If you are a pet shop owner or involved in the management of a pet shop and you want to try to come up with some innovative forms of advertising, then you are in the right place. In this post, we will examine five ideas that can help you advertise in unusual or creative ways. The goal is to help you get your message out there without looking like every other pet shop that is also competing for the attention of customers. By investing in advertising that sets you apart from the pack, you can reach more customers and increase your chances of making sales. That kind of differentiation is a significant part of being a successful pet shop because it gives you the opportunity to forge relationships with your customers that last longer than just one purchase.
1. Place Ads On Major Pet Blogs
There are multiple ways to enhance your advertising. One of them is placement: having your ads in front of the right eyeballs is key to making them effective. That’s why it’s a good idea to put online ads on some authoritative pet blogs, especially ones that are popular in your area. That ensures that the audience will be engaged in the idea of pets and pet accessories before they even get to your ad. They are more interested in your product than the audience for a generic website would be. That makes them much more likely to follow up and call you or visit the store. In other words, you are getting more for your money when you place ads on major pet blogs. You might have to pay more for the ads, but it is worth it to put them in the right place at the right time.
2. Get Onto Local Listings
In other placement ideas, take full advantage of local newspapers and online listings. Lots of pet shops neglect their local listings because they seem archaic and out of date, but they are actually quite powerful. Google has recently changed their algorithm so that information listed on local sources like church boards, newspapers, and chambers of commerce are now pushed to the top of the results pages. So if you get yourself listed in those places and also put some ads into them, your store will appear right away when people search for terms like “pet shop near me” or “[your town name] pet shop.” It’s a trick that not many people know about, but it can mean that, again, your ads and your website attract much more traffic than they would otherwise.
3. Host Regular Events
Part of smart advertising is thinking outside the traditional box of putting ads in front of passive viewers. Try creating some events for your shop. Have themed days where you decorate the shop and dedicate it to a certain kind of pet, or host seasonal or holiday-themed parties, or find and honor historical events that featured pets. There are many creative ways you can turn an ordinary day into a special event. Make sure to make the events interactive- have contests, trivia, surveys, giveaways, and other things that will get the attention of visitors. It doesn’t need to be a blowout every time- just something to get people in the door. Don’t overspend on these events, because smart timing and planning will take your money far.
4. Use Social Media
Don’t neglect using Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to advertise. You can share photos, announce deals, talk about featured pets, and, in general, deliver all of the content you would put into an ad. It’s all free- you just need to put in the time and effort to make good posts, and you would have spent that same time designing good ads. It takes some extra work to make your social media pages relevant and popular, but part of that comes from consistently delivering good, valuable content. Don’t be afraid to give out deals and coupons using social media. That’s a common advertising choice, and once someone starts following your page, your posts will show up in their feed. It’s like being able to place ads right in front of individual people for free. Don’t pass up the chance to use social media in a strategic way.
5. Boost Customer Service
Customer service and advertising seem like totally different things. But in reality, your best ads are the word of mouth reviews that your customers give to their friends. That is far more trustworthy and effective than traditional ads or social media posts. People trust the experiences of their friends, especially when it comes to small, local retailers. So that is why it is especially important to ensure every customer has a good experience at your store. It only takes one bad time for a customer to tell all of their friends to avoid your store. Even if a visit does not end in a sale, it’s really important that the customer feels welcome and that the workers on duty demonstrate their passion and knowledge. That is the kind of good impression that will drive visitors to spread the word about your pet shop. In effect, you are creating a ripple effect by improving the customer experience.
The bottom line is that while traditional advertising works, as a business owner it is in your best interest to get the most bang for your buck. Creative ads let you do more with less by standing out from the crowd, so those advertising techniques are more likely to bring in customers through sheer novelty. It is important to note that this is far from a complete list. You should treat it as inspiration and put your own spin on these suggestions. The key is to be cost-effective and keep in mind that the goal is to make sales. It’s good to generate buzz and chatter, but that doesn’t mean anything if it does not translate into better sales.
