by Nancy E. Hassel, American Pet Professionals

We could not resist getting in on the Taylor Trend last week. Amazing to see the world turn orange, brands’ social media accounts, cities in orange lights, all for a new album release date, for a beloved artist.

And crashing YouTube for the New Heights podcast appearance with her BF Travis Kelce – has YouTube crashed like that before?

How can you do something similar for your pet business in your community?

Does your business have super fans?

The level that Taylor Swift has achieved has taken years of dedication, hard work, planning, and marketing mastery that seems unmatched. Yes, we have seen other superstars in the past have incredibly dedicated fans and stardom, but I don’t think anything quite like Swifties. The Eras tour took it to a whole new level, and social media was a big part of the success of turning people who liked some of her music into die-hard fans – as well as crossing generations. I may not be a Swiftie, but I have always admired he work ethic, professionalism, talent, how she has so much fun, doesn’t take any BS, and also is a good human that gives back.

Like Sara Blakely with Spanx, and other female powerhouses, it is always inspiring to see not just the success, but how they have created their following, their marketing, and dedicated customers who will only buy their products.

Just because you’re not Taylor Swift, doesn’t mean you cannot create your own fandom for your pet business at the level you are at.

What can you do to create a ripple effect where you are?

How can you take a nod from Taylor’s marketing genius, hint at things to come, and tie them together?

Who can you cross-promote with that has a similar audience but is not a competitive business?

How can you have fun with it and get people talking and sharing?

We have seen brands like BarkBox with their hilarious and somewhat controversial posts on social media, which gets them a lot of attention. Maybe you don’t want to go that route, but how can you have fun with what you do as a pet business that will make you create that fandom following?

What is something that is synonymous with your pet business that people know immediately if they see your logo, brand colors, or if someone asks, “where should I go for _________” and your fans and customers immediately recommend you/your business.

Maybe you’re just starting out, and you are not quite there with being known for your expertise, product, or services. That is ok. Building that mission statement, what your business does or will be known for is something you should hone in on, so that your marketing is clear to new or potential customers. Ask your customers, friends and family for feedback.

When you think of me and/or my business, what comes to mind first?

You can ask customers this, too.

Do a survey to get this feedback as well; their answers can help shape your marketing message, but you also don’t have to take it very literally. Shake off what doesn’t fit, and lean in to what resonates with you once you get that feedback.

Nothing worse than someone saying, “what do you do?” with a perplexed look on their face after you have given them a long, drawn-out answer. Make your marketing simple, yet effective, and easy for people to understand.

Especially in this day and age of very short attention spans, you want your message to be easy for people to understand in seconds. And you want the problem you are solving (selling) to resonate with your customer, be it pet parents or pet professionals.

What brands outside of the pet industry are you attracted to their marketing? Love their aesthetic? How are you inspired by a brand’s marketing that is effective and draws you in?

Maybe you’re a big-time Swiftie and you just love the Easter Eggs, and that is something you want to incorporate into your next launch. What strategy can you do that is going to get your customers waiting for that next Easter Egg to drop?

Years ago, my OG’s will remember this, I had a contest monthly with my old dog Max, “Where in the World is Max” and I would take a picture of my dog at a location here on Long Island, NY and would give a hint to the location. And whoever guessed correctly first, would win a pet product. We partnered with many brands over the years to do this. It was super fun coming up with the hint, because it ALWAYS gave away the location – but in a way that was not always easy to figure out.  

It got to the point that as soon as our Pet Events Newsletter was sent, I had to check our email immediately, as there was always a lot of guesses and people to reply to if they were right or wrong. It kept people engaged, was not hard or costly to do, and it actually garnered a lot more subscribers to our email, as more people who heard about it wanted in on possibly winning a great pet product.

So what can you do that will get engagement, keep your customers coming back, and create fans all at the same time.

I hope your wheels are spinning with ideas and you can fill in that blank _______ with creative ways to be your own Taylor for your pet business.