6 Marketing Strategies

When was the last time you drove your car with the windshield painted black? Never, right? That would be insane. However, thanks to COVID-19 pet professionals are navigating their businesses “blind” due to significant changes in the pet industry.

As a business owner, you can appreciate the need to understand trends, buying patterns and historical data. This research is critical to predicting the future needs and growth of your company. Without this information, you are driving in the dark.

Almost overnight, the landscape of the mostly recession proof pet industry, was altered so dramatically it left pet professionals wondering what comes next. As most of us struggle to find some type of “normalcy” in our lives, new trends are appearing.

A silver lining in the pet industry? Researchers believe so. In June, Pet Product News discussed how the Coronavirus is boosting business that can be done online or with minimal human contact, including online education and streaming video.

Packaged Facts, a leading U.S. publisher of market research, predicts a huge jump in online sales in 2020, to 31% of total pet product sales, up from the pre-pandemic prediction of 24%, with e-commerce continuing to grow through 2024.

So, what does all this mean? It means opportunity for the pet services sector, which researchers say took the hardest hit from COVID.

As we move forward and work to rebuild the foundation of our businesses, find comfort in knowing that the “pets as family” trend is still strong and growing. With many pet owners now working from home, pet services are not needed in the same traditional way they were pre-COVID. However, there is now new opportunity available for this industry.

Here are 6 foundation rebuilding marketing strategies you should take advantage of to pivot your business and cater to the needs of the post-COVID pet owner.

1. Reinvent your service offering. With emerging trends in online education and streaming video, how can your pet business pivot to reach pet parents where they now engage? What other talents or expertise do you have that you can tap in to and use to offer something new and unique?

A dog walker lost all her clients due to COVID-19 so she decided to tap into her creative side. She now digitally draws dog portraits and sells to pet owners through Facebook community groups.

Other pet professionals are catering to seniors and professionals working from home by offering shopping services for groceries, pet supplies, medications and more.

Think about ways to creatively offer your services and cater to work-from-home pet parents. If you are a boarding facility or doggy daycare, what can you offer that pet parents would value? Perhaps develop fun canine enrichment programs like a sniff-o-rama session or collaborate with a school and broadcast Zoom sessions of children reading to dogs at your facility. You could also partner with a local dog trainer who could offer recorded training sessions at your facility and broadcast live to pet owners during their lunch break.

By differentiating your service offerings and getting creative, pet owners who treat “pets as family” won’t want to miss out on a unique experience for their pets.

2. Harness all that technology has to offer. Technology has played a huge part in helping pet pros adapt their services to

a changing market. Pet sitters and dog walkers offer virtual meet and greets using Zoom. Dog Trainers conduct training sessions online and use scheduling software like Acuity to manage appointments. Pet professionals are learning to create digital courses using platforms like Thinkific, Membervault and Teachable to offer consumable and educational courses and online classes for the market. Download this free Tech Tools for Pet Pros Guide for a list of tech tools and their business applications.

3. Let the media know what you are doing. The media is hungry for stories on businesses rebuilding and pivoting during these uncertain times. How is your business coping? Are you giving back and helping others? Are you using technology in a new way to meet market needs? Look for opportunities to share your stories and expertise with others. Use this free Media Relations for Pet Pros Guide to learn strategies and receive the tools and knowledge needed to be the next pet professional featured in the news.

4. Make video your friend. It’s time to step outside your comfort zone and embrace video. Go-Globe predicted that by the end of 2020, live streaming was expected to account for 82% of all internet traffic. Live streaming into your established profiles on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube is a great place to start. However, a program like StreamYard will help you cast a wider net and reach more people allowing you to broadcast into several different platforms at once. They also offer a free version for those just starting.

5. Create content and repurpose. One piece of content, such as a blog post or video, can have multiple applications and repurposing is a valuable part of any marketing strategy. According to ThriveHive, repurposing content not only saves you time and effort, but also increases your online presence, strengthens your messaging, enhances your expertise, and helps you reach new audience members.

For instance, if you go live in Facebook on a trending topic, you could then transcribe the video using Otter.ai, and repurpose into a blog post. Then strip the audio using Online Audio Converter and create an MP3 file that can be downloaded and listened to.

Additional ideas for repurposing content, include: • Create a news release and send to the media

• Share on Facebook

• Send an e-blast to clients and prospective clients • Tweet about it on Twitter

• Share it on LinkedIn

• Create a short promo video to highlight on Instagram or Facebook stories • Link with digital ads • Highlight on your website home page

6. Breathe, relax, you got this… Most importantly, take care of yourself. You are no use to yourself or your customers if you are burned out and stressed from pivoting and reinventing. Take time for yourself to enjoy the hobbies and activities that help you decompress.

Find other pet professionals in your area and get together to share stories, ideas and commiserate. Provide support and guidance for each other as you determine next steps for yourself and your business. Reach out to national organizations like IBPSA for information, education, and help with your business direction.

Remember, you are not in this alone, many pet professionals are struggling to navigate the dark road ahead. Together we are stronger, and we will weather this storm!

Traci Bisson is a creative coach for pet pros with 26 years’ experience in marketing and PR for entrepreneurs. She is also the owner and founder of It Takes a Village Pet Care, a sustainably focused dog walking and vacation pet sitting company located in Barrington, NH. To learn about her free Facebook group for Pet Pros and to access marketing resources, visit TraciBisson.com.

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