The same season, sharper execution
Every pharmacy posts a syringe emoji in October. Winners book earlier because they started in August with clear online booking, accurate Google Business Profile hours, and email to last year's patients.
Flu is operations-heavy marketing — if the booking link breaks, ads waste money.
Aug
Ideal month to lock creative and booking URLs
2–3
Sensible email touchpoints per opted-in patient
Live
Booking status should drive ad on/off switches
Channel mix for independents
Owned: website banner, CRM email, window vinyl. Earned: local press, surgery newsletters if allowed. Paid: restrained geo-targeted search. Social: reminders, not clinical debates in comments.
Align NHS vs private eligibility copy with NHS/private lines.
Pre-season flu checklist
- Booking URL tested on mobile
- Staff script for eligibility questions
- GP collaboration message agreed
- Review response plan if queues build
- Contact us if you need campaign support under time pressure
Key takeaways
- Start before the crowd; match messaging to real capacity
- Separate NHS and private flu audiences
- Turn seasonal traffic into year-round CRM consent
Frequently asked questions
Plan assets in July–August; go live when booking systems and stock plans are confirmed. Early birds book online; last-minute patients need map pack visibility.