What exactly is “Creative Marketing Development”? Well, it is a term or phrase that “I” personally use to describe how again “I” personally market both my pet sitting business and my pet website design business. It is a term which you will hear me often use and make reference too and many of the topics which I write about and soon to begin live blogging about will all fit nicely under this term.
Creative Marketing Development to me = Thinking – Out- Side – The – Box to create an anomaly ( deviance from the norm ) marketing plan. I consider myself an Entrepreneur – not a business owner ( yet another article in the making ) whom is creative. My passion is to be different, to use my creativity to exhibit my business to others. By using this out-side-the-box thinking, I establish myself as “different” and or “unique”. This is what pet care companies like yours also want to do is to find your own out-side-of-the-box creativity and explore it to it’s fullest potential allowing yourself to be as different as possible and this equals = individuality, remembrance, new clients, business growth.
How To Think Out-Side-The-Box
My secret is to be the client. Honestly. I am not kidding you here. I pretend and take on the role ( yes, I become characters! ) of every possible client type and personality I can when ( and only when so you don’t think I’m nuts! ) I want to drum up something creative for marketing one of my businesses. How does this help me? Well, for one – it allows me to have a wide variety of perceptions of what might “intrigue” a wide variety of clients. Here’s an example: The average every day client who loves their pets like they are family – wants only the best for them. The probably would be looking for a bit of pampering, something that shouts out “TENDER LOVING CARE”!. Sensitvity. This marketing plan must match these ideal emotions right? So how can I create a marketing plan to match this? BECOME THE CLIENT. If I am this type of client, I want to see something that INSTANTLY convinces me of the above emotions I shared. I may create a marketing add with a huge heart in the center being wrapped tightly in the center with the wording of my business name and underneath – WE PAMPER YOUR PETS LIKE YOU DO! This would be an example of a Creative Marketing Development – ad specified for specific audience or client.
The secret to Creative Marketing Development?
Become an actress or actor. Create in your mind possible client types – become the client and think like that client, what would you want or need to be convinced – to be won over? Now you know what that client type wants – now go create it!
Let’s get to the nitty griddy on this topic shall we? So you have a pet website. I want you to go to your website in a new browser, open it up and try to size your browser so that you can read my article and see your pet sitting website at the same time. Now, we are going to play a little game – pretend you are a client. A pet owner looking for a pet sitting, or dog walking company to care for your precious dog or cat while you are away on vacation. For the sake of this exercise, we’re not going to talk about trust, or colors, or actual design of the website itself, but instead you are a potential client looking for specific information and you must be “intrigued” within the first 20 seconds someone lands on your website ( I have another article for on impressions and seconds coming soon ). So you – being the potential client lands on your pet sitting or dog walking website. Can you be objective for this exercise? If so, begin the game….
1). At first glance – does the pet website appear organized and appealing to the eye? ( your eyes flow at what you can see at first glance) What are your comments?
2) What would be the FIRST piece of information YOU as the potential client would look for on a pet website?Write down your comments.
3) What is the information you see on your website WITHOUT SCROLLING OR CLICKING? What information does the pet website provide you? Write down your comments.
4) If you were a client, would you say this website provides instant information for you to further want to explore the website? Write down your comments.
What’s the point in this exercise? The point in this exercise is to get you to try to be objective about your website’s first impressions and have you THINK like a potential client. If you were a client coming to your website, what would you want see? What information do think should be readily availble to you WITHOUT scrolling in order to convince you to explore and lick links such as “prices or services”?
Think about it – and play the game!
You don’t need to be. This is why we are here. To help you! PetBiz Branding offers affordable, reliable web hosting for your pet business website. What is so unique about being us here at PetBiz Branding is that we are pet sitters too – we only provide web hosting for pet related web sites so you are in good hands. We know the value and importance in having your #1 marketing tool ( which is your website ) working, functioning and being available to your potential new clients. The other bonus is, we are personable and will support you with all your challenges regarding web hosting, and how-to’s when you order hosting with us. For more detailed information, please visit our web hosting feature page located below or contact us today for more information!
http://petbizbranding.com/2010/05/07/need-hosting-for-your-pet-website/
And that is my opinion!
Why so negative? Well, to be quite honest – my first real in depth experience with Yahoo Hosting only just happened. I had just finished the creation of a new CMS WordPress Pet Sitting Website for a client and was ready to do the installation on the clients web host ( yahoo hosting ). I was taken by surprise when I encountered the inability to install WordPress on the root domain. What is this? I couldn’t believe it! – I mean it allows you to choose WordPress’s index.php as your home page, but will not allow all the files for WordPress to be installed on the root domain – forcing a sub-domain installation. YUCK! Where’s the freedom I yelled! I was shocked to be honest! My business is creating and re-creating pet business and pet related websites and blogs for pet business clients – offering them the flexibility and freedom to host where they are comfortable *if* they are happy and satisfied where they are – great! But Ugg!! This really sucks for clients who have a comfort zone with a host and the way they operate. Needless to say – our client will be hosting with us here at PetBiz Branding and will be a super happy gal – but all I have to say is this:
Tooda-loo Yahoo!
Good title don’t you think? Did I capture you attention? I sure hope so 
. You’re probably wondering what wacky comparison I must have for the “Sun Shinning” and your “Website”?. Should be pretty easy – basically, when you land on your website does it give you that warm and fuzzy, feels like home, bright and colorful feeling? In other words, does it feel like the sun is shinning on your pet business website?. If you hum and haw , then chances are – it’s probably not shinning bright enough!
Take a look at http://www.alitiasanimals.com – now this is a sunny place to be don’t you think?
A Little Sun Adds A Little More Sales!
As mentioned in other articles I’ve written, your pet website is your #1 marketing tool. It’s like your business card online and it speaks for you. Ensuring your website portrays and projects the warm and fuzzy feeling to your potential client is going to increase your pet business income and put more money in your pocket. I’d like to play a little game with readers, this entails a little fun work if you dare play. First, do a search and find the first 3 pet websites that show up in a google search. Use whatever key words you like – then do your analysis of the websites in regards to your FIRST INITIAL IMPRESSION AND FEELING. Did those 3 sites give you the warm and fuzzy feeling? Would you describe those sites as having some “Sun” shining on it’s pages?. Just a little something to get you thinking.
What were your findings? Note: Do not list the sites you visited – that’s not fair. Keep it to yourself, instead just refer to where you visited as being A, B and C while describing your experience.