The Pet Business Forum Launch Incentive!

Filed Under Pet Events, Pet Business Tips, My Pet Business | 4 Comments

Working with Pets Today I’m excited to announce the launch of the Working with Pets Pet Business Forum.

My vision for the forum is that it will be a place for pet lovers, business owners, and people that work with pets to network, exchange ideas, offer advice, and be inspired by others that are working with pets.

At the forum you will topics including:

1. Getting Your Business Started

2. Marketing Your Pet Business

3. Staff Management and Motivation

4. Legal Business Forms, Contracts, Insurance, and Licenses

5. Pet Business Finance

6. Pet Health

7. Chat About Your Pets

Special Launch Incentive for Working with Pets Readers

The first 10 members at the forum who join in and post 5 pet business (or pet related) responses or new topics before February 15th will be the first to receive a copy of my special report “The One Page Pet Business Plan” which will lead you through the process of setting up a business plan that will give your business focus for 2008. With the report you will also receive an easy fill in the blanks template for creating your first business plan.

So click on over to http://www.petbusinessforum.com and register - then introduce yourself and start posting!

Joining us at the Pet Business Forum is Easy

To join the community click the register button in the menu at the top right, fill out your details, and submit. I will approve your registration as soon as I see it come in (within a few hours at most), and you can start posting and sharing with others.

If you have suggestions for the forum such as new topics please leave a post in the Suggestions and Feedback section.

I will be visiting the forum daily to respond to posts and be a part of the community. I’ll see you there!

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Writing Copy for Your Pet Business Website

Filed Under Pet Business Tips | 1 Comment

Pet Business WebsiteI found the Cowbelly Photography blog several months ago - if you are interested in starting a pet photography business it is a site I would recommend that you visit. She has a great article on the pros and cons of pet photography.

While browsing around an article on the blog caught my eye that I thought is very applicable to every pet business - tips for website copywriting. If you have a business today you want to be found on the world wide web and you also need to set yourself apart from other businsses. The Cowbelly article Website Copywriting and Mission Statement for Pet Photographers does a great job of explaining:

1. What questions you should ask yourself before deciding on a website design

2. How to inject your personality into your website

3. Finding the uniqueness in your business

4. The importance of a mission statement

Cowbelly also recommends a couple of copywriters that work specifically within the pet industry - James Harris and Rachel Monroe. I have personally worked with Rachel and would highly recommend her services. Rachel helped to put together a press release for me to launch my Charity Fund for Local Rescue. You can read the release that she wrote for me at that link.

A pet copywriter can also help you put together brochures, business cards, direct mail letters, and advertisements. Rachel also offers a free newsletter that will give you monthly marketing tips for your pet business.

Take a look at the website copywriting article at Cowbelly - and I’d love for you to share your pet business mission statements with us. Just leave a comment to share…

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How to Use a Contest to Promote Your Pet Business

Filed Under Pet Events, Pet Business Tips | Leave a Comment

Winning a contestToday Lorna from Happy Tails Pet Spa left a comment to tell me that my two posts about the Celebrity Apprentice Pet Adoption shows inspired her to launch a new contest at her site - the Canine Celebrity Awards.  Her contest is calling for photos of your Canine Celebrity pets and the prize is a 4 day getaway to several exotic locations. They have also cleverly added an incentive to pet business owners who promote their competition. On the entry form they ask entrants to tell them their favorite pet store or business. The pet store or business with the most votes in this catagory will also win one of the trips. What a great way to encourage us to spread the word!

This comment prompted me to think more about how contests can be used to market a pet business.  Using online contests to grow email contact lists is growing in popularity but offline contests have long been used effectively to get publicity.

Here are a few tips for planning your own contest:

1. Choose a prize that is of interest to your target market i.e. pet owners.

2. Choose a theme for your contest. You could use a calendar event themed contest - for example taking advantage of the scheduled Pet Dental Care month in February.  You could also theme a contest around a business milestone, or use the contest to celebrate new product launches, the launch of a new service or new website.

3. Make sure you advertise your contest  on forums, distribute press releases, on your website, and by sending an announcement to your customer contact list. You could also partner up with other pet businesses to include your contest in their client newsletters.

Contest prizes don’t have to be expensive or fancy. One of the best prizes is to offer your own services or products as a giveaway.

Consider having more than one winner as the more people who win your prize - the more people will get a taste of your service or product.  The more people spreading the word about how you delighted them with your prize, the more potential business you will gain.

If you plan to hold a photo or video contest votigo.com is a site where you can create a contest for free. Once you set up your contest at votigo.com people can submit photos and video, others can comment on entries, and share your contest with their friends.

I have been inspired to start my own contest here at Working with Pets - and I’ll get back to you next week with details!

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How to Get Referrals For Your Pet Business From Your Local Vet

Filed Under Pet Business Tips | 2 Comments

Vet ReferralWhatever type of pet business you have one of the best forms of advertising in your local community is word of mouth.  Who better to introduce pet owners to your business but a trusted pet advisor - their local vet.

Many vets will be hesitant to promote a business that they are not familiar with. Their reputation is on the line with clients when they recommend you. Here are my tips for building a relationship with vet clinics so that they are comfortable referring your business to their clients:

1. The best way to network with your local vet is to take you animal to them for regular check ups and care. You are giving them business and they have the opportunity to meet you and know that you are a responsible pet owner. At your visit introduce your business to them and describe how your business benefits their clients.  Ask the vet if you can leave business cards or flyers with their front desk to give to clients who ask about your service.

Obviously if you live in a large community with many vets you can only this first strategy with one clinic.

2. Visit the clinic regularly to pick up free local pet magazines that are available in their lobby. Make time to introduce yourself to the front desk staff and tell them about your business.  Leave them with information about your service and business cards to keep on the counter or behind the desk.

3. At your visits to their office bring the front desk staff snacks - cookies or donuts - to thank them for the great job they do to care for the community pets.  Leave a sticker on the packaging that displays your business name.

4. Ask if you can leave a basket of individually wrapped dog biscuits or cat toys on the front counter of the clinic for customers to pick up when they check out. Tie each biscuit or toy with a bow and your business card.

5. Ask the office staff or vet if you are able to give a presentation about your business at their weekly staff meeting. Having an opportunity to share your business policies and procedures with the vet and their staff will increase their confidence in your professionalism and increase their willingness to recommend your business.

6. Invite the vet or his vet techs to lunch to get to know them and share more information about your business.

Getting referrals from vets is usually not as easy as just leaving your business cards at the clinic.  Vets will want to get to know you and feel comfortable that you are a responsible business owner and pet lover. Vets can be a fantastic source of new clients once you gain this trust as they talk to so many pet owners every day.  Invest the time in relationships with vets and their staff by dropping by to see them regularly, leaving gifts, and keeping your business in front of them. 

Even though my vet has a boarding facility at her clinic - I often get referrals from the clinic during the holidays when their facility fills up fast.  Occasionally I get referrals for pet clients that simply prefer pet sitting to boarding their pets.

If you have had success networking with vets to build your pet business please share your tips by leaving a comment.

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Feed Pets in Need with One Click A Day

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The Animal Rescue SiteA friend alerted me to the Animal Rescue site this morning - and what a great idea!

At The Animal Rescue Site all you have to do to help feed animals in need is to click on the button on their website once a day to raise enough money for 0.6 bowls of food per click. Today as I write this post they have already raised enough money for 150,265 bowls of food.  

Seems too easy right - you’re wondering how this works? The trick is that when you click you are shown a page with ads from their sponsors. The amount that these sponsors pay for these ads depends on how much traffic is brought to this page via clicks.  100% of sponsorship payments are used to support animals in rescues and sanctuaries. Of course we are not obligated to make any purchases - but some of the cute products tempted me! Of course a percentage of any purchase that you do make on their site also goes to help their charity.

The money raised goes directly to their partners - Petfinder, The Fund for Animals, and North Shore Animal League.

They also have a page which gives you some other free ways that you can help - suggestions include subscribing to their newsletter, helping to spread the word by sending e-cards to your friends, and finding new sponsors for their site.

Drop by their site today and click to feed more animals - www.theanimalrescuesite.com

If you have other great ideas or products suggestions to help donate to animal causes please share it with us by leaving a comment.

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