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SAN FRANCISCO — McKesson Corp. has launched a new Local Marketing Support program for its Health Mart franchised stores.
Executives say the program will help pharmacy owners develop new revenue streams and promote themselves as community health care providers.
“Health Mart pharmacies excel at local, personalized service,” says Steve Courtman, the network’s president. “However, many owners don’t have the time, resources or experience to effectively communicate their offerings and unique strengths. Defining their presence in the marketplace demands a balanced marketing effort that blends Health Mart’s advantages as a national pharmacy network with the individual store’s specific services.”
Under the new program, Health Mart will provide matching funds and marketing tools and campaigns to assist franchisees in raising consumer awareness of their stores and health care offerings, helping them retain existing pharmacy patients and attract new ones.
The program’s centerpiece — dubbed the Marketing Hub — gives Health Mart owners the option of choosing individual tactics or prepackaged, integrated campaigns from a catalog of over 100 traditional, digital and social media marketing tools.
The new and updated tools include in-store promotional materials, e-mail templates, social media content and automated post management, television and radio production and placement, community outreach and public relations.
The hub’s new social media solution provides automated content for a pharmacy’s Facebook page, helping owners bolster their online presence through the use of text, images and video.
As part of the effort’s local marketing support program, Health Mart is offering matching funds to offset the cost of creating and executing a range of tactics or campaigns on the Marketing Hub. The matching funds are immediately applied when eligible items are ordered on the Marketing Hub.
In addition, the program’s local marketing coordinators can help Health Mart owners use Marketing Hub resources.
“The Local Marketing Support initiative provides Health Mart pharmacies with the right tools and resources to make their voice heard and share the important value they provide in their community,” Courtman says.
