It’s a great time to own a pet business, especially if your brand sells food for animal companions. Due to increased pet ownership in the U.S., pet food sales rose by 9.7 percent in 2020. In fact, researchers estimate total pet food sales are likely to reach $113 billion by 2025. These numbers make a lot of sense given how most pet owners strive to provide their fur babies with quality care.
With the increase in demand, you’ll have a lot to gain by starting a pet food business. However, you’ll want to make sure your brand uses effective marketing practices to maximize these opportunities. For instance, you could give promotional gifts—like customizable laser etched dog bowls—to customers when they purchase your products. Pet parents are sure to remember your brand when you give useful gifts that benefit their furry companions. Of course, handing out promotional items is just one way to better promote your business. If you want to learn more helpful marketing practices, below are five that you can use for your brand:
Know Your Customer/Consumer
The terms “consumer” and “customer” are used interchangeably, but they mean different things. Customers purchase the goods, while consumers use them. In the pet business, the pet parent is the customer who purchases the products while their pet is the consumer of these goods. It’s essential to take note of these differences as a guide for developing your products.
When creating and marketing your pet food, you should ensure that it pleases your consumers above all. Granted, pet parent are the ones buying the food, but their furry friend’s preferences matter. Even if your products are cost-effective or visually appealing, if pets don’t like the way they taste, their owners will likely switch to a different brand.
Use Quality Ingredients in Your Products
Pet parents are label readers and want to ensure their furry companions are always healthy. Pet parents buy pet food that's not only delicious for their dog or cat, but also nutritious. To gain the attention and loyalty of pet parents, use healthy ingredients in your products. Make sure to highlight these ingredients when you’re marketing your products, so pet parents are aware of the benefits of your products and are able to distinguish them from other brands.
Create Appealing Packaging for Your Products
Sometimes, appearances do matter. While you should focus on creating pet food that tastes great, placing your products in appealing packaging is still important. Your product’s packaging is one of the first things that customers see when they enter a store or shop online, so be sure to design them with care.
Attractive packaging can be enough to convince pet owners to grab a bag of treats or can of pet food. Your packages should look enticing while giving customers a clear idea of what they can expect from a product. For instance, if you sell dog food that uses a delicious chicken and liver recipe, its packaging can include the image of a perfectly roasted chicken. With the right packaging, your customers feel secure in knowing their beloved pets are enjoying their food while receiving the best nutrition.
Keep Your Products at Reasonable Prices
Many pet owners invest a fair amount of their financial resources to buy pet food and supplies like beds, toys and leashes. Generally, pet parents don’t mind spending money on their fur babies in order to give them a comfortable life. However, customers still have their limits when it comes to expenses—especially with a recurring expense like pet food. Exorbitant charges can easily deter customers from purchasing your products, so make sure that your goods are still affordable.
Use Social Media and Partner with Pet Influencers
Your business should have social media accounts to promote your products. Given that many people log into social media each day, advertising on digital platforms is a great way to increase brand visibility. There are even applications to help you manage multiple accounts with just a few clicks. These apps also let you view your engagement statistics, so you can make data-backed decisions on how to better promote your brand online.
On that note, you may also benefit from enlisting the help of pet influencers. These pets gain widespread popularity from having their pictures and videos shared on social media by their owners. Many have amassed such a large following that their posts can reach thousands of pet lovers each day. Try to get in contact with a famous pet influencer and offer complimentary samples in exchange for posts about your products. If you have an online shop, it helps to give influencers a discount code that they can share with their followers, which can incentivize more people to buy from your brand.
Growing your business involves selling healthy, creatively packaged, and affordable pet food that satisfies all your animal consumers. After all, happy pets mean happy owners who are sure to come back for more. With the help of technology and pet influencers, you can advertise the best qualities of your products to a wider audience. By following the tips mentioned above, your pet food business will surely thrive in the coming years.
For more information and insight on pets and how your brand can interact with the pet community check out the PrideBites blog regularly!