Seven creative marketing ideas for your veterinary establishment

Looking for ways to spread the word about your veterinary practice? Here are seven creative marketing ideas to try.

Marketing for vets is a little different to regular businesses. This is because you are selling not only services but products as well.

Luckily you have a clear audience for both offerings – pet owners. And it’s not hard to identify their motivations and worries. To help you reach your audience and showcase what you offer, here are seven creative marketing ideas.

1) Social media competitions

Social media is one of the most effective ways to reach out to new potential customers. Sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat often have paid advertising that you can use. However, it’s still a good idea to keep your own accounts up to date regularly.

A great way to get more shares and comments on your posts is to host an online competition with a prize. You might just choose to do a random draw, or encourage individuals to share something, like the cutest photo of their pet. As a prize, you could offer a free check-up or even a product. The options are endless!

2) Loyalty programs

When it comes to to veterinary marketing, you want to find ways to reward your customers as much as possible. This way, they feel more obliged to return to your establishment, rather than a close-by competitor. Loyalty programs are a great choice and can keep your current customers flowing in.

You might offer a free visit after their fifth, or let customers receive points on their purchases that they can redeem back in store. There are plenty of different options; you just need to find something that works for you.

3) Discounts and freebies

Regular discounts are another excellent marketing method that can draw in potential customers. Nobody likes paying full price! So, for special occasions, you might consider sending out a discount via email marketing. For example, 20% off dog food, or $10 off their first vet check.

Freebies are also a good choice, as it allows your customers to trial certain products before buying. It could be a tiny bag of training treats or a free sample of some dog shampoo. Just make sure you check with your suppliers first, to see if they offer this service.

4) Infographics

Infographics are a visual way to present information and can be considered a very useful marketing tool. Since they are much more entertaining then text-based content, they attract more visitors to your website. They also make it much easier to understand information, rather than a long blog article.

Some examples that you could use include understanding anxiety in your dog or taking care of your cats in summer. There are many resources online that can help you make infographics, but you could also hire a graphic designer to make one for you. Don’t forget to include information about your business on the image!

5) Cross-promotions

If you live in a small town, cross-promotions are a great marketing solution that you should consider. What they involve is two similar businesses coming together to offer some type of promotion. For example, if someone goes to their local dog groomer, they might get offered a 10% coupon to your veterinary clinic or vice versa.

This is a great way to get more customers and also helps you make new connections in your local community. It’s a win-win!

6) A referral program

Referral programs involve rewarding a particular individual for recommending a friend to your establishment. Similar to loyalty programs, they reward customers with either money, products, or vouchers.

While not as popular as some of the other marketing methods on this list, they can still encourage your customers to recommend your establishment.

7) Local events

Last on the list, attending as many local events as possible is one of the most important steps in increasing business to your vet clinic. You might choose items to donate to your local animal shelter or help them adopt their animals out.

You also could participate in local charity auctions. The more you are out and about in the local community, the more your business will be recognized.

Which ideas will you try?

And that’s it! These were seven different marketing ideas that you can use for your veterinary establishment. While it might be challenging at first, especially if you are a new business, the more hard work you put in, the more results you will see.

Don’t forget to use some of your furry friends in your advertisements, and make sure you design a great logo so potential customers can easily find you. Good luck!