Yellow Pages Reports: Americans Kick Off Fall With a Trip to Local Pharmacy
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BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ, Oct 07 (MARKET WIRE) --
As Americans prepare for cold and flu season, many will first visit their
local pharmacies. According to the Yellow Pages Association (YPA),
"Pharmacies" ranks 17th out of more than 4,000 headings and generates 129
million references annually, with the highest frequency coming in October
and November.(1)
Cold and Flu season begins as early as October and can last through April.
Consumers tend to load up medicine cabinets with allergy, cold and flu
remedies beginning in October. Yellow Pages are one of the primary
resources for consumers. In fact 90 percent of Yellow Pages users who
refer to the Pharmacies heading followed up with a purchase with 19
percent of sales generated from new customers.(1)
In addition to October being the highest usage for the Pharmacy heading,
it is also American Pharmacist Month, according to the American
Pharmacists Association (APhA). The month-long observance is a time to
recognize pharmacists' significant contributions to health care and the
commitment to patient care in all practice settings from around the
country. "Know your medicine, know your pharmacist" is the theme and core
message of the month.
With the recent trend of ordering medications online, many consumers lose
the pharmacist to consumer relationship that is so valuable. Medicines
today have great power to heal and to improve the quality of life for
millions of Americans. But medicines also may do serious harm if not taken
correctly. This is where the role of the pharmacist is most important. The
APhA recommends consumers should choose a pharmacist as carefully as
choosing a physician and resources such as the Yellow Pages are a prime
place to start. It is best to use only one pharmacy so all medication
records are at one location. This allows for less risk of duplicating
medicine or having one prescription interact harmfully with another.
"Pharmacists who know their patients and have their medication profiles on
file will be aware of possible harmful drug interactions or allergies to
certain drugs," said APhA Executive Vice President and CEO Thomas
Menighan. "The pharmacist also will be able to discuss possible side
effects; what foods, drinks, or activities that should be avoided while
on a medication; what to do if you miss a dose; and a wide range of other
helpful information."
"Pharmacies know that Yellow Pages advertising will reach the local
consumer at the precise moment they are ready to make a purchase, thus
generating qualified leads," said Larry Small, Director of Research for
the YPA. These purchases, based on local Yellow Pages display ads, result
in more than 175 sales per year and over $38,000 in sales revenue for
pharmacies. In addition, the average return on investment received from
these local display ads at the pharmacies heading is $11 of sales revenue
for every $1 spent.(2)
For more information on Yellow Pages headings, visit
http://www.ypassociation.org/.
(1) Knowledge Networks/SRI, June 2009
(2) CRM Associates 2008
About The Yellow Pages Association
The Yellow Pages Association (YPA) is the largest trade organization of a
print and digital media industry valued at more than $31 billion worldwide
($14 billion in the U.S.). Association members include Yellow Pages
publishers, certified marketing representatives (CMRs), and associate
members (a group of industry stakeholders that include Yellow Pages
advertisers, vendors, and suppliers).
About the American Pharmacists Association (APhA)
The American Pharmacists Association, founded in 1852 as the American
Pharmaceutical Association, represents more than 62,000 practicing
pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists, pharmacy
technicians, and others interested in advancing the profession. APhA,
dedicated to helping all pharmacists improve medication use and advance
patient care, is the first-established and largest association of
pharmacists in the United States. APhA members provide care in all
practice settings, including community pharmacies, health systems,
long-term care facilities, managed care organizations, hospice settings,
and the uniformed services.
MEDIA CONTACT
Ali Karsch
Fleishman-Hillard Inc.
314-982-1742
alison.karsch@fleishman.com
Copyright 2009, Market Wire, All rights reserved.
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