Engaging Pet Parents: Creative Strategies to Boost Pet Brand Loyalty

Establishing brand loyalty in the pet industry requires more than meeting customers’ needs. You must engage pet owners to build genuine connections that compel these owners — and their companions — to come back. Pet brands can keep customers returning with loyalty strategies designed to foster connections that make the company a pet parent’s top choice. According to BIA Advisory, acquiring new customers costs 5 to 10 times more than selling to current customers, who on average will also spend 67% more than new clientele. 

What Pet Categories Rely on Customer Loyalty

Customer retention is key to any business, but it’s especially important for pet toy, accessory and bedding categories where price and convenience can overshadow brand preferences. Service-based companies, such as pet groomers, boarders and veterinarians, also depend heavily on repeat customers due to the high lifetime value of those relationships. Though pet owners commonly develop strong loyalty toward food, prescriptions and preventive brands, ad agencies that specialize in these pet care categories still stress the importance of marketing to maintain consumers’ allegiances.

Brands must invest in lower-funnel marketing to foster relationships with existing customers in any pet category. This highly competitive industry requires creative campaigns to engage with clients and outdo fellow brands.

Customer Retention Strategies for Pet Brands

Social media, email and content marketing are effective channels for building pet brand loyalty lower in the sales funnel. Dive into website analytics, social media insights and your customer relationship manager to understand how to tailor your marketing communications to these core purchasers. When brand interactions help pet parents feel valued, they often become brand-loyal advocates.

1. Email Marketing to Retain Pet Owners’ Loyalty

Providing pet parents ongoing support through informative emails helps them feel valued and more inclined to engage with the content, visit your website or store, and purchase again. Personalize marketing emails for different audiences to provide engaging, relevant newsletters and keep your brand top of mind.

Use these ideas for personalized emails to establish your brand as a trusted partner for pet parents:

• Custom product or service suggestions based on past purchases — Nelly was last groomed on June 21, is it time for a touch-up?
• Reminders for vaccinations, prescription refills and upcoming wellness appointments 
• Discounts for a pet’s birthday or Gotcha Day, encouraging pet parents to shop or splurge on a special service
• Policy updates for relevant services, like shipping charges for pet food subscriptions or vaccination records for grooming clients
• Reengagement campaigns offering a discounted service, product or boarding stay to remind pet owners of your offerings and rekindle your connection
• Pet-specific content, including training advice or nutrition guides, that establishes your brand as an invaluable resource

2. Engaging Social Media Strategies for Pet Brands

Build a social media community to solidify relationships with pet owners and interact with them online. Use your social channels to entertain and teach current customers and highlight your company’s values that align with your audience.

Use a variety of these social posts to engage your customers often and keep them interested:

• Humorous posts about animals show your brand as an ally to pet owners
• Problem-solving posts, like those focused on destructive chewers, potty training or senior pet care offer resources for owners
• Features on sponsorship opportunities, such as adoption events or food drives, that resonate with customers who value the same charitable acts 
• Infographics on safe and dangerous foods, ages and milestones, or weight and wellness

User-generated content should also be an integral part of your social and content strategy. This can include customer testimonials and customer-submitted pictures and videos. Offer incentives for customers who leave reviews with a photo or video, and host photo contests to encourage people to supply UGC of their pets enjoying your products. Seeing their pet featured helps a customer feel valued and deepens their connection to the brand.

3. Retargeting Ads

Pet care brands can target people who have already shown interest in a product or service with retargeting ads to encourage them to complete a purchase or buy again. This is ideal for customers who’ve lost touch with a brand and need a push to visit the store or website. Personalize retargeting ads based on items added to a person’s cart, or remind them that the stock is low for a pet food they frequently buy. 

4. Loyalty-Building Content Marketing

We don’t need to remind you how compelling cute dog or cat videos are, but ad agencies that specialize in pet care also recommend educational content for creating personal connections with pet owners. Brands can establish their expertise through blog posts and articles related to their customers’ search and purchase histories. When a business helps pet owners solve problems or learn something new, consumers trust the brand more and are likely to remain customers. 

Examples of topics to explore on blog posts, videos and landing pages include:

• Guides for nutrition labels and ingredient claims
• Wellness advice for breed and age
• Q&As with vets, trainers and other experts
• Pet rescue and adoption stories highlighting brand values
• Grooming and hygiene advice
• Easy enrichment activities
• Training guides and how-tos

5. Customer Service Strategies for Pet Brands

Excellent customer service is essential for retaining customers long-term. According to consumer statistics, most people happily spend 5% more if they know they’ll receive a good customer experience, and 86% of consumers will dismiss a brand after 2 or 3 poor interactions. Incorporate systems to streamline online scheduling, appointments and reminders to keep interactions seamless. Implement a chatbot on your website and make contact information conspicuous. Create landing pages for FAQs on return policies, rewards programs and services so people can easily find answers.

6. Rewards & Loyalty Programs

The pet industry features many competitive loyalty programs, so the key here is to create a rewards system that supplies worthwhile benefits to the owner and the pet. Payload reports that 53% of consumers admit that discounts and loyalty programs convince them to stay with a brand longer, so getting this program right is critical. Dig into purchase preferences to determine if a punch-card system, tier-based rewards or another model will resonate best. An enticing loyalty program motivates customers to shop more frequently and spend more. Accenture Research confirmed that customers enrolled in a loyalty program generate 12% to 18% more revenue for retailers than nonparticipants. When pet parents earn discounts on future purchases, it convinces them to return and supercharges your e-commerce success.

Programs designed for convenience can also make a big impact on customer retention. Advertise auto-delivery and subscription-based pet supplies to make pet ownership easier. Whether for kibble or preventatives, these memberships make frequent purchases seamless and satisfying. Rewards-based referral programs can be another way for pet parents to earn perks while encouraging long-term loyalty to pet sitters, groomers or other service brands.

The right marketing strategies can help your pet brand stand out and remain a top choice for shoppers. Our ad agency doesn’t just specialize in pet care brands, we’re experts at understanding pet parents too. Contact us today to jump-start engagement strategies to build your base of loyal, repeat customers.