Owner & Pet Approved! Best Pet Advertising Strategies

According to GlobalPETS, 46% of European households own at least one pet — so marketing to pet owners can have serious payoff. And even if you’re not necessarily a pet business, there are still plenty of ways to connect with pet owners and experiment with pet advertising. Read on for tips on welcoming four-legged friends (and their wallet-wielding owners) into your business, as well as for pet brand marketing ideas.  

Update & Promote Your Pet Policies

Do you want to make your business more pet-friendly? Depending on the type of business you own, here are some pet marketing ideas to get more paws through your doors.  

• If your restaurant or café has an outdoor space, open the patio to dogs. Get dog owners excited with a pup-friendly menu, complimentary bowls of water or special ‘yappy hour’ events.
• If your business operates out of an office building, consider allowing employees to bring their pets in daily, or choose one day a week.
• Run a retail shop? Show passers-by that you’re a pup-friendly establishment with a window decal or a drinking bowl beside the door.
• If you’re not able to be pet-friendly all the time, consider hosting a pet-centric event so you can still effectively market to pet owners.

Whether you decide to update an existing pet policy or create a new one, make sure you get the word out. Announce your pet advertising news on your most-used social channels, in your next email newsletter, with a flyer in your shop window or via some good old-fashioned snail mail. 

Take a Pet-Forward Approach to Your Marketing Strategies

Whether a social post or a postcard, who doesn’t love seeing a cute photo of a dog or cat? In addition to marketing to pet owners, you’ll show customers that you’re a small business who loves animals — so it’s a great way to build an authentic connection with dog owners, cat lovers and all kinds of pet parents. Here are some pet marketing strategies to get you inspired.  

• Partner with animal influencers. Even though they don’t have thumbs, pets can be influencers, too! All they need is a pet parent working behind the scenes. Spend some time on Instagram or TikTok to find pets that have an active following, and get your product into their paws. Whether your business is in the pet industry or not, influencer marketing is a great way to get authentic, native-looking content.
• Include images of pets in your digital marketing. Like we said…who *doesn’t* love when a cute animal photo or video pops up on their social feed? Even if you’re not a pet business, you can still use dogs, cats and other pets in your marketing content.
• Get people through your doors with pet freebies. A dog-friendly freebie is an almost guaranteed way to convert a prospective customer into a paying one. After all, who goes to Starbucks to get their dog a puppuccino without buying themselves a latte?

Excite Customers with Promotional Pet Products

Everyone loves swag — and whether you’re in the pet industry or just a pet-loving business, get your customers excited with promotional pet products. Here are some of our customisable favourites. 

Promotional Frisbee with Logo

A plastic frisbee is the quintessential dog toy — this one is perfect for playing fetch at the beach, your local park or in the garden.  

Promotional Tedy Pet Container

Do you own a pet shop? A doggy bag dispenser, like this one, is a great add-on gift when customers come in to buy a lead, collar or harness. 

Do Good

Small businesses are at the heart of every community…and it’s never a bad idea to give back to yours. As an animal-loving small business owner, consider giving back to an animal rescue organisation in your area. In addition to earning some good karma points, showing up for your local animal community is sure to draw attention from pet-loving potential customers.  

Aside from simply making a donation, here are some other ways you can do good — while also marketing to pet owners.  

• Host a fundraising event at your restaurant, brewery, yoga studio or retail shop.
• Use your photography studio to take headshots of adoptable dogs and cats.
• Sell raffle tickets for an item in your shop — and donate all proceeds to a local animal charity.
• Sponsor a local animal charity.
• Set up a dog or cat food donation box and reward customers with an in-store discount when they donate.
• If you own a pet shop, donate leftover food, treats and supplies to a local rescue centre.

Bonus Pet Brand Marketing Ideas

Looking for pet industry marketing ideas? This section is for anyone who owns a pet-related business — whether you’re a dog groomer, obedience trainer, pet care provider,or pet supply shop owner. Here are some pet business marketing tips for making a lasting brand impact.

• Thank grooming customers with promotional pet accessories. Once you’ve finished prettying up their pup, send them home with a logo bandana or bow tie.
• Add pet parent products to your merch collection. If you own a pet shop, we’re guessing you sell an array of leads, harnesses, collars and even pet clothing. So, why not sell clothing and accessories for humans? From ‘dog mum’ tees to ‘cat dad’ hats, don’t be afraid to think beyond branded pet products.

Make four-legged customers feel special. Whether you’re boarding a cat for the first time or grooming a pup on his birthday, celebrate the moment with a branded pet product. It could be a personalised food bowl, customised collar accessory or celebratory toy. For veterinary promotional items, we love the idea of a simple certificate of bravery.