First ever 2013 Australian Pet Blogger Awards

2013 Australian Pet Blogger Awards

Winners announced at event in Sydney on Friday 29^th November

The inaugural 2013 Australian Pet Blogger Awards is calling all bloggers who blog about pets to enter for the chance to be recognised and rewarded by the pet industry and media. 

Entries are open to various types of bloggers ie; mums, lifestyle, travel, food, etc on the condition that their blog contains posts about pets. 

There are also Awards for Best Pet Website, Best Twitter and Facebook and Best Pet App.

Final entries close on Friday 15^th November. 

A luncheon to announce the winners will be held on Friday 29^th November at Centennial Parklands Dining Wine Room, Sydney at 12.15pm. 

Dogs Life Magazine, the leading national pet magazine, is a major Partner of the Pet Blogger Awards and will be covering the Awards extensively online and in the magazine.

The Awards recognise the best of the pet blogging community and is an opportunity

for the pet industry to get together annually and, importantly, to support pet welfare organisations. 

Most importantly, the Awards will significantly increase the profile of the Australian pet industry and also heighten the awareness of pet companies amongst pet owners.

Further it will increase public awareness of the pet industry’s support of pet welfare in Australia. 

Special focus will be placed on pet welfare and each year one organisation is chosen to speak about their cause and efforts.  Funds raised from the Awards will be donated to that organisation. 

There are seventeen categories and all entries will be judged by a panel of experienced bloggers, pet experts and members of the media including renowned journalist Valerie Khoo, Kylie Baracz, Editor of Dogs Life Magazine and Rebecca Derrington founder of Source Bottle.

Finalists from each category will be invited to attend the event joining pet industry members, pet welfare organisations and media. 

Each Award category will be supported by a pet company which will donate $5000 of services or products to the winners chosen pet welfare organisation. 

The overall winner, the 2013 Australian Pet Blogger of the Year, will choose a pet welfare organisation which will receive a full page colour advertisement in Dogs Life Magazine valued at $6,000.  The winner and the pet organisation will be profiled in Dogs Life.

Of course pets will be attending the Awards with category finalists for the actual Pet

Bloggers ie; dogs, cats or other pets that blog, attending to receive their Award.  They will enjoy their luncheon in a very special marquis on the grass next to the Wine Room sponsored by the pet company for pets with personality
IdPet www.idpet.com.au.  Pets will lounge in beautiful IdPet beds; play with lovely IdPet toys; drink their beverages and lunch in IdPet bowls; and have special IdPet name tags and collars to wear on the day and take home.    

Categories 

• Best Dog Blog 
• Best Cat Blog 
• Best Other Pet 
• Best Designed Blog 
• Funniest Blog or Blogger 
• Dogs Life Magazine Readers Choice Award
• Best Youth Blog (for bloggers under 18 years) 
• Best Rescue/Cause Blog 
• Best Actual Pet Blog 
• Best Pet Company Blog
• Best Veterinarian Blog
• Best Behaviourist/Training Blog
• Best Pet Travel Blog

We will also be awarding:

• Best Pet App 
• Best Twitter Design 
• Best Facebook Page 
• Best Pet Website

The 2013 Australian Pet Blogger of the Year will be awarded from all the category winners.

Sponsorship and Prize Partnership opportunities are available offering high reach and meaningful communications with an extensive database of pet and lifestyle bloggers in Australia and internationally. 

Rules 
To determine the finalists and winners, independent judges will use the criteria developed by Four Paws PR where all categories will be judged on creativity, originality and overall impression, and then either design, content, or humour as it pertains to each category. Finalists will be announced on or about 22 November 2013. Winners will be announced at the Awards Luncheon on Friday 29^th November. 

For Further Information:

Louise Lees, Four Paws PR

M 0418 543 498

E Louise@fourpawspr.com       W www.fourpawspr.com/

Three Ways to Ensure You Get Bad Media Coverage

Just as there are steps to take to improve your public relations power, there are ones you can follow that will ensure your reputation and media coverage will be horrible. 

1.     Don't thoroughly know their section and publication/program

Nothing quite annoys the media, and understandably so, than receiving releases and pitches completely irrelevant to them.  

It's a slight to their work and reveals the author/senders ignorance.   How hard can it be to read the relevant journalists past articles? 

2.     Call them right on deadline, or even worse, don't know they have one

Figure you'll call BRW on Monday late afternoon and pitch an idea?  That will not endear you to them.  

 Find out a publications deadline before contacting.  And when you do call them, first ask if they can talk or would they prefer you to call them back at a more suitable time.

3.     Stonewall and give no information whatsoever.

This is not the same thing as a “No comment” answer. This is when you purposely avoid answering the media in any way, thinking that if you say nothing, they will write nothing in response. 

Sorry, it does not work that way, and it only encourages reporters to find other sources who will talk, particularly ones who may oppose you. 

The result can be a piece that makes you scramble for damage control afterward – if in fact you do not lose your job and/or friends as a consequence.  

I had a client actually refuse to tell a top notch financial journalist who was on their board! The journalist's response to this arrogant and foolish response, was that he could easily just look it up on ASIC when he returned to the office. This was a big mistake by the client.

Seven Sins of a Bad Media Release

1. It's more than five paragraphs

Less is  more when it comes to media releases. Never longer than one page and no more than five paragraphs.

2. It's simply fabulous, wonderful, marvellous, amazing......

Media releases are not commercials, so they shouldn’t read like one. Ditch the sales speak, and get rid of the hyperbole.  A media release is not a company brochure or ad so do not write it like one. It’s a news release—stick to the facts and avoid bias. That's what journalists want.

3. You focused on quantity instead of quality

Don't type up and send our media releases en masse.  Nobody is interested in a non newsworthy media release.  Only send out a release when you have genuine news.  

4. Get to the point already!

Someone should be able to know what your story is about by reading only the first paragraph of your press release. Press releases are written in the “inverted pyramid” format. This means the most important information (who, what, when, where and how) is at the top of the press release, followed by all of the minor details. Get to the point quickly, and don’t drag out your press release for three pages. 

5. A translator is required to interpret the jargon

Save the jargon for your shareholder meetings; it has no place in your press release.

6. The headline is dull

I hate to break it to you, but no one cares if you updated your website or started a new blog. Sure, you can create news from doing this, but you have to find a different angle than “XYZ Company Updates Website.” 

Find a solid news angle that focuses on some unique function of the new website that provides a tangible benefit people might be interested in. Then, craft your headline around that news angle. Be careful not to make your headline too promotional or cutesy, as it will come off like a cheap advertisement rather than a newsworthy press release. 

7. You forgot to proofread it

Without proofreading, you risk sending out a press release that’s riddled with typos and grammatical errors. Needless to say, that doesn’t exactly command respect from editors and journalists.

Giving Good Phone (in a media interview that is)

The majority of media interviews are now conducted over the phone, not in person.  So how can you perform at your best during a phone interview, here's some tips:

1. Get out of your office. Don’t sit at your desk, where you can be easily distracted by incoming emails, phone calls, and office visitors. Find an empty room with no distractions, and tape a “Do Not Disturb – Interview in Progress” sign on the door.

2. Bring your key messages - these should be in bullet points and maximum five.  It's pivotal that you convey your key messages during an interview. 

3. Get a headset. Telephone headsets are terrific gadgets for phone interviews. They allow you to use both of your hands to gesture—which adds emphasis to your voice—and frees you to shuffle your note cards or scribble a quick note.

4. Stand. You're are able to “think faster on your feet.” You also tend to project more authority, likely because pacing helps them use their nervous energy in a more productive manner.

5. Smile. When appropriate, that is. The reporter (and audience, for radio interviews) can hear your warmth radiating through the phone.

6. Use a landline. Speaker phones have inferior audio quality and can be a barrier to easy communication. Plus, reporters may think, “He’s too important to pick up the damn phone?” Same goes for cell phones—use them only when necessary.

7. Click, clack, repeat. Listen for the sound of typing on the other end; you may hear it when you say something that intrigues the reporter. That’s your cue to slow down and repeat what you’ve just said a second time, to help make sure the reporter has time to capture every word. 

8.  Do not rush - don't become nervous and rush through an interview.

9.  Practice, practice, practice - do a run through or two before the interview with someone. 

10.  Bring it back to topic - often a discussion can move away from the main topic or maybe you just want something included.  Just say, "can i include for your readers/listeners/viewers that the details are are on website petsaregreat.com.au"

Baby Boomer Women - a pets bestest friend!

Boomer women and their pets – a relationship that definitely gets better with age!

Baby boomers are not only the fastest growing segment of pet parents, but also the largest spenders. 

Now, a recent survey conducted by reveals how deep a boomer woman’s love, concern for and dedication to their four-legged friend runs.

 

When boomer women were asked if they consider their pet to be “part of the family,” 100% responded “yes.” The survey also found that, of the respondents:

• 8% carry pet insurance – nearly double the average for pet parents

• 73% spend $50 or more per month on pet supplies – higher than the national average

• Top sources for learning about new products and services for their pet are: In-Store (61%), online research (53%) and friends (44%).

• Top “pet concerns” include:  
• Difficulty making travel plans because of their pet (54%)
• Cost of health care for their pet (48%) 
• Their pet’s comfort and safety while they’re at work (48%)
• Wanting to provide better nutrition and more opportunity for exercise for their pet (46%).

As the largest and most affluent pet-loving female demographic in the boomer women can prove to be a goldmine for brands that can effectively earn their trust and offer them practical and valued pet solutions.

So pet companies what customer segments are you targeting? Do you have a pet transport company?  Or Pet insurance? Or quality pet food? 

If so you need to be targeting female baby boomers.  The next question is do you know how to effectively and directly reach this specific audience?

The team at Four Paws PR are experts at this.  We know the pet markets and we know how to directly reach them and, importantly, convey our clients key messages.

Go to www.fourpawspr.com for further info.

Pet Bloggers Have Great Breeding and Credibility

Really interesting article on Pet Bloggers which makes some really valid and smart points that pet companies will benefit from.

A New “Breed” of Bloggers Make a Social Marketing Impact By Bob Speyer | Business 2 Community

We all know the marketing power Mom Bloggers have in promoting brands and influencing consumers. 

However, flying under the marketing radar are Pet Bloggers who are just now making an impact with marketers whose major focus should be the health and welfare of our pets.

 

Pet owners want to be part of community for their breed and want to be informed about their pet’s health in the areas of nutrition, vaccinations, inclinations, problems and simply how best to read a pet food label. 

A hot topic among bloggers and pet owners is training. Since we are mainly focusing on cats and dogs in this article, there is growing interest in positive-reinforcement training. 

The importance of Pet Communities 

The main purpose of pet blogging is to create communities where there is a healthy exchange of information concerning pets of all breeds and to connect with each other to share experiences.    

 

Social Media is all about relationship building and Pet Bloggers fill that niche nicely. 

Pet owners trust their bloggers more than manufacturers trying to push product in a cluttered marketplace. 

Using Pet Bloggers as brand advocates is smart marketing and soft sell that pet owners respond more positively.

What matters most to pet owners? 

Because there is so much misinformation about pet food, pet owners are very appreciative of brands that help them understand pet nutrition. Some pet owners are so mistrustful, they either make their own pet food or are very loyal to one specific brand of products. 

 

Influence Marketing

Pet Bloggers have credibility because they are pet lovers first and readers take their advice and bloggers their product endorsements serious consideration.  

They will not just recommend a brand. They will talk to the brand’s representatives and exchange views before sharing their product messages. 

Readers have a high confidence in their Pet Blogger of choice. If they recommend a product, consumers follow and buy that product or brand. Pet Bloggers wield tremendous influence and can impact pet sales.

Where Pet Bloggers influence is greatest felt among their readers is not so much in pet food, rather pet toys and treats as long as they are not made in China. As you may know, China had a big pet food recall recently.

In the Final Analysis:
In polling Pet Bloggers, the number one issue is respect. They feel marketers overlook them for “Mom Bloggers”. 

They are moms as well, but pet owners FIRST!  

The brands that reach out to Pet Bloggers and offer them a place at the marketing table will be out of the proverbial dog house and have an advantage over their competition.

 

Seven Ways to Get Your Pet Company in the Media

Innovative public relations ideas for pet companies can make considerable impact on their business. Getting your business included in the local newspaper or magazine, on the radio, or on television can be powerful.

Three types of stories can benefit your business:

• Stories or articles about your company, staff, service or product.
• Stories on your customers.
• Articles on a subject that quote you as an expert.

Here are seven public relations techniques to try:

1. Write an article about a current trend in pet health, and how to manage it.
2. Write a letter to the editor as a follow-up to a recent story.
3. Write a press release about a new piece of equipment or new service your company offers.
4. Write a dramatic news story about a local animal hero.
5. Develop a check list for good pet health.
6. Offer to be a guest on local talk radio or local cable tv channels.
7. Write a how-to article for rescuing wildlife.

By creating a relationship with local members of the media, you can offer them snippets of content to help fill their pages or time slots. Make yourself available for follow-up questions. 

Eventually, you’ll become the “go-to” source for stories about animal care.
Public relations takes considerable time and energy, but the pay offs can be big and positive press can be extremely valuable.

An organised media relations plan takes time to implement, but can reap great returns over the long term.

Marketing to Pet Owners

Marketing to Pet Owners, Finding Ideal Targets

63% of Australian households own pets, we are one of the highest pet owning countries in the world.  

There are approximately 37 million pets in Australia and we spend massively on them - nearly $8 billion per annum and growing.  Of the homes that don't have a pet 53 percent would like to get one in the near future.

The pet industry is one of the few industries to not have slowed down during the global financial crisis.  In fact it grew from $6.02 billion in 2009 to 7.8 billion in 2011-2012.  

Attitudes to pets have changed considerably also.  No long do they live outside, fed table scraps and considered just a pet.  Nine out of ten pet owners, they prefer to be called pet parents, consider their pets family.

As pets are increasingly considered part of the family, consumers are showing that they place significant value on their health and wellbeing.

So pet companies are likely to think that they have this huge enthusiastic audience and marketing to them should be easy.  

Do some advertising or marketing and you'll reach the 10 to 11 million owners, right?

Wrong.  

This technique is known in the marketing industry as “spray and pray”. Marketing to the masses and pray that your audience responds. 

Even though two out of three families have pets, this doesn’t mean they all need your service.
Your customers must meet all three of these criteria:

1. They must have interest in your product or service.
2. They must be able to afford what you’re selling.
3. They must be willing to spend the money; they must see the value.

As you can see, the number of people who meet these criteria is much smaller than two-thirds of the public.

Furthermore, this also assumes you don’t have competition. Now your product must be more interesting, more affordable, or offer greater value than your competitors.
Suddenly, “spray and pray” doesn’t seem to have a prayer.
Who are ideal pet owners?
Children love animals… but they don’t have jobs.  Families with children have incomes… but many also a priority list that doesn’t favor the pets. Mostly they purchase pet food, supplies, and health care but won’t spend excessively.

There are three Ideal pet owners:

• Women - with jobs which earn a minimum of 50k per annum.  They may be single, in a relationship or married, they may have children.  But they have the money and the lifestyle and they love to spend on their pets.  Women are the main carers of pets, of course they are!   

• Couples with families where the children have grown - they no longer have to spend on their children and now they consider their pet(s) their children.  They have total income greater than $100,000 and own a home.

• The highest spending pet owner market now is female baby boomers.  They now spend more than any other market.  They totally consider their pets as children and have the money to spend on them.

Defining your ideal market with absolute clarity gives you the ability to target them with laser focus. Having a clearly defined customer means you can purchase mailing lists or place ads where these potential customers live and work.

However, your ideal customer may differ from the example above. Your medical specialty, services or unique factors in your community can shift the demographic of your ideal client.

Many of your customers won’t match the criteria of “ideal”. Ideal doesn’t mean exclusive. Ideal customers are simply “targets that give you the best return on your marketing investment”.

Four Paws PR can help you clearly define your ideal client, then help you market to them with laser focus.  www.fourpawspr.com