How to Create a Pet Brand that Stands Out from the Crowd
Think creating a successful pet brand seems easy? The pet market is a $100-billion-per-year industry, which means plenty of pet business owners must be getting it right.
But it also means that your business must stand out in a crowded market if you’re going to get the traction you need for long-term success. This requires a well thought-out, cohesive, and consistent strategy.?
I’m going to show you four simple steps that you can take to start building an effective brand strategy for your pet business today! It’s as simple as…?
?Ready to get started?
Step 1: Research the Competition
To carve out your niche in the pet industry, you need to figure out where you fit in. That means you need to know what your competition is doing. Start with thorough research into their branding strategy, as well as the products and services they offer. Look at their social media accounts, their paid ads, and their content marketing.?
By understanding what your competitors are doing, you can identify any gaps in the market that you may be able to dominate. Studying your competition’s marketing efforts can give you some valuable insights into what works and what doesn’t.?
Make sure you really dig deep here, because what you learn will help determine your positioning going forward.
Pro tip: Think beyond the obvious when scoping out your competitors. An alternative solution to the same pet owner problem might not look exactly like your solution.?
For example, trainers aren’t just competing with other local training facilities. DIY and web-based programs are more popular than ever. Check out their services so you fully understand how to highlight the benefits of working with you!
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STEP 2: Identify Your Target Audience
After you have a good understanding of your competition, it’s time to start thinking about your target audience. This is one of the most important steps in creating a successful pet brand.?
Don’t just focus on who these people are. Make sure that you take the time to consider what motivates them to purchase. What’s their pain point and how can you make their lives better?
Without a clearly defined target audience, it will be difficult to market your products or services effectively.
So, how do you go about identifying your target audience?
One way to do this is by conducting market research. Start with the audience that you already have. You can use customer surveys and interviews to find out how they really feel. Take a look at customer reviews on your site and third-party sites - not just for the great feedback, but to look for ways you fell short in your marketing or delivery.
You can also survey potential customers to find out their needs and preferences, as well as their attitudes towards certain brands. Take advantage of list segmentation so you know which people on your email list have purchased and which ones you haven’t been able to convert - then find out why.
One of the best ways to really drill in on your target audience is by using personas. Personas are fictional characters that represent a slice of the target audience. By creating and continually updating personas, you can get a better sense of who your ideal clients really are.?
Speaking to this customer persona should influence all of your marketing efforts. Remember - the pet industry is worth 100 billion bucks. You only want a slice of that pie, which means differentiation is okay. Your brand doesn’t have to be - and shouldn’t be - for everyone.
Pro tip: Are you a new business with no current customers and no email list? Competitor reviews, internet forums, and social media pages where your audience hangs out are all great resources for voice of customer data.
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STEP 3: Define Who You Are
Now that you have a good idea of who your target audience is, it’s time to start defining what your brand is all about. This means creating a mission statement and finding the right voice and tone that will connect with your customers.
Your brand’s mission statement should explain what your company wants to achieve, what you stand for, and how you’re different from the competition.?
Defining your mission is key to creating a successful pet brand. This is the reason your business exists. It’s what drives you to keep pushing every day, and it’s what will drive sales for your company. People (especially pet people) want to be a part of your brand’s story.
Pro tip: Your brand voice should match your target audience, which is why gathering voice of customer data is such an important part of the research process.?
You’ll gain their trust by being authentic, consistent, and trustworthy… but first, you have to capture their attention by delivering content in a voice they identify with.
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STEP 4: Clarify Your Offer
Once you have a clear understanding of who your target audience is and what your brand stands for, it’s time to figure out how to sell your product or service. What problem do you solve? What are the benefits (not just features) of your offering??
These may seem like questions with very obvious answers. But there’s a difference between assuming you know the answer and presenting it in a way that really matters to potential customers.?
By clearly and concisely stating the benefits of why you’re heads and tails above the competition, you’ll make it easier for customers to understand why they should buy from you.
Pro tip: Try to focus on one big idea. Your service may have a lot of moving parts or you may offer a variety of products, but the main benefit of choosing you should be very clear. Is it convenience? Reliability? Safety? Is your product just too darn cute? What does your company do better than any other business out there?
The 4 steps to creating a successful pet brand strategy outlined in this article should help you get started. If all of this sounds overwhelming and you want help designing a cohesive branding strategy for your company, let us know!?
Our team of experts are ready and waiting to partner with you so we can build an attractive brand story together. A brand story that is uniquely yours and undeniably you.?
Don’t wait another day to start clarifying your brand strategy. Grab a notebook and make a plan! If you’ve already started, which steps from the list have helped give your product or service more visibility?