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The pet care industry is at its peak of explosive growth. More than ever, people are bringing furry friends into their lives and discovering how quickly they can become family. Nurturing doesn't stop when someone passes through a shelter or animal shelter and comes home with a cute puppy. It's more complex, so it goes without saying that marketers need to approach pet parents in a more sophisticated way.
A common marketing trend in the pet care industry is to throw everything out on the market and see what catches on. However, just like in any other industry, understanding your customer and their needs is critical. If you stretch too wide, you will miss a big catch.
Focus on four specific strategies and you will soon see your pet care business grow:
1. Customization
Understanding the consumer nature of each product and aligning your brand with customer profiles is key to attracting the right pet parents. Your client may be a cat, but is their cat friend a cat? Do they have long hair that needs a groomer or a short coat that is easy to care for? Is it only inside or do they have access to the garden? Undoubtedly, studying the needs of your customers is the best way to change your marketing strategy.
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2. Understanding the life cycle of animals
Puppies and kittens are wonderful, but this is a short time in the life cycle of all our pets. If you've only been marketing your pet care business up to this point, you're missing out on a whole segment of the market.
As animals mature, their needs change. Their nutritional needs are different and they interact with different toys. Dogs can go to training schools, and teenage cats need litter boxes when they start to curl their claws. Especially large pets have special needs. Larger pets do not have exercise toys or clickers; The focus is on making this animal disease free and stable in old age. If necessary, consult with your veterinarian to understand the life cycle of the various pets you sell. Especially if you focus on special pets that can have a much shorter or longer life cycle than the average dog or cat.
3. Follow like a dog
The pet care industry is very unique, but one thing that all industries have in common is the importance of proper labeling. It is important to understand how each pet parent is your customer, what channels they use, and what marketing activities they want to use in their sales funnel.
It's also important to avoid making assumptions about your customers based on their last known contact with your company. Keep a close eye on your campaign's actions and responses to understand what motivates them.
If there is one aspect of the job that is always overlooked, it is the phone call. Pet parents have questions. You want to be 100% sure that what you are buying is right for your tiger or Fido. And you can be sure that most customers want to talk to a person. Phone calls are an important part of the sales process, whether the person is asking on the phone or complaining. If you're not tracking phone calls, you're missing out on a whole step in the customer journey.
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4. Be creative
There is no single marketing campaign in the pet care industry. What suits one parent may mean nothing to another; Therefore, creative approach to campaigns is key.
As with raising people, there are parts of the pet parenting journey that are often not discussed. You may be surprised at how many clients respond to campaigns on less discussed topics such as separation anxiety or bladder weakness.
tail tip
While these marketing strategies are especially useful for the pet care industry, they are applicable to most industries with little modification.
By implementing these marketing strategies, you can significantly increase your ROI and use your marketing tools effectively.
The pet care industry is fun and exciting. If you learn to focus on your customers on an individual level and understand their needs, you will build a strong brand relationship with them and their furry friends.
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