If you’re a pet store owner, your primary concern is most likely on each and every animal that steps paw in your store. Marketing and promotions to grow your business aren’t always as rewarding but they are important. And with a little ingenuity and passion, they can be just as fun. Some of these ideas can be built into your pet store point of sale as well. Below is a list of some of our favorite ideas for pet store promotions.

8 Pet Store Promotions for Retail Success

1. Host a Fashion Show!
2. Blow Up Your Instagram
3. Choose a Pet of the Week or Month to Include in a Regular Newsletter
4. Brand Some Free Sample to Give Our to Other Local Businesses
5. Promote Other Pet-Related Businesses
6. Host Short-Term Free or Cheap Puppy Classes
7. Personalize the Shopping Experience
8. Put Out a Calendar

1. Host a Fashion Show!

Who can say no to this? Halloween is the obvious pick but you can try it for other holidays, too. A “Ben”ji Franklin on Independence Day would be hard to beat. Use the opportunity to give away gift cards or new products to the best costume. And make sure to take plenty of pictures to blow up your Instagram. Which leads to number two…

2. Blow Up Your Instagram

Instagram loves cute animals. And it’s free retail marketing. Take advantage of the plethora of adorable creatures coming through your doors and make them IG celebs.

3. Choose a Pet of the Week or Month to Include in a Regular Newsletter

Email newsletters are a great way for retail marketing and including a featured pet keeps customers interested and excited. Give tips and advice for readers each letter and tie in a relevant product that you offer. 

4. Brand Some Free Samples to Give Out to Other Local Business

Put a stamp of your logo on some treats to give out to pet-friendly banks and coffee shops around you. Connections with other small businesses are usually mutually beneficial. 

5. Promote Other Pet-Related Businesses.

Advertise your favorite nearby groomer or boarder and they’ll probably do the same for you. Pet owners are always looking for advice on how to best take care of their babies. The more suggestions you have, the better.

6. Host Short-Term Free or Cheap Puppy Classes

This gets new dog owners in your doors right away. Hosting a weekly class for a few months is worth it if you get a new, regular customer for the next 10-15 years. Plus, you get to hang out with a group of puppies every week.

7. Personalize the Shopping Experience

Pet owners are generally passionate and caring people. They want their pet’s store to be the same. Promote new, healthy products. Offer bundled packages that are breed or age specific. Show your customers that you care and have the knowledge to back it up.

One great example of bundled promotions comes from Homes Alive Pets, a Canadien pet supply retailer: “One of the most successful promotions that we have run is a mix and match deal on dog and cat cans. We offer a 10% discount when a customer buys any 12 cans. This has benefitted both us and the shopper: the customer gets to try different brands (especially good for finicky cats) and purchase at “case pricing” without having to commit to one flavor or brand; we win because we move more volume.

8. Put Out a Calendar

Getting your pet into a calendar means easy holiday gifts for half your family and some serious bragging rights. Calendars are a great way to advertise, especially if people give them away. Host some auditions and let the pups go wild. Careful not to let it get too risque.

Get Creative with Pet Store Promotions

There’s plenty you could do to mix up any of these ideas. And with cute animals everywhere it’s hard not make these fun. Give us some of your best promotional ideas for your store. And take a look at KORONA’s point of sale system with features specifically made with pet stores in mind.