When the world went into lockdown Pets 2 Places actually saw an increase in the enquiries that came through on the website. We had people contacting us from all over the UK to ask about services, some of which were not even official services at that point.
These customers found us through the power of Google search and we invest a lot of energy in ensuring we stay on top of this.
However, we also like to get our name out there, especially to people that may not be actively looking for our services or may not even be aware that a pet taxi exists. This we achieve largely through PR.
PR is a great alternative to paid-for advertising – after all, it is largely “free”. It raises your profile and the gains can be substantial. But it is a competitive space – you will not be alone in wanting to grab media coverage.
No easy wins
This isn’t easy and it requires skill and perseverance to grab those column inches or soundbites. This is an area that we have invested in heavily, working for a year with a journalist who specializes in pet business publicity.
It goes without saying, you firstly need to have something to write about, but then you need to give that story structure. You can’t expect results if you only send out ‘Here’s my brilliant business write about me’ messages.
There needs to be a hook, something that will excite both the editor or journalist and also the readers or listeners.
Back in February 2021, I contacted the Federation of Small Businesses with a story. Pets 2 Places was the only pet business that made it to the final of the Women in Franchising Awards. The article finally went live in June 2021 and from that single piece of coverage we gained our first franchisee. You can take on look on page 50.
Here’s the article:
This was a MASSIVE win for us. Having done the research, we know that franchisors can spend thousands on recruiting franchisees. To advertise on some of the franchise websites can be £300 a month. Stand space at one of the franchise exhibitions starts at £5000. This single, well written and timely article, took an investment in understanding how to write for the press. But it paid off – far more so than any advertising we had done to date.
Supporting our franchisees through PR
The investment was not solely to grab headlines for Pets 2 Places Franchising. We wanted to ensure that we gave our franchisees a comprehensive toolbox so they can confidently approach the media to talk about their business.
Pitching to the press, whether it be local or national, is time-consuming and frustrating to say the least. You think you’ve got a great story, you spend all day sending out your pitch and find no one picks it up.
We work with our franchisees to understand what publicity is and how it can benefit them.
We explore the varying media channels to ensure that we are pitching to the right outlet, with the right audience at the right time. We are invested in helping you succeed.
Nic Hughes, our first pet taxi franchisee based in Solihull, appeared on her local radio station in the first week of her starting! We have crafted some releases to attract local press and will continue to work on this.
Opportunities everywhere
It is not just radio or newspapers though. We have been welcomed on podcasts and will often write guest blogs to discuss topics such as how to travel safely with a cat or what are the implications of a loose dog in the car. The possibilities are incredible if you have the knowledge, time and confidence to take the plunge with PR.
If you want to see your name in neon lights or at least in the press why not get in touch about becoming a Pets 2 Places franchisee
