This paper presents a comprehensive digital marketing plan for Kadri Pharmacy Limited, a small independent community pharmacy in Preston. It begins with a situation analysis covering the pharmacy's history, employee base, product range, and service offerings. The paper then defines target customer segments, positioning strategy, and an internet value proposition. It outlines a digital marketing mix — including a website, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and a mobile platform — and explains how online and offline strategies should be integrated. An implementation plan and cost-revenue analysis are also provided, demonstrating how digital marketing can increase customer awareness, expand the prescription base, and improve overall customer satisfaction in a competitive pharmaceutical market.
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The business environment in which companies operate has become increasingly competitive. More and more companies are entering various markets, creating pressure for existing businesses. As a result, companies must intensify their efforts to increase competitiveness and address the environmental factors that influence their activity.
To reach these objectives, companies can pursue several strategies: reducing prices to attract customers, offering more quantity or quality at the same price, expanding the range of products to meet a wider variety of customer needs, expanding into international markets, or addressing different distribution and communication channels. Strategy is always developed in relation to competitors — when one company makes a move, rivals must either follow or take strategic action to counteract its effects.
The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most competitive industries worldwide. Pharmaceutical giants effectively set the rules of the game in each country they enter. Their power stems from their relationships with physicians and regulatory authorities, their ability to influence rules and regulations, and their capacity to establish pricing levels that make it difficult for smaller competitors to adapt.
In such an environment, it is difficult for smaller, independent pharmacies to grow, generate significant profits, or expand. However, certain strategies can be developed to achieve these goals. Smaller pharmacy owners must recognize that they cannot compete directly with large pharmaceutical chains. Instead, they should define the market share they realistically can capture and develop strategies targeted at those specific market segments.
Kadri Pharmacy Limited is a smaller independent pharmacy established in 1985. It is a second-generation community pharmacy and was the first pharmacy in Preston to offer extended opening hours and a medicine delivery service. The owners established the business with a belief that the community would benefit from a more approachable and less formal environment, making customers feel comfortable. Although it initially faced opposition, the community supported it and the pharmacy has continued to grow steadily.
The pharmacy employs eleven staff members, most of whom have worked for Kadri for several years. This indicates a high level of employee loyalty, which is generally a sign of high employee satisfaction. Smaller businesses are often better positioned to foster a sense of belonging among employees, as employers and employees tend to develop close working relationships. This significantly improves internal communication. Large companies, by contrast, often struggle to provide these benefits — employers frequently do not meet the majority of their employees, making it difficult to understand their needs and develop effective motivational strategies.
The products offered by Kadri Pharmacy include: Pharmacy Only Medicines ('P' medicines), General Sales List Medicines ('GSL' medicines), confectionery, first aid supplies, vitamins, baby products, toiletries, a men's section, and others. Additional products include household items, feminine care, incontinence aids, aids for the elderly, skincare, beauty products, and discounted special offers. The services provided include: dispensing of NHS prescriptions, private prescriptions at competitive rates, a repeat prescription service (monthly and two-monthly), six-monthly repeat prescriptions, Medicine Use Reviews (required annually for patients on regular medication for two or more months), a New Medicine Service (including an initial consultation and follow-up call), and general health advice.
Kadri also offers the Electronic Prescription Service (EPS), which allows customers to nominate a pharmacy to receive their medicines or appliances electronically. Their GP then sends the prescription directly to the nominated pharmacy, eliminating the need for patients to collect a paper prescription in person. This saves time, gives patients more flexibility in where they collect their medicines, and may reduce waiting times since repeat prescriptions can be prepared in advance.
Additional services include: support for regular prescription patients (walk-in, EPS, collection, and delivery), Medicine Use Reviews, the New Medicine Service, monitored dosage systems for elderly patients, Methadone dispensing on prescription for drug users, a needle exchange scheme, emergency contraception, a Smoking Cessation Scheme, a Minor Ailment Scheme, and extra non-medicinal services including photo processing and shop products.
Kadri's owners recognise that modernising their business strategy is necessary to take advantage of market opportunities. Digital marketing is an important strategic component that can significantly improve the pharmacy's activity. The primary objectives of the digital marketing strategy are to improve services for existing customers and to leverage the internet to extend those services further. Specifically, the owners have identified the need to text customers when prescriptions are ready for collection or delivery, improving operational efficiency and saving customers time. This can also strengthen customer relationships and increase satisfaction.
The pharmacy also needs to be able to receive and send emails to customers, who often have questions or requirements but cannot always find the time to visit in person. They require information on a range of issues (Smart Insights, 2012). An accessible email address would address this need. Electronic messages can also serve as an effective channel for communicating information about products, services, and promotional offers.
Developing a website for Kadri is equally important. Websites have become the primary source of information for most businesses — customers search online, visit official websites to find product and service details, contact information, and location details. A website would also allow customers to purchase products or submit medical questions. Kadri intends to provide this kind of support and, therefore, an electronic platform is essential for improving communication with customers, attracting new ones, increasing satisfaction, and ultimately growing revenues.
Another objective of the digital marketing strategy is to raise awareness of the services Kadri provides. In the competitive pharmaceutical industry, offering comprehensive services that address the full range of customer needs is increasingly important. Customers' preferences are evolving — they increasingly expect a single pharmacy to meet all of their needs rather than visiting multiple locations for different services. This consolidation of services also improves efficiency for the customer.
Greater awareness is likely to attract more customers, as few pharmacies offer the breadth of services Kadri provides. A further objective of the digital strategy is to increase the number of prescriptions handled — the most important segment of Kadri's business. The digital strategy also aims to increase interactivity between the pharmacy and its various customer segments.
Kadri serves several distinct customer segments: students, parents with young children, families on low incomes, individuals who want to quit smoking, seniors requiring additional help with medication, and patients who are not native English speakers. In general, Kadri primarily serves customers with lower incomes — a segment that can be effectively addressed by providing comprehensive services at lower prices compared to large pharmacy chains.
These customers typically live, work, or shop near the pharmacy, which makes it relatively straightforward for the owners to attract local customers. However, the owners wish to expand beyond this immediate neighbourhood. Digital marketing provides the tools to reach a broader audience and communicate the pharmacy's offerings to a larger number of potential customers.
Kadri is positioned as a low-to-medium priced pharmacy offering a wide range of services. It caters to all age groups, with particular attention to seniors with special needs, individuals interested in smoking cessation, non-native English speakers, and other underserved segments.
"Website, social media, and mobile platform strategy"
"Combining digital and offline marketing channels"
"Steps, costs, and revenue expectations for digital rollout"
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