How to Build a Pharmacy Marketing Calendar

Pharmacy marketing doesn’t just happen by accident. You need to create a plan for the new year.

What’s the secret sauce to growing your pharmacy in 2025? A killer marketing calendar that keeps you organized, focused, and ready to rock every month. Think of your marketing calendar as your roadmap to growth—a way to plan ahead, stay consistent, and make the most out of every opportunity.

If the idea of building a marketing calendar sounds overwhelming, don’t worry. I’m here to walk you through the process step-by-step so you can create a plan that’s simple, effective, and tailored to your pharmacy.

Step 1: Start with Your Goals

Before you start filling in dates and ideas, you need to know where you’re headed. Your marketing calendar should align with your pharmacy’s big-picture goals. You have to know your destination if you are going to create a map to get there.

What to Do:

1. Set SMART Goals: Your goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example:
   • Increase supplement sales by 20% in Q1.
   • Gain 50 new flu vaccine patients in January.
   • Add 200 followers to your pharmacy’s Instagram by June.
2. Identify Key Areas of Focus: Think about the services or products you want to promote, such as weight loss programs, immunizations, or non-PBM revenue streams. These will guide your monthly themes for pharmacy marketing.
3. Establish Your Marketing Budget: How much can you realistically spend on marketing? Your budget will impact the types of campaigns you run, from paid social media ads to in-store promotions. It’s ok for this to be ZERO! There are lots of free ways to promote your pharmacy.

Step 2: Outline Monthly Pharmacy Marketing Themes

Now that you’ve set your goals, it’s time to break the year into manageable chunks. Assign a theme to each month based on seasonal trends, health observances, and your pharmacy’s priorities.

Sample Monthly Themes:

• January: New Year, New You – Focus on weight loss and wellness.
• February: Heart Health Month – Promote cardiovascular-friendly supplements and services. Think AMS Nitric Oxide, stress-reducing, or sleep-supporting.
• March: Spring Allergy Relief – Highlight OTC allergy products and allergy testing kits & treatment through Wyndly.
• April: Stress Awareness Month – Offer stress support products like magnesium and adaptogens.
• May: Immunization Awareness – Boost summer travel vaccine promotions.
• June: Summer Sun Care – Focus on skincare, sunscreen, and hydration products.

You get the idea—each month should have a focus that resonates with your patients and ties into your pharmacy’s goals.

Step 3: Choose Your Pharmacy Marketing Channels

Your patients are everywhere—in your store, on their phones, and scrolling through social media. To reach them effectively, you need to use a mix of marketing channels.

What to Do:

1. Leverage Social Media: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are perfect for sharing health tips, product promotions, and patient success stories. Create a posting schedule that aligns with your monthly themes. If you are limited on time, you can create one post for all channels. There is no need to get fancy.
2. Send Targeted Emails: Email marketing is a cost-effective way to stay in touch with patients. Use your themes to guide your email topics, like reminders to book vaccine appointments or tips for managing allergies.
3. Maximize In-Store Signage: Don’t underestimate the power of eye-catching signage. Posters, flyers, and counter displays can help you promote products and services directly to patients visiting your pharmacy. The almighty bag stuffer is an efficient workhorse, too.
4. Run Paid Ads: If your budget allows, invest in Google Ads or boosted social media posts to target local customers.

Step 4: Plan Weekly Pharmacy Marketing Content

With your monthly themes and channels in place, it’s time to map out the specifics. Planning your content week-by-week ensures that your marketing efforts stay consistent and on message.

What to Do:

1. Map Out Social Posts
   • Week 1: Introduce the month’s theme (e.g., “Kick off the New Year with our weight loss program!”).
   • Week 2: Highlight a related product or service (e.g., supplements or weight loss consultations).
   • Week 3: Share a patient success story or health tip.
   • Week 4: Promote a special offer or event.
   • It doesn’t have to be complicated. You talk to patients every day, and that’s all social media posting is.
2. Schedule Email Blasts: Send 1-2 emails per month tied to your theme. For example, in February, you might send one email about heart health tips and another about your top-selling supplements for cardiovascular support.
3. Plan Events or Promotions: Incorporate in-store events, like health screenings or customer appreciation days, and promote them through your channels.

Step 5: Measure Your Pharmacy Marketing Results

The best marketing calendar is one that evolves over time. By tracking your results, you can see what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve.

What to Do:

1. Track Key Metrics: Monitor the performance of your campaigns, such as:
   • Social media engagement (likes, shares, comments).
   • Email open and click-through rates.
   • Sales increases for promoted products or services.
   • FYI – For Unlimited Members, we will create a custom social media report for you!
2. Get Feedback: Ask your team and patients what they think of your promotions. Their feedback can provide valuable insights for future campaigns.
3. Adjust Your Plan: If something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to pivot. Marketing is all about testing and refining. You only fail when you quit.

Step 6: Keep It Simple and Consistent

A marketing calendar doesn’t have to be complicated. The key is consistency. By sticking to your plan and showing up regularly for your patients, you’ll build trust, loyalty, and long-term growth.

Pro Tip: Use Tools to Stay Organized

• Google Calendar or Excel: Simple tools to plan and track your campaigns.
• Social Media Scheduling Apps: Tools like Publer or Hootsuite can save you time by automating your posts.
• Email Marketing Platforms: Pharmacy Badass University Members can access our own Pharmacy Growth Hub, or you can use software like Mailchimp or Constant Contact for easy email campaigns.

Your Pharmacy Marketing Calendar Checklist

• Set SMART goals for 2025.
• Assign monthly themes based on trends and priorities.
• Choose marketing channels (social media, email, in-store, etc.).
• Plan weekly content for each theme.
• Track your results and adjust as needed.

Pharmacy marketing isn’t about doing everything at once—it’s about doing the right things consistently. By building and sticking to a marketing calendar, you’ll save time, reduce stress, and keep your pharmacy growing month after month.

Ready to make 2025 your best year yet? Grab your favorite planner (or a big cup of coffee) and start mapping out your marketing calendar today.

You’ve got this!

If you are looking for done-for-you pharmacy marketing and growth strategies, we are launching Pharmacy Growth Hub for our Pharmacy Badass University Members. Check out our membership today.