Pharmacy Marketing Quarterly Spring 2015

IACPRx.org/Publications | Spring 2015

The Events Issue

PLANNING A SUCCESSFUL EVENT MAKING THE MOST OF EXHIBITING AT A TRADE SHOW TOP TRAVEL TIPS FROM A ROAD WARRIOR

FLIP OVER TO READ

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Contents 4

A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

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GOOGLE LAUNCHES SMALL-BUSINESS INITIATIVE

8

PLANNING A SUCCESSFUL EVENT

by Scot Maitland

by Macy Pruitt

Macy Pruitt Teresa Roberts

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5 IDEAS TO PROMOTE YOUR IN-STORE EVENT

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GETTING AN EXTRA DOLLAR OUT OF EVERY CUSTOMER!

by Carl Britton Jr.

COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE Richard B. Moon, Pharm.D., R.Ph., FIACP, Chair

by Scot Maitland

Lisa Ashworth, BS, Pharm.D., R.Ph. Kim Hansen, R.Ph. Robert Harshbarger, III, Pharm.D.

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by Jennifer Petska, CPhT

James Matthias, CPhT Linda McElhiney, Pharm.D., R.Ph., FIACP, FASHP

MAKING THE MOST OF EXHIBITING AT A TRADE SHOW

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DOUBLE TROUBLE

19

TWITTERVIEW WITH ADAM SILVERTOWN, RPH

by Scot Maitland

Lauren Onsa, BA Andy Ruiz, Pharm.D., MSc, FACA Scott Wepfer, R.Ph., FIACP PHOTOGRAPHY Carol Freedman Scot Maitland DESIGN Dianne Stone

20

MEET ME IN DENVER

23

HILL DAY: THE WHAT NOT TO WEAR EDITION

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TOP TRAVEL TIPS FROM A ROAD WARRIOR

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MARKET WITH THESE UPCOMING OBSERVANCES

by Scot Maitland

by Lauren Onsa

by David Miller, RPh

IACPRx.org Pharmacy Marketing Quarterly is published four times per year as Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Online subscriptions and print editions are available for purchase at IACPRx. org/Publications/magazine Pharmacy Marketing Quarterly makes all attempts to publish accurate information; however, this publication may contain technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. The reader assumes all risk concerning the suitability and accuracy of the information within this publication. Pharmacy Marketing Quarterly assumes no responsibility for and disclaims all liability for any such inaccuracies, errors or omissions in this publication and in other documents referred to within or affiliated with this publication.

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A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER Welcome to your Events Issue! You may be wondering about the pictures that are accompanying this letter. Earlier this year I attended the APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition in San Diego with my co-workers David Miller, Macy Pruitt and Jennifer Petska. During the Opening Session, APhA President Matthew C. Osterhaus, BSPharm, FASCP, FAPhA pulled out a selfie stick to take a group shot. For those of you who know me, I don’t like to miss a good photo opportunity, so I snapped a picture and ended up photo bombing President Osterhaus’ photo.

Here I am!

And that got me thinking about this issue, the Events Issue. The key to a successful event is being right smack dab in the middle of it. And that’s from all angles, planning one or attending one.

In these pages, you’ll get the scoop on Planning a Successful Event, page 8, and then turn the page for 5 Ideas to Promote Your In-Store Event on page 10. For those of you who exhibit at trade shows, you’ll want to read and re-read Making the Most of Exhibiting at a Trade Show on page 13. Heck, you might want to laminate it and keep it with your exhibit supplies! And rounding out this issue is a great article on Compounders on Capitol Hill titled Hill Day: The What Not to Wear Edition on page 23. It is easier to be smack dab in the middle when you’re dressed professional and comfortably. Who knows you may find yourself in a photo opportunity with Anderson Cooper!

I also want to invite you to our newest IACP Publication, the IACPodcast! We launched in April, and it’s a weekly show with topics that are important to your business. There are two ways to access the IACPodcast. You can visit iTunes at Tiny.cc/IACPodcast and download them to your smart device or computer or can visit our new page IACPRx.org/Publications to stream them from the web.

And lastly, we’ve created a new voicemail for all of our publications, 713-730-9043. You can call us and leave a message about what you thought of the issue, give us some suggestions for future topics or ask us a question. It’s just one of the ways we’re working to improve the experience you have with IACP. Now dive into the magazine and put yourself smack dab in the middle!

Here’s to the health of your pharmacy!

Scot Maitland Director of Communications & Publications

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Spring 2015 | IACPRx.org/Publications

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GOOGLE LAUNCHES SMALLBUSINESS INITIATIVE

by Scot Maitland

Once upon a time, twenty years ago, people used the phone book to find your pharmacy. The web has been around since 1989 and until the advent of Google and Facebook, you didn’t have to worry very much about how your business showed up in search engines or social media. Given the rise of people who own smart devices, if a customer searches for a pharmacy and doesn’t see you, you may never be discovered.

That’s the bad news, the good news is, Google just launched a new program to help your pharmacy get found! It’s called “Let’s Put Our Cities on the Map.” By generating a customized web sites for virtually every town and city in the U.S., Google is giving local businesses the access to improve the information that shows up on Google search, Google maps, and Google+.

“Small businesses have said that getting online is hard,” said Soo Young Kim, head of marketing for Google’s Get Your Business Online program. “We’re using sophisticated technology on the back end to make it simple for small businesses to get online and create their listing. Google has created over 30,000 websites to provide every business in every city a fast, free and easy opportunity to get them found.”

A blog post by Google offered “We’re also forming partnerships with local organizations – like chambers and small business development centers – and equipping them with free trainings and customized city materials to run workshops . . . These local partners know the challenges for local businesses more than anyone – and they recognize the value of getting businesses online.”

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By visiting GYBO.com, your pharmacy can access the Let’s Put Our Cities on the Map website and: • Learn how to put more information about your business into Google • Get your pharmacy verified for Google searches • Add information including your location and hours of operation • Add photos to enhance your listing • Get a diagnostic tool to see how you can improve you listing and visibility • Learn about local training workshops and other resources • If you’re not online, you can get a one-year free website and domain name from Google partner StartLogic To learn more about Google’s program, visit the website at www.gybo.com, enter your local ZIP code, and get involved. Then let us know how it worked for you on our Facebook page: FB.com/IACPRxPubs

Scot Maitland is Director of Communications and Publications and the publisher of IACP’s Compounding Matters Quarterly and Pharmacy Marketing Quarterly and host of our new IACPodcast. He coordinates with other IACP Communications staff to promote the visibility of IACP and the IACP Foundation.

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PLANNING A SUCCESSFUL EVENT

by Macy Pruitt

Between The Educational Conference, Compounders on Capitol Hill and our Regional Education Meetings I spend quite a bit of time planning successful events. So what does it take to host a successful event? With so many moving parts involved, it requires a lot of planning, but the more pre-planning you put into it, the more likely you will have a smooth, successful event. So let’s start at the beginning with a list.

PLANNING THE EVENT 1. Set Some Goals:

• Why are you doing this event? To increase awareness of a health issue? To sell product? To bring people into your pharmacy?

• What are the metrics you’ll use to measure the success of this event? The number of attendees, number of appointments booked? The dollar amount of products sold?

4. Create Your Budget: If you are doing an event in your pharmacy, it may seem like there’s not very much cost to hosting an event. Every small aspect of the event adds up pretty quickly. Check out our Event Budget Template on page 9 for help.)

5. Decide on your Event Speaker(s):

• Will you be speaking, or will you be working with an outside speaker?

• Will you be utilizing a one speaker format or panel discussion?

• Will it consist of a formal presentation or is it more of a conversation between speaker and audience?

6. If you’re not hosting the event at your pharmacy, choose and finalize your event location.

7. Determine your Event Allies:

2. Determine the Topic of the Event:

• What is your focus?

• Who is your audience? Put yourself in their shoes, why would they attend? What are they expecting to get out of the experience?

3. Choose Your Event Date: This will allow you to work backward to make sure you’ve included all the things you need to do.

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• Keep your target audience’s typical schedules in mind. If they work 8-5, you’ll want to consider holding an event after work or on the weekend.

• Sundays and major holidays should be avoided, as both are typically filled with pre-planned activities.

Spring 2015 | IACPRx.org/Publications

• Is there someone you can reach out to help you promote your event? A gym? A local health food store? A prescriber? Look for businesses/people that have a similar but not identical reach.

8. Promote, Promote, Promote! Get people talking about your event.

• Use social media. Create a hashtag for the event.

You may think it’s not necessary because your event is small, but you’d be surprised to see how far a hashtag can travel. It’s free and takes only a minute or two to create. Just keep in mind that you want your hashtag to be R.U.S.S. Relevant, Unique, Short & Sweet!

• Create bag stuffers to promote your event.

• Consider hosting your event on a platform like Eventbrite.

• Send invitations to your email subscriber list. Make sure you’ve got a clear subject line, so they open your email. Keep the call-to-action at the beginning of the email. If they have to scroll, you’ll lose their attention. And don’t spam people!

• Send a press release to your local newspaper.

Send two weeks before the event if it’s an open invitation event. Or directly after the event to promote general awareness. Local press can be golden. And, it’s free!

9. Decide on Food and Beverage.

10. Staff your Sign in Table.

TRACKING LINKS Do you use tracking links? If you’re not, you’re missing out on valuable data. They are the easiest way to see which of your marketing efforts are working out. And they’re simple to create. Use a site like tiny.cc and enter the address of your event website. Then add your custom URL. This is where you’ll want to get creative and remember R.U.S.S. Relevant, Unique, Short & Sweet. Create a unique link for each of the different ways you plan on marketing your event. Copy these links and share them.

• Will you have a print out of those who RSVP’d?

They might include:

• Will you need name badges and markers?

• Are you doing a drawing or giveaway?

• What promotional items will you have on the tables for attendees to grab? (Pens, Flyers, etc.)

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Bag Stuffers Print Advertising E-Newsletter Event Allies

DAY OF THE EVENT 1. Send a reminder email to all of your guests and if there’s still room, include a call to action to invite a friend or colleague to join them.

2. Get there at least an hour and a half early for small events. Do a walk through and review that you have everything that you need.

• People will arrive early. Make sure everything is completely set-up no later than one hour before the event.

• If everything was planned successfully, you will have downtime before the event, enjoy it! Once the event begins, you’ll be surrounded by attendees, most of whom will have questions about the venue, food, program, etc.

3. Post updates of your event using social media, but keep HIPAA in mind. When in doubt, don’t photograph the participants, just the speakers.

And don’t forget to use the hashtag you created!

Consider downloading an app like Typic that allows you edit your pictures on the fly and immediately upload to Twitter & Instagram.

4. Consider videotaping your speakers to share on your website or blog. A smartphone and a tripod can do the trick well enough. Looking for something a little more professional? Consider purchasing a batteryless lavalier microphone to get better audio quality.

POST-EVENT 1. Thank your speakers! You never know when you’re going to need them again.

2. Send out a follow-up email to your guests. For those that attended, consider sending them a survey using SurveyMonkey.com or Wufoo.com. For guests who weren’t able to attend, let them know that they were missed and invite them to watch the presentation that you recorded.

Then log back into tiny.cc and see how your different links are working.

Event Budget: Venue Room/hall rental Furniture rentals Equipment rentals (speakers, microphones, etc.)

Decorations Signage Refreshments Food Drinks Other Promotion Paid advertising Special offers/giveaways Promotional Items/Swag Miscellaneous Name tags/badges Printed programs Other

3. Write about your event in your pharmacy’s blog or share it in your next newsletter. Post pictures or video to Facebook. Just remember HIPAA! 4. Go back to the goals you created and measure the success you had. Make course corrections for your next event.

Macy is the Events & Education Coordinator

at IACP, where she oversees IACP’s CE-related events and activities.

IACPRx.org/Publications | Spring 2015

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5 IDEAS TO PROMOTE YOUR IN-STORE EVENT

by Carl Britton Jr.

Congratulations, you’ve decided to do an in-store event! Pharmacies have been doing different types of events to showcase their products and services for years. In-store events can be amazing or they can be torture. If you have never experienced an unsuccessful event please allow me to paint you a picture. Imagine it’s your turn to host Thanksgiving for your entire family.

You’ve spent hours shopping at the grocery store, hours cooking the perfect meal, hours cleaning, and you have your home decorated with an autumn touch that would make Martha Stewart jealous. Thanksgiving dinner is planned for 6 PM. It’s 5:45 PM and no one has shown up. The panic voice in your mind starts beating you up with questions like, “did I tell everyone 6pm, is it really my year to host, do they hate my cooking, is today the right day, do I have my ringer on?” The clock strikes 6pm and still no one has arrived. The panic voice in your mind is now screaming at you and there are only two things that could help, everyone showing up or you getting started on that dinner wine. Translate that scenario to an in-store event and you are now the proud owner of a Grade A flop.

Communication has changed so much in the last 10 years that you can no longer just tell chatty Cathy at church on Sunday about your event and expect a full house. Now we have to reach out to our patients and the community in multiple ways to get results. Continue doing the “normal” things like create flyers and having your frontline employees tell everyone. However, if you

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want to fill your store like an Elvis concert in the 50’s you have to take a few more steps. Here are 5 ideas to help you promote your in-store event: 1. Create an Event on Facebook: Facebook has a feature that allows you to create an event and invite people. Invite everyone that you know and ask your staff to do the same. Encourage the people you invite to invite their friends. Make sure that you give a great description of your event and reasons why it would be silly to miss this wonderful opportunity.

Please Note: If you have multiple events each week, do not continually blast your friends with invites.

They will get annoyed and unfriend you. Even your own family members will unfriend you! If you need more help visit facebook.com/help.

2. Email Invites and Reminders: Did I just hear you correctly? Did you just say that you do not collect emails from your patients? If you are not currently collecting emails from your patients please start today. If you do not know how there are plenty of resources to help you get started. If you do have an email list, send out an invite and a few reminder emails. Do not get too aggressive with the number of emails and do not waste your time writing a novel. Make your email fun, engaging, and informational. Here are a few resources that may help you get started: MailChimp.com, iContact.com, or ConstantContact.com.

3. Giveaways: Have something cool to giveaway.

Honestly, it’s not all about the “what” you are giving away but more about “how” you get people to enter to win. Make a post on Facebook about your event and your really awesome giveaway. Then tell them that to enter to win they must share that post or tag a friend in the comments section. This will give you great exposure on Facebook. Don’t forget, the winner must be present at the event!

4. Facebook Ads: This is an inexpensive way to target a specific area, demographic, or behavior. Facebook ads got a bad name a few years ago but they have revamped their system and it works. During the revamp they also made the ad system user-friendly.

Facebook ads are significantly more cost effective than most online ad providers. The magic is in the targeting capabilities. If you are having a weight loss education seminar for men, you can easily set up an ad on Facebook to target males from the age of 20 55 within 10 miles who wants to lose weight. Your ad will only show to those who fit that criteria. Again, if you need more help you can visit facebook.com/help.

your event (i.e. you can enter your name into the drawing an additional time for each friend you bring).

Use EventBrite.com, punchbowl.com, or evite.com to create an e-invitation. Create a ticket and have limited seats available for exclusivity.

Use these tools and ideas on your next function and hopefully you’ll sell out faster than a Justin Timberlake concert! If you are having trouble coming up with an idea for an event here are a few ideas: After Hours Flu Clinic, Diabetes Education, Weight Loss Education, Patient Appreciation, Vaccination Education, Skin Care Consultations, Comprehensive Medication Review, and Blood Pressure Education. There are obviously many other types of in-store events. Having an event can be amazing or it can be torture. Above all, your event will always be helpful for your patients and make your pharmacy more valuable to the community. Good luck!

Carl Britton Jr., is the President of In Their Face Marketing a boutique marketing agency that works specifically with independent pharmacy. He is also the author of Facebook for Independent Pharmacy available on amazon.com.

5. Other Ideas/Tools: Create a #hashtag on Twitter and Facebook. If you are not sure what this means just give it a Google. Have attendees check-in on Facebook. Have an incentivized refer-a-friend for

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IACPRx.org/Publications | Spring 2015

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GETTING AN EXTRA DOLLAR OUT OF EVERY CUSTOMER!

by Scot Maitland

Have you ever walked in a store and wondered why things are where they are? Maybe it’s even your pharmacy! Merchandising is the key to increasing your customer’s basket size. And we can agree that it’s more profitable to enhance the experience of our current customers than try and reach out for new ones. Here are some handy tips for making the most your store, and its merchandise to increase your dollars.

Start with looking at your pharmacy through your customer’s eyes. Often we get so focused on individual departments that we miss the big picture. Your pharmacy needs to be inviting. Displays should be full (meaning at least three of each item on the shelf), clean, and signage should be clear. Next, start off with listing each department in your pharmacy and what the key marketing opportunities are in each department.

Next you’ll want to look at focusing on tie-ins between purchases. For example, during cold and flu season, it’s recommended to purchase a new toothbrush once you’re feeling better. The solution, consider creating a space for toothbrushes and signage next to tissues and cough and cold items. Your goal here is to increase impulse sales.

Cross merchandising needs to make sense though. Need some inspiration? Take a page from amazon.com. I did a search on Kleenex Ultra Soft Tissues and towards the bottom of the page it showed me the “Frequently Bought Together” items which included Quilted Northern Ultra Plush Bath Tissue and Sparkle Paper Towels. Consider doing an end cap with these items bundled together as a marketing promotion. Don’t sell household items like this? No worries, I also did a search on Metagenics - Ultra Flora Plus DF-60 Capsules and Amazon suggested I also pick up a bottle of NOW Foods L- Carnitine Tartrate 1000mg. This is the perfect time to get creative!

Next up, consider looking at health observances (see page 26) and create theme events in your pharmacy.

Invite customers and look at lining up speakers.

Need some ideas? What about a vitamin swap? Have customers bring in their big box vitamins for the quality line you sell. Consider having demos and don’t be afraid to let customers try new items. Sampling sells! And doing during in-store events will allow you to track the success of your sampling. In fact, sampling can be more beneficial than discounting products. Reach out to your

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vendors and partner with them to get more exposure for the products you’re selling in your pharmacy.

Finally, take a look at your signage within the pharmacy.

By getting creative with your signage, you can share information about upcoming events, as well as new items and their value, which can make a huge difference in your sales. Signage doesn’t just belong on top of counters either. Utilize your restrooms and hallways.

Consider purchasing an A-Frame outside of your store to take advantage of foot traffic. Consider the esthetic of your signage. Just because you can use a computer to design your marketing materials doesn’t mean you should. You wouldn’t have a graphic designer dispensing medications would you? Of course not, you’d use a professional trained in that arena. If budget is an issue, look for inspiration in other businesses or use a service like canva.com, choose a template and stick with it.

We want to hear about your successes with merchandising. Send us an email at scot@IACPRx.org or post your suggestions on FB.com/IACPRxPubs.

Sampling to Get the Most Return on Your Investment.

1. Samples should complement clients’ needs. Giving a 20-year-old customer, a sample of Geritol is not going to generate a sale.

2. Samples should contain enough product to be useful. If samples are small, offer two or three.

3. Make sure the client receiving the sample knows how to use it properly.

4. Inform clients about the benefits of using the product.

5. Include instructions on how to purchase it from your pharmacy.

Scot Maitland is Director of Communications and Publications and the publisher of IACP’s Compounding Matters Quarterly and Pharmacy Marketing Quarterly and host of our new IACPodcast. He coordinates with other IACP Communications staff to promote the visibility of IACP and the IACP Foundation.

MAKING THE MOST OF EXHIBITING AT A TRADE SHOW

by Jennifer Petska, CPhT

EXHIBITORS Tradeshows, love them or loathe them, are an excellent way to connect with your target market if you do some planning and execute that plan. We have all been to a tradeshow and watched some exhibitors do things really right and some do things really wrong. There are exhibitors who hide behind their table, some who won’t make eye contact or talk to anyone walking by, others don’t even try to engage with the attendees and worse, some never show up at all leaving their booth a blank space. On the other side of the coin, some booths seem to be the “hot spot” in a sea of booths. They are always busy and engaged, getting a lot of leads. The real question is how many of those leads are qualified and what are they going to do with them?

PRE-SHOW MARKETING Once you decide to go to a show and have booked it, you need to do some pre-show planning and that includes marketing. The main purpose of a pre-show marketing plan is to get as much of your target audience to your both as possible. According to The Trade Group, 70% of attendees go to a tradeshow with an agenda, meaning they know what they are looking for and who they want to see. With some planning ahead you can maximize those experiences and drive people to your booth. Begin with defining your goals. Is it a certain number of new leads? Perhaps you’re looking to secure a percentage of new customers. Or maybe it’s a particular number of appointments to follow up with at the end of the tradeshow. Whatever your goal is, you need to have it in place so you can measure it in the end. Just like our attendees are prepared for the show, you need to be too. You need to know who you want to talk to and what you want to promote. In fact, we recommend that you reach out to your sales team to get their feedback and to have them engage with customers before they leave for the show. You are planting seeds and trying to set up appointments.

Let’s use Compounders on Capital Hill (CCH) as an example. If they aren’t registered to attend the show invite them. Ask them to join their colleagues at CCH and set up appointments with them on-site. Use that opportunity to let customers know about any show specials or giveaways you’re doing. Give them a reason to come to the exhibit hall and see you. Take advantage of the IACP CCH Graphic toolkit and include the “I’m Attending” E-Mail Signature. We’re all for print, this is a magazine after all, but make sure you’re digital too!

Create a micro-site or landing page on your existing site to collect emails, find out who’s attending, and share your show specials. Don’t forget use social channels like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to engage your customers ahead of time.

AT-SHOW MARKETING All right, you’ve made it. You are at the tradeshow, but what’s next? The first thing you have to do is make sure you are attracting the right traffic to your exhibit.

A busy booth is only effective if the right people are in it! So if you sell to consumers where everyone in the exhibit hall is a potential client, then everything I list today can be effective for you. But if you’re like most of us, where the target market is much more narrow, you’re going to have to prepare differently. Start by creating booth graphics that clearly state who you are and what you do. This helps weed out people who are not part of your target market, because if they’re not part of your target market, you don’t want them to take up your time.

Make sure you’re collecting leads at the trade show.

It’s important, and we’ll mention more about this when we talk about measurement. Most show management companies can provide you the technology to capture this information. It doesn’t have to be complicated; a simple business card exchange works just as well. Either way, be sure to include some blank note cards so you can capture the contacts of people who either ran out of

IACPRx.org/Publications | Spring 2015

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MAKING THE MOST OF ATTENDING A TRADESHOW! Face to face time is invaluable, so come prepared.

Start by making a list of the companies with whom you want to visit. You might want to order those visits in terms of the layout of the tradeshow or perhaps in order of importance. Next you’ll want to formulate questions that you need answered. Is it pricing? Shipping? Customer service inquiries? Then take a look at the times that the exhibit hall is open and create your schedule so you can fit in everyone.

Be sure to have some flexible free time for vendors you weren’t expecting to meet with or for meetings that last longer than anticipated. Last, but not least, don’t forget your business cards.

The following are list of potential questions to ask: 1. Are you a sponsor of IACP? ACA? Or any other pharmacy association?

2. Tell me about your quality program.

3. What type of testing do you do on your chemicals/products?

4. Tell me about your shipping policy.

5. Tell me about any specials you have.

6. Do you work with any buying groups?

7. Can I order online?

8. Do I have a dedicated sales representative?

9. D o you have training (classes or product specific)?

10. Do you have technical support (product specific/formulas)?

11. Can I order directly through you?

If not, who do you distribute through?

12. Does your product integrate with my current computer program or other products? (ex. Does this balance work with your software?)

13. What type of return policy do you have?

14. What type of warranty/guarantee do you have?

15. Are you a membership-based organization?

16. How long have you been in business with compounding pharmacies?

17. Do you have an NDC & AWP on your chemicals?

18. Do you have a catalog?

19. Do you offer financing? Or payment plans?

20. Do you offer a discount for paying my bills at the time of service or within net 10 or net 15?

21. What’s the best way to interact with you? |(Phone, email, Facebook, Twitter) 22. Do you have social media channels?

(Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.)

23. What makes you stand out from your competition?

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business cards or didn’t bring them. You can also take notes about the contact and what their specific needs are.

Try giveaways. They are a great tool for capturing leads.

Make sure they’re useful and memorable. Customize with your logo, web URL, and/or toll free number depending on print space. Have the attendee do something for you before they get the giveaway. For examples, scan their badge to get their information, have them fill out a short survey, or have them listen to your presentation. Don’t just hand them out or worse, leave them out in a big pile on one of your tables. By doing that, you have lost the opportunity to interact with the attendees.

Consider doing live presentations. If you have the right person, the right space and the right product to promote, they can really have a lot of impact. Rather than try and speak to each and every person at length, make the connection and invite him or her back to your booth on the quarter hour to hear a presentation on what your company is about. As with all your marketing, you want to have a call to action.

Use social media to your advantage at the show. It’s free and extremely useful. Here’s why, you want to create buzz and engage your audience. Snap pictures to share on Facebook and publish them to Instagram. Tweet a picture or a short video. Make sure you use the show’s hashtag, ex. #CCH2015. Using the show’s hashtag will extend your reach because the conference will then share your posts, comment on them, and like them.

Their followers will then see your posts as well thus expanding your reach.

Consider doing a live video stream. The metrics on social media change and video is definitely gaining in popularity. How great would it be to not only reach your target audience at the show, but with potential customers who were unable to be there? Make sure you tie it in with your pre-marketing messaging. Let people know where they can find you. Make sure you post the links to your live video, blog and social media pages.

Reach out to bloggers and the press. Ask them to come to your booth and take the time to walk them through your exhibit. Share what advantages your products and services might have. If you have a press release, let them know.

POST-SHOW MARKETING Now that you’re home, it’s no time to rest. This is the most important time. It’s time for post-show follow-up: calling, appointment setting, literature fulfillment and continued social engagement. Generating leads at the show is fantastic, but they have to be taken care of once the show is over. It’s estimated that up to 70% of tradeshow leads go uncalled! Why would you waste the time, effort and money you spent on the qualified leads you got? This is gold to a salesperson. It begins on the tradeshow floor with ranking, filtering and qualifying your prospects. Once you’ve done this, assign your leads immediately to your sales team. You’ll want them to report back you on the progress they’re making and the final outcome. This will help provide you data on the show and how to be more effective at future shows. We’ve heard of success stories where up to 54%

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of qualified leads have been converted with a single phone call! But that’s not always the case. Sometimes it’ll take three, four even six calls before the sale. The key takeaway is that you need to call!

Prepare a workable timeline for your sales reps to follow. Be sure and hold them accountable. Calls should be begin within 48 hours once the event is over or the first business day after that time frame if it falls on a weekend. Have your staff attempt to make contact at least five times before giving up on the lead.

E D U C A T I N G

A D V O C A T I N G

N E T W O R K I N G

J U N E 6 - 9 , 2 0 15 ~ WAS H I N GT O N , D C

In addition to making calls, be sure and have someone to handle literature fulfillment. You want the mail going out to your prospects as close to that 48 hours mark afterwards, so that they have the information they need to make a decision/purchase. If it’s a VIP, consider a hand written note in addition to a phone call. Remember, email is always free and essentially so are phone calls at this point.

MEASUREMENT Someone once told me, “What gets measured, gets done.” Measurement can seem daunting, but it only is if you don’t know what you’re measuring. The best way to look at your ROI is to start off with what your objectives were in the first place. Every one will have different ways of measuring, but here are a few to consider: • What were you selling?

• Who was your target customer?

R E N A I SSA N C E WAS H I N GT O N , D C To register for CCH, visit

iacprx.org/cch

©2014 International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists (IACP). All rights reserved.

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• How did your target customer learn about your product or service?

• Did you encourage referrals? If so, how?

• What is the measurement of success? Was it the number of people who came to your booth? Was it the number of sales at the booth? Was it the number of qualified leads you got? Or was it the number of sales you closed after the show?

• What criteria did you use for sorting your leads?

Once you’ve looked at your criteria and sorted through your data, you will have a good idea of what worked, what didn’t work, and if the show itself was a success.

Don’t forget to debrief with the tradeshow staff shortly after the show closes. They will have valuable input to make the experience better.

Tradeshows can be a blessing or curse, depending on your outlook and experience. Even if you can’t do everything we mentioned, at least do some planning – have at least one goal in mind, execute your plan, and follow up in a timely manner. It’s okay to start small; the important part is to just start somewhere. Your plan can change and grow; that’s normal. Before you know it, you will be a seasoned professional at tradeshows.

Pharmacists.

Having issues fitting all of the marketing pieces into your daily routine?

Have the pharmacy marketing experts do it for you!

Visit GRXMarketing.com or contact them at 515.280.2913.

Jennifer Petska, CPhT is the IACP Director of Development & Membership IACP Foundation Administration & Development. Jennifer is responsible for IACP membership and she coordinates with other staff to promote the visibility of IACP and the IACP Foundation.

IACPRx.org/Publications | Spring 2015

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DOUBLE TROUBLE

by Scot Maitland photos by Scot Maitland and Carol Freedman

Scot Maitland: So Ashlyn and Macy, tell our readers a little bit about yourselves. How did you learn about IACP in the first place?

Ashlyn Grant: In December 2013, I was getting ready to graduate and on a Sunday I found the job posting for Events and Education Assistant. My freshman year, at UTSA, I worked for the President’s office on his events team. So I applied that Sunday, IACP called me the following Tuesday and by that Friday I began working at IACP. It was exciting to start this job two weeks before graduating from the University of Houston.

Macy Pruitt: Well I have always wanted to do events.

I think I was in high school when I decided I was super organized and maybe a little OCD about things. I graduated from Texas Tech University, and I earned an Adverting Major and dabbled in marketing and PR. Each year I had a different event planning internship.

SM: Ashlyn you’ve had three events under your belt now, two Educational Conferences and one Compounders on Capitol Hill, how has your position grown over the last 16 months?

AG: When I first joined, I was more of an assistant. |Now I’m more hands-on.

MP: We’re both a lot more in charge than we were originally. It’s been great to work together to make sure that everything is taken care of.

SM: That’s great that you’ve been able to grow into your positions at IACP. MP: Ashlyn does a lot of the sponsorships and working with corporate partners. Whereas for CCH, I handle the hotel logistics and the speaker tracks.

SM: So when you’re not in conference preparation mode, what other tasks are you working on at IACP? AG: Anything corporate partner related falls under me.

I handle the exhibitor relationships.

MP: If a member wants to host a Regional Education Meeting they can reach out to me. If there’s an issue with getting their CE for CCH, webinars or the Regional Education Meetings, I’m here to help.

SM: Well great! Thanks for sharing with us. Macy and Ashlyn can be reached at our Corporate Office in Texas and be on the lookout for them at Compounders on Capitol Hill!

On the following page, you’ll see some great photos from the ACA, IACP, ACVP Educational Conference.

And on page 19 there’s a Twitterview I did with Adam Silvertown, RPh of Pace Pharmacy on his experience as a first timer.

Two of the people who helped make this conference a success are my co-workers, Macy Pruitt, our Events & Education Coordinator, and Ashlyn Grant, our Events & Education Assistant. As they’re both relatively new to IACP, we thought it would be a good idea to catch up and talk about how they’ve made an impact in coordinating IACP’s Events.

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Scot Maitland is Director of Communications and Publications and the publisher of IACP’s Compounding Matters Quarterly and Pharmacy Marketing Quarterly and host of our new IACPodcast. He coordinates with other IACP Communications staff to promote the visibility of IACP and the IACP Foundation.

IACPRx.org/Publications | Spring 2015

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‘‘

MAKING YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESS, OUR BUSINESS.”

www.bbpharm.net | P: (800) 499-3100 | F: (303) 755-5242 B&B Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 8591 Prairie Trail Drive, Ste#C600, Englewood, CO 80112

TWITTERVIEW WITH ADAM SILVERTOWN, RPH

2015_CC_IJPC_HalfPg_Ad_r2_Layout 1 11/18/14 5:51 PM Page 1

S AV E

T H E

D AT E !

August 15, 2015 Hilton Columbus at Easton – Columbus, Ohio The Compound Conference is the only conference annually partnering with a state pharmacy association, bringing together the leaders in the pharmacy compounding profession.

iacprx.org/TheCompoundConference ©2015 The Compound Conference. All rights reserved

106.14.158 IACP Compound Conference – 1/2 Page 4/c (7.375 x 4.85”) – IJPC • bertsDesign 713.825.5002 IACPRx.org/Publications | Spring 2015

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MEET ME IN DENVER

Denver is where the action is this year for pharmacy.

With two conferences this late summer and fall, it’s all about the Rocky Mountain state. Denver is also home to IACP Corporate Partner B&B Pharmaceuticals. Check our sidebar for their top five recommendations while you’re in Denver.

by Scot Maitland

EVENT: Total Show Expo DATE: August 22 – 25, 2015 LOCATION: Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado GIST: I had the pleasure of attending this conference last year, and I have to tell you, it’s intense! But it’s manageable intensity. Here’s what I mean, the show is large, but they’ve structured it so that you make appointments with the vendors you want to meet.

Last year’s event was at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. During the conference, I learned about a slew of new products and learned from great speakers at this collaborative, cross-functional meeting.

If you’re not familiar with the Total Show Expo, it’s the flagship event of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS). The mission of NACDS is “to advance the interests and objectives of the chain community pharmacy industry, by fostering its growth and promoting its role as a provider of healthcare services and consumer products.” Membership in this trade organization is open to companies operating four or more retail pharmacies open to the public.

But I jumped ahead of myself because I forgot to tell you that this show is free for retail attendees. No, that’s not a typo, the conference is free for members of NACDS or if you’re a non-member and have four or more stores. If you meet this criterion and you’re a district, regional or store manager you should be attending. Now if those two factors weren’t enough and the idea of spending time in Denver hasn’t had you log on to TSE.NACDS.org then consider this: • Preview the latest innovations in consumer packaged goods, store/pharmacy technology, pharmaceutical products and more entering the market • Meet with a majority of your suppliers and their senior sales staff at one event, in one place • Obtain that special niche product for your stores • Enhanced collaboration with key trading partners • Learn about new merchandising programs, promotional offers, “market specials” • Review and enhance current programs and make midcourse product and merchandising adjustments • Stay abreast of the emerging market: new people, new products, technology, and services, new thought processes, new styles, colors, trends, and packaging • Education programs covering the latest on state-ofthe-art pharmacy operations, practice and clinical issues, distribution and marketing I’ll be covering the conference in the fall edition of Pharmacy Marketing Quarterly. Different aspects of the conference interest me for different reasons. As a business man, I’m excited to hear Gail Borgatti Croall,

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MD, FAAP speak on Telehealth: Enabling Access to Healthcare Services. As a marketer, I can’t wait to hear Todd Huseby speak about Winning with Digital Marketing. And as an early adopter of technology it’s Deb Weinswig’s presentation on The Collision of Digital Health, The Consumer, and Wearables that has me most excited. Well, that and seeing the Goo Goo Dolls perform that Monday evening in the Centennial Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Denver!

But don’t wait for my follow up report in our Fall issue.

Register today for the conference at TSE.NACDS.org and make plans to experience manageable intensity with the Total Show Expo!

EVENT: Freedom’s 4th Annual Seminar DATE: September 18 – 19, 2015 LOCATION: Grand Hyatt in Denver, Colorado GIST: This is another conference that I’ve been fortunate enough to attend. Last year, Freedom Pharmaceuticals was up the road from in Dallas. This year they’re headed to a different Big D, Denver. If you’re looking for a show that motivates and educates, consider adding this one to your calendar.

On the clinical docket for this year are IACP memebers Dr. Nayan Patel, of Central Drugs Compounding, and Dr. Hamid Bakhteyar, of Carolina Compounding Pharmacy & Health Center. While on the business and law side Dan Benamoz, RPh of Pharmacy Development Services and Jonathan Levitt of Frier Levitt will be speaking. That’s a pretty impressive list of speakers but hold on, they’re not done. They’ve got Mr. Daymond John as their keynote speaker. Mr. John started the clothing line FUBU, which has amassed more than six billion dollars in global sales.

But many of you probably know him as a cast member of ABC’s reality television series Shark Tank.

Like the Total Show Expo, I’ll be covering the conference in the fall edition of Pharmacy Marketing Quarterly.

But don’t wait to read about, register today at FreedomRxInc.com. And if you register by June 1, you’ll save $100 on the registration fee.

WHAT TO DO IN DENVER

by Matthew Johnson, Operations Manger of B&B Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 1. V isit a dispensary – Colorado is one of the only states where marijuana is legal. As a pharmacist, this is something unique to experience. Especially if your state is etching towards legalization.

2. Visit Red Rocks Amphitheatre – One of the most premier music venues with beautiful scenic views from the foothills of Denver. Come tour the Performers Hall of Fame and see the history that this site holds. http://redrocksonline.com/ 3. Take a brewery tour or sample local microbrews – Colorado is one of the hottest spots for brewmasters. There are so many great flavors to choose from. http://denverbreweryguide.com/ maps.aspx 4. Denver Botanic Garden – One of the nations topped ranked botanic gardens featuring beautiful displays and chart-topping musicians in the concert area. http://www.botanicgardens.org 5. Say hello to B&B Pharmaceuticals – Our new facility is open, and we’d love to give you a tour.

A bit outside of Downtown but just on the outskirts of the Denver Tech Center.

Scot Maitland is Director of Communications and Publications and the publisher of IACP’s Compounding Matters Quarterly and Pharmacy Marketing Quarterly and host of our new IACPodcast. He coordinates with other IACP Communications staff to promote the visibility of IACP and the IACP Foundation.

HOW TO PACK LIKE A PRO ROLL, DON’T FOLD:

BRING A NOTEBOOK:

CARRY ON CLUE:

You’ll save space, and your clothes will arrive wrinkle-free.

To record your bright ideas when your phone is in airplane mode.

Pack light and wear your bulkiest items like your boots and jacket on the plane.

IACPRx.org/Publications | Spring 2015

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August 22 - 25, 2015 Colorado Convention Center Denver, CO tse.nacds.org

HILL DAY: THE WHAT NOT TO WEAR EDITION

by Lauren Onsa White coats fill the hotel lobby as proud pharmacists head off to our Nation’s Capitol. I’ve never felt so unified and inspired; the vibe was contagious.

Compounders on Capitol Hill is one of the most impactful conferences we as compounders attend each year. It is our time to join forces and stand up for our industry at whole.

Last year was my second time attending the conference, but it was my first time attending “Hill Day.” Typical woman, I spent the week before laying out my outfit options for the perfect Hill Day look. I decided on a navy Banana Republic dress, white Ann Taylor suit jacket, nude heels and a pulled the whole look together with a J.Crew statement necklace. What was I thinking? Yes, fashion is my passion so if I lost you I apologize. Fortunately, you won’t need Vogue to prepare for Hill Day, just this handy article in Pharmacy Marketing Quarterly! As a first timer, I did collect a few tips along the way that I think will help out any newbie or seasoned pro.

Footwear: Make sure it’s comfortable. I’m not talking about your gym sneakers, but something you won’t mind walking in. Those heels I mentioned; it was a bad idea.

I ended up having a friend bring my flats to the Hill. It helps to have good connections with people, but that’s another article! I under estimated the amount of walking I would do. You have to be able to navigate through subways, escalators, stairs and cobblestone streets.

There’s so much to see in Washington D.C. so you’ll want to enjoy it in comfort. Ladies I would recommend a flat shoe or a very small heel. Men make sure your shoes are broken in. I know it’s a day to rub elbows with some big players, and you might want to bring out those shiny new loafers, but don’t let a blister get in your way. Although we can make some pretty awesome compounds for them, that’s another article. And since we’re speaking of shine, give them a nice buff before heading out that morning.

Dress: You’re in the Nation’s Capital so dress to impress!

For the ladies a nice dress, blouse, slacks or pantsuit is perfect. The majority of the men wore suits or dress pants, a dress shirt, and tie. If you are a pharmacist or technician, don’t forget to bring your white lab coat! It

is a powerful statement! Consider ironing it with a little spray starch so it keeps all day. Take note the weather can get warm. Our Capitol was built on a swamp after all.

So wear layers and consider fabrics that are breathable.

With the hustle and bustle and moving between the outside and air conditioned offices, you want to be comfortable.

Jewelry and accessories: I mentioned my necklace; I love a beautiful statement necklace, but that necklace had to come off every time I entered into a new building.

The buildings have security checks and metal detectors.

If you plan to wear jewelry, know you may have to take it on and off. The same goes for belts. It’s very similar to the airport. Pack light. That change in your pockets is going to be a bit of a hassle. Ladies a tote bag is great and gentlemen consider a messenger bag to carry your papers and personal items.

Smile: You may have heard this before, but the best accessory of all is to bring your smile! I will admit I was a bit nervous heading down to the State Breakfast and briefing that morning. I met with my group, and they were so helpful. The day was well organized and by the end I felt confident and more aware of what pharmacies of all different specialties and sizes were facing. Walking the halls of the government buildings as a proud compounder and shaking hands with officials was thrilling! I even had a run in with Anderson Cooper!

Also, keep in mind that the staff of IACP has hired photographers to capture the day. So be ready for that close-up!

Lauren Onsa is the Vice President of Compounding Operations at Clinical Compound Pharmacy in Naples, Fla. Lauren received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations from the University of Dayton. She was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. Lauren is a speaker for educational programs within pharmacy marketing and innovations within the field of Compounding.

She is a member of IACP and serves on the communications and educational committees. She is also a Charter Marketing Member of the ACA. IACPRx.org/Publications | Spring 2015

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TOP TRAVEL TIPS FROM A ROAD WARRIOR

by David G. Miller, RPh

1. C hecking luggage? Don’t. Have no choice? ALWAYS use curbside, pay the $2 fee and tip. You beat the lines inside, and that ramp next to them is sending your bag straight out for sorting and loading.

2. Grab and go. Have three ready-to-go toiletry bags with the basics that you restock every time you return: disposable razor, shaving cream, hair gel, toothpaste, nail clippers, comb, foldable brush, travel size deodorant, contact lens case, lens solution, pair of dollar store reading glasses). Stock up on travel size, 3-ounce versions at Target or WalMart. Every hotel has soap, shampoo, conditioner and if you forget something, ask the front desk. In a pinch, conditioner works as shaving cream.

3. F light canceled? Never get in line for rebooking at “special services.” Run, do not walk, to someplace quiet and call the reservations number of the airline.

The booking agent on the phone is using the same reservation system that the agent at the airport is. A 20-minute wait on the phone beats standing in line with 100 people each taking 5 minutes or more.

4. A lways take the soap. Squirrel away all the shampoo, conditioner, soap and other amenities every day and take them home. Do you need them? Heck, no. Put one of those innumerable tote bags that you get at conventions in your linen closet. Then drop all the stuff in it and twice a year, take the bag to your local homeless shelter or a women’s shelter. They need that stuff.

5. Be prepared. Before you even walk into the airport, clean out your pockets of change, the belt, the wallet and put it into your carry-on bag. Don’t wait until you’re in the security line. Assume there is no TSA Pre-Check line, and you will have to take your shoes off. Flying in wintertime and going someplace warm?

Leave the topcoat in the car. You don’t need to drag it 2,000 miles.

6. B est days to book a flight? Tuesday. Rates are adjusted by airlines on Mondays.

7. Going to a convention? Check the hotels around the convention center that AREN’T “the host hotel.” Many organizations have a deal with the hotel that they receive a rebate for every booked room that makes the room rate usually higher. IACP doesn’t do that (cheaper rooms = more attendees). So what if you have a few minutes walk in the morning? It’s a good way to get outside.

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8. Worst hotel to stay in? Any property with a sealed “bio-dome” environment. No fresh air. Make a point to get outside and breathe at least twice a day.

9. W ash your hands. A lot. You’ll be touching all kinds of places and as your Mom know doubt said to you many times “you don’t know where that’s been.” For the men, watch how many guys use the urinal and then walk right out the bathroom door in an airport without washing their hands?

10. Leave early and relax. My rule of thumb is 30 minutes before departure is boarding, assume 30 minutes to get through security. Add 15 minutes for getting coffee or snacks, and then add the commute time from home to the airport. You don’t want to be the guy running through the concourse at the last minute (been there, done that).

11. The best seat on a plane? Next to a 5 or 6-yearold. They always have toys or cards and find you fascinating when you’re working on a computer.

Sometimes it’s fun to stop doing work and play Old Maid (and lose because you forgot how to play which is embarrassing).

12. The worse seat on a plane? Next to anybody that forgot to pack and use deodorant. Second worst?

Next to anybody that considers a bottle of cologne equivalent to deodorant.

13. Dress for the flight under the assumption that your checked luggage will be lost. Whatever your first event or meeting is when you land is how you should appear. Pretty much, anything else can be bought or replaced.

14. And yes, you can use the hotel shampoo to wash your socks and underwear if you have to.

David G. Miller, R.Ph., IACP’s Executive Vice President and CEO, works with our volunteer Board and leadership to set and execute the IACP agenda. Whether working on legislation on Capitol Hill, acting as compounding pharmacy’s liaison to other pharmacy and medical organizations, or defending against overzealous government regulation, his primary responsibility is always keeping the professional and proprietary business interests of IACP members first and foremost.

The International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists (IACP) is an association that represents more than 4,000 pharmacists, technicians and students.

Š 2015. IACP. All Rights Reserved.

MARKET WITH THESE UPCOMING OBSERVANCES JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

• Gay Pride Month

• Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month

• National Immunization Awareness Month

• Adopt a Shelter Cat Month • Men’s Health Month JUNE 1 - 7 Sun Safety Week JUNE 7 National Cancer Survivors Day JUNE 15 - 21 Men’s Health Week JUNE 21 Father’s Day JUNE 26 Take Your Dog to Work Day JUNE 30 Social Media Day

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Spring 2015 | IACPRx.org/Publications

• National Back-to-School Month JULY 1 Canada Day JULY 4 Independence Day JULY 19 - 25 National Zookeeper Week JULY 20 National Lollipop Day

• National Breastfeeding Month AUGUST 2-8 International Assistance Dog Week AUGUST 6 National Fresh Breath Day AUGUST 15 National Relaxation Day AUGUST 26 National Dog Day