Digital Marketing Plan the Business

Digital Marketing Plan The business environment in which companies develop their activity has become very competitive. More and more companies emerge on the different markets, causing distress for existing companies. Therefore, they must intensify their efforts in the attempt to increase competitiveness and address the environmental factors that influence their activity. In order to reach these objectives, companies can address several strategies.

They can work on their prices, by reducing them in order to appeal to customers, they can provide more quantity or quality at the same price, they can expand the range of products in order to address a larger number of customer needs, they can expand their business on international level, they can address different distribution and communication channels, and others. Their strategy is developed in accordance with the strategy of competitors.

In other words, if a company makes certain moves, its competitors must usually make such moves, or take strategic action intended to counteract the effects of competitors' actions. The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most competitive industries worldwide. Pharmaceutical giants seem to make the rules of the game in each country they address.

Their power relies on the interconnections with doctors, with members in state authorities, in their ability to influence rules and regulations, in the fact that they establish the pricing level, making it difficult for smaller competitors to adapt, and others. In such a competitive environment, it is difficult for smaller, independent pharmacies to develop, to make significant profits, and to be able to expand the business. However, here are certain strategies that can be developed in order to reach this objective.

It is important that smaller pharmacies owners understand that they cannot compete with pharmaceutical giant chains. Therefore, they should establish the market share that they are likely to gain, and develop strategies targeted towards those market segments. Situation Analysis Kadri Pharmacy Limited is a smaller independent pharmacy that was established in 1985. This is a second generation community pharmacy. This is the first pharmacy in Preston to offer longer opening hours and a medicine delivery service.

The owners set up the business as they thought the community would benefit from a business which was more 'approachable' and less formal, making customers comfortable. It initially had a lot of opposition but the community supported it and since then it is going from strength to strength. The pharmacy has 11 employees. Most of them are employed by Kadri for several years. This means that employee loyalty is high. This is usually determined by a high level of employee satisfaction.

Smaller businesses can easier develop a sense of adhesion within employees. This is because employers and employees have a strong, close relationship. This significantly improves communication within the company. Large companies cannot provide this kind of benefits to their employees. In most cases, employers do not even get to meet most of their employees. This makes it difficult for them to identify and understand their employees' needs, to determine what motivates them, in order to develop successful motivational strategies.

The products provided by Kadri Pharmacy are represented by: Pharmacy Only' Medicines ('P' medicines), 'General Sales List' Medicines ('GSL' meds.), Confectionary, First Aid, Vitamins, 'Baby' Ware, Toiletries, Men's section, and others. Other products refer to Household, Feminine care, Incontinent aids, Aids for the elderly, Skincare, Beauty, Discounted Products (Special Offers).

The services provided by Kadri Pharmacy are represented by Dispensing of NHS Prescription, Private Prescriptions (at competitive rates), Repeat Prescription Service (monthly, two-monthly), Six monthly repeat prescriptions, Medicine Use Reviews (regular meds for 2 months require annual consultation), New Medicine Service (initial consultation follow up call -- all manually), Advice. This pharmacy offers the Electronic Prescription Service, which allows customers to choose or "nominate" a pharmacy to get their medicines or appliances from. Their GP then sends their prescription electronically to the place they have nominated.

This means that if they collect their repeat prescriptions from their GP they will not have to visit their GP practice to pick up their paper prescription, saving time. They will have more choice about where to get their medicines from because they can be collected from a pharmacy near to where they live, work or shop. They may not have to wait as long at the pharmacy as their repeat prescriptions could be prepared before they arrive.

The services offered by Kadri also include: Doctors, Regular Prescriptions (walk-in, EPS, collection, delivery), Medicine Use Reviews (aka medicine management -regular meds for 2 months require annual consultation), New Medicine Service (initial consultation follow up call -- all manually), Elderly -- monitored dosage, Drug Users -- Methadone on Prescription, Needle exchange (Tanning and Drugs), Emergency Contraception, Smoking Cessation Scheme, Minor Ailment Scheme, Extra non-medicinal -- Photos -- Shop Products.

Kadri's owners understand the fact that they must modernize their business strategy in order to benefit from the opportunities that the market provides. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the pharmacy's activity with certain issues. Digital marketing is an important strategic mix component that can significantly improve the company's activity. The objectives of the digital marketing strategy are mostly represented by improving the services provided by Kadri to existing customers.

The company's owners consider that by addressing the world wide web, the company has more opportunities that can help reach this objective. In addition to this, the owners have identified the need to text customers when prescriptions must be collected or delivered. This is intended to improve the efficiency within the pharmacy, and to save customers time. This can also improve relationships with customers and increase customer satisfaction. The pharmacy must also be able to receive and to send emails to customers.

This is because these customers have numerous questions, requirements, and they cannot always fi8nd the time to stop by the pharmacy to talk to the staff in person. They require information aon different issues (Smart Insights, 2012). Therefore, it is necessary that Kadri has an email address that customers can use in such situations. In addition to this, electronic messages are a successful strategy that Kadri can use in the attempt to send information on products and services to customers, and on several promotional offers that the pharmacy provides.

It is also important to develop a website of Kadri. The website has become the main source of information for most businesses. Customers look companies up on the Internet, they visit their official websites that provide important information on the products and services they provide, contact information, location of the company, and other information necessary to customers. In addition to this, customers can use the website in order to purchase products, or to ask medical questions. Kadri intends to provide such support to customers.

Therefore, it is important to develop an electronic platform that can improve communication between Kadri and its customers. This can determine increased numbers of customers, higher customer satisfaction, and increased incomes of Kadri. Another objective of the digital marketing strategy is represented by increasing awareness on the services provided by Kadri. In the competitive business of pharmaceutical industry, it is important to provide complex services that address most of customers' needs. This is because customers' needs and preferences are modifying.

Therefore, customers require that the companies they purchase from satisfy all their needs. Basically, they do not want to go to certain pharmacies for certain services, and to other pharmacies for other services they require. They want their necessities handled in the same pharmacy. This is intended to increase the efficiency of the services provided by these pharmacies. This increased awareness is likely to determine an increased number of customers to purchase from Kadri.

This is because there are not many pharmacies that address all the services options required by customers. Another objective that the digital marketing strategy is intended to reach is represented by increasing the number of prescriptions. This is the most important segment of Kadri's business. Therefore, it is important that Kadri's owners focus on this activity. The digital marketing strategy that Kadri intends to develop also refers to increasing the interactivity between the pharmacy and the different customer segments addressed by its services.

Targeted Customer Segments There are several customer segments that Kadri addresses. These customer segments are represented by students, parents with small children, families on low income, individuals that want to quit smoking, seniors that require additional help with medication, patients that are not native English speakers. Basically, Kadri addresses customers with lower incomes. This is considered an important segment that can be successfully addressed by providing complex services at lower prices in comparison with the prices provided by large pharmacy stores.

These are usually customer segments represented by individuals that live, work, or shop near Kadri pharmacy. This makes it easy for the owners to attract customers in the neighbourhood. However, the owners feel the need to expand their number of customers. This means that they must address other communication channels in this attempt to spread their message to a larger number of customers. Therefore, it is important that Kadri addresses these customers with the help of digital marketing.

Positioning Strategy Kadri is positioned as a low to medium priced pharmacy, with complex services. The pharmacy addresses all age groups. In addition to this market segmentation includes seniors with special needs, individuals that are interested in quitting smoking, non-native English speakers, and others. Internet Value Proposition The digital marketing strategy that Kadri intends to develop is focused around the pharmacy's website (Doligalski, 2010).

Through this website, Kadri wants to improve relationships with customers by reducing the time required by providing the services, by providing the necessary information exactly to the customer segment that requires it, and by expanding the range of services provided by the pharmacy's employees. This is the value proposition that Kadri intends to deliver to its customers.

Digital Marketing Mix There are numerous digital marketing mix items that can be addressed, like blog, website, Youtube or Vimeo, Facebook page, LinkedIn account, Google, Instagram, Vine, Twitter, Flickr, Pinterest, Ning, Tumblr, and others. Specialists in the field state that it is not efficient to focus on numerous digital mix items, but to invest in three items from this list. This is because it is difficult to provide high quality on so many communication channels.

In addition to this, by using a higher number of communication channels, customer segments are fragmented and must be addressed individually (Barbaric, 2013). Therefore, it is important to invest in a smaller number of digital marketing mix items in the attempt to centralize communication and to provide unitary messages (Meyer, 2013). Such digital marketing mixes can be easier to manage, and require smaller investments. In the case of Kadri, the activity of the pharmacy requires that the owners develop a website, a LinkedIn account, a Facebook page, and a Youtube page.

The website must provide relevant information on the products that can be purchased from the pharmacy, and the additional services provided by Kadri. In addition to this, the website should provide contact information (AgendaMarketing, 2012). A strong attraction to the website can be represented by developing an online application that provide diagnosis to interested patients. This type of application can be seen on several websites of medical orientation. Patients select the symptoms they have, and based on these symptoms the application provides a possible diagnosis.

However, the application should also advice patients that use it to see a doctor. The LinkedIn account that Kadri develops should be used in order to build a network with customers, but also with suppliers. Through this network, Kadri can send information on promotional offers, new products, and other information that the company considers it is important to be communicated (Social Marketing Forum, 2012). LinkedIn also provides the benefit of increasing the customers base by expanding the network with the friends of friends.

The Youtube page is intended to help Kadri owners reach their customers with useful information (Nigel Wright Recruitment, 2012). They can post videos on how to use certain products, on how to identify the symptoms of certain diseases, on what to do in different medical situations, and others. In addition to this, it can be very useful to develop a mobile platform that allows Kadri to be in contact with its customers.

This mobile platform can be used in order to text customers on promotional offers, but also to inform them when their prescription is ready to be picked up, or where they can pick their prescription up from. This can be of great help to customers that do not have the time required by searching for such information. Therefore, Kadri sends this information when it becomes available, and customers view it when they have the time.

Integration of Offline and Online strategies It is important that Kadri understands the importance of successful integration between online and offline strategies. This is because the different benefits they provide must be identified in order to be maximized. Offline strategies are intended to be developed for precise customer segments that require certain information in certain moments. This is mostly the case of customers that must be texted when their prescription is ready. They require this information fast.

Online strategies are intended to provide a basis of information that customers can access at any time. This information is updated whenever it is necessary. Online content can be used in order to attract a larger number of customers. Therefore, it is important to develop articles that can be uploaded on the website on several issues. These articles can refer to medical conditions, medicines, and actions that are recommended in the case of certain medical conditions. The website can provide information on different events organized by the pharmacy.

In addition to this, the pharmacy can attempt to strengthen relationships with customers by posting articles on the owners, on the pharmacy's employees. Implementation Plan The implementation plan should start with designing the website. In order to develop a website that it is in accordance with the objectives of the pharmacy, it is important that Kadri's owners determine how they want to benefit from the website.