How to Market Your Pet Business - Pet Communities, Press Releases, and Events

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Marketing IdeasI had a great call with Leslie from Pawsible Marketing last night. Leslie began her specialty pet marketing consulting business on the advice of a friend. She found that she loves working with pet business owners as it fits with her love of pets and is a fun business.

She now works with pet business owners nationwide to set them up with a business marketing plan in which she outlines a set of customized marketing tactics.

Here are a just a few of the tips she shared with me on the call:

1) The most common marketing mistakes made by pet business owners are a lack of planning and consistency.

2) All business owners should have a library of marketing documents available in both online and print form. The documents in your marketing library should include business cards, a brochure or website, email signature, press release template, and promotional giveaway items.

3) Your marketing budget should be flexible and change to fit with the life stage of your business and your business goals.

4) One of the best ways to network with pet owners is to find hidden pet communities such as online forums, and local pet newsletters, and to get actively involved in community pet events.

5) To get free publicity through the TV, radio, and news media you need to develop a creative “hook” that makes your business unique and newsworthy

6) When setting up your marketing plan you need to step back and examine your business objectively, determine the realistic potential your market, and determine which products and services pet owners are most likely to buy.

It’s not too late to share in the other valuable tips from Leslie. Just join up as a member of the Pet Business Success Circle and you will receive a downloadable mp3 file of the call, full written transcript, and my action checklist that will make sure that you implement the ideas in your own pet business.

In our August expert interview I will be sharing with members my tips on finding and hiring great staff. I will also be giving members a copy of my staff guidelines and sitter incentive plan. Don’t miss this call - sign up now!

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Pet Business Marketing Teleseminar - Get Your Marketing Questions Answered For $7

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Marketing a Pet BusinessNext Tuesday July 15th at 7pm CT I will be interviewing pet business marketing expert Leslie May - CEO of Pawsible Marketing.  No matter what type of small business you have or want to start, one of your most important tasks is marketing your business to attract new clients. 

There are so many options including advertising, networking, businesss cards, flyers, publicity that it can be difficult to decide where to focus your efforts so that you are most effective.  

Leslie has been a marketing consultant to small business since 2002 and launched Pawsible marketing in 2007 which focuses on helping pet businesses.  Here is a taste of what I will be discussing with Leslie :

The 5 most effective marketing methods you should use to promote your pet business

How to get the most bang for your advertising bucks

Why you need a marketing plan and how to create a plan and marketing budget

How to get local publicity via newspapers, radio, TV, and local pet events

Every one who joins us on the call will also have the opportunity to get answers to their burning marketing questions from Leslie.

This call is part of the Pet Business Success Circle Coaching and Mastermind Program that I have just re-launched.  

You can join us on the call for only $7 and also get access to the recording and written transcript of the call.  After the call you will also receive my action plan checklist that will show you how you can apply everything discussed on the call to your pet business.

This is a very small investment to get personal advice from a specialist pet business marketing consultant.  Getting the help you need to get more clients will cost you less than dinner at Chilli’s! 

If you need help with marketing your business please consider joining us on the call.  I’d love to hear you get your questions answered.

To sign up for the call and the other great benefits of becoming a success circle member click here.

If you have marketing questions that you would like to see answered on the call please leave them in the comment section below and I will add them to my interview questions.

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Pet Business Interview - Pawfriendly Landscapes

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Today I have an interview with Elizabeth Bublitz, President of Pawfriendly Landscapes. Elizabeth works with pet owners to design pet friendly backyards that they can enjoy with their pets. They can also complete the project construction work if you live near Golden, Colorado.

1. What kind of business do you run? a complete landscape design/build company that designs yards for dogs and their humans.

2. How long have you been in business? 10 years on Sept. 4. We started Sept.4, 1998.

3. Why did you choose to start a pet care business?

I always felt it chose me. I have always loved animals and plants and decided to go into landscape design after college in the early ’90s. I was “just” a landscape designer who kept hearing people complain about their dog destroying their yards, etc. so I contacted my childhood vet and asked her advise about specific situations. She gave me her input, we applied her techniques, combined with my knowledge of landscape material and plants, and voila, we began to create “pet friendly yards.” I was always an oddity in my industry because everyone was improving landscapes with new outdoor kitchens, pergolas, etc. but we were catering to the dogs. Anyway, a few years ago, we began to be taken seriously by suppliers (they’d call us and ask if we could try new products, etc.) and our clients weren’t calling anymore asking, “what do you mean pet friendly?” they simply “got it” and called to say, “we need you guys, my dog destroyed the yard.” One of the biggest compliments came from
Lowe’s Home Improvement in 2006 when they called and said we were the nation’s only pet friendly landscape company and would like to feature us on their “Lowe’s For Pro’s” site. We changed our name at that point from Home & Garden Landscapes to Pawfriendly Landscapes because we needed to trademark our trade secrets so nobody would steal them. Anyway, it was blessing, our new name tells people exactly what we do!

4. What advice would you give someone about to launch a new pet
care business?
It’s a lot of work but very rewarding! If you love what you do, you’ll survive. If you’re not taken seriously at first, stay with it, I’ve noticed the world is evolving and considering pets as part of the family (finally!)

5. What has been the greatest challenge in growing your business? So many! Good employees are hard to find, but worth it when you find them! They will be the best support you’ll find. Also, don’t get discouraged if things don’t go as planned, many times they don’t because there are better options, always see decisions that didn’t work out as new opportunities. Promote at every opportunity. Many times I kicked myself because I would invest to a certain market which I thought was a bust and years later people told me they had seen me in that market. It proves it’s always a good idea to stay in front of people, sometimes it will be a real bust but you never know!

6. What are the pros and cons of your profession? Pros: People do not relinquish their dog because they can have a beautiful and functional yard. My audience is the best - they know what’s important (their dogs) and I’m not being called out to outdo the “Joneses.” My crews and support staff are amazing - all animal lovers who love working in with our philosophy. I meet many amazing people, some I would have never met because of our niche.

Cons: I hate the administrative part of it - the business side to me is so boring. As an owner, this seems to be all I do - I don’t make much time for a personal life (I’m sure many people do) but it consumes me all the time. I don’t see that as bad, but people around me always remind me to do other things outside of my company, it’s too hard, it’s always on my mind.

7. What daily tasks do you enjoy most? Meeting with clients. They love their dogs so much, I really love it. Then I get to draw up a custom design based on their dog’s needs. Very rewarding and fun!!!!

8. If you could have done anything differently what would it have been? I would have offered national pet friendly landscape designs a long time ago. I started offering them last year due to popular demand and I think of all the people I could have helped since day one.

9. Did you have a mentor or business coach? If so how did they help you? Not a business coach, but my bookkeeper keeps me in check, I have lots of small business owner friends and my childhood veterinarian who helped me write my book. They are like a support group when I feel down about business or have general questions. They’re always there - it’s very nice!

10. What form(s) of marketing have you found the most effective in
reaching pet owners? Helping shelters. I have always helped shelters and that’s where most of my clients hear about us. It was a complete accident, but it is how many people hear about us. Very nice audience.

11. Do you offer clients incentives for giving referrals?
We mail out thank you cards with free passes to our local botanic gardens. We do offer discounts to people who support animal shelters by adopting their pets from them.

12. At what stage of your business growth did you choose to take on help? 8 months into it. Back then, the economy was great and people were moving to Colorado in an abundance. I had to bring on a staff. Very scary to trust people with my company but I had to do it.

13. Did you choose to use employees or independent contractors? Why? At first subcontractors, then I brought them “in house.” We’re back to using both, some subs some employees. We have so much work, I needed to bring on more crews.

14. What have you found is the best way to find new staff members? It’s hard, it is so very hard. Nobody tells you this and I was always trusting. I’ve been burned a lot so I’m not very trusting with employees anymore but thankfully, since I’m wiser, I can choose wisely. I have chosen wisely and for the past few years, I’ve had the best people. I know the difference now between good and bad and it is huge. But in life, nothing takes the place of experience so when I hear a small business owner is getting burned by employees, I tell them it happens to all of us and if people say it has never happened, they’re lying. But, after going through so many them, you really find great people! Just stay with, create limits and watch them very carefullly for the first month. Some people interview great but deliver very poorly. Let them go immediately and call the second candidate, the right person will be found. It’s all trial and error.

15. What have you done to differentiate your business from your local
competitors? Everything! Nobody else caters to the pets and my colleagues still chuckle at me because I don’t have minimums but that’s not my philosophy (many like high end jobs only) I want to cater to the pets.

To contact Elizabeth and read more about her services visit her at http://www.pawfriendlylandscapes.com.  

If you would like your business highlighted here please send me an email at daniellechonody@gmail.com  

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Pet Business Interview - Pawsible Marketing

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Leslie MayToday’s pet business interview is with Leslie May -the President of Pawsible Marketing. Leslie is a marketing consultant to pet business owners and helps them plan and implement their marketing strategies.

1. What kind of business do you run?

I own and operate Pawsible Marketing, a marketing firm whose core focus and specialty is helping pet business with their all of their marketing efforts and needs to grow sales and revenue. Whether a pet business is just starting out or they have an existing pet business that needs help with marketing, I can help their business achieve what they need to get to the next level, through marketing tactics like:

* marketing planning and strategy
* brand development
* marketing direction
* online and offline marketing
* viral marketing
* blogging
* public and media relations
* websites
* corporate communications programs
* advertising
* cause marketing
* new product launches
* sales and advertising collateral development
* case studies
* freelance writing
* lead generation
* trade shows, events
* and more.

2. How long have you been in business?

In 2002, I opened the doors of May Marketing, Inc., and began helping a wide variety of small to medium sized businesses with their marketing needs. Over the years, my work has helped many companies grow their sales and revenue, and become much more successful in their niche.

I have always had a love for animals and decided in 2007 to bring my marketing expertise to the pet business world through Pawsible Marketing, in hopes that I could share my knowledge and experience with other pet lovers, just like me.

3. Why did you choose to start a pet business?

It was a natural progression from my role as marketing consultant for other small/medium sized business. And I had many friends who encouraged me to utilize my marketing skills to help other pet business with their marketing needs.

4. What advice would you give someone about to launch a new pet care business?

Plan to spend time and resources on your marketing. While it may be an expense, it’s key to running, creating and keeping a business successful. You need marketing to help your business launch and grow, don’t neglect it and don’t be limiting.

5. What has been the greatest challenge in growing your business?

My greatest challenge is the long hours. Starting, growing and sustaining a successful business takes a lot of work. It’s not a 9-5 job, by any means. Like any business owner I feel that sometimes the long hours interfere with time I’d love to be spending elsewhere. For me that would be doing agility with my dogs (our favorite pastime).

6. What are the pros and cons of your profession?

Marketing is a tough business. New and innovative ways to market products or services are constantly coming to the forefront. It is a challenge to keep up with the latest means of marketing, but I really enjoy the creativity involved and learning and growing myself. And I enjoy bringing these new ideas to my clients.

7. What daily tasks do you enjoy most?

I really enjoy talking with my clients, helping them make the best decisions for their business going forward. Learning about their business, and consulting with them on key marketing directions and tactics to take is incredibly rewarding. When they succeed, I feel like I’ve succeeded.

8. If you could have done anything differently what would it have been?

I rarely look back at anything as a mistake, only a learning experience; so thinking about what I would have done anything differently, really isn’t something I think much about or dwell on. I’m optimistic, open and am always looking for what can be improved upon – no matter what it is for my business or my clients businesses.

9. Did you have a mentor or business coach? If so how did they help you?

I did have some incredible mentors throughout my career and feel I was really blessed in that area. From the time I began my career in the early ‘80s, until now, I have always had someone (whether they be a boss, peer or even a past client) that has helped me learn, grow and succeed.

10. What form(s) of marketing have you found the most effective in reaching pet business owners?

Most all of my business comes to me through referrals, MySpace, word of mouth, and through leads from my website. I may do some prospecting or cold prospecting, but only to those businesses I find or come across that I see immediate key ideas that I would like to present to and share with them.

11. What form(s) of marketing do you recommend to your clients?

What I find is that every business is different, and every business has a target audience and potential client with unique and varied attributes, wants and needs. What may work for some businesses, may not work for others. That’s why the consulting that I do with my clients in the initial stages of our relationship is so important; helping them to understand their potential client base and how to best market to them.

I always tell my clients that offering a high quality service or product, showcasing that product/service in a professional and eye catching manner, providing that service/product at a good, competitive price, along with amazing service, are the keys to any business to help them stand out from the competition, no matter what that business offers.

For those that reach a national (or even International) audience, I have seen that blogging can be an incredible tool for their business. Because an important part of marketing is relationship building, blogging is a wonderful means to build a relationship with a customer or potential customer. And blogging can be an inexpensive way to market. But there are right ways to blog and wrong ways, knowing the difference is very important.

I have also found that in this age of the Internet and the gravitation toward network marketing, referrals are a very important part of acquiring new, and sustaining current, business for any company, local, national or International. But most importantly, knowing how to gain referrals and turn them into new business is key.

12. What have you done to differentiate your business from your local competitors?

One of the reasons I started Pawsible Marketing was because there isn’t a lot of competition for this type of niche business. There are a few marketing companies that help pet businesses, but most offer specialized services or target larger pet businesses. What I do is help the small to medium sized pet business with all of their marketing needs – whether it is strategy and planning, creating a brochure or blog, or implementing any marketing tactics that may be suitable for their particular business, client or prospective client.

Thank you Leslie for sharing some great marketing tips. If you would like to find out more about Leslie you can visit her site at www.marketingmypetbusiness.com

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Pet Business Interview - BloomingTails Dog Boutique

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Carol SchwedToday we have a new interview with Carol Schwed from BloomingTails Dog Boutique. Carol creates custom dog apparel and accessories and also has a range of designer ready wear. Here is how Carol describes her family:

“We are a multi dog family, as we became actively involved in puppymill rescue. I foster for several rescue groups and accordingly, our numbers have grown. We tend to keep the more damaged cases that are puppymill rescues who would have a hard time fitting into a normal family situation. However, our dogs give us more than we give them. They are the focus of our lives and would not have it any other way. My husband is retired and I am semi-retired so we have time to pursue what we like and for me, that is my dogs and my business. I have made some great friends through my volunteering with rescue groups and they became life long friends”

1. What type of pet business do you run?
Custom Dog Clothing Boutique

2. How long have you been in the pet business?
3 years

3. Why did you choose to start a pet business?
Bloomingtails was born out of my frustration in finding well made clothing for toy breed dogs that actually fit them. I ordered and discarded many dog clothing items and finally decided I could do a better job myself in fitting toy and small breed dogs. Through trial and error I created patterns for small dog clothing in the correct proportions for toy breeds. We have now grown to the point of getting closer to being a one stop shop in that we also now carry designer lines of clothing of the higher end dog clothing available in the market. The industry has improved in its recognition of the differences in toy breed dogs and you can now find well made dog clothing in ranges from a 1 lb dog to a 100 lb dog. We specialize in small and toy breeds. With our custom line, our niche is the toy and small breed from 1 lb to 15 lbs.

4. What advice would you give someone about to launch a new pet care business?
Research, research, research. There is a lot of competition today in the pet industry and you need something that makes you unique from the thousands of pet boutiques in the market. You need to know what your target market is and what your niche is.

5. What has been the greatest challenge in growing your business?
As I am an internet based business, getting ranked and showing up in the search engines is the greatest challenge by far. I naively thought you could put up your website and people would find you. I did that and sat back and waited, and waited, and waited. Through much diligence on my part, we now are becoming a presence in the marketplace.

6. What are the pros and cons of your profession?
The pet industry continues to grow by leap and bounds so the demand is there for good quality products. The down side is that there are many pet related businesses that are competing for business. As with any upstart business, there are not enough hours in the day to do it all and it is time consuming and all absorbing at first. A business plan is an essential requirement if you are going to be successful at launching your business. Another down side is that with a home based business, you never get away from it so you have to be somewhat disciplined in deliniating some personal and family time.

7. What daily tasks do you enjoy most? We pride ourselves on our customer service which we feel sets us apart. We know our clients well, their likes and dislikes, what their sizes are, etc and designing products with them in mind is challenging and rewarding and the part I enjoy the most. We keep in regular contact with our clients and our association with them in the most rewarding. I consider them part of our extended family. I also enjoy finding new and unusual products to add to our site.

8. If you could have done anything differently what would it have been? I would have taken more web design courses sooner. There are several free interenet based SEO courses that provide a wealth of information. Also I would have started out with a marketing strategy firmly in place rather than done it on a “learn as you go basis:.

9. Did you have a mentor or business coach? If so, how did they help you? I had a mentor who is actually a competitor of sorts, she helped me with everything to finding wholesale supplies to web design. She even spent her time calling me to help me set up my website and was always there when I ran into a glitch out of my lack of knowledge about website design. People in the pet business are pretty people and pet oriented and helpful…I continue to “pay it forward” by assisting other people I meet on the forums and groups with starting their business.

10. What form(s) of marketing have you found the most effective in reaching pet owners?
Network, network, network. I belong to several breed specific forums and chat groups. Linking with other pet related (but non-competitive) websites is also useful. I do not have a big advertising budget but I do utilize one advertisement on The Pampered Puppy on a montly basis.

11. Do you offer clients incentives for giving referrals?
No but I do offer discounts to forum members. I also donate a portion of sales to rescue groups that have a link to us on their site with a link back to my site.

12. At what stage of your business growth did you choose to take on help?
As we do custom made dog clothing, when it got to the point where I realized I had a decision to make in terms of where I wanted to take Bloomingtails, it became a question of whether I sat down and made the outfits or spent time promoting the business. At that point I hired two people to sew for me. This freed me up to work on the creative end in designing new outfits and to spend time promoting the business.

13. Did you choose to use employees or independent contractors? Why?
I use independent contractors for several reasons, ie, I am a home based internet only business and did not want someone having to come to my house every day and it is common in the sewing industry to use piece work rates and the work is sporadic in terms of items are custom ordered so I would not have work to keep someone busy on a set schedule.

14. What have you found is the best way to find new staff members? I live in an area that was once the glove making capital in the leather industry. People here grew up learning how to sew. I do occasionally advertise for a home sewer in the local newspapers.

15. What have you done to differentiate your business from your local competitors?
N/A - Internet based. As far as competitors in general, we think our customer service sets us apart.

Thank you for sharing your business experience Carol! Please visit her site www.BloomingTailsDogBoutique.com to view her great range of designer dog wear.  You can also meet Carol at The Pet Business Forum if you would like more information about her business.

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