ga on 12 Apr 2004 16:00 PDT |
A few slogan ideas: "We take our customer's needs to heart." "Our customers heartily recommend us." "We have your best interests at heart." |
Subject:
For binkbop-ga
From: brudenell-ga on 12 Apr 2004 16:00 PDT |
Thanks for your comment and post. Every comment is very much appreciated! Brudenell |
Subject:
Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: mother911-ga on 12 Apr 2004 18:35 PDT |
I love all the marketing suggestions, but I noticed you also want to be noticed. I am a frequent flyer at my local drugstore. I suffer from gout, and I can tell you small things made me change drugstores quickly. First, I drive past two other very reputable pharmacies to my pharmacy. Why? Because my prescriptions are available in an arthritis ready bottle. This all sounds minor until you have one hand completely unusable from pain, and are trying to push in two tabs while rotating the bottle. This is now a more popular prescription bottling practice I guess, but it is just a reversible cap. Safety lock on one side, easy side on the other. It's as easy as flipping the cap over to use it. (I was only able to find one image of this type of cap, however I feel this is probably a widely used prescription bottle cover. http://wata.org/catalog/talking_rx_small.JPG ) Second, I drive to that same pharmacy, and never leave my vehicle. They have a well thought out drive through window with tall overhang so rain or shine day or night I drive up to pick up my prescriptions. Third, although it is a chain pharmacy, they know the gout medication for relieving an attack disturbs my stomach, not everyone's but specifically, mine. I always purchase cherry antacid when I purchase the attack relief prescription. They have it packaged with my prescription at the drive through whenever it is prescribed. This is a simple database solution I?m sure. Tracking simple compound purchases makes that drive through even more efficient. Based on your description of wanting to be the "Friendly Pharmacy", what if a valet type service was provided to your clients. An elder client, or injured client could call ahead, fax ahead, or email in a request for an order or drop-off (you mentioned dry cleaning) and you had an outdoor register queue to provide whatever groceries, medicine, and other services to your drive through window. So a mother of three picking up some quick groceries, a prescription, and her laundry would pull up, your "valet" has her order prepared rings her up and loads her items into the vehicle. Now she didn't have to unload three children and make her way around your store while trying to hurry home. Imagine if you will a dairy barn type sliding glass door at the rear of the building. The client pulls up, receives their items, pays, and drives off without leaving their vehicle. It reduces some of your impulse buying and foot traffic, but repeat customers would appreciate the service. Thanks for the chance to voice my opinion, Mother911-ga |
Subject:
Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: crabcakes-ga on 12 Apr 2004 18:53 PDT |
Hello Brudenell, With so many good ideas already posted, I doubted I could think of anything original! Most of my ideas came to me from having a husband who is in and out of hospitals, and pharmacies! How about giving away travel pill boxes or weekly pill boxes for folks with numerous pills, like these, with your brand/logo on them? http://www.911medalert.com/catalog.asp?action=showcat&id=111 Have ?band-aids? printed with your logo, and hand them out during the grand opening. Sell boxes of these ?branded? bandages at a cost less than commercial bandages. A handout, with your logo and website address can be printed out by the patient, or passed out by the pharmacy, showing the correct days and times to take a medication. I know from experience that many patients can get confused when the label says three times a day. A handout that explains three times a day as being every 8 hours, or something to that effect. Perhaps each customer can have a password to access their personal drug information online, E-mail refill reminders can be sent, using HTML format, with your logo (of course) for patients that sign up for automatic refill reminders. Set up a web page that features prescription information. Offer coupons for the café, flowers, chocolates, etc. Have the site be the home page on the in-house internet computers. A prescription delivery service, for a small fee, like Pizza Hut! Many seniors would take advantage of this. Another idea for prescriptions: My husband has had numerous hospital stays and surgeries. Each time he is discharged, we ran into the problem of filling the prescriptions, or picking up medical supplies such as catheters, TED hose, etc. on the way home from the hospital. He was too uncomfortable to wait in the car while I went in and waited for the prescription to be refilled, and it was difficult to leave him alone at home while I went out to fill the prescriptions. Before his last surgery and since he is a retired veteran, he went through military medical insurance. Everything was done beforehand! The doctor ordered all necessary medications and medical supplies BEFORE the hospital stay. I was truly impressed. We picked up all the medications he would need for the two weeks following surgery, a week before the surgery. It was a lifesaver! --- Since the doctors will be transmitting patient prescriptions to the pharmacy via PDA, suggest to them that they pre-order pos-surgical meds beforehand. To avoid patient confusion with meds needed after surgery and those they may currently be taking, have the pharmacy deliver them when the patient arrives home. (My husband would have confused the meds he needed after surgery with the ones he took before, if I had not been there to intervene) I would think many seniors would like this idea. Of course, the bags and bottles will have your logo, but the personal delivery service will make the ?branding? impression and build loyalty! Carry a selection of specialty health care items that are hard to find, such as arthritis aids, canes, etc. If your pharmacy is the only one around to carry these items, your store will grab more business. I don?t know about Canada, but where I live in the US, many of the items that makes my husband?s life easier are hard to find. I find them online, but I would like to be able to buy them at the corner drugstore. Have a soda counter in the café, with soda ?jerks??..some of my fondest childhood memories are having a freshly made lime-aide, with a cherry, while sitting on a stool that twirled, as my grandmother had her prescriptions filled. |
Subject:
Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: bobbie7-ga on 13 Apr 2004 12:59 PDT |
Hi Brudenell, Here are two more ideas. World's First Smart RFID Medication Bottle Med-ic eCAP, a smart RFID closure for medication bottles and vials. Med-ic eCAP(TM) was launched at Interphex 2004 in New York City, March 16-18, 2004. ?Med-ic eCAP(TM) is a programmable RFID reminder and monitoring solutionthat tracks medication usage without active patient input. It consists of IMC's Med-ic(TM) RFID "smart" sensor embedded in a RCIL's bottle closure. Med- ic eCAP(TM) can easily be programmed to remind the patient when the next dose is due and records the time the patient opens the bottle to remove the tablet or capsule, thereby logging the patient's medication compliance. The recorded data are then retrieved with IMC's CertiScan(TM) reader for review by the physician, researcher or pharmacist.? ?The Med-ic eCAP(TM) is available immediately. (..) offers a wonderful co- branding opportunity for pharmaceutical manufacturers and pharmacy chains.? For further information: Sales Contact: James Neilson, (613) 745-8400 ext. 411, jneilson@informationmediary.com. Media Contact: Michael Petersen (613) 880-9131, info@ecap.biz CNW Telbec Ltée http://www.cnw.ca/fr/releases/archive/March2004/10/c8873.html ================================================================ Co-branding with Home Diagnostics, Inc. for diabetes control ?What has propelled Home Diagnostics, Inc. to the forefront of the diabetes industry is its revolutionary co-branding strategy. Co-branding offers our retail partners the opportunity to leverage the strength of their store brand by calling the monitor and test strips their own. This unique strategy allows retailers to build brand equity, while promoting repeat purchases and long-term customer loyalty to their store brand and pharmacy.? ?Today, both the TrueTrack Smart System? and Prestige Smart System? are co-branded by leading national retailers and wholesalers and can be found in more than 30,000 locations across North America.? http://www.homediagnosticsinc.com/about.asp TrueTrack Smart System? Blood Glucose Monitor http://www.homediagnosticsinc.com/products-5.asp I hope this is helpful! Best regards, Bobbie7 |
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Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: aht-ga on 13 Apr 2004 15:15 PDT |
brudenell-ga: With all the excellent ideas already suggested by my colleagues above, I'm not sure that I can add much more. So, rather than straining my brain to come up with additional ideas for the dispensary part of your business, please allow me to ramble on a bit about the rest of the business. First, please let me say that my all-too-short opportunity to visit PEI while on a road trip through the Maritimes a couple of years ago left me with an everlasting impression of a peaceful, resourceful, and independent population. So, as the first truly-independent pharmacy to open in Atlantic Canada for almost a whole generation, I would suggest trying to find a good balance between emphasizing your uniqueness/independence, and trumpeting your affinity for the PEI lifestyle. Your description of the store evokes images of a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose facility with a youthful atmosphere. A meeting place, with healing energy delivered through medication as well as activity. All of this points towards an image that your business cares about your customers all the time, not just when they are ill. You can communicate this caring attitude through action. Given the Island folk's tradition sense of independence when dealing with folks from away, you can adopt a position of stewardship, both social and environmental. Environmental stewardship in your line(s) of business is easy: have a simple 'deposit' program for plastic medication containers to ensure that left-over drugs are returned for proper disposal (the deposit can and should be symbolic, such as a penny charge with returned containers netting back a penny plus a discount coupon for the café). It probably goes without saying (ok, maybe not to the Tim Horton's crowd, but certainly to everyone else!) that the café should use recycled paper based containers for carry-out purchases, etc. Social stewardship is harder, but aided by your prominent location in a landmark building by the water. If you, along with the doctors in the building, start up a program with the local council to help promote the 'health' of the waterfront district, through litter collections campaigns (seeing as how your café will generate litter unavoidably, anyway), promotion of Island boutique suppliers, and eventually sponsorship of Island cultural events (yes, even those Anne events). The sub-text behind the message is, who understands Islanders better... a 'national' chain headquartered in T.O., or your friendly, Island-borne-and-bred, neighbour down at <insert store name here>? Sigh... now it's time for me to pull up all my digital pictures from my road trip again, and relive the memories of those glorious few days I spent exploring PEI... Regards, aht-ga Google Answers Researcher |
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Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: aht-ga on 13 Apr 2004 15:22 PDT |
Oops, left out one thing. Several Researchers have mentioned pill organizers and info sheets already, to help your elderly clients remember when to take their medication. As part of your social stewardship program, I suggest having medication reminders (electronic devices) available as 'loaners' for home-alone elderly patients whose families would otherwise be constantly worried whether grandma/pa has remembered to take their medicine. A friend of mine who once ran an institutional outsourced pharmacy business was even telling me that they had experimented with dispensing pills preloaded into medication reminder devices; something that you can consider for special cases. Regards, aht-ga Google Answers Researcher |
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Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: aht-ga on 13 Apr 2004 15:25 PDT |
Some medication reminder devices: http://www.epill.com/organizer.html However, your preferred supplier will undoubtedly carry several to choose from. aht-ga Google Answers Researcher |
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Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: pinkfreud-ga on 13 Apr 2004 15:51 PDT |
Several years ago, a pharmacy in my area gave a free dose-measuring spoon with each prescription. The spoon was made of plastic, and the name of the pharmacy was printed on the side. Each time I used the spoon, I was reminded of the pharmacy. This seems to me to be a very effective and inexpensive way of keeping a pharmacy's name in the customers' minds. I still have a few of those spoons, even though the pharmacy that gave them out closed nearly a decade ago when its owner died. |
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Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: easterangel-ga on 13 Apr 2004 16:27 PDT |
Hi brudenell-ga! Nice to see to hear from you again. I will try a different approach from marketing this drugstore and will take examples of approaches from different retail establishments. Since this is an independently owned drugstore who is going after the big boys, then a good guerrila marketing strategy will be needed to offset the resources of the giant competition. Some suggestions will be: A. Street or Community Based Marketing (Face to Face or even Door to Door Selling) Here are some tips on how to do them: 1. "Present an Irresistible Offer - "To develop your offer, sit down and write out a list of all your products and services. Now separate the basic products and services from the add-ons. Then start bundling your basic products and services with several add-ons using different combinations." 2. "Maximize Upsells - Structure the offer for maximum upsells. For example, offering a free rug shampoo and engine cleaning with a paid car wash forces the customer to pay for a car wash to get their free rug shampoo and engine cleaning." 3. "Make It a Fundraiser - Consider using your offer as a fundraiser for a local high school. Local fast food restaurants use this tactic often. They allow the student to keep a portion of the proceeds, which shows support for the high school and at the same time giving the fast food restaurant a great reputation in the community." 4. "Team Selling - Form your sales team into small groups of young people that attack a small neighborhood." "Street Marketing for Small Businesses" http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol78/street.htm 5. "Ask for referrals to their neighbors and reward people if referrals become sales. Gift certificates from a local restaurant are an excellent reward." 6. "Ask for referrals to their neighbors and reward people if referrals become sales. Gift certificates from a local restaurant are an excellent reward." 7. "Send out press releases to announce the promotion, and announce the winners. When multiple locally owned businesses are involved in a joint promotion, it becomes more newsworthy." "Street Marketing: It's a Matter of Smarts" http://www.contractingbusiness.com/news/article.cfm/newsarticleid/531 8. "Special promotions and events can be made to work in concert with any one or a combination of the above methods. This can be in the form of door prizes, Welcome Wagon gifts, free passes, free coffee, or even honouring a competitor's coupons." "Ways to Promote Your Product or Service" http://www.cbsc.org/alberta/search/display.cfm?Code=4044&coll=FE_FEDSBIS_E ---------------------------- B. Personal Touch Service 1. "Offer a personal shopper service, or ?Selection Consultants? ? a personal shopper assists customers with a level of individualized attention and service beyond what retail associates could offer. Differentiate yourself from the big-box retailers by allowing your customers to call ahead with specific details ? height, weight, favorite colors, hobbies and interests, even the amount you are willing to spend ? and when they arrive at the store, your customers have a custom-specified selection of merchandise to choose from." 2. "Give your customers the convenience of calling your sales associates ahead of time, and have it waiting for them at the front of your store for quick purchase." 3. "E-mail ?holiday idea lists? to your former customers which feature the hot items of the holiday season, or mine your customer database for buying trends, and provide specialized lists of items that might interest them." 4. "Driving and parking in the wintertime can be challenging for everyone. Provide a shuttle service for seniors or disabled customers." 5. "Promote special hours to shop for preferred customers ? this invitation-only event gives these customers the ease of shopping without the hassle of crowds, and provides personalization that the big-box retailers can?t offer." "How Can Small Retailers Beat the Big Box Stores This Christmas?" http://www.prweb.com/releases/2003/12/prweb93644.php I hope this suggestions will be of help. Thanks! |
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Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: journalist-ga on 13 Apr 2004 19:59 PDT |
I hope you'll offer high quality sight aids like high-end magnifying glasses and such. My father suffers from macular degeneration and I had a devil of a time finding him ANY dencent magnifying glasses locally. After searching and searching on the Internet, I located the Aladdin Rainbow line of super-magnifiers online and he called the rep, tried it out and then he purchased one. You might consider becoming an authorized dealer for Aladdin Rainbow readers in eastern Canada. They are EXCELLENT machines for low-sighted individuals and, if no one nearby is a dealer, you could have the market. It's a really wonderful option for low-sighted customers. Just having one there in the store for ease of customer service -- they would sell themselves. They are costly but worth every penny to the low-sighted. Here's the main site http://www.telesensory.com/products2-1.html and here's one of the readers http://www.telesensory.com/products2-1-2.html Also, there is a great computer screen magnifying software for low-sighted individuals called ZoomText. My father uses it and it helps him SO much on the computer. He wouldn't be able to use a computer without it. ZoomText http://www.aisquared.com/index.htm I believe they have authorized dealers because many web sites catering to low-sighted individuals carry the software. No compensation is necessary for this - if you could just offer quality things like this for sight-challenged people, that would be wonderful! Best regards, journalist-ga SEARCH STRATEGY: Aladdin Rainbow reader ZoomText |
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Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: journalist-ga on 13 Apr 2004 20:01 PDT |
P.S. If the dealership is already taken in your area, you could still offer the rep a chance to come and tell customers about it. Sort of a Saturday Seminar feature. Heck, you could do Saturday Seminars with lots of different things, kind of like Lowe's does with do-it-yourself home repair and decorating! |
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Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: easterangel-ga on 13 Apr 2004 23:04 PDT |
Hi once more! I was able to find more guerrilla community based marketing tactics you can probably use. a. "Make customers a birthday card!" "Guerrilla Ray Fisher of Keylock Mini Storage in Pinellas Park, Florida celebrates his tenants' birthdays with a card he creates himself. He prints a poem on the card and gets four cards out of each piece of 8 1/2 x 11 card stock. He goes to Kinkos to have the cards printed and cut." b. "Guerrilla Mike Cohen informs us that no one ignores coupons from Captain Tony's Pizza in Cleveland, Ohio. That's because they are printed on Post-it notes and placed each month on every door in their delivery area. The typical response rate is 30%." c. "Marketing Consultant and Coach Bob Janet e-mailed us after reading about a real estate agent who sent prospects home with a quart of ice cream on hot days. Janet's company used a variation on the old ice cream ploy. His sales staff would find out where customers lived and give them just enough time to get home with the melting ice cream. The representative would call them with an added incentive to buy from them (extra discount, special price on add on items, special financing, etc.)" You can find more here: "Guerrila Tactics" http://www.gmarketing.com/tactics/tales_arch.html |
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Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: easterangel-ga on 14 Apr 2004 03:00 PDT |
If you have some advertising budget, it will be more cost effective to target people while they are in their cars. "A recent study by Arbitron, the New York City-based marketing research firm, found that nearly 30% of consumers said a billboard or other roadside ad led them to visit a retail store within a week of seeing the pitch; 56% reported the same for a drive-time radio spot. And about half said they take notice of ads on the sides of buses, on bus-stop benches or kiosks, or atop taxicabs." "Dude, Where's My Ad?" http://www.inc.com/magazine/20040401/marketing.html |
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Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: mother911-ga on 14 Apr 2004 13:03 PDT |
I was wondering if I could find some followup information on your endeavour, so I did a little quick search. a search for "heart shaped window" pharmacy on google lead me to a personal blog site with an image of the window (i'm assuming its the right one) http://img44.photobucket.com/albums/v134/mamadunce/heart_window.jpg At that same site was some comments from others who have already noticed the building and it's distinctive window. http://mamadunce.blogspot.com/ Monday April 5th's entry specifically. Please do keep us up to date, I would like to think someday there will be one in my hometown with all my suggested features! :o) mother911-ga |
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Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: bobbie7-ga on 14 Apr 2004 22:11 PDT |
Hello again Brudenell! Since the pharmacy is going to have an online presence you should put your URL everywhere in order to promote the website, ?Keep your web address in the header on stationary, faxes, and invoices. If you can afford it, billboards are a good option as well. Television, magazines, and newspapers are also good places to advertise. If you choose to have contests on your site, give out prizes with your logo and URL on them. This keeps customers feeling positive about your business and provides advertising.? Searchengines.com http://www.searchengines.com/marketing_branding.html You can provide contests on your website. ?Put something into your site that will make it fun, even if your site is of serious nature. It creates a positive feeling among site visitors and rewards the people who choose to visit your site.? ?Contests do not have to be complicated; simple works best. Make the contest or game related to your product or company.? Examples: Trivia - questions about the pharmacy or product information. Guessing games - guess the number of heart shaped objects in the site, etc. Find the hidden (name of any product sold in a pharmacy) ?Offering contests is beneficial for your company. Prizes can be bought in bulk to cut costs, and they should be simple and cheap. To you, it may be something small, but customers who won something will feel good about themselves and your business. Don't forget to put your company logo and slogan on each prize. This will remind winners of your business and serves as a form of low-cost advertising for you. The less-serious side of your site shows that your business is personable.? Searchengines.com http://www.searchengines.com/marketing_free_contests.html Have you see Martin Lindstrom's new question? The story about the pizza place is an excelent idea to create attention. http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=330402 I hope this helps! Best regards, Bobbie7 |
Subject:
Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: bobbie7-ga on 14 Apr 2004 22:14 PDT |
Offer FAQ sections at the website "Provide your customers with immediate answers to their questions. Posting frequently asked questions on a section of your website would not only make information more accessible but will also lighten the load of email you receive." http://www.searchengines.com/marketing_free_faq.html |
Subject:
Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: bobbie7-ga on 14 Apr 2004 22:36 PDT |
Brudenell, Promoting your company differently than the competition: "Promoting your company differently than the competition and carving out a distinct identity in the marketplace is one of the key ingredients to creating a successful marketing formula." "Think outside the box". Example: "I recently had a pizza delivered to me in a blue box that consisted of an ad for Nivea® for Men skin products. The message on the top of the box says: "The good news? Your face isn't a pizza. The bad news? Your face isn't a pizza. (That means you can't order another one. So take care of it.)" On five different surfaces of the box, there appeared the Nivea for Men logo and the slogan "More evolved skincare". The product's website address was also printed on top of the box." " ... but the bottom line is: It sure caught my attention and made this marketing message stand out and get noticed.If the same message was featured in a display ad, a newspaper insert, or a website popup ad, it wouldn't have had as much impact." (..) "Thinking outside of the box" can help position your business as a frontrunner in the marketing race." Source: Strategies for Winning the Marketing Race by Joel Sussman, president Optimal Marketing Communications http://www.marketingsurvivalkit.com/mktg-race.htm Regards, Bobbie7 |
Subject:
Re: Branding '+' for bobbie7-ga, lindstrom-ga et al
From: hummer-ga on 15 Apr 2004 05:23 PDT |
Good morning, Brudenell, Interesting - I particularly like the idea of The Wellness Place, The Diabetes Place, The Asmtha Place, The Home Healthcare Place, and finding user-friendly names like that would work well at your pharmacy too. http://www.cardinal.com/content/pharmacies/community/phcodsconsprodman.asp hummer |
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