This Is My Last Shaggy Dog Story
First we had two dogs who knew how to market themselves. Then came Sherlock the Wonder Dog. Now there’s the great pet sales promotion.
Yup…for those who missed it, there’s a big sales promotion going on at Rancho Santa Fe’s Helen Woodward Animal Shelter.
Throughout March, the center is promoting animal adoptions. This is both because of a growth in orphan pet populations and a reduction in pet adopters.
“We simply can’t bring in more animals if we don’t have the space for them, and the number of potential adopters coming through the doors is the lowest we’ve seen in years,” says center pet acquisition manager LaBeth Thompson.
She adds “We’re hearing the same thing from shelters across the country.”
So to encourage pet adoptions, and for the entire month of March, Helen Woodward will be open every day, cutting adoption fees in half. Blue Buffalo is providing a 4-pound bag of puppy food, and Naturally Fresh is giving away bags of cat litter…though I’m not sure what your dog will do with that!
Add to that a $10 gift card from Kahoots Pet Store; a $25 gas card for the first 100 adopters; and a lifetime of love and devotion from your new furry friend…and you’ve got a pretty compelling reason to go “shopping” there.
Granted, this isn’t what one would call a typical marketing column, but I’m a sucker for a furry face. Helen Woodward’s message tugs at the heartstrings of everyone who hears it, increasing chances you’ll pay attention.
So let’s just say I’m doing my part to make our community a better place.
Besides, the center has combined multiple promotional tools to try and achieve their objective. They’ve slashed prices, joined forces with appropriate partners, and are giving away lots of free stuff.
Oh yes; they’ve also gotten great publicity in area media, with the story spreading throughout the region and gaining increasing amounts of traction with social media, print, and broadcast.
Regardless of what you sell, consider the lesson from our friends at Helen Woodward. Then, as you’re contemplating adding new members to your family, take time to recognize that any business or non-profit can benefit by getting the word out to a wider audience.
All you need is a pawsitive message.
With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.
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