Utilizing Local Media Outlets to Get More Dog Daycare Customers

The dog daycare business is a competitive industry and it is important to find innovative and effective ways to reach potential customers and build your brand. It's not enough these days to just open your doors and expect business to start flowing. You're going to need to get your business out there in front of potential clients so that they know you exist in your local market. One often overlooked method for promoting and marketing your dog daycare is through local media outlets. These can include local newspapers, television stations, radio stations, and online publications. Local TV news is still popular and getting your business into the news (for a good reason), can be a great way to build your brand.

In this blog post, I'm going to explore the benefits of utilizing local media outlets to help your dog daycare or kennel boarding business get more customers.

1. Builds Brand Awareness

Utilizing local media outlets can help you reach a wider audience and build brand awareness. For example, having a regular advertisement in a local newspaper can help familiarize people in your community with your business and what you offer. This can also increase your visibility and help you stand out from your competition. If you've got a local newspaper, ask them about their rates for a yearly advertisement and get your print marketing on! This will give them more money up front and you'll also be able to get a deal over a week-by-week rate. The more often pet owners see that your business exists, the more likely they will be to give you a call when they need someone to watch Fido while they go on vacation.

2. Reaches Targeted Audience

Local media outlets often have a defined audience, which can be a valuable tool for reaching potential customers who are interested in dog daycare services. For example, running an advertisement on a local radio station that caters to pet owners can be more effective than advertising on a national station that has a broader audience. Obviously, there most likely isn't a local radio station in your area that is only for pet owners (that would be kind of weird), but a huge percentage of Americans are pet owners, so just having your ad play on the radio over and over will breed familiarity with your business.

3. Builds Credibility

By appearing in local media outlets, you can build credibility and establish yourself as an expert in the dog daycare industry. For example, being featured in a local newspaper article or appearing on a local television segment can help reinforce your credibility as a trusted source for dog daycare services. Reach out to your local news stations and see if they have any interest in doing a spot on the upcoming holiday travel season. If they're already doing a spot on 4th of July travel boom, maybe they would be interested in getting your opinion on the different options for pet boarding while people head up to the lake for the weekend. If they know you're willing to give your expert opinion on the pet boarding industry, they might just give you some free publicity.

4. Provides Cost-Effective Advertising

Compared to national advertising campaigns, utilizing local media outlets can be a cost-effective way to reach potential customers. This is particularly beneficial for smaller dog daycare businesses that may have limited advertising budgets. As a local business, it doesn't make any sense to do any large scale national advertising. That's just ridiculous. However, you can look into advertisements in the larger cities where tourists are coming from. Let's say you're a dog daycare in northern Wisconsin, a place frequented by a lot of Chicago tourists in the summer. You could potentially think about putting an ad in a Chicago travel magazine that features Wisconsin tourist spots, to build your brand and let the Chicago folks know that you're there to watch Fido when they come visit.

5. Offers Opportunities for Engagement

Utilizing local media outlets can also provide opportunities for engagement with potential customers. For example, participating in a local television segment on dog daycare services can provide a platform for answering questions and addressing concerns from potential customers. Most local news stations have their light-hearted morning news program, where they talk with local businesses and people and just kind of shoot the breeze. Make it a point to try to pitch your business for a story. Maybe it could be for a "small business highlight" section or something similar. Either way, getting on local TV will definitely help build your brand.

6. Supports Local Community

By utilizing local media outlets, you can also support your local community and demonstrate your commitment to it. For example, sponsoring a local pet event or participating in a local charity drive can help you connect with potential customers and build positive relationships within your community. People like to support businesses that support the community, so if you're paying for a weekly ad in the local newspaper, you're actively supporting the community. This kind of support might be enough to entice some locals to give your dog daycare a try when they're looking for someone to take care of their pet.

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