NCPA Announces 2016 Lineup of Front-End Profit Building Seminars, New Sponsorship

PRESS RELEASE

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) today announced its 2016 lineup of one-day seminars to help community pharmacy owners and front-end staff hone their merchandising and marketing skills, as well as a new sponsorship by Good Neighbor Pharmacy and Amerisource Bergen Drug Corporation to continue the Front-End Profit Building Seminars program.

NCPA will host its Front-End Profit Building Seminars on July 29 in Las Vegas, in conjunction with Thought Spot, the annual tradeshow and convention from Good Neighbor Pharmacy; Sept. 17 in Dallas; Oct. 14 in New Orleans, in conjunction with the 2016 NCPA Annual Convention;Nov. 12 in Edison, N.J.; and Feb. 18 in Orange, Calif.

"In a world of shrinking profit margins and fierce competition from the big boxes, it is more critical than ever for community pharmacies to diversify their business to grow and thrive, and the pharmacy front end provides an excellent starting point," said NCPA President Bradley J. Arthur, RPh, co-owner of Black Rock Pharmacy and Brighton-Eggert Pharmacy in Buffalo, N.Y. "Thanks to the generous support of Good Neighbor Pharmacy, NCPA can continue to help store owners capitalize on existing and new revenue opportunities in their pharmacy front ends and become more successful retailers through these one-day seminars. There's no better way to rethink pharmacy than by starting with easy-to-implement changes to the front end."

"We are assisting our Good Neighbor Pharmacy members through new and innovative commercial strategies to improve the front end of their stores. We are honored to partner with NCPA to support all of independent pharmacy as part of this long-term agreement," said Brian Nightengale, RPh, PhD, President, Good Neighbor Pharmacy. "Our independents are feeling pressure from all sides, and the front end is a significant area of opportunity for them. It goes hand-in-hand with building a strong Good Neighbor Pharmacy network and delivering quality care to the patients they serve."

Led by NCPA's senior director of store operations and marketing Gabe Trahan, who has more than 30 years of pharmacy front-end management experience, the Front-End Profit Building Seminar is a one-day program that gives pharmacy owners, managers, and front-end employees the tools and knowledge to increase store traffic and profits. Topics covered during the session include easy fixes to boost curb appeal, floor plans and cross-merchandising, inventory management, and marketing ideas, among others. This program also offers pharmacists 7.5 hours of continuing education credits.

Hundreds of pharmacy owners have benefitted from the valuable resources and tools shared at the seminars over the past several years. One owner exclaimed, "I wish I could have recorded it as there were too many pearls to remember driving on the road." Another past attendee said of the program, "[E]verybody walked out enthused and ready to get back to their stores to make changes."