Marketing Your Dog Biz

Press releases are an easy—and free—way to draw attention to your dog training, walking, or daycare business. A good press release gives local news outlets the chance to see what you’re up to and possibly cover your story, providing you publicity and adding credibility to your status as a local canine expert. You can also post press releases online, expanding your marketing reach for any virtual services you’ve added to your repertoire this last year.

Here are some tips for taking advantage of this easy, free marketing strategy:

When to Write a Press Release
Too often dog pros miss opportunities to engage with local and online press. Here are some times to take advantage:

When you launch a new, interesting product or service.
Perhaps you’re offering an online group class focused on something particularly timely, like teaching pandemic manners aimed at professionals and families trying to get through Zoom work meetings and home schooling without canine interruption. Or a walking service that includes dropping off puzzle toys, chews, and other modes of mental stimulation to keep dogs gainfully occupied while not out walking with you. Maybe you’ve created a Facebook support group for dog lovers living with leash reactivity. If your services don’t look like everyone else’s, shout that from the roof tops.

You can use press releases to help navigate the pandemic, too. For example, you might put out a press release to let people know you’ve restarted in-person training services. Or, conversely, that online training has proven so effective that you’re continuing virtual training despite the easing of Covid restrictions in your area.

When you host an event.
Once it’s safe to plan a fundraiser, seminar, trial or other competitive event, or a fun canine-related outing for your community (movie night with your dog at the local theater, a guided weekend hike or camp trip, a holiday dress up party at your daycare) a press release can help spread the word beforehand or brag about the event’s success after the fact.

While we’re still maintaining careful distance, a creative online event can be a great way to draw some attention with a press release—an online tricks party, for example, or a Zoom canine talent show to give clients and local dog lovers a way to break the monotony and enjoy their dogs.

When you receive an award, scholarship, or other professional recognition.
Did you take advantage of time in pandemic lockdown to add some new professional letters to your name? Have you recently been acknowledged as one of the best and the brightest by a professional organization, your local Chamber of Commerce, or a “Best Of” contest in a local publication? Congratulations! Be sure to take full advantage by letting your community know. 

Writing a Great Press Release
The key to getting your press release picked up is making sure it’s well written. In addition to impeccable spelling and grammar, a press release should have a few key elements to grab the potential publisher’s attention:

1. A catchy, informative title. No need to be funny, clever, or cute here. Just encapsulate what your press release is about in a clear and succinct way. Instead of “Wagsworth Manor Has Gone to the Cats!” try “Wagsworth Manor Expands to Include Cat Playroom and Daycare Services.”
2. A first paragraph that clearly outlines the key points of the release. Whoever is reading your press release has a lot on his or her plate, so offering up the most important elements of your message in the first few sentences will vastly increase the chances that your release gets picked up. This first paragraph should answer those classic six questions: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How? You can expand upon these details in subsequent paragraphs, but provide the essentials right up front to make your recipient’s job easy.
3. Quotations that lend an air of authority. If possible, include quotes from two different people related to the news item. If you are a company of one, don’t hesitate to “quote” yourself. This is fine, so don’t be self-conscious. The second quote could be from someone at a partner organization, such as the shelter you’re raising funds for, or a participant, such as a client or student sharing their experience. Make sure your quotes expand on what has already been said, rather than reiterating information you’ve provided elsewhere. They should also include the speaker’s name and position. Anonymous quotes don’t count.

Sample Press Release
Here’s a sample of what all this looks like in action:

Paws and Care Dog Training Hosts Online Canine Talent Show to Raise Funds for Local SPCA

On Saturday, June 26, 2021, Paws and Care Dog Training will host a dog talent show via Zoom to raise funds for the Springfield SPCA, which is planning an expansion of its existing facilities. The show starts at 5pm, and all dogs are welcome to share their tricks and talents. The suggested donation to secure a spot in the spotlight is $15, and $10 per household to log on and enjoy the spectacle. Students from various levels of Paws and Care Dog Training’s Online Tricks classes will be in the lineup to show off their dog’s best stunts, and all members and all ages of the dog-loving public are invited to sign up with their best friends to participate.

“This event is a wonderful opportunity for the local community to help our shelter expand,” notes Springfield SPCA’s CEO, Morgan Rockport. “We are very excited about our plans to improve our kennels and add three new outdoor play areas for the dogs in our care, as well as renovating the HVAC system in the cat facility. We are incredibly grateful to Paws and Care Dog Training for being so generous with their time and creativity.”

Paws and Care’s involvement with the Springfield SPCA dates back to 2007, when the organizations partnered to offer training classes to shelter dogs and their foster families. As part of the upcoming event, Paws and Care’s trainers will also be sharing some simple trick training pointers using shelter dogs currently waiting for their forever homes.

Paws and Care students are excited to be part of this fun event. Sarah Miles, a graduate of Paws and Care’s Level 2 Tricks & Clicks class, says, “Trixie and I are honored to help the Springfield SPCA raise money by showing off Trixie’s tricks. They are doing amazing work for homeless pets in our community, and we are pleased to be able to give back in this small way.” When asked what Trixie is planning for her moment in the Zoom spotlight, Sarah responded, “We’re still deciding. Right now she’s working on learning how to bring me specific toys I ask her for. If we get that polished in time we’re going to go big with that one.”

To register your dog for her moment of fame, or to learn more and buy tickets for the show, visit [www.websiteaddress.com]. Then put 5pm Saturday, June 24^th on your calendar for some good family fun. Oh, and don’t forget the popcorn!

Turning Your Press Release into Press
Now that you’ve got a great press release, it’s time to do something with it. Start by cultivating good relationships. Even small local publications and TV news programs receive many press releases, so it’s a good idea to develop and maintain a contact list of editors and producers who are most likely to be interested in your news. Check in regularly, even if you don’t have anything to share, to see what kinds of stories these folks are looking for, and to make sure there hasn’t been a staffing change.

When you send your release (usually by email), include a personal note, and follow up in the next day or two with a phone call (or another email if that’s more comfortable for you).

You can also post your press release online using any number of free press release companies–a quick Google search will show you your options. While not as powerful an SEO tool as they once were, online press releases can still lead people to your door, and they’re free.

When the Silence is Deafening
If your news doesn’t get picked up, don’t lose hope. You may be a victim of bad timing—for example, having to compete with a big school board election taking up lots of space in your local paper the week you issue your release. Or you may be the fifth person in three days to send a release about a similar kind of story. Be persistent, and it will eventually pay off.

And even if your news isn’t deemed newsworthy at the time, you can repurpose your press release into a blog post to keep your website fresh and interesting. Share the information in your print and email newsletters, too. That way, even if you don’t make the local or online news or papers, your time and efforts have been well spent.

Want some help or guidance building a steady marketing plan for your dog training or dog walking business? Join us for Marketing Made Easy—an online dogbiz University course.

Let’s face it – marketing may never make the list of your favorite activities. We know there are several dozen things you’d rather be doing: visiting in-laws, maybe. Or working with dogs. Still, you know that smart marketing will grow your business. And getting your marketing message right can save you time and money by making your efforts as effective as possible.

Here are some common marketing message missteps to avoid:

1. Marketing To Dogs
Too often we see dog pros marketing to dogs, promising a loving, caring experience where Spike will be treated like a member of the dog pro’s own family. But here’s the thing: dogs can’t dial phones. At least, we have yet to meet any with that particular talent.

Target your message towards those with opposable thumbs. Marketing studies show that people decide to buy based on emotion first, then use reasoning to justify the purchase. Fluffy’s owner will certainly appreciate your affection for her dog, but that runs a distant second to the fact that she works ten hours a day and is wracked with guilt over leaving Fluffy alone so long. Appeal to your clients’ emotions.

Don’t just list your services. Tell her how you’ll help solve her problems. Your message should stress why, not what: “Because a tired dog is a well-behaved dog” vs. “Daycare.”

2. Marketing To Other Dog Pros
You’ve worked hard to earn your stripes, pursuing education in positive reinforcement methodologies. It’s natural to want to signal to other R+ colleagues that you belong to the forward-thinking club. Problem is, most of your potential clients don’t know the difference between the two prevailing schools of dog training, and your message will be lost on them. Your savvy colleagues will be able to discern your methodology. Aim your marketing message at the people who’ll be writing you checks. Again, tell them first that you will solve their problems, secondarily how.

3. Saying Too Much
Yep, we hear you. Cesar Milan and the cult of the alpha dog has you down. If one more person at the dog park talks to you about pack hierarchy, you’re going to scream. It’s tempting in your marketing to try to correct them, to tell the dog owner you’re going to teach them how dogs really learn, and how to communicate to their dog, and thus strengthen the human-canine bond. But to the typical harried client, you just described what sounds like an awful lot of added work.

Traditional trainers still do well because they promise potential clients results. Save your reeducation agenda for when people have become your clients; use your valuable marketing space for messages that appeal to emotion and offer results: “Enjoy walking your dog again.”

4. Casting Too Wide A Net
Going after every possible client can be a zero sum game. Instead, zoom in on your target clients; consider lifestyle, location, and income levels. Do you want to work with families? Gay couples? Single moms? Retired folk? Busy professionals? Consider dog sizes, breeds, and behavior issues. Target your marketing message to reach the clients you really want to reach, saving yourself valuable screening time. (And when it comes to running your business, we know you could use more time.)

5. Being A Generalist
Assuring potential clients that you can do it all, especially in a saturated market, can get you lost in the crowd. Instead, focus on your specialties and niches. Give people a reason to choose you above other local dog pros. Do you excel at training pit bulls? Are you good at grooming poodles? Love walking small breeds?

Think about the services that bring you the most joy, the ones for which you feel the most passion, and grow your business around them. Are you great at dealing with separation anxiety or solving dog-dog issues? Do you prefer to take care of older dogs and animals with special needs? A niche can bring a steady stream of clients seeking your particular specialty and, as your business reputation builds around your special skills and interests, colleagues will be more likely to refer clients with corresponding needs your way.

With these tips in mind, identify your target clients, focus your services, and polish the words that’ll grab their attention. With the right message in play, your marketing will get you a better return on your investment, meaning less time wasted on unproductive marketing, and more time for what really matters. Like quality time with the in-laws. Or working with your dogs.

We’re all drawn to stories. People remember stories and anecdotes long after any recollection of advertisements is gone—and case studies are particularly compelling because they highlight a problem that was solved. Even if we’ve never personally struggled with the problem in question, a few specific details of the experience is enough to trigger our imagination and with it our empathy.

That makes miniature case studies an excellent sales tool and one you should use to help your website work harder for you. Your website is the ultimate sales tool and ideally it will have primed your potential clients so that when they call or email, they’re ready to pull the trigger. Stories can help do this.

What To Include
The key elements are:

1. A problem.
2. Enough details to bring the story to life; what did it mean to your client to have this problem?
3. A description of how your service helped solve the problem or make the situation better, preferably without too self-congratulatory a tone. The idea here is to show, not tell, how terrific you are.

Your case studies don’t have to be long and elaborate, though occasionally telling a more detailed story can help drive home what it would be like to work with you. But most visits to a website last only a few minutes, so a quick story will do the trick. Here are some examples:

Trainer Example:
Mollie’s New Manners.
Mollie, a bouncy shepherd mix, is a foundling. At the tender age of six weeks, she was discovered in a trash bag by her current owners, Sam and Trina Kowinski. Early on, Sam and Trina brought Mollie to a traditional dog training class, but neither dog nor owners could stomach the choke collars and physical corrections used there. A year later the Kowinskis came to us: Mollie’s behavior was out of hand. She chewed up Trina’s shoes, knocked people over with her exuberant greetings, and pulled Sam’s arm an inch longer with every walk.

Already after her first few sessions, Mollie caught on to the training game. Now food and play rewards have her sitting politely for greetings, walking on a loose leash, and munching exclusively on sanctioned chew toys. Not only that, but Sam and Trina have discovered a true love, as well as a knack, for dog training. They have signed up for our Canine Good Citizen class and want to start Rally-O in the fall. Unsurprisingly, Mollie thrives on all this exercise and stimulation. According to her parents, she is calmer than ever.

Pet Sitter Example:
Jake’s Mom Goes on Vacation & All He Got Was Tender Loving Care.
If anyone deserves a trip to balmier climes, it’s Rebecca Grey, Jake’s mom. As a corporate lawyer she works crazy hours. But up till now, Rebecca’s hard-earned vacation time had always been haunted by thoughts of the pooch she left behind because, well, her sweet-tempered Afghan, Jake, is quirky. Certain foods that are okay one day are considered inedible the next. He loves other dogs, except on off-days when he doesn’t. Bicycles send him into a panic—but not skateboards. And so on. Other pet sitters had not worked out well, with Rebecca returning to a stressed and unhappy Jake.

But at TLC Pet Care, Rebecca found the perfect housemate for Jake. His name is Ken Eder and he has a soft spot for sight hounds—as well as a deft hand with long silky coats. Jake and Ken formed a bond right away. Throughout her vacation Rebecca received daily email updates, spiced with the occasional photo of Jake, playing tug-of-war, snoozing, or frolicking in the park. “He was having more fun than I was in Bermuda,” says Rebecca. She has already booked TLC for Christmas.

Dog Walker Example:
Slimming Down Sadie.
Three-year-old French Bulldog Sadie was in trouble with her veterinarian. As the good doctor told Sadie’s dad, Robert, the food-loving pup weighed too much, had high blood pressure, and was at risk for diabetes. Robert changed Sadie’s diet and cut out snacks in-between meals, but busy as he was running a software company and spending time at home with the family’s new baby, the extra exercise Sadie also needed was tough to fit in.

He called Take A Hike and we immediately arranged for Sadie to have twice-daily leash walks with an experienced and patient walker. Soon, Sadie’s fitness improved and she graduated to our off-leash small dog group walks with lots of running and playful wrestling. Four months down the line, Sadie is trim and fit and her blood pressure is normal. She loves to play fetch and has become best friends with Amigo, a Jack Russell mix. On walks, they’re attached to opposite ends of the same tug toy, and in the car on the way home, they sleep sprawled over each other. And Robert? He no longer dreads vet check-ups.

Placing Case Studies On Your Site
Make your case studies easy to find. Place them on main pages, such as your service pages, bio page, even your home page if there’s room. Frame the stories in a nice box to help them stand out. As potential clients scan your site, they’re likely to be drawn to anything set apart this way.

Even just one well-placed case study can have an impact. But try to add a few each year if you can. And once you’ve collected more than a few case studies, you can add a new page for them. (But keep them on the main pages, too.) Call the new page something interesting like Client Stories or Success Stories, and link to it from your services page in addition to adding it to your navigation menu.

Approaching Clients To Tell Their Story
This is easy. Next time a client says something nice to you (i.e., “I don’t know what we’d do without you,” or “Working with you has helped so much.”), thank them and then add, “We occasionally like to include our clients’ stories on our websites. I’d love to feature you and Max—Can I share this success with others, maybe post a picture of him?” You can also email a few clients with whom you’ve enjoyed a particularly nice relationship to ask them the same thing.

Make The Most of Your Case Studies
Once you’ve taken the time to chat with a client and write up a little story like this, why not use it in the rest of your marketing? Print a case study in your printed newsletter, include it in your e-mail newsletter, send it as part of introductory mailings to veterinarians and other referral sources, and lay it out with pictures in color on single 8.5 x 11 sheets for distribution at any events you attend.

When you run a small business there are days when it feels like the world’s got you beat. Days lost juggling business plans, start-up costs, emails, phone calls, piles of paperwork, excessively complicated tax forms, and the steady accumulation of dog hair on everything you own. And still there aren’t enough clients. Finding them can feel like a race with no finish line.

Then a national pet food chain or massive daycare operation opens up in your neighborhood, and with growing alarm you watch owners drop their poodles and pit bulls off for box-store grooming and training. Who could compete with that marketing budget? That five-acre parking lot? That a-la-carte biscuit bar?

Pick Your Fans
If you’re feeling bruised by the competition, take a breather on the sidelines. You’re not crazy – their game is stacked against you. The cold simple truth is that you can’t compete with the box store. Not with its budget. And not by its rules.

The big-budget chain stores exert a gravitational pull that many dog owners don’t think to fight. They’re the lost clients – the ones you’ll never reach. They’ll settle time and again for the big bright store, unaware of other, better options, and their four-legged friends will never benefit from your superior skills and attention. Why do they choose the box stores? We could hazard a guess, but the reasons don’t really matter. Cut your losses and quit that game. Cause there’s a better one to play.

Your true client – and her adorable Aussie/Yorkie mix with the matted coat and the debilitating fear of skateboards – is out there, looking for you. She may not know yet where to find you, or whether she can trust the glowing testimonials on your sharply-branded website, but chances are she won’t step through the box store doors. She may be immune to the charms of chain store convenience. She may have been alarmed at the chop job her friend’s Maltese got from the very young box store groomer. She may have heard something about positive reinforcement, or socialization, or clickers. She may be, like you, a small business owner, looking for something the box stores don’t sell.

Be A Good Sport
So how do you find these clients if you can’t compete with parking lots and network ads? Play by different rules. You’re not a chain stretched across an entire country. You’re an individual, in a community. Start with the people around you. Some might call this networking, but you’ll need to call upon a deeper skill. You’ll need to be engaging.

Introduce yourself to other local dog pros. It’s tempting to view them as competition, but we’ve seen dog pros reap better rewards from collaboration. Get to know your colleagues’ strengths: the separation anxiety cases a trainer has a knack for treating, or the groomer’s secret favorite breed. She will get to know yours as well, and the day will come when her caseload is full, and someone comes to her with a hand-shy cattle dog, and she’ll know just who to call.

But engagement goes beyond end-game motives. Two or more dog pros banding together can do more than just send each other new clients. They can vent, talk shop, and learn from each other’s work. Running a small business is hard. You don’t need to do it alone.

If you’re the sole R+ pro in a town full of choke chains and alpha rollers, you’ll need to look to surrounding communities. No matter where you live, schedule time every year for conferences, workshops, and seminars. Join Yahoo discussion groups. Skype with a friend from the training school you attended. Collaborate, keep your skills sharp, and polish those credentials that discerning clients value.

Build Your Marketing Team
The box stores spend more time and money on advertising than on building relationships with the community, which is good news for you. Referral relationships will be your hat trick, more powerful than a 30-second network ad. Reach out to locals who see a steady stream of dog owners in their daily work. Offer free training to vet, shelter, and rescue staff. Create marketing materials with free articles full of solid advice– Pre-adoption folders, articles on “How to Choose a Dog Walker,” or branded housetraining tip-sheets for new puppy owners. For the frazzled owner of a counter-surfing Labrador, a referral by her vet carries its weight in gold and relief.

The point is this: the box stores have more money, but you have more expertise. Think of your marketing budget not in terms of dollars, but hours. Use your time, experience, and professionalism to create materials and experiences that show off what you know and can do. Give talks, write articles, stage a public grooming or training demo, wear logo clothing while you walk dogs. The big guys simply can’t compete on that playing field.

Narrow Your Playing Field
All dog pro have their favorites. The breeds, temperaments, or behavior cases they love to take on. It may seem, with a box store down the street, that you should offer more, of every service, to every dog and every possible client, just to play it safe. But while the box stores are tied to the all-things-to-all people strategy, you aren’t. And that can be an advantage.

You can find evidence in every industry of the growing power of the niche. We join Facebook fan groups and LinkedIn pro groups for every possible pursuit. With so many channels and choices at our disposal, we seek out the trusted few who filter out the noise. The experts in their deep and narrow fields. Stand out by specializing. Figure out what you love to do, the thing only you can offer, then adjust your marketing. The client searching for a small-dog nosework class or doggie daycare will thank you.

Take To The Net
With most consumers now starting their buying decisions online, you won’t last many rounds in the new-client-battle while unplugged. Get yourself on the radar. Learn basic principles of search engine optimization (or better yet, hire an expert), so that your blog posts full of free expert advice push your brand to the top of Google’s “Tallahassee Groomer” search results.

Knock ‘Em Out
Box stores may get the foot traffic, but they don’t get the devotion. Every community has at least one small business with the fiercely loyal clientele, and it’s not the big chain. Instead, it’s the little sandwich shop with the around-the-block line at noon. The wine shop owner who didn’t smirk when you asked what was in a Zinfandel. The hardware store with every screw of every size you’ve ever needed, and the counter clerks who know your name, or at least the name of your bulldog. They all have one thing in common: they do more than what’s necessary. They give us better products, and better service, and we leave their stores smiling. The cumbersome box stores, heavy with bulk goods and bound by red tape, can only offer the average: the sullen, minimum-wage sales clerk making his rote pitch for the frequent buyer card.

You can play a better game as a more nimble player. A bright, committed, talented individual, who left a cubicle or a kitchen or a corner office to try a life with Kongs and dog hair. Most importantly, you can inspire a community’s devotion by giving more than the expected. You can give them an experience they can’t get from a box. You know all about positive reinforcement. So put it to use in all of your affairs. Your testimonials page – and your bank account – will benefit.

We never said this game was an easier one. It requires time, effort, persistence, and generosity. And though you may never have as many fans as the box store down the street, you don’t need as many, either. Focus on appealing to and pleasing the ones who have the better sense to choose you, and they’ll cheer loud and long to sustain you.