If you own or manage a pharmacy and you don’t have or manage a Google Business page, you’re missing out. Aside from Google being the largest search engine on the internet, Google has in recent years, updated the way it helps businesses, customers and prospects connect. Having your business on Google is beneficial in so many ways that most business owners either overlook or simply don’t understand.

For many children, swallowing tablets and capsules, especially for the first time, can be a difficult experience. This study, performed at the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, in conjunction with the University College London (UCL) School of Pharmacy, shows Pill Glide can help children get over the hurdle of taking their medicine.

Recently, after picking my son up from daycare I noticed two things along my drive home. One, a small yard sign (similar to those of political campaigns) advertising a second location for a local independent pharmacy, and two, the chain pharmacy drive thru was yet again around the building blocking the entrance to the gym across the street. Later that same week, instead of taking my usual route home, I took a different way and went past that local pharmacy and realized exactly how close it was. But then I thought, how many pieces of marketing did it take or will it take to actually get me in the door?

When was the last time you thought about your pharmacy’s marketing plan? Has it been a while? If it’s been more than a few years – say three to five – it may be time to revisit. To the entrepreneurial minded pharmacists who took a business class or two (in addition to your pharmacy school obligations), you might remember the “4 P’s” – or Price, Product, Place, Promotion – from Marketing or Business 101. Right? Just as consumer shopping habits and expectations have changed over the years, your marketing approach to attracting and maintaining customers should evolve as well.

Every year the U.S. experiences cough, cold and flu season, with outbreaks beginning as early as October, and lasting well into Spring. There’s a good chance you’ll be impacted directly or indirectly by the flu this year as it is estimated that between 5% and 20% of U.S. residents get the flu each year.  Yikes.