366 – Winning the Messaging War with Better Marketing
Winning the Messaging War with Better Marketing
Dale Martenson of Touche Japanese Chin shares outstanding information about how to win the messaging war with better marketing and advertising of our purebred dogs.
I’ve included below some outtakes and quotes from a spectacular conversation.
For most of these people getting a puppy, it is a want, not a need. They aren’t going to do anything with it but love and cherish it. They don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on this dog, but our job is to share why our dogs are so awesome to live with and how they are going to enrich families and lives.
Reach people where they are
The foundation lies with the fact that what we want to avoid is impulsive decisions. Buying a dog, choosing a breed, getting a tattoo, none of these things should be done impaired or impulsively. They are long term commitments. Share the information about our breed so we get informed consumers who know this is the right fit for them, then this is a huge step to finding right homes, ultimate goal. Financing hobby and doing the things you want to do with and for your dogs.
Should be a self-funding hobby
We are bringing something to people’s families and lives. I love getting pictures of dogs in weddings and graduations. First thing we have to do is know the breed. Today’s knowledgeable, non-impulse buying consumer is looking for a breed authority.
We’ve had people mail us a kid’s Tshirt, put it on the puppy, mail it back, to see if it works. Know your customer, know your breed. Be knowledgeable. Make it so this is the right choice for them.
Join the 21st Century
Do you have a website? Do you use social media? You can have the best dogs in the whole world, but if nobody knows about them, what use is it?
Replying to emails with price question. We as consumers ask how much something costs. I prefer if I see the price in advance. Ultimately, it’s a transaction. Somebody is paying for something, that is a consumer transaction.
We need to be able to be polite and give a good message back. These folks may not know dog protocol 101. They’re buying a dog to lie on a couch. They’re doing us a favor. Give a little costumer service.
Always give breed information, including that health testing is important, early stimulation and socialization is important.
Just be nice!
Don’t be that person with an attitude of “if you have to ask you can’t afford it.”
Information should be given freely. It costs nothing to be polite. We are ambassadors for purebred dogs and the fancy, if we want it to continue. We have to keep our numbers under control. You will build a customer base that follow your dogs. They become a bit of a family.
Waiting lists are a thing of the past. A good online presence is a really important thing. I highly recommend having a website. This allows you to share great information about your breed, good and bad.
Work on your website, keep it current. When contract and health guarantee are on the website, you can use as a teaching tool. Everybody does better if they know the rules upfront.
185 — Allan Reznik on Magazine and Advertising Tips
Allan Reznik on Magazine and Advertising Tips
An affinity for stray dogs and a random encounter with Dog World magazine brought Allan Reznik into a lifetime of dogs. He talked his father into dropping him off at a dog show in Montreal, at age 12. An Afghan exhibitor recognized his interest, and sent him in the ring with one of her dogs, where he won the class. The die was cast, as it were.
Afghans and Tibetan Spaniels suit his temperament, Reznik said. “I don’t do well with clingy people or clingy dogs. So these are a good fit for me.”
Writer, editor, and seeing the world
As a writer and editor, Reznik eventually was hired as editor-in-chief of the same Dog World magazine that originally sparked his love of purebred dogs and where his first articles were published.
Now that he is no longer working as a dog magazine editor, Reznik is beginning his judging career.
“My poor parents thought this was a phase. Well, that phase took me to California, got me on TV, and just has given me an amazing life,” Reznik said. “All those magical names I’d memorized in Dog World magazine became my peers and people I respected.
“The kids who were born into dog show families hate it for the most part. Those of us who weren’t born in to dog families love it, crave it. It’s like running away to join the circus. And you can’t wait for the day until you come of age and have an apartment and can start making up in numbers what you lacked over the years.”
Working as a color commentator on television, Reznik said he had many opportunities to talk about why the predictability of a purebred is a very good thing.
“A lot of people put more consideration into buying a toaster than when buying a dog. I try to explain why it’s important to go to a dog show and see all the breeds. Find a breeder with whom you have a connection. Get a great mentor for the life of the dog,” Reznik said.
Changes in media and advertising over the decades
Reznik noted that originally three types of magazines were the norm. Entry-level magazines like Dog World and Popular Dogs had classified ads for breeders. Single-breed and group magazines were meant for peers in the breed. The ads featured extensive pedigrees. Glossy show dog magazines like Ken-l Review and Dog News as monthly were the pinnacle.
“With the arrival of the internet, many of the entry-level magazines have gone away. So many breed magazines have folded because breeders use websites as a more economical way to advertise,” Reznik observed.
While he acknowledged the appeal of digital magazines and advertising for newer exhibitors, Reznik opined, “All you need is a power failure and suddenly e-magazines are less useful than reading a print magazine by flashlight. I like to think there will always be a place for books and print magazines.”
Ads have become sleeker, more sophisticated, Reznik said.
“Those ads used to be exceptions, now they’re the rule. Copy is minimal. There is little contact information. The win is front and center. Graphically and aesthetically ads have become more glamorous, but also more overt.”
An ad with a full-page head study and just a call name can send a negative subliminal message, Reznik added.
“Some people consider those ads cold, not user-friendly. I think we need to be cognizant of that. You can be more successful or less successful based on how the ads are put together,” Reznik warned.
I hope you enjoy this fun and lilting conversation. Join us next week for Part 2 when Reznik shares his memories of some of the great dogs of the past.
And don’t forget to listen for Allison Foley’s Tip of the Week on dematting!