Consumers are increasingly seeking easy access to medical and healthcare services, a pharmacy retail marketing opportunity to increase traffic and acquire new customers.1 About 54% of people living in the U.S. are likely to visit a local pharmacy over anywhere else when facing a non-emergency health issue.2
Drugstores are also the top choice for consumers looking to fill prescriptions at 53%, followed by discount stores and grocery stores.4 They are also preferred by 26% of adult consumers in the U.S. for purchasing their non-prescription drug products.4
Keep reading to learn 10 pharmacy retail marketing strategies to engage consumers & grow your business.
10 Pharmacy Retail Marketing Strategies to Convert Consumers into Customers
No. 1—Be a Patient Resource: Many consumers seek advice from medical professionals at pharmacies as an alternative to a primary care physician.2
No. 2—Embrace Vaccinations: Pharmacies are a convenient choice for vaccinations. Seize the opportunity to up-sell related products such as immune boosters, vitamins, and supplements. 2
No. 3—Cross-selling & Impulse Buys: Engage consumers who will look for a large variety of products when they pick up prescriptions, even groceries. 2
No. 4—Highlight Convenience: About 44% of consumers who chose to use home delivery or mail-order services report doing so more often than they did two or three years ago. If you offer delivery or mail order, promote it in your advertising messaging. 2
No. 5—Fill the Gap: As some national pharmacy retail chains are closing hundreds of stores across the nation, this opens an opportunity for local, independent pharmacies to fill a need. 2
No. 6—Reward Loyalty: Gain new customers and reward repeat customers by promoting your loyalty program. 2
No. 7—Engage Aging Consumers: Advertising targeting boomers and seniors can meet demand for services and products related to chronic ailments. 2
No. 8—Specialty Services & Treatments: Rapid growth due to increased utilization and pipeline expansion (for example, in oncology) presents an opportunity to increase revenue.3
No. 9—Target Your Service Area: Most customers are drawn from a 9 mile radius. 2
The location is the leading factor in choosing a pharmacy retailer (56%), followed by price (37%), and availability of insurance coverage (31%).4
Source: Prosper 2025
No. 10—Create Preference: 17% of prescription buyers and 21% of shoppers for non-prescription drug products indicate no preference for where they purchase these items. Create preference with offers and promotions to bring them to your store locations.
Acquire New Pharmacy Customers with a Targeted, Multi-Channel Retail Marketing Approach
Pharmacy customers are highly responsive to mail and digital advertising.5
Source: AdMall 2024
Discover how multi-channel advertising—from direct mail to digital—can amplify your reach and drive results.
Tap into the power of precise targeting to connect with consumers in your service area—where it matters most. Explore our data tools and targeting capabilities.
Ready to grow your pharmacy business with smarter strategies? Click “get started” below to connect with an expert who can help you increase store visits and gain loyal pharmacy customers.
Sources: Persistent Market Research1; AdMall 20242; Prosper 20253; McKinsey & Company4; 2024 AdMall AudienceSCAN, Pharmacy Customers5