Given the large amount of growth that the pet industry has experienced as of late, many have thought of branching out into pet merchandise. Nowadays, almost anyone can start a pet business from scratch; moreover, it may be just as easy for existing companies to expand into pet products.
But who can become truly successful at building a brand? Getting one’s name out there as a pet industry expert is a lot harder than simply launching a business and spreading the word.
If you want to thrive in the pet industry and be looked upon as a leader among your peers, you have to set the groundwork for your brand. Whether you intend to sell custom martingale dog collars, specialty dog treats, or cat accessories, heed this advice on establishing brand clarity, authority, and credibility for your business.
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Make Sure to Keep Up a Consistent Brand Presence
This first tip may seem simple, but it’s something that new pet brands often forget. Once you launch a business, you have to do everything you can to stay in the public eye. A consistent brand presence communicates to both your customers and your peers in the pet industry that you are serious about the business.
If you take too long a hiatus from your promotion and customer engagement activities, you risk fading into the background. Your potential customers might think that yours was only a half-hearted effort to cash in on the pet merchandise market. As a consequence, they will be less likely to trust you with their future purchases.
Are you planning to operate from a physical storefront? If so, ensure that the space is up to date and has your newest pet products on display. Do you intend to sell your products via an e-commerce website? Remember to update your web property regularly and supplement it with real-time information from your social media pages.
Show Your Knowledge of the Latest Pet Trends
To earn your status as a pet industry expert, you must also demonstrate your mastery of the latest pet trends. You have to be up to date on the lifestyles of millennial and Gen Z pet owners, who make up a large portion of today’s pet merchandise market. You should know what values these pet parents hold close to their hearts, and what they believe constitutes the best quality of life for their pets.
There are several ways that you can articulate this knowledge and earn the notice of pet parents. One way is to produce web content that’s relevant to the industry trends and pet-related issues of today, such as pet adoption. Another is to link to useful sources of information for pet owners on your social media pages, such as local news articles and scientific studies on pets.
If your customers see you share your knowledge regularly, they will return for more of it, and they will also begin to see you as an authority.
Make Trustworthiness One of Your Top Brand Attributes
In addition to being a reputable source on pet-related issues and trends in the pet industry, you should also be considered an expert for the kinds of products you’ll make. After all, your customers need justification for why they should do business with you, instead of a competitor of yours who sells similar products.
That said, one of the brand attributes you should strive to highlight in your promotional efforts is your trustworthiness. Emphasize the safe construction, detail-oriented manufacturing process, and durability of your products. It will be a valuable thing indeed for your brand if your customers can automatically associate you with credibility.
Align Your Brand with Reputable People and Institutions
No pet brand does its work in isolation. Behind every successful pet business is a network of customers, business partners, brand ambassadors, and affiliates who do their fair share of spreading the word about the brand.
But not all of these affiliations have equal weight. In addition, your goal should not be to get the most buzz for your pet brand from as many people as possible. Instead, you should aim for alignment with individuals and businesses who share the values your brand stands for.
In other words, be extra careful about who you want to build relationships with when it’s time to do networking for your brand. Make sure there’s a process for determining who should be an endorser, brand ambassador, or partner business to keep your brand name clean and free of any indignity.
Demonstrate Your Business’s Involvement in the Life of Your Community
Lastly, it would be good to build your expertise and your credibility as a brand in your very own home community. Before you dream of expanding your pet business to other locales, promote your brand as one of value in your city, town, county, district, or state. Run local marketing campaigns both online and offline, attend local pet fairs or expos, and tap local leaders of kennel clubs or other pet associations to try out your products.
Few things are as powerful as the endorsement of your local pet owners. If you succeed at pleasing them, you’ll be well-equipped to branch out to other communities. Get their support first, and then build your momentum as an up-and-coming and homegrown brand.
Here’s to Building a Respectable, Accommodating, and Authentic Pet Brand
No pet brand will be able to build a sterling reputation overnight. But if you put in the hard work of making your brand known and establishing all the right connections, your business will have the best chances of succeeding in the long run. Strive to be recognized as a warm, authentic, and credible brand, and you will surely earn your place in the pet industry.
About Carson Derrow
