Few of us are able to anticipate the wide range of benefits gained from any new form technology. Take cell phones for example. Overall, cell phones have become indispensable tools empowering communications, entertainment, productivity, commerce, health monitoring and social interaction in ways that were previously unimaginable.
Looking at current technology, I believe that the total impact of AI on this industry will be significant. AI has the potential to revolutionize community pharmacy by enhancing patient care, improving medication safety, optimizing workflow efficiency, and expanding access to pharmacy services. By harnessing the power of AI technologies, you will be better able to serve your community and contribute to improved health outcomes for your patients.
The most accessible form of AI today is Generative AI, which is a subset of artificial intelligence and is designed to generate new content or new creative output. Generative AI exists to create original and meaningful content, and in many instances, it achieves this goal very well. More than just words, Generative AI creates synthetic images, composes music and produces realistic video.
This article will focus on the ability of AI to support your marketing by assisting in your content creation. Content includes the words, stories and messages you use, or should use, in your marketing. Content is crucial in building relationships and informing your marketplace about your pharmacy and the features and benefits you provide. It is a powerful tool to bring new customers into your pharmacy.
AI technology is trained by consuming an infinite amount of information from the internet and at the same time, AI is learning how we humans use the nuances of language to communicate.
ChatGPT is one of several AI content generators and with full disclosure, it was used to help write this article. You simply type a question and within seconds you’ll get a well written response taken from an infinite variety of sources saving time and effort in content creation.
For example, I asked “What is content creation and why is it important for marketing a community pharmacy?” here’s part of the response:
“Content creation is important for marketing a community pharmacy as it helps educate the community, build brand awareness and trust, engage with the target audience, drive traffic to the pharmacy, and differentiate from competitors. It allows the pharmacy to provide valuable health information, establish itself as a reliable resource, and foster connections with the community it serves.”
To help you better understand how to leverage this powerful tool, here are some ways to use AI to improve your marketing today and it’s ultimate potential to enhance your ability to support the health of your community.
Here’s how you can leverage AI today:
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Add New Website Content & Increase New Traffic: Quality content plays a significant role in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) which is key to empowering people find your website and learn about your business. By creating content that aligns with relevant keywords and topics, you increase your chances of ranking higher in search engine results.
To find some compelling content to compete with a new chain pharmacy, we asked ChatGPT “What are the benefits of using a local, community pharmacy vs a chain.” The result was six clear and compelling benefits that with some editing were ready for use on the pharmacy website home page.
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Create New Blog Posts for Your Website: Having educational content on your website will help position you as an expert while providing helpful information to your prospects and customers. Plus, this added content on your website will improve your SEO which will help people visit your website when searching for a new pharmacy or looking to learn about the topic you posted.
For a pharmacy with extensive products and services for treating diabetic patents, we asked the AI, “What’s the latest research in healthy eating and diabetes?,” seconds later, a 300 word report was generated and with minor edits it became a new blog post.
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Create Dozens of Social Media Posts: If you’re active in social media it’s important to post topics that are relevant, valuable, and tailored to your target audience.
Think about the most common questions you and your staff receive from your customers, these can be important idea starters. Simply ask your online AI and you’ll get plenty of copy that can be edited into one or more social media posts.
What issues are you facing? To assist from losing customers to mail order, we asked “Why people should use a local pharmacy instead of getting prescriptions via mail?” The resulting six reasons created could become a brochure, blog post and/or a series of Facebook posts.
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Email Newsletters: The biggest challenge of publishing a newsletter is the time it takes to write it. With AI you can reduce the time required to write an article from hours to minutes.
To help strengthen your position as an expert, we recently asked ChatGPT “What are the top healthcare issues on peoples’ minds?” The resulting answer included seven topics which we’re confident will be of interest to a local pharmacy marketplace. Each topic generated by the AI had enough content to help write articles in far less time than creating them from scratch.
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Sales Messages: Many of the pharmacists I know are reluctant salespeople. Many are not comfortable with the concept of selling. If you feel you need support in being more persuasive, or to become a less-reluctant salesperson, you can leverage AI to give compelling copy and talking points.
To help a client with a new topic for her doctor detailing visits, we asked ChatGPT “What proof is there that medication compliance is beneficial to patient’s health?” The response was well written and after some editing became sales talking points and copy for a new a brochure promoting the pharmacy’s Simplify My Meds® program.
Here are a few more complex but valuable marketing opportunities from AI:
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Targeted Marketing Campaigns: AI algorithms can analyze customer data to identify patterns and preferences, allowing pharmacies to create targeted marketing campaigns. By segmenting customers based on factors such as demographics, medication needs, and purchase history, pharmacies can tailor promotions and advertisements to attract new customers effectively.
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Personalized Recommendations: AI-powered recommendation engines can suggest relevant products and services to customers based on their individual needs and preferences. By analyzing purchase history and browsing behavior, pharmacies can offer personalized recommendations, enhancing the customer experience and encouraging repeat visits.
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Health Monitoring Solutions: AI-powered health monitoring devices and apps can attract new customers interested in proactive healthcare management. By offering wearable devices, mobile apps, or online platforms that track vital signs, monitor medication adherence, or provide personalized health insights, pharmacies can attract health-conscious consumers seeking innovative solutions for wellness and prevention.
To access AI, conduct a Google search for “AI Chatbot” and you’ll find a variety of options. If you’d like to use the AI featured in this article, simply go to www.openai.com and sign up for ChatGPT. It is available for free or you can pay a modest monthly fee for advance features.
Who owns the content created by AI? The US Copyright Office has ruled that the content from AI systems, like ChatGPT, is not protected under U.S. copyright law making it free for use in any marketing communications. This means there is no threat of plagiarism for using any content you generate from AI.
While AI offers numerous benefits, it’s essential to recognize that it is not a magic solution. You should approach AI implementation strategically, aligning it with your specific marketing goals. As I’ve written often, it’s important to plan your strategy before implementing tactics. Additionally, human expertise and judgment are still crucial in interpreting AI-generated insights and making marketing decisions.
In conclusion here’s a direct quote from ChatGPT, “Generative AI has great potential for creative applications, content generation, data augmentation, and exploration of novel ideas. However, it’s important to note that the output of generative models is not always perfect and may require post-processing or human validation. Ethical considerations also arise in areas like deepfakes or potential misuse of generative AI for generating misleading or harmful content.”
“The advance of technology is based on making it fit in so that you don’t really even notice it, so it’s part of everyday life.” – Bill Gates
