In this episode of Mind Your Own Dog Business, Kristen Lee breaks down the New Rules Of Marketing For Dog Businesses: 2021 Edition.
The dog business landscape has shifted dramatically and continues to change, morph by the week. Dog owner consumer behavior is an entirely different game, and if you haven't updated your marketing strategy as a dog trainer, dog walker, now is the time to make these shifts using the new rules.
During this episode, after each rule, Kristen will deep dive into the marketing shifts you can start making today as a pet business owner for better results in your marketing efforts.
What you'll learn in this episode:
In this episode of Mind Your Own Dog Business, Kristen Lee breaks down the New Rules Of Marketing For Dog Businesses: 2021 Edition.
The dog business landscape has shifted dramatically and continues to change, morph by the week. Dog owner consumer behavior is an entirely different game, and if you haven't updated your marketing strategy as a dog trainer, dog walker, now is the time to make these shifts using the new rules.
During this episode, after each rule, Kristen will deep dive into the marketing shifts you can start making today as a pet business owner for better results in your marketing efforts.
What you'll learn in this episode:
You're listening to the mind, your own dog business podcast. I'm your host, a leading expert in dog business, strategic Kristen Lee guys. Get ready for your journey, your journey to cutting edge marketing and sales, creating a standout kick ass dog business brand. Along with mastering your mindset. That's going to smash. All of this glass ceilings that have been holding you back and catapult your dog was this to the next level. With actionable steps, you can take right away. We're going to empower you. We're going to grow you as you step into your authentic self. Not only as a dog trainer, dog Walker, or what ever slice the pet industry, you find yourself in. But as that bad-ass entrepreneur, my mission is to disrupt the current norm. Cut through the noise, cut through the bullshit and empower the incredible women of the dog business industry to step into the spotlight, reclaim control and transform not only their businesses, but their lives. It's real. It's raw. It's uncensored. And it's what this dog business industry needs. Let's do this guys. Hey guys, welcome to this episode of the mind, your own dog business podcast, the leading pet industry dog podcast, where we break it down to be unapologetically bad-ass and successful in your dog training business in your dog, walking business for pet sitters, dog boarders, and all of you. Amazing, incredible pet industry. Entrepreneurs, not Petra pinners cause I don't like that. I don't like that term, but that's just me. That's just me. I'm crane. I am a, I'm a cranky quote unquote business coach owner. Anyway, so today we are going to talk about the new rules. All of you guys should be following when it comes to marketing your dog training business and 20. 21. And this also applies to marketing your dog-walking business and your pet sitting business as well. So I want you to listen closely and heads up with all of these actionable steps that you can start to be making. And if you didn't go and listen to last week's episode of the challenges and opportunities, you might be a little lost, but if you did, you might. So I might sound like a little bit of a repeating record, but I'm going to dig into each one of these steps. So you guys can implement it today, like starting to learn and unlearn and relearn actual business marketing. All right. So what we're going to be doing today is blending both the old school methodology of marketing principles and adding in some new school, new school flyer, custom tailored for the pet dog industry. Because this is what's happening. This is where I had this crazy, crazy relative relevation. Excuse my language here, relevation over Christmas break because I was sitting down and I was in massive operational planning, phases, and marketing is also my jam because everybody loves marketing. Everybody thinks marketing is sexy and sleek. And the thing that makes you a billion dollars in business, but it really isn't. And I was having this little realization around. Everybody's teaching marketing, and everybody's playing the telephone game of marketing and how to market your pet business, how to market your dog training, business and whatnot, and something that I've noticed K and digital marketers for other industries are also guilty of this. We've gone away from the principles and we broken it down and cherry picked it to make it feel good, into easy into sexy. So what I want to do today is bring back some of the. Some of the old principals from all the old school pubes that we love. And we honor, we have to honor as the grandfathers of marketing, but also blend in some time-tested methods created and curated for the dog training industry. Because listen, it's been a telephone game of marketing strategies out there, and we've gotten away from the principles of it. We'd gotten the way as a consumer psychology and behavioral analysis of how people spend their money and how it, what a customer journey is and everything like that. So thing I love the most about marketing is, and I've said this before, I'm a repeating broken record is it's a science. It literally is a science of consumer behavior and psychology blended with the craft crafted art. Uh, writing branding design. Okay. It's it's as beautiful manifestation of art and science together. So let's get right into the newish rules of marketing for your dog business. And just to note. Just to know this episode is going to be connected to the previous episode and probably to the fast-forward episodes of 2021. And these rules guys, these rules also blend and build off of one another. So some of them might sound similar, but I promise you if you listen closely, you'll see how they build off of one another. Kay. So. Role number one for marketing your pet business, your pet dog industry business in 2021. You need to re define your audience before you do any of these. Okay. Redefine your audience wants. Needs and your perspectives before you touch anything before you even make a peep online, no more homogenization. If you haven't ever revisited your dog training niche, remember it's not about you. It's about the person and refined who your dog owning people are. It's time to take a few minutes and write that shit out. Dump it on a piece of paper, dump it on your notes app on your phone, dump it on a whiteboard. If you're like me, I know I sound like a specific, uh, repeating record on this particular topic, but it's so important guys, because again, the market, the landscape has changed being a homogenized meeting, looking like you do everything else like everybody else, because you think that's what the market wants. It. No, can't get away with that anymore. Guys. You have to be very specific in that person's head. Like you need to tap into them almost at AC at not almost at a psychological level. You need to tell them the story. They're not telling themselves. You need to understand it's not all dog owners you want. It's not all just leash reactive dogs who want, it's not all just people that need a break from their dog or dogs that are people that think their dogs are assholes or whatnot. You need to tap into them deeper than ever. Everything has shifted and is still continue to shift. So if you haven't done this work before, or you've kind of slacked on it, I understand things happen. Okay. But you need to get into this rule things to ask yourself guys things, to ask yourself before you even put a blip or update your website or put something on Facebook, Instagram, or anything else like that, or even send an email out is. Are they looking for solutions or problem solving? With their dog or are they looking for something that just gives their, their pups the best life they deserve? Right. Because here's the thing it used to be in dog training and dog walking that you're focusing on a particular problem that they're having with their dog. And you provide the solution. Well, Like everything else it's changed. Right? Some people want lifestyle stuff. Some people deserve lifestyle stuff. Some people are just looking for giving their dog the best life ever. You remember last episode, new age, dog named market. Now it's not just saying giving your dog, you're giving the dog your life that they deserve. Like, yeah, you can use that. Take that. I don't give a flying. Fuck. If you want to put that out there and your content. But understanding what that lifestyle is and like how it pertains that particular individual or that family or that person that's working from home from their, their tech job in their loft apartment. How does that apply to them? Okay. Let's stop, focus so much. And if you still do problem solving cool. That's 50% of the market out there, but we need to start to shift. What tone do these particular people do as you're starting to rewrite the rules of your ideal client kind of tone? Do they talk, are they like a frigging Jersey loud mouth like me with a potty mouth, but they're super educated. And successful. Are they kind of like, are they more into like the motivational style stuff or are they kind of cut and dry? Are they, you know, very successful, uh, corporate executives? How do they talk? Well, what do they need to be attracted to? Like what style of copy and content and tone do they use? Okay. All these things are critically important. As rule number one, when it comes to building out your dog, this is marketing for 2021. So go back rule number one, it's all about them and getting creative and really tapping into them. This is my favorite. Well, this is one of my favorites. All these are my favorites. Rule. Number two for marketing Kara dog business in 2021. Standing into your authority and bringing that big D energy into it. Kay. Standing into that authority and bringing big energy into it. I'm looking at all of you. Bad-ass fucking females that are in the dog industry. Need to show up now, is it mean being loud and crash and, and, and being a Dick about it? Absolutely not, but this is a spot so many people shy away from when it or go the complete opposite or pull it or use it. And they sound like a, know it all or bragger, or just a jerk, the simple way to build authority guys, without having to change your personality. Tell stories in your content. We're going to talk about them second. Let your prospective clients AEA the dog owners that need dog training for your dog training business. Let them know they're not alone, but don't peach. NYSE them either. And that you've helped others just like that. You are their guide. Show them the authority that you have now show them statistics. How many people have you helped like them? Why are they not alone? What are the other stories? Like what are the people that have failed in your dog training business? Like, yeah. Talk about that. That guys stand into your authority, stand into your authority by tapping into people's heads and creating your own unique content. Don't be shy about your success, your clients' journeys and the impact you've made, not just the dogs, but to the owner's lives as well. So rule number two, stand into your mother fucking authority, dog trainers, but don't be a Dick either, but that's another rule rule. Number three, get personal and polarizing with your dog business brand in your marketing. Polarization speak on topics that speak to your hearts. Look at us, look at this podcast. For example, either people love it or they hate it. I don't give a shit. I love the ones that love it. Pullers. If you're polarizing people and people are not liking you, you're doing something right. A lot of dog business owners, dog trainers, dog walkers, shy away from personalization and polarization. Here's the thing. Polarization allows you to connect deeper to your perspective, dog, owning clients, rule number one, tap into their head and redefine them. Chances are chances are your most favorite dog owning clients are people just like yourself? They're just like you. Okay. These are the people that you would surround yourself with. Personalization allows you to show up more authentically as well. Polarization also allows you communicate directly on what you stand for as not only as a dog business owner, but it also allows you to quickly join, join, draw a line in the sand and weed out the non-ideal peoples that you don't want to bring into your business house. Okay. Like, you don't wanna bring some of these people in your business house. Okay. Like, and that's fine. You don't have to take shit from people that you don't like to bring into your business house. Like that's just going to waste your time and money if you've been doing that guys. Oh my God. Fucking clear on who the people you want to work with are role number four. After getting personalizing, personalized and polarizing with your dog business brand rule, number four, make story not noise when it comes to everything. Every single thing that you want, not every single thing, meaning 97% should be in story when it comes to your marketing. Okay. When you make too much noise, what happens? Your perspective, dog owning clients will start to ignore you. And that's what everybody is doing right now. There's a huge war of attention. So as you charge you 2021 as a dog trainer, as a dog Walker and make sure your digital marketing includes story telling, be the hero. Well, be the guy to the hero. Understand the hero's journey. When did you start to do that guys? I can tell you there's going to be a massive shift in the way that people engage with you. Rule number five, after you make story, choose the right platform for your dog business, brand awareness and marketing efforts. After you updated your content strategy, update you after you done your niche work and whatnot. For example. And this is something that grinds my gears. I sound like Peter Griffin here, you shouldn't be posting cute doodle themes stories on LinkedIn. Okay. Like I see people using LinkedIn because they're like, Oh, well I want to work with a C-suite executives, professionals, lawyers, and things like that. And then I see people treating it like Facebook. Okay. Coming from a CSV background when I'm on LinkedIn. What do I want to see? I want to see detailed bullet points and I want to just look at something that's not super cute and articulated because I'll be on Facebook from looking for that. So start to think about what is the strategy I'm using on different platforms or you shouldn't be doing are well written, articulated articles with infographics and free Facebook groups. That's going to be a waste of fucking time. All right. Now here's the thing I want to talk about. Free Facebook groups really quickly. Okay. I know it's being taught to some people. I know dog school has a free Facebook group. We don't use it to sell shit by the way. Um, but the thing thing about free Facebook groups for dog owners in your local market, I'm just going to say it. Stop. It's a waste of time and energy. I don't know who's teaching that, but it's a great way to attract people with way too much time on their hands and having to babysit a group of tire kickers. Yes, you might get tagged in these groups by your ideal clients, but if you start to create your own. What starts to happen is you have to babysit it. And a lot of these times the conversion rates are not worth the time in the energy. Remember, member your perspective, dog, owning clients after rule number one, go in and figure out what the fuck's going on in their head. They have either time or energy. And time or money, goddammit time or money. And if they have a lot of money, they probably don't have a lot of time to sit around and free Facebook groups where MLMs have taken over where people just bitch and moan about things. Okay. Now, if you have more of a business that is a little bit more passive and you focus on the quantity. If you want to do it cool. Like, I don't care. I can't control you. But what I see happening is people wasting, especially dog trainers and dog walkers that have too much, uh, that have, are too much invested into getting people help. And they start these groups, you end up babysitting them. They can be mayhem sometimes. And yeah, pet pros start to join it. And then you start like, have like this infestation of under engaged people that aren't your ideal peeps. Now, Ken going back to rule number five, choose the right platform. Each one of your perspective, clients has a decent designated platform where they spend time, where they spend time, where they're creating stuff on their lunch break when they're kind of wasting time or wasting some tape and create that content based on that platform. Again, go back to thinking, what would a lawyer like to see on LinkedIn? What would that look like with the branding? What would that look like with an infographic? What would it look like to see? What would a doodle mom like to see on Instagram? That might be a little bit more Instagram, pretty, you know, influencers strategy. So start to think about that guys and create curated content for that particular person in there as well. Tap into where the fuck they're at with their dog as well. Rule number six for marketing, your dog training and dog walking business in 2021. Simplify your core messaging in, have complete clarity around it, pair it down, pair it down. So many people get caught up in the fact they have all different services and that's all you all talk about. And consistently overwhelmed. You need to pair down and be laser direct on that redefined dog owner that you already done on that platform, but the curated content journey and say clearly, okay. Say it clearly with the tone. Remember people don't hear what we say, but what they understand. So simplify your messaging. Okay. It's going to be a little triggering to some people, and I do apologize ahead of time. Don't be a Dick, do not be a Dick in your marketing. Don't shame your dog owning clients. Can you get away with calling their dogs assholes sometimes, but you shouldn't have that in your marketing guys. Save that for your sales calls, you know, read the fuck and room a couple of years ago in dog school. When I first came on to be a partner with Maggie. I chatted about, you know, having it be okay, like where you have your ideal client really, really nailed down and it's okay to sometimes call their dogs a Dick or an asshole. Well, here's the thing, because that was two years ago, things have shifted dramatically and you gotta to read the room first. Some people are going to be put off. If people have been beat up in the last year, year and a half. So stop using that strategy. And I've seen so many people still use that strategy and then other people are influenced by it and I'm like, no. And like, then they talk about like, not shaming. I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, no. Read the room, understand the tone, understand where people are at. And don't be a Dick. Talk to dog owners in your marketing. Not above them. Now it's easy to get caught up in messages and content that don't get connect with your audience, right? That's just your subject matter expert. And like, you can talk all day. I can talk all day about stuff you don't care about. Right. It's easy, but avoid this. You must talk to your dog owners using their language. Um, Something that we saw at a VIP once was we had a really, really incredible dog trainer out on the West coast, very fucking accomplished. Like she is fucking accomplished and brilliant fucking woman and team. And I looked at her website and again, remember I'm going back to websites in 2021 and beyond. Um, we looked at our website and I was like, Whoa, you are giving people a composed lead education. On dog training methodology, and it's starting to sound a little condescending there and she's like, are you serious? I said a fucking lutely, put yourself in the seat of your ideal client and read this. There's this old quote by Eugene shorts and I'm going to just paraphrase it. It's the moment you switched to educational tone in your messaging and your marketing, your advertising. This is an old book from like the fifties, but it's still a really good book. The moment you focus in education, the moment you lose your value as a professional. Okay. So the start to, you know, simplify that core messaging and don't be a Dick don't have to over-educate it's not your role to explain why balanced dog training is the best dog training. It's not your role or your responsibility to explain while, uh, positive, uh, uh, It's science-based dog training is the best dog training. Right. And I understand some of you are getting triggered over this, and I understand that too, as well. Like I love fucking science-based and positive your force mentor joining. Hey accreditation. That's what I'm learning right now. Yes. I'm learning to be a dog trainer FYI. Um, but it's not your role to sit there and. And, and have this political stance on your website. You can talk about it on your sales calls and just restructure it, but don't be a Dick about it. Don't make it a fucking core focus. And I see so many people doing that because other influencers do that, I'm like, nah, don't be a Dick. Don't be a Dick connect. If you want to be a Dick. Cool. This isn't for you. And the final rule of marketing your business, dog training, marketing your business in 2020. Roll number 2021. We'll number eight. Call people. Call them to take action. Have your people take clear action with a clear call to action. Get help now. Connect with dog trainer. Get dog training help now. Get more information. The more we have people search on their web, on your website for trying to get help or whatnot, the more we start to lose them. So make sure you have a clear call to action. Now, am I saying every social media post should have a clear call to action? No, you can overload people with that, right? It's like, you can get annoying. Like I don't even fucking do that, but we want to make sure just like in sales, we want to ask for the sale. We want to influence our dog owning ideal person, using all these rules to take a clear call to action, whether it's to call you to get a quote, to get help now to get started. Here cure. All the gets gets gets. So take that from this one, get them to take action with a clear call to action. Okay. Inspire them using all these rules by connecting with them. All right guys. So that concludes today's episode of the new rules of dog business marketing 20, 21 edition. And I'm going to be all transparent and be like, yeah, this things are going to change. I might have to do an update twice this year on this one, but these are some new rules that you can start implementing today with marketing, your dog training, business, marketing, your dog, walking business, and your pet city business. Till next time, guys, talk to you soon. Make sure. I'm going to call you to action, to take action on these rules till next time guys have a great one. Love you all. Bye. Hey there. Thank you for listening to another bad-ass episode of mind, Euro dog business. If you haven't already subscribed, what are you waiting for? Oh my God. Go and subscribe now. So you don't miss out on any of our content pack, dog business jam sessions, plus special offers that I'm going to only be sharing with my amazing dog business entrepreneurial podcast listeners. Now, if you've enjoyed this episode, Be sure to leave a five star kick ass review. So more amazing dog business owners, just like yourself, confined us and starts to transform and disrupt their businesses and their lives unapologetically. And if you feel so inclined, feel free to tag me on Instagram with a screenshot of this episode and holler at your girl. Um, at dog-walker coach, you can find me dog-walker coach and I'll pop up and I'll give you a special shout out. All right guys, til next time. Bye.