As you head into the new year with your pet's brand, there are a few important business goals to keep in mind that you can solve now to be fully prepared throughout the year.
Business goals are great for all brands of all sizes – not only do they help keep your business on track, but they can also help you succeed by giving you a holistic view of what you want to achieve in 2021.
However, it can be difficult to know which goals to focus on. That's why we've compiled a list of the top 5 business goals your pet brand should focus on this year.
earnings growth
It's always important to remember that profit is the ultimate goal for your pet brand. By incorporating earnings growth into your 2021 plans, you'll operate in a more productive, revenue-driven mindset that's vital to your business' survival, especially when your brand exists during a turbulent time like a global pandemic.
Typically, increasing your earnings would mean taking a close look at your existing margins and formulating how much you want to make in 2021. But there are a few other considerations to think about!
Evaluate your costs: Are you thinking of launching a new product or changing your packaging this year? Evaluate what your top costs are and consider which expenses will have the most positive impact on your bottom line.
Reconsider your hiring strategy: If you're a small pet brand that needs help with your growing business, consider what roles you should hire to increase your brand's productivity and efficiency.
Think about where you sell – Having your own website to sell your products or services through can be more profitable than selling on a platform like Etsy, where these platforms earn a portion of their profits.
Customer service
Communication and customer satisfaction are paramount to the success of any business, but even more so when selling to pet owners. Customers are not afraid to let others know about a brand's experience, good or bad, and if customer service is lacking, points will be deducted for that too!
This is why customer service should be a priority this year and improving it should be a key goal for your business. You may think, "I already have great customer service!" but there's always room for improvement.
Try some of our top tips for emphasizing your brand's customer service (in the right way!):
If you sell a pet-related service, always stay in frequent contact with your customers (eg, by sending out newsletters, using SMS reminders for appointments, and making it easy for customers to contact you).
Use social networks as a customer service tool; For example, many brands use Facebook or Twitter as platforms where customers can connect with team members for product and order inquiries.
Consider website chatbots that allow customers to chat with your team while shopping online
Remember - whatever methods you use to improve your pet brand's customer service, your goal should be to make your customers happy!
data and analytics
It's no secret that most brands use customer data and analytics to better understand what their customers are buying and what draws customers to their brand. But what if you're not tracking the performance of your content or sales channels?
Data and analytics should be a priority for all pet brands this year. The reality is that knowing where your customers are coming from and which channels help drive the most traffic to your business is crucial if you want to know what to offer your customers (and when!).
Let's say you're using an analytics tool to monitor how much traffic Instagram and Facebook bring to your website, and you're looking at data from 2020. The data tells you that Instagram has surpassed Facebook in driving the most customers to your website. Website. and generate the most income. The data also tells you what these customers bought from you the most.
It makes sense that in 2021 you would then focus on Instagram as a key sales channel for your brand and optimize your use of Instagram to drive more sales. The only way to know is with data and analysis!
Tip: Use Google Analytics to monitor key metrics that can tell you a lot about your business and customers. Google Analytics is free (and our team can help you unlock its full potential).
intelligent digital advertising
If you've been experimenting with paid advertising in 2020, now is the perfect time to learn from the results of your efforts or incorporate digital advertising into your strategy!
The pet industry is booming and as more and more niche markets within the industry become more saturated, this year will be all about how you promote your brand, products and positioning. Not only do they compete with other e-commerce pet brands, but many customers are turning to Amazon for the convenience of online shopping and instant experiences.
To make digital advertising work smarter (not harder) for your brand, start with SEO first. For example, review your website and any content you create to optimize it for search. Once you've done this general clean, look to digital advertising to increase your brand awareness in search and online.
There are a few important channels through which you can use (paid) digital advertising as part of your marketing strategy. Let's take a look at these channels:
Google— Consider displaying and retargeting ads to position your brand in customer search results for specific keywords.
Facebook— Perfect for older customers who are more active on the platform, you can use Facebook ads to retarget customers who visited your site but didn't make a purchase.
Instagram— Try boosting Instagram Stories when you have a seasonal sale or promotion to reach more customers outside of your current audience or followers.
brand promotion
This may seem like a no-brainer, but increasing your brand marketing is crucial if you're hoping to stand out from the crowd or leave the noise behind this year. The global pandemic has forced many brands to turn to digital channels to increase awareness, retain customers and increase sales. Therefore, focusing on marketing your brand will be non-negotiable.
Here are just a few of the many ways we're helping our clients with their brand marketing this year:
Website-Marketing— Your website is your brand's calling card, and it's also where many pet brands sell, making it the most important sales channel to optimize. We make sure our clients have high converting, SEO friendly websites that drive sales.
content marketing— as a pet brand, it must be more than just a brand; You must be an authority. Part of what we do for our clients is to help them cut through all the noise in the industry so they become experts in their niche (and this brings audiences to their distribution channels).
Junk-Mail— Everyone who signs up for your newsletter is a lead, and we help our clients nurture those prospects at every stage of the funnel using email marketing that's based on both conversions and customer experience.
While 2020 has been a difficult year for many companies, this year offers a fresh start and an opportunity to renew your business goals. If you need help with this, contact us - we're here to help your pet brand thrive in the digital age!