Why PR works for the Pet Industry

Despite the world financial crisis the Australian pet industry has grown and it's one of the few industries to do so.
 
The household pet products and services sector plays a major role in the Australian economy, ranking 117 out of 498 industry sectors.  

It generated revenue of $8 billion in 2011/12, well ahead of wine manufacturing and not far behind copper ore mining (CommSec).

And it is set to continue growing as is the Australian level of pet ownership which has one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world with 63 per cent of households being home to 25 million pets.

Dogs were the most common pets with 39 per cent of households owning a canine following by 29 per cent owning a cat.

Almost half would like to either get a pet or get another pet with 14.9 per cent planning to add an animal to their family in 2013.

Pet owners are constantly looking for different ways to improve their pet’s quality of life with food, treats, toys, services; the list goes on and on.  And new and different companies are continually springing up to meet those needs.   

Veterinary fees is a $2.5 billion annual market which is forecast to increase to $2.94 billion by 2017.

The pet related services category  has more than doubled in the past decade. From mobile grooming services to high-end salons, luxury pet hotels and specialised day care centers, the array of pet services seems endless.

If you’re in the pet industry, you’re well positioned to market enhance and grow your business.  PR and media relations are ready-made marketing approaches for the pet industry.  

Public relations is all about effective story telling, and the media (and the public) love pet stories.  Whether the story is about a new line of pet furniture, a new exclusive pampering service, or a new veterinary procedure, there are stories that will interest the media and the public.  

In turn those stories can help grow your business, build your brand and establish you as an expert in the world of pets and pet care.

The media loves human interest stories and there are no better human interest stories than those that include pets.  YouTube is a prime example of our pet obsession; the site is filled with clips of pets being cute, funny, silly and different.   

People love their pets and if the media reach those consumers and let them know about your new product and service, it is going to pay off in a big way.  

Unlike advertising or other forms of marketing media relations not only builds your reputation in the field it also builds your business.

Once you decide to launch a PR campaign for your business, study the media outlets that reach your target market.  

Now develop a number of different stories to pitch to a variety of different media outlets.  

Each media source has needs and interests that are specific to it.  The primary secret to a successful campaign is to focus on what the various media outlets need, and pitch each outlet accordingly.  

For example, pet trade publications will be interested in a business angle, whereas your local media will respond to a pitch with a local slant and a national TV show is going to be more willing to run with a story that has a strong visual component.  
 


So if you’re in the pet industry, utilize your strengths.  Your pet business, service, or product is the ideal candidate for a successful media relations campaign.  

Then combine your traditional media campaign with a social media campaign and watch your business soar.