Younger patients are already beginning to dictate the course of modern healthcare, yet they are rarely the focus of pharmacies’ marketing efforts. Their focus on holistic health and lifestyle-based solutions have contributed to an emphasis on mental health and to recent upticks in organic and wellness trends.

Pharmacies can take a long-term approach to marketing by closely looking at who their younger patients are and what they need from their local pharmacy.

Who Your Younger Patients Are

Millennials and Gen Z represent patients under 40, the children of Generation X and Baby Boomers. Millennials make up more than 35% of the country’s workforce, while older Gen Zers (born 1997-2012) are already graduating college and starting their first professional jobs.

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), healthcare costs are on the rise and predicted to increase nearly 50% by 2027. With healthcare expenses and growing educational costs, both generations have begun to seek more cost-effective healthcare solutions that include organic trends, homeopathic remedies, and overall wellness.

To learn more about your younger patients and how to reach them, download our recent ebook on generational marketing.

Approach to Holistic Health and Wellness

Gen Zers favor getting and staying healthy over traditional healthcare visits. They’re more likely to pursue alternative medicine like acupuncture and yoga, physical fitness, and healthy eating. Food service provider, Aramark, found that many Gen Zers are in favor of going meatless.

Millennials are also the driving force behind many popular healthy eating trends today, like the keto diet and organic snacks, and they make up over half (55%) of vegans in the US. They’re also known to spend much more on fitness classes and apps, and exercise more than previous generations.

Gen Zers work out regularly, with 49% working out 1-3 times per week, but take more of a holistic approach to it. They are not driven by weight loss ads but instead by their emotional well-being. This is important to keep in mind when marketing to them because they value how brands approach fitness and exercise. 

Gen Z and Millennial Mental Health

Research in the past few years has shown that both generations are also paying much more attention to behavioral and mental health. 75% of Millennials are open to discussing mental health while Gen Zers are 37% more likely than previous generations to say they are or have been in therapy.

Prioritizing mental health in the workplace has become especially important for both age groups. In 2019, the non-profit Mind Share Partners conducted a study that focused on the effects of mental health issues on employees. The study found that 50% of Millennial workers and 75% of Gen-Zers have voluntarily or involuntarily left jobs due to mental health reasons.

Marketing to Millennials and Gen Zers Today

One thing has become certain: Millennials and Gen Zers may be leading many of these recent wellness trends, but they are also a global concern. Mental health, for example, has understandably also become a wider concern for all age groups this year. In March and April, the federal government deregulated teleheath services, leading to a significant increase in virtual therapy, mental wellness, and health checks.

Gen Zers, along with Millenials, were raised with technology and are more likely to lean into online communities for health advice as well as Google. They opt for convenience when available like mobile apps, online appointment schedulers, walk-in clinics, etc. Check out our tools to help reach these generations in your pharmacy. Social media and Google My Business are other important tools to keep up to date and cultivate relationships with these younger patients.

As the focus on holistic health and wellness and tech grows, it’s worth examining some of these trends to see how your pharmacy can meet these healthcare needs. Resources may be limited at the moment, but you can still add value by making sure that patients have access to wellness and mental health information, quality service, and holistic health products.

To learn more about building a profitable patient base based on generation statistics, check out our how-to guide.