Animal Health Solution - a Covetrus magazine for veterinary professionals
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Strategy 5: Include links to
your online store in reminders
Clients want to be able to order at 11 p.m. because they have
Amazon mentalities. They won't call your clinic after hours,
leave a message, and wait for a returned call. They want the
ease and 24/7 convenience of online ordering (if you don't
offer it, they will shop elsewhere).
TEXT/APP THIS ". Click here to order online and get home
delivery, download our app at , or call 555-555-5555."
If a heartworm test also is due, add, "An annual heartworm/
tick test also is due now and is required to ensure your pet
may safely take ongoing medication. Our clinic's standard
of care is year-round protection from parasites. Click here
for online scheduling, download our app at , or call
555-555-5555."
Strategy 6: Set up automatic
shipments in your practice's
online store
AutoShip works. Period. Consumers love the convenience of
never having to remember to reorder.
Your clinic can use this same replenishment strategy for
prescription and over-the-counter products. An AutoShip
strategy improves client compliance and lets you avoid
seasonal declines.
Let's say the client buys six months of flea/tick preventatives,
and you hand her the box today. Walk the client through
setting up her first automatic shipments during curbside or
in-clinic appointments.
SAY THIS "Let's set up your next refill through our online
store. In less than two minutes, you can create your account
and set up AutoShip so future refills arrive at your doorstep.
You'll never run out. Online orders through our clinic also
qualify for rebates and reward programs."
Set a flea/tick preventative to AutoShip every five
months when one dose remains. A six-month heartworm
preventative refill would be eligible for one AutoShip refill, and
then a heartworm test and prescription renewal will be due.
Have your inventory and practice manager develop
marketing strategies for your pharmacy. Clients will
appreciate timely refill reminders, and you'll enjoy recurring
revenue.
REFERENCES:
1. Kennedy J. COVID-19 Is Driving Consumers Online and Illicit Pharmacies Are Waiting
for Them. Forbes. Published Dec. 1, 2020. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/
jaykennedy/2020/12/01/covid-19-is-driving-consumers-online-and-illicit-pharmacies-
are-waiting-for-them/?sh=22b5a570798b. Accessed March 29, 2021.
2. Verdon J. Chewy Keeps Adding New Tricks to Grow Sales and Keep Pet Parents
Happy. Forbes. Published Dec. 8, 2020. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/
joanverdon/2020/12/08/chewy-keeps-adding-new-tricks-to-grow-sales-and-keep-pet-
parents-happy/?sh=1994228253dd. Accessed March 29, 2021.
3. COVID-19: Veterinary Impacts and Responses. 2020 AVMA Study. Available at:
https://ebusiness.avma.org/files/coronavirus/COVID-19-practice-effects-report-2021.
pdf. Accessed March 29, 2021.
4. Gavzer K. How to Profit on a Hospital Pharmacy. Today's Veterinary Business.
Published August 2017. Available at: https://todaysveterinarybusiness.com/profit-
hospital-pharmacy/. Accessed March 29, 2021.
5. McReynolds T. Veterinarians Outselling Online Retailers When It Comes to Pet
Meds—But Not For Long. AAHA NEWStat. August 2019. Available at: https://www.
aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-08/veterinarians-outselling-online-
retailers-when-it-comes-to-pet-medsbut-not-for-long/. Accessed March 29, 2021.
About the author Wendy S. Myers, CVJ, has been training veterinary teams for 21 years as owner of Communication
Solutions for Veterinarians. She teaches teams to become confident communicators, so more pet owners say yes to medical care.
Wendy shares her expertise through conferences, online courses, and monthly live CE credit webinars. She is a certified veterinary
journalist and author of five books. Her passion is to help practices like yours thrive and grow through effective communication skills.
You may reach her at wmyers@csvets.com or www.csvets.com.
CREATE RX
Refill
Notify
AutoShip
Sparky