How can you and your brand more effectively merchandise to your pet-loving customer base? Touch them where they live -- emotionally -- their fur-babies!
Americans spend almost $70 billion annually on their pets and there is no sign of a slow down. To get your share of the money these pet parents are willing to spend, your products need to be extraordinary and differentiate you from the competition, and they need to connect with the pet parent. A brand that shows a love of dogs will make a customer feel good about buying your product.
A dog owner is more likely to buy a product and build a brand loyalty if they see the owners of the business are involved in animal-centric issues.
How To Merchandise To Pet Parents
1. Whether the owner is pictured with his or her dog
2. Whether the office is pet-friendly or
3. Your brand supports rescues or other pet-centric organizations the pet owner feels a kinship with you because you both love dogs.
If you’re given a t-shirt or a baseball hat that features a brand’s name on it, how often do you wear it? Maybe once a month? Maybe you receive the t-shirt, put it in a drawer and forget about it? We know, we’ve been there and have done that.
Giving a pet parent a toy, leash, collar, bed or other item for their dog is an item that will be used regularly. When you give a pet parent something their dog can use that item will be put in the dog’s toy box, the bed will be given to the pup and be seen regularly, a collar or leash will be used often. Your branded item will be front-and-center when the pet parent interacts with his or her dog. The pet parent may have friends or be seen at the dog park with your branded item and that will help spread the word about your product without you even trying.
Once you’ve invested in dog products (collars, leashes, beds, toys) branded for your business, what will you do with them to merchandise directly to your pet-loving customer base?
Put together a branding strategy and look for ways in which you can incorporate branded dog products.
1. Giveaways and promotional items for events and tradeshow.
2. A lead magnet to sign up for your newsletter
3. A gift for a long-term loyal customer. Imagine their surprise if they receive a gift in the mail for their dog!
4. An employee loyalty program gift!
5. Run a “contest.” Pose a simple question, “Show us how your dog enjoys a summer day” on one of your social media platforms and announce that you will do a random draw and X number of winners will win a prize for their dog.
6. As a fundraiser for a pet charity you support. Gift the charity with some of the branded merchandise that they can sell and keep the proceeds to help their organization
7. Referral gifts. If a loyal customer refers new business to you, gift them one of your branded dog products as a thank you
8. Give something, get something. You may be giving a branded item to a potential new customer. They may not have heard of you or your brand. Once they have a product in their hand, and are using it for their dog, they just might search you out and buy your products
Consider all the ways in which you could connect with your pet-loving customer base by offering them a product for their dogs, and you can see it’s a win-win! The customer gets a dog product, you just might gain a new customer and you have made an emotional connection between the pet parent and your brand because of your love of dogs.
PrideBites connects brands to dog owners in a way that forges an amazing emotional connection and converts customers to loyal followers. PrideBites’ turnkey solution helps you differentiate yourself from your competition in a way that your followers won’t stop talking about. Contact us for more information.