The American Pet Products Association (APPA) estimates that the pet industry’s revenue in the US was at $95.7 billion in 2019. 2020’s environment has boosted sales again, as many turn to pets now more than ever. There are more pet owners than ever and this is excellent news for your pet business — if you know how to capitalize on it.
This may be attributed to the rise of people who consider pets part of their family. Many dogs and cats are well-loved. They get access to premium food, toys, and customized clothes. Hence, there’s a thriving pet industry and more pet stores in local communities.
While entrepreneurs can easily set up their brick-and-mortar stores, how can they attract customers? How can they gain popularity in their local community? How can you reach the pet owners who are willing to invest in the well-being of their furry friends?
Getting the attention of pet owners is easy once you know the right tips and tricks. To help you get started, we’ve compiled some of the basic ways that you can get started.
How Can You Get Pet Owners to Flock to Your Offline or Online Pet Store?
You know what they say: plants are the new pets and pets are the new children. Most pet owners treat their furbabies (or scalebabies — reptiles are growing in popularity) just as human babies.
Curious how your fellow pet shop owners scale their marketing FAST and with minimal investments? We’ve gathered dozens of stories and playbooks. Get the tactics that work in the pet industry in 2024 and beyond!
Post Content on Social Media
Social media provides pet stores with the ideal platform to grow their business.
In fact, 73% of marketers believe that social media marketing is an effective means to grow their business. Additionally, 71% of consumers who had a positive experience with a brand on social media were likely to recommend it to their friends and family.
Most pet owners follow relevant profiles and pages to stay updated on products and trends that benefit their pets.
As a result, Mungo & Maud – a pet accessories shop – has Instagram posts featuring pets using their products like this Olive Cable Cashmere Pullover.
Other pet owners use social media to find entertaining videos and memes. Posts that incite laughs or smiles always stop the scroll. So, social media content is one way your business can get on people’s radar.
For example, Barkbox’s Instagram account features funny memes relatable to pet owners. This post alone generated more than 3,000 likes. Imagine the number of potential leads your business can get with a single post.
“Your Network Is Your Net Worth” — Connect with Pet Owners and Pet Friends in Your Community
Brick-and-mortar stores can forge relationships in their community to gain customers.
To expand your network, join organizations like Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA) and Independent Pet Retailers Association (IPRA).
Get involved in the community. Participate in local events and showcase your products. This lets locals learn the value of your business.
Helping your neighbors and giving donations can catch people’s attention too. So, donate your time to initiatives that matter, like pet rescues, gardening events, and charities.
While you aren’t directly growing your sales, the network and connections you gain will help your business grow.
Start a Pet Blog
Blogs are an effective way to generate traffic to your online or brick-and-mortar store.
OptinMonster found that businesses with blogs get twice as much traffic as those who don’t. Also, blogs were perceived as the 5th most trustworthy source for collecting online information.
While these statistics are benefits of blogging in general, there are a lot of niche benefits for pet stores too. Pet owners love to read up on ways that they can better care for their pets. They want to hear advice and hear about the experiences of others.
Having said that, a blog can help pet stores build a loyal following online, as well as in their local community. After all, people flock to websites with blogs that have something relevant to say.
For example, Chewy – a pet store selling pet food – has a blog about pet parenting, pet supplies, and health. This attracts people who want to learn about how to care for their cats or dogs from experts who are knowledgeable about the process.
Create a Referral Program for Your Pet Store
Referral programs can help pet stores generate word-of-mouth.
ReferralCandy found that 92% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know. Additionally, people pay 2x more attention to recommendations from friends because they’re the ones they trust the most.
It’s no surprise that we love to chat about product recommendations and our experiences as consumers. And when we have a really great experience, we can’t help but share it with our loved ones too!
Word-of-mouth usually happens by chance, but there are some ways you can facilitate the process. A referral program that rewards loyal customers with discounts and freebies is one way you can promote your business.
For example, Scratch – a pet food store – has a refer-a-friend program. It lets brand advocates share a $20 discount with a friend and get a $10 credit in return when their friends join.
Create a Rewards Program
Did you know that it’s four times cheaper to sell to an existing customer than to acquire a new one? Pet care loyalty programs will reward loyal customers for continuously buying toys and food for their furry friends.
While these rewards can cost your business, you can gain more in the long run by making customers more loyal.
Invespcro reports that loyal customers are worth up to 10x as much as their first purchase. Plus, 83% of customers believed that loyalty programs make them likely to continue doing business with certain businesses.
Increasing customer retention should be a priority for online and brick-and-mortar stores. It’s a lot easier to upsell your products to customers who already have experience with your brand than get new customers who need to be led along the sales funnel.
Petco is a pet supplies store with a Pals rewards program. Members enjoy free shipping for birthday gifts and earn points towards cash rewards.
A good tip is to create a tiered rewards system. Give an exclusive product or discount to customers that accumulate a specific number of points. This motivates customers to continue purchasing from your store.
Use Email Marketing
Use email marketing campaigns to engage with customers.
Backlinko reports that consumers check personal emails for an average of 2.5 hours each weekday while at work. Plus, 42.3% of Americans subscribe to email lists to receive savings and discounts.
This means email marketing lets businesses stay on the back of their customer’s minds. You can send a monthly newsletter featuring the latest products or new services. If there’s a holiday or event, then you can use emails to send coupons and discounts.
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Chewy—a pet food store—sends 14 emails per month. In the email below, they have a well-designed promo for their upcoming sale, which has up to 30% off deals.
Pet Owners Need Your Products. Help Them Discover You
Marketing your pet store is easy once you know the right tips and tricks. Create a referral or loyalty program that rewards your brand advocates for sharing with their friends and consistently making more purchases.
Post entertaining content on social media that piques the interest of potential customers. You can take it to the next level by posting funny memes, product photos, and relatable content. Alternatively, you can start a pet blog and post informative tips or tricks.
Get to know people in your community to generate publicity for your brick-and-mortar stores. Contributing to charities and participating in events can generate word-of-mouth endorsem*nts for your business.
These marketing techniques may seem simple, but they can yield significant returns for your online pet store.
How will you promote your brick and mortar store? Do you have any tips for marketing pet stores? Let us know, email us on Sleeknote.
Emil is the CMO and co-founder of Sleeknote: a company that helps e-commerce brands engage their site visitors—without hurting the user experience.
