Module 3 - Communicating Your Powerful Pharmacist Brand
You will prepare a concise written plan to communicate your powerful brand to patients, the public, workmates, other healthcare professionals, managers/administrators, and current/future employers.
"There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it."
Dale Carnegie (1988-1955) American writer, lecturer, and developer of courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, and interpersonal skills.
You will prepare a concise written plan to communicate your powerful brand to patients, the public, workmates, other healthcare professionals, managers/administrators, and current/future employers.
"There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it."
Dale Carnegie (1988-1955) American writer, lecturer, and developer of courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, and interpersonal skills.
1 - Create your pharmacist Card
Exhibit 6
Exhibit 6
Exhibit 7
Exhibit 8
Exhibit 9
Exhibit 10
Exercise 4: Sketch your pharmacist card so that it communicates who you are, what you do, how you help people, and how you can be contacted.
2 - Create your name badge
Exhibit 11
Exercise 5: Sketch your name badge to communicate who you are and what you do.
3 - Create your biographical sketch
You can use your biographical sketch in a variety of ways – from attaching it to an email (digital format) to providing to the coordinator of a group to which you will make a presentation (digital and/or printed format). Consider your biographical sketch to be an expanded pharmacist card that may be written in first person or third person.
There is no right or wrong way to format a biographical sketch. Exhibit 12 illustrates the biographical sketch (meaning brief) that was written in third person for Audrey Harris.
Exhibit 12:
Question 43: What features of Audrey Harris’ biographical sketch do you like?
Question 44: What features of Audrey Harris’ biographical sketch do you dislike?
Exercise 6: Prepare a biographical sketch that communicates where you are in your career now or where you will be in the future (the brand that you intend to create).
Question 44: What features of Audrey Harris’ biographical sketch do you dislike?
Exercise 6: Prepare a biographical sketch that communicates where you are in your career now or where you will be in the future (the brand that you intend to create).
4 - Create your consultation form(s)
Requesting a pharmacy patron to initiate a confidential consultation form can accomplish at least eight diverse objectives:
1) You can communicate your pharmacist brand via the form’s content. A consultation form that poses questions about frequent urination in men would suggest that the pharmacist has expertise in men’s health issues.
2) You can formalize the consultation process – suggesting that the consultation may involve a fee for service.
If there is a fee for service, the pharmacy patron should be aware of the fee prior to the consultation.
3) You can expedite the consultation process – saving time for both you and your pharmacy patron.The form may be downloaded from your website, or you can email the form to the pharmacy patron prior to the consultation.
4) You can capture demographic information including the pharmacy patron’s name, date of birth (age), physical address, and email address, and you may (or may not) obtain consent to contact the patron via email:
Last Name ___________________________ First Name ___________________
Street Address ____________________________________________________
City _____________________ State ________ Zip Code ___________________
Email Address ______________________________________________________
A/C Phone ______-_________________ Date of Birth ______ /_______ /_______
May Dr. _________________ contact you with information via email? YES NO
5) You can obtain the reason(s) for the visit in pharmacy patron’s own words:
“What is your reason for visiting Dr. Harris today?
6) You can pose questions specific to the health issues with which you typically assist patients and pharmacy patrons.
You may recall the six health issues listed on the pharmacist card of Valerie Harris: menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis, excessive dry skin, chronic yeast infection, thyroid hormone issues, libido concerns.
It is likely that Valerie would develop a separate consultation form for each of these six health issues – plus a “catch all” form for any other women’s health issues that she chooses to address.
7) You can provide your written assessment of the patient’s or pharmacy patron’s health issue, suggest specific products and the appropriate use of those products, recommend referral to another healthcare professional, etc.
Provide the patient or pharmacy patron with a photocopy of the form at the conclusion of the consultation to signal that the consultation has been completed.
8) You can place the completed form in a postdated follow up file so that you can contact the patient or pharmacy patron after a specified amount of time.
Exercise 7: Construct a consultation form that is relevant to your pharmacist brand.
Requesting a pharmacy patron to initiate a confidential consultation form can accomplish at least eight diverse objectives:
1) You can communicate your pharmacist brand via the form’s content. A consultation form that poses questions about frequent urination in men would suggest that the pharmacist has expertise in men’s health issues.
2) You can formalize the consultation process – suggesting that the consultation may involve a fee for service.
If there is a fee for service, the pharmacy patron should be aware of the fee prior to the consultation.
3) You can expedite the consultation process – saving time for both you and your pharmacy patron.The form may be downloaded from your website, or you can email the form to the pharmacy patron prior to the consultation.
4) You can capture demographic information including the pharmacy patron’s name, date of birth (age), physical address, and email address, and you may (or may not) obtain consent to contact the patron via email:
Last Name ___________________________ First Name ___________________
Street Address ____________________________________________________
City _____________________ State ________ Zip Code ___________________
Email Address ______________________________________________________
A/C Phone ______-_________________ Date of Birth ______ /_______ /_______
May Dr. _________________ contact you with information via email? YES NO
5) You can obtain the reason(s) for the visit in pharmacy patron’s own words:
“What is your reason for visiting Dr. Harris today?
6) You can pose questions specific to the health issues with which you typically assist patients and pharmacy patrons.
You may recall the six health issues listed on the pharmacist card of Valerie Harris: menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis, excessive dry skin, chronic yeast infection, thyroid hormone issues, libido concerns.
It is likely that Valerie would develop a separate consultation form for each of these six health issues – plus a “catch all” form for any other women’s health issues that she chooses to address.
7) You can provide your written assessment of the patient’s or pharmacy patron’s health issue, suggest specific products and the appropriate use of those products, recommend referral to another healthcare professional, etc.
Provide the patient or pharmacy patron with a photocopy of the form at the conclusion of the consultation to signal that the consultation has been completed.
8) You can place the completed form in a postdated follow up file so that you can contact the patient or pharmacy patron after a specified amount of time.
Exercise 7: Construct a consultation form that is relevant to your pharmacist brand.
5 - Create your email signature
Because the organization with which you are affiliated is likely to have standards and restrictions for sending and receiving email messages, we will consider only your personal email communications from your personal email in this section.
With your personal email account is a cost-free feature that allows you to insert an email signature that will appear with every email you send and to which you respond. The information in your email signature may be as simple as your name and title – or may resemble your pharmacist card or biographical sketch.
Every email service provider (e.g., Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) has a slightly different way to insert an email signature – typically through email settings. If you do not know how to insert an email signature with your email account, you are likely to find an instructional video on YouTube or step-by-step instructions via an internet search.
Exercise 8: Identify and list the steps required to insert your email signature in your personal email account.
Exercise 9: If you were to prepare an email signature, list the information items that you would exhibit. (Note: Your email signature may be identical to your pharmacist card or your biographical sketch.)
Because the organization with which you are affiliated is likely to have standards and restrictions for sending and receiving email messages, we will consider only your personal email communications from your personal email in this section.
With your personal email account is a cost-free feature that allows you to insert an email signature that will appear with every email you send and to which you respond. The information in your email signature may be as simple as your name and title – or may resemble your pharmacist card or biographical sketch.
Every email service provider (e.g., Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) has a slightly different way to insert an email signature – typically through email settings. If you do not know how to insert an email signature with your email account, you are likely to find an instructional video on YouTube or step-by-step instructions via an internet search.
Exercise 8: Identify and list the steps required to insert your email signature in your personal email account.
Exercise 9: If you were to prepare an email signature, list the information items that you would exhibit. (Note: Your email signature may be identical to your pharmacist card or your biographical sketch.)
6 - Create your email contact list
Assume that you occasionally identify a “gem” of information in the health literature that is specific to your expertise and that you would like to share with others.
Your circle of influence may include friends, neighbors, workmates, colleagues, members of your faith organization, and members of your HOA. It may include your plumber, your lawyer, the individual who helps you with your laptop computer, and the waitstaff at the restaurant you visited last night.
Virtually everyone you contact can become part of your circle of influence. To reach these individuals periodically and disseminate your health messages it is ideal for you to have the email addresses of these individuals.
When people in your circle of influence receive your health-related messages and view your email signature they will be reminded of who you are, what you do, and how you help people – fortifying their perceptions of your nurse practitioner brand.
Suggestions:
1) Restrict your messages to no more than three short paragraphs.
2) Include an internet-accessible reference preceded with, “For additional information go to: (URL)”
3) End each message with: “This message does not constitute medical advice.”
4) Send no more than one health message every two months to stay “in touch” and not overwhelm individuals on your contact list with your emails.
5) You may be able to simplify your “email life” by establishing a second email account to use exclusively with your contact list. Select an email address name that may be recognized by the individuals on your contact list. For example: YourNameRxinCity@service.com PharmacistYourName@service.com
6) In your email address avoid using numbers that are meaningful only to you (e.g., Raymond060297). Avoid using underscores that may be confusing (e.g., YourName_Rx). Use alphanumeric characters only.
Time Consuming?
Does creating and maintaining an email contact list require your time commitment? Yes. Are most other pharmacists likely to create contact lists and disseminate health messages via email? Probably not. But you are different from other pharmacists. You have a powerful personal brand. You stand out from the crowd.
(It is assumed that you know how to prepare an email contact list. If you need help, query a YouTube video or perform an internet search relative to your email provider.)
Build Your Contact List:
When you meet individuals in your community ask if you can add them to your email contact list. During your conversation casually say . . .
“A few times each year I find some exciting information related to health, and I enjoy sharing that information with others. May I add you to my email contact list?” [Individual responds, “YES.”]
“Terrific. [Provide the individual with a pen and your personal card.] Please print your name and email address on the back of my card.” [Individual returns pen and card.]
“Thank you! And please take one of my cards with you.” [Give the individual a personal card.]
Because you always state the reason for your request, you have received express permission to send email messages.
Chances are you have more than 100 individuals in your email send/receive history. You can add them to your health message distribution list because you have implied permission to contact them based on an existing relationship. Then, if you add just one new contact per day for one year you will have more than 450 email contacts who will be receiving your health messages (two years more than 800 contacts, etc.).
Exercise 10: Review your personal email account and estimate the number of individuals you could add to a list to receive your health messages.
Questions 45, 46: What are the pros and cons of asking the patients in your pharmacy practice if they would like to be added to your email contact list to receive your health messages? (Assume that you are an employee or a practice owner.)
Exercise 11: Prepare a brief health message that is related to your area of expertise, that would have broad appeal to consumers and other health professionals, and that is based on an authoritative source or sources.
6 - Create your email contact list
Assume that you occasionally identify a “gem” of information in the health literature that is specific to your expertise and that you would like to share with others.
Your circle of influence may include friends, neighbors, workmates, colleagues, members of your faith organization, and members of your HOA. It may include your plumber, your lawyer, the individual who helps you with your laptop computer, and the waitstaff at the restaurant you visited last night.
Virtually everyone you contact can become part of your circle of influence. To reach these individuals periodically and disseminate your health messages it is ideal for you to have the email addresses of these individuals.
When people in your circle of influence receive your health-related messages and view your email signature they will be reminded of who you are, what you do, and how you help people – fortifying their perceptions of your nurse practitioner brand.
Suggestions:
1) Restrict your messages to no more than three short paragraphs.
2) Include an internet-accessible reference preceded with, “For additional information go to: (URL)”
3) End each message with: “This message does not constitute medical advice.”
4) Send no more than one health message every two months to stay “in touch” and not overwhelm individuals on your contact list with your emails.
5) You may be able to simplify your “email life” by establishing a second email account to use exclusively with your contact list. Select an email address name that may be recognized by the individuals on your contact list. For example: YourNameRxinCity@service.com PharmacistYourName@service.com
6) In your email address avoid using numbers that are meaningful only to you (e.g., Raymond060297). Avoid using underscores that may be confusing (e.g., YourName_Rx). Use alphanumeric characters only.
Time Consuming?
Does creating and maintaining an email contact list require your time commitment? Yes. Are most other pharmacists likely to create contact lists and disseminate health messages via email? Probably not. But you are different from other pharmacists. You have a powerful personal brand. You stand out from the crowd.
(It is assumed that you know how to prepare an email contact list. If you need help, query a YouTube video or perform an internet search relative to your email provider.)
Build Your Contact List:
When you meet individuals in your community ask if you can add them to your email contact list. During your conversation casually say . . .
“A few times each year I find some exciting information related to health, and I enjoy sharing that information with others. May I add you to my email contact list?” [Individual responds, “YES.”]
“Terrific. [Provide the individual with a pen and your personal card.] Please print your name and email address on the back of my card.” [Individual returns pen and card.]
“Thank you! And please take one of my cards with you.” [Give the individual a personal card.]
Because you always state the reason for your request, you have received express permission to send email messages.
Chances are you have more than 100 individuals in your email send/receive history. You can add them to your health message distribution list because you have implied permission to contact them based on an existing relationship. Then, if you add just one new contact per day for one year you will have more than 450 email contacts who will be receiving your health messages (two years more than 800 contacts, etc.).
Exercise 10: Review your personal email account and estimate the number of individuals you could add to a list to receive your health messages.
Questions 45, 46: What are the pros and cons of asking the patients in your pharmacy practice if they would like to be added to your email contact list to receive your health messages? (Assume that you are an employee or a practice owner.)
Exercise 11: Prepare a brief health message that is related to your area of expertise, that would have broad appeal to consumers and other health professionals, and that is based on an authoritative source or sources.
7 - Send “personal” email messages
If you obtain email addresses of individuals in your circle of influence, you will be able to send messages to wish them happy birthdays, congratulate those who have achieved an honor, and thank them for helping you. Consider the following email from pharmacist Kim Harris to a pharmacy patron, and Kim Harris’ email signature:
If you obtain email addresses of individuals in your circle of influence, you will be able to send messages to wish them happy birthdays, congratulate those who have achieved an honor, and thank them for helping you. Consider the following email from pharmacist Kim Harris to a pharmacy patron, and Kim Harris’ email signature:
8 - Make presentations to local groups and organizations
Consumer groups (e.g., travel clubs), health advocacy groups (e.g., local chapter of a diabetes association), and health professional groups (e.g., local association of podiatrists) often invite guest speakers to make brief presentations at scheduled meetings. Getting yourself in front of just about any group and discussing a topic of interest to you should strengthen your nurse practitioner brand. And you can invite attendees to “join” your email contact list to receive your timely health information.
You can let people know that you may be available to speak on a topic of your choice via a supplemental personal card that you create for that purpose. You would distribute this card only to individuals who you think would be likely to connect you with the program coordinator for a consumer, health advocacy, or health professional group/organization.
Exhibit 15
Or you can indicate your availability to speak to groups and organizations on the reverse side of your personal card with inexpensive one-color printing.
Exhibit 16:
Exhibit 16:
Exercise 12: Sketch the content for the reverse side of your pharmacist card to let people know that you are available to speak on two or more specific topics.
Exercise 13: State the title of a 20-minute consumer-oriented presentation and three points that you will make.
Exercise 14: You are preparing a 20-minute presentation for consumers on a topic related to your area of expertise (your pharmacist brand). State the title of your presentation and three points that you will make.
9 - Connect with local television news producers
It is likely that your community is served by three or more network stations, and that each station provides local news programs – perhaps 30 minutes in the early morning, 30 minutes in the afternoon, and 30 minutes in the late evening. News producers fill those segments with content – often at “the last minute” due to the nature of news.
You can assist one or more of the news producers by letting them know you are available via phone, Zoom®, or at your practice site in person to provide educated views on specific health-related topics.
Once a news producer becomes familiar with you and understands your areas of expertise, you may be called on again and again to provide a few seconds or a few minutes of content.
Suggestions:
1) Contact your local television stations by phone and request the names and contact information (phone numbers, email address) for the individuals who produce the various news programs (e.g., morning, afternoon, evening). There may be one news producer.
2) Send the producer at each station an email with your name and cell phone number. Provide your biographical sketch and express your desire to provide your views on specific health topics.
3) In a few days attempt to reach the producer by phone (may be difficult to reach) and restate your desire to provide your views on specific health topics.
4) When a topic of interest to you is “in the news” or about to break, immediately contact the producer via email and provide your views – your educated opinions. Include your biographical sketch with your email.
5) Ask if you can “drop by the station” and introduce yourself. When you visit the producer, leave your personal card and ask if he or she would like to be added to your email contact list to receive your timely health information.
Exercise 15: Contact two television stations in your community by phone. Introduce yourself to the telephone attendant and request the names and titles of the individuals who produce the morning, afternoon, and late evening news programs.
Ask the telephone attendant how you could reach the individual or individuals with a “news story.” (For purposes of completing this exercise, it will not be necessary for you to actually contact the television news producer.)
It is likely that your community is served by three or more network stations, and that each station provides local news programs – perhaps 30 minutes in the early morning, 30 minutes in the afternoon, and 30 minutes in the late evening. News producers fill those segments with content – often at “the last minute” due to the nature of news.
You can assist one or more of the news producers by letting them know you are available via phone, Zoom®, or at your practice site in person to provide educated views on specific health-related topics.
Once a news producer becomes familiar with you and understands your areas of expertise, you may be called on again and again to provide a few seconds or a few minutes of content.
Suggestions:
1) Contact your local television stations by phone and request the names and contact information (phone numbers, email address) for the individuals who produce the various news programs (e.g., morning, afternoon, evening). There may be one news producer.
2) Send the producer at each station an email with your name and cell phone number. Provide your biographical sketch and express your desire to provide your views on specific health topics.
3) In a few days attempt to reach the producer by phone (may be difficult to reach) and restate your desire to provide your views on specific health topics.
4) When a topic of interest to you is “in the news” or about to break, immediately contact the producer via email and provide your views – your educated opinions. Include your biographical sketch with your email.
5) Ask if you can “drop by the station” and introduce yourself. When you visit the producer, leave your personal card and ask if he or she would like to be added to your email contact list to receive your timely health information.
Exercise 15: Contact two television stations in your community by phone. Introduce yourself to the telephone attendant and request the names and titles of the individuals who produce the morning, afternoon, and late evening news programs.
Ask the telephone attendant how you could reach the individual or individuals with a “news story.” (For purposes of completing this exercise, it will not be necessary for you to actually contact the television news producer.)
10 - Detail pharmacists and other healthcare professionals
When you have a narrowly-defined pharmacist brand that does not “threaten” the livelihood of other healthcare professionals (including pharmacists), it is appropriate to visit those individuals and tell them you are, what you do, how you help people, etc.
Scenario 1: With few exceptions, pharmacists in most national chains do not compound medications. Pharmacist Julie Harris’ brand involves women’s health issues and bioidentical hormone replacement. Anticipating a future referral, Julie details (visits) a chain pharmacist and discusses the products and services she provides.
Scenario 2: Pharmacist Jacob Harris’ pharmacist brand involves products used in respiratory therapy. He discovered that no pharmacy or supplier in his immediate geographic area offered handheld breathing exercisers (volumetric exercisers). Jacob visited several of the family physicians and internists in his area to let them know that he stocked these devices.
Exercise 16: You will detail a physician regarding a product or service related to your pharmacist brand. What three points will you make during your discussion?
Exercise 17: You will detail another pharmacist regarding a product or service related to your pharmacist brand. What three points will you make during your discussion?
11 - Participate in local health advocacy organizations
Exercise 18: Identify two consumer-oriented health advocacy organizations in your community (or the community in which you intend to practice) in which you should become involved based on your education, your specialty, and your interests.
12 - Participate in state and national professional organizations
Exercise 19: List three state and/or national professional organizations of pharmacists and/or health professionals in which you should become involved based on your education, your specialty, and your interests.
13 – Coordinate a support or special health interest group
You have or will have both interest and expertise in at least one specific area of health. Consumers may have interest in that same area of health, but they often will lack expertise. For many health issues support groups and/or special health interest groups already exist (e.g., diabetes, autism, alcoholism, drug abuse). There may be opportunity to establish and coordinate support/interest groups for other health issues in your community.
And there likely will always be opportunity to assemble groups that have interest in smoking cessation and/or weight management.
These groups can “meet” with as few as 3 or 4 individuals and as seldom as once each month at a facility, via a conference call, or via computer using an ultraconvenient and cost-free voice/video service such as Zoom®.
Exercise 20: Identify two support and/or special health interest groups that you might have interest in establishing and coordinating based on your education, specialty, and personal interests.
14 - Create your personal website
It is now easier than ever for any pharmacist who is computer literate to construct a personal website to promote his or her pharmacist brand.
Suggestions:
1) Attempt to obtain a domain name that is relatively short in length and contains words that relate specifically to your brand.
Remember that, unlike passwords, upper and lower case are irrelevant with domain names. That said, when you promote your website in printed materials, consider using upper and lower case letters (and possibly colored and bold font) to enhance the readability of your domain name (e.g., PharmacistBranding.com rather than pharmacistbranding.com).
2) Attempt to obtain a dot.com (.com) domain suffix rather than dot.org, dot.net, or any other. (There will be plenty of the latter available – but try not to use one of them.) Avoid hyphens and underlines in your domain name because of the potential for confusion. Avoid using a zero (0) where it might be confused with an O, or vice versa. And avoid including a string of numbers that have meaning to you but to no one else – e.g., CynthiaRx57385@gmail.com.
3) Keep it simple. Begin your website with a single page that tells a story about who you are, what you do, how you help people, and how you can be contacted. Why did you become a pharmacist? Why and how did you select your pharmacist brand? Do you have other interests – spouse, children, pets? How have you have helped people? (Don’t use their names.)
4) Include relevant photos of yourself and – with permission – anyone who is involved with you in your pharmacist brand. Most people prefer to view photos with brief written descriptions as opposed to reading sentences and paragraphs.
5) After you complete that single page and are happy with it, consider adding additional pages which might include submission forms, suggestions for dealing with specific health issues, and links to authoritative websites that relate to your pharmacist brand.
6) Should you make a presentation, attend a local or national meeting, or do anything else related to your pharmacist brand, get photos and highlight your participation in your website – preferably somewhere on the homepage.
7) If you get stuck, contact your local high school, and ask an office staff member if a teacher or staff member is involved in website design. Contact that individual and ask for the recommendation of an exemplary student who has website design experience and who might like to make a few dollars.
Exercise 21: Consider one or more potential domain names for your personal website. Google “weebly domain search” (this is NOT a weebly endorsement). Enter potential domain names. Keep trying names until you find one that is available with a dot.com (.com) suffix.
Exercise 22: You are likely to have viewed hundreds (thousands?) of websites. Therefore, you should have a good idea of how a homepage might be arranged. Make a list of items to place on your homepage, including headings, photos, and graphics.
15 - Your ideas for communicating your powerful pharmacist brand
The actions cited in this guide were selected because they are free of cost or relatively low in cost.
Chances are you are using or considering other options for communicating your brand – including social media. Good! This guide was intended to get you started on your personal branding journey.
Exercise 23: List and expound on two ways not cited in this guide in which you could communicate your pharmacist brand.