Clearly I am no Moses and my inspiration is far from divine. However, I do know a thing or two about how to be successful in the pet industry. So here are my 10 Pet Marketing commandments, violate them at your own risk. Follow them and you may find success & riches in the pet industry.
10 Pet Marketing Commandments
1. Thou shalt have more than 1 pet product SKU.
You need to build a brand block on the shelf. One SKU products have so many disadvantages – from a buyer not wanting to do the paperwork to being hard to find at retail. Use sizes, colors, scents, etc. to create a minimum of 10 – 12 SKUs which will constitute a product “line”.
2. Thou shalt have great packaging.
Many start-ups try to enter the pet industry with poor brand names, logos and packaging. Your product may be excellent so give it a real chance in the market with great packaging. You can get professional looking packaging much cheaper than you may expect.
3. Know thy pet category.
Before you enter the pet industry know the pet category you are entering. If it is a hotspot lotion you need to know the market potential – how many dogs suffer from hotspots? How many consumers purchase hotspot creams & lotion at retail vs. from their vet. How much does the average hotspot solution cost? How many hotspot solutions are available at Petco & Petsmart? How competitive is the category? This will give you a better idea of what the real opportunity is.
4. Thou shalt get the right pet rep.
Having the right rep is the difference between sitting in front of a legitimate buyer at Petco or Petsmart and endlessly cold calling a buyer and sending samples. Most work on commission only so the risk to you is minimal. Get the right rep and get a real appointment. Stop cold calling and wasting your product on samples.
5. Know thy competition.
Know your competition’s products, pricing and key accounts. Can you match or beat their pricing? What are their strengths, what are their weaknesses? How many competitors are there in your category? Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. What are they talking about? Is there packaging & marketing better than yours?
6. Thou shalt have a pet marketing budget.
You MUST have a marketing budget to promote your pet product. The typical rule of thumb is 10-15% of gross revenue for marketing. If you are spending less you are at risk. Keep in mind the difference between success and failure is awareness – among the trade and consumers of your product. If you are not generating awareness you aren’t generating sales.
7. Thou shalt go to Global Pet Expo.
If you are series about being in the pet business you need to join APPA and attend Global Pet Expo. It is the only trade show that really matters. Once you grow you can spend the money and attend Superzoo and Backer.
8. Know thy pet customer (retailer).
What are the account’s margin requirements? What are their price points of your competition? Does your product fall into a focus area for them? How many stores do they have? What would an opening order look like? How do they define success for your product category?
9. Thou shalt advertise your pet product.
This is related to #6. You need a budget to spend on advertising. First advertise to the trade in Pet Product News, Pet Business and Pet Age. As you build enough distribution to be found in chains and independent pet stores you can begin advertising to consumers – Dog Fancy & Cesar’s Way are good starting points.
10. Thou shalt conduct pet marketing research.
Test everything — your name, product concept, advertising, etc. It’s never been easier or cheaper with products like Survey Monkey. Post the questionnaire on your Facebook Page and create Twitter updates about it. Ask for honest opinions and you will get the answers you need. If you really want to do research the same way Procter & Gamble does it will cost you, but not that much with Zoomerang.
I hope you find the commandments helpful. I wish you the best of luck in your pet business.
Need help? Bulldog offers a FREE 30 minute Pet Marketing consultation. Contact us to set an appointment.
Want to learn more? Visit the Pet Marketing blog.
