So, what does that mean for you?!  Well, for one, it means that from October 1st - October 18th we’re giving all of our clients a 20% discount on custom designed pet business cards!  It’s the perfect time for you to update your old, outdated pet business cards or to get brand spankin’ new pet business cards.  All you have to do is get in touch with us and let us know that you’d like the business card discount you read about in our blog.  That’s it!

Not sure if now is a good time to get your pet business cards in optimal condition?  THINK AGAIN! Chances are that you’re wasting seven very important marketing inches that could be bringing you tons of business.  Our good friend, Diana Ratliff, from Pet Business Central explains just how that often overlooked and neglected 7 little inches can make a huge difference.

Business cards are a pet business owner’s dream. It’s hard to imagine a marketing tool with more versatility or portability, especially for the price.

Even better, people EXPECT you to hand out your business card. That’s why a savvy dog walker or pet sitter creates business cards that contain more than just contact details, or creates more than one style of business card. Let’s face it, how many times are you invited to market to someone?

There’s just one little flaw with business cards. They’re SMALL!

Traditional cards are 2″ by 3.5″, or a mere seven square inches. That’s not much room to present your company mission or philosophy; your products and their benefits; your experience and credentials; your professionalism and work ethic and your sterling reputation. Much less add the photo of Max the Wonder Dog, your adorable mascot.

So why do so many pet entrepreneurs and business owners waste the extra seven square inches on the back of a business card? Two possible answers come to mind:

1)  You don’t think the advantages of adding extra information to the back side of your business card outweighs the extra cost. (Yes, there usually IS an extra fee to print on the back side, although it’s not usually a significant amount.)

2) You don’t know what to say or what other information someone might want.

To answer the first, you have to realize that more than 90% of business cards are thrown away the day they’re received. Since you don’t want your card to wind up in someone’s trash can, or being shredded to line someone’s hamster cage, designing a card that people will keep is critical.

So why do people hang on to certain cards, and not others?

• The card is a connection to a colleague, a resource, or a possible customer.
For example, I might keep a card that my local vet, someone I respect and trust, gave me, even if I had no immediate plans to use that service or buy that product.

• The card is kept for social, non-business reasons.
I have Bill and Hillary Clinton’s cards from when they were in the White House. Will I use them? No. But they’re GREAT conversation-starters!

• The card will be used to refer business to someone.
Pet owners have a camaraderie that’s not typical in many industries; we enjoy helping each other out, referring someone who sells great pet food or makes the cutest pet carriers.

• The card (or the person who owns the card, or the pet pictured on the card!) is attractive, humorous, useful or interesting.
Of those reasons, the one most important during the design stage is the latter. A reputable printer can help you create an attractive, high-quality card.

It’s up to you to add the useful or interesting information that will transform your card into a “keeper”. The back side of your card is usually the best location for that information, which can be hand-written (if you can write legibly!) or pre-printed.

Many businesses include maps, store hours or locations, and “fill-in-the-blank” appointment forms; these may be appropriate for your category of pet business. While undeniably handy for certain companies, those ideas presume that the cardholder is already a customer or has already decided to do business with you. They merely need directions to your store, for example.

If your card is also used as a prospecting tool for your business, it’s a good idea to select information that will be referred to more that once or that is critically important. It’s more effective if you associate the information with the type of business you do.

If you’re running a pet-related business, you might consider adding:

• Warnings about common pet poisons:
Pet parents would appreciate the phone number of a local vet or Pet Poison Control Center, or at least a link to a website where common poisons are identified and suggested treatments are described.

• Phone numbers for local services:
Pet owners might be interested in keeping the numbers handy for the local Humane Society or Animal Control Officer. Perhaps add a few tips on what to do if your animal is lost, or if you find a stray dog.

• Fascinating facts, trivia or jokes:
You can find all sorts of trivia to include on a card - famous pets (or celebrity pet owners); biggest, largest, hairiest, longest-lived “whatever”; breed standards - this could be lots of fun!

• Products you recommend:
How often have you been asked what kind of dog food you recommend, or what gets cat urine out of carpeting? List your favorite products on the back of your business card.

You’re also sure to receive a warm reception if you hand out business cards that offer discounts or freebies. A particularly creative idea is to contact related but non-competing businesses and ask them to offer a discount to anyone who presents your card. You list the cooperating businesses, and their discounts, on the card back.

For example, say you’re a pet sitter; you could list your favorite vet, dog trainer, pet party consultant and pet food delivery service. As an added bonus, these cooperating businesses will often pass out your card FOR you, since that discount also brings in more business for THEM.

With a little thought, and for a very modest price, you can create a card which your customers and prospects keep, remember, and use. Simply add useful data to the OTHER seven square inches on the back of your card. People will keep your card, refer to it often, and perhaps even show it to others.

Every time they do, they will be reminded of your business and how helpful you are.

© 2007-8, Diana Ratliff. PetBusinessCentral.com. All rights reserved.

Pampered Puppy's Outstanding Dog Photo Contest '08

FFWD is a very proud sponsor of this year’s Outstanding Dog Photo contest held by the awesome folks over at Pampered Puppy!

If you’re anything like we are, you probably have tons and tons of photos of your dog(s) - now you can turn those adorable photos into prizes as Pampered Puppy and their sponsors are offering over $4000 in prizes.  This year, FFWD is the proud sponsor of the “Dog & Owner” category with a prize of an $150 gift card from Amazon.com.

So, whip out those cameras and make your dog a star at the Outstanding Dog Photo ‘08 contest!

Tagz4Tailz.com launches their new site! Owner D. Penunuri creates wonderful custom leash holders, pet tags, key chains, barn signs, dry erase boards and more! And she and her fantastic products are now online. You can order direct from her site here:

Tagz4Tailz.com

If you’re looking for cute custom-designed leash holders, custom pet tags that not only contain your pets vital information, but are durable and non-clinking…then look no further. Tagz4Tails.com is the place for you! Check it out and order today…