By launching any Oral Health communications initiative in the pharmacy, while at the same time promoting good habits, we can generate multiple benefits, either directly on sales or by increasing loyalty among and attracting new customers. The key is in clearly establishing our objective, while at the same time keeping in mind a series of principles that we will explain below. 

Aim 

Although at first it may seem very simple, this is where a large part of the potential for success lies. We must set realistic and targeted goals: Are we searching to attract new customers? Incentivize already existing customers? Promote a particular product? Provide information about our business and strengthen our position in the sector? Mark differences from other pharmacies? Provide information to customers through health orientation and awareness campaigns? Once we are clear on where we are headed, the road will be less bumpy. 

Who are we addressing? 

Narrow your target audience as much as possible. Who do you want to reach? Who will be most interested in what you have to offer? Use criteria such as age, gender, socioeconomic level, demographic area, etc. There are many ideas to help guide you, the main one being to identify your target in order to establish two-way communication. The better you understand who your target audience is, the easier it will be for you to communicate with this audience and satisfy its needs. 

Define the message and adapt it to the media 

What do you want to communicate and how? The message should be very clear in terms of the product/service/information-related benefits we wish to offer, what backs them up and why. In most cases, less is more, and the simpler the better. Once we have attracted our customer, we can add to the information we want to provide. 

Once we define the message we want to convey, we must adapt it to the environment, to the type of proposal/promotion that we want to conduct (offers and discounts, gifts and free samples, loyalty cards, contests and drawings, etc.), and to the media we will utilise to transmit this message (written, televised on the pharmacy monitor, on some digital platform...). This will allow us to maximise the potential and the advantages of each, ultimately benefiting our campaign. So, we must take into account factors such as material sizes, colours, locations, formats, spaces... 

A matter of numbers 

It is almost mandatory to perform an economic forecast of our expenditure. Unexpected expenses or budget increases are never pleasant or sometimes even possible, so plan ahead to know exactly where every euro will be spent and what your total available budget amount is. Stick to it and remember that creativity and originality are almost always worth more than expensive items themselves. Seek support from those who can provide products, new launch samples and information on the prevention of the most common oral health diseases and disorders. 

Rely on new technologies 

The use of social networks has been unstoppably increasing in recent years. It is more than likely that your target audience is already on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Foursquare, LinkedIn… Use this to your advantage! Not only is it free, you can transmit your message to the masses, and when properly used, these platforms can be of great help for supporting and disseminating your campaign. 

Materials 

Depending on your budget, you can support your message using different materials. The possibilities are unlimited: posters, brochures, flyers, gadgets, product displays, illumination, television screens, information booths, etc. 

Final assessment and improvement 

After the campaign comes to a close, take critical stock of the outcome. What worked the best? And the worst? Why? Experience is a plus, and if you can learn from your mistakes and discover what best suits your pharmacy, your campaigns will help increase your overall success. 

Success story: "Cuida tu Sonrisa" (Take care of your smile) 

Last October, over 4,000 people were addressed in a campaign on good oral health advice which was conducted in eleven pharmacies in Gran Canaria (Canary Islands). The campaign was called "Cuida tu Sonrisa" and was an initiative launched by the Escuela de Prótesis e Higiene Dental de Canarias (The School of Prosthetics and Dental Hygiene of the Canary Islands). The aim of the campaign was to raise awareness of the importance of improving dental hygiene, as a measure against potential future disease. 

DENTAID contributed to the success of this campaign by providing the initiative with training, materials and technical support.