Episode 173: Holiday Pet Events You Can Copy in Your Town

One of the best ways to gain exposure to your pet sitting or dog walking company is to host or participate in a holiday pet event. But oftentimes we have no idea what to do, where to do it, or just feel like it takes way too much energy. When I used to have my company, Bella's House & Pet Sitting for 14 years, I would participate and host many events. These events gave me an opportunity to get my name out to the community and a good excuse to walk up to people and talk about my company in a way that didn't seem sleazy. Through a lot of trial and error, my events became very successful. With a little bit of my magic, I'm going to show you how hosting a holiday pet event can be successful in your hometown area too. Biggest Takeaway You Don't Want to Miss Hosting a holiday pet event doesn't have to be overwhelming! With my list of holiday pet events you can copy, you too can host an event with all sorts of: Prizes Giveaways Photographer Alcohol sponsors Rescue groups getting piles of money Signs prominently hung outside of businesses with your logo on them. The Holiday season is the perfect time to host events and spread awareness of your company. Show Highlights Yappy Hour/ Mutt and Mingle [2:03] Dog Walking Club [3:10] A Dog Hiking Club [4:48] Dog Park Date [5:40] Santa Paws [7:14] The main purpose of the events [8:26] How to have a howling event in your town [9:13] Links How to Have a Howling Event in Your Community  Freebie! Attract Your Ideal Clients Through Their Own Yard Sale   Let's Connect! Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review! Click this link – Bella In Your Business Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section Click on ‘Write a Review’' Transcript: This is episode 173 of Bella in Your Business. Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business. So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump. It's the holiday season and I'm trying something new with the podcast today. I hope that my audio mix actually works here, but gets you into that jingle jangle. Today we are actually talking all about holiday pet events that you can copy in your own town or city. One of the best ways to gain exposure in your pet sitting or dog walking company is to host or participate in a holiday pet event. But oftentimes, we have no idea what to do, where to do it, or just feel like it takes too much energy. When I used to have my company, Bella's House and Pet Sitting, for 14 years, I would participate in and host many events—so many that it became kind of automatic for me. I wanted to share a lot of that with you today, at least the ideas for it. These events became known in the community and offered me a lot of exposure and reason to just walk up to people and talk to them about my company in a very non-sleazy way. These events were successful and, through lots of trial and error, I got them running very smoothly. We had all sorts of prizes, giveaways, and even a celebrity photographer at one of the events taking pictures of people and their pets. It was Joe Lance from one of the seasons of America's Next Top Model. It was all the rage and really cool. We also had alcohol sponsors, rescue groups getting piles of money from us, and signs prominently hung outside of businesses with my logo advertising the events. The holidays are the ideal opportunity to host events, and I'm going to show you some of the magic you can create in your hometown. The five holiday pet events I'm going to talk about today are Yappy Hour, Mutt and Mingle, Dog Walking Club, Dog Hiking Club, and Santa Paws. The Yappy Hour or Mutt and Mingle hosts the happiest of happy hours. It’s a lot of fun to go to a local bar with your dog—especially during the holidays when everything’s decorated and everyone’s jolly. It can be indoor or outdoor and it’s a great way to get your community together with their pups and strike up a conversation about your business. All you have to do is find a local bar or venue to host the event, get a liquor sponsor through the venue, designate a photographer, decorate for it, and chat with all the attendees. You can add cute decorations like dog treats in shot glasses and host a raffle or giveaway. Next is a Dog Walking Club. This doesn’t have to be just a holiday pet event—it can be a year-round, once-a-month event. Humans and their dogs walk all together in a pack, creating a community where you can get your brand out there to relevant people. It’s typically a one- or two-mile loop that works best in subdivisions or apartment complexes—anywhere you can walk in a big circle. You may even be able to do a loop where you pick up and drop off people along the way. The biggest advantage to this is the advertising that comes with it at each apartment complex that agrees to participate. If you have five apartment complexes, you can schedule stops every ten minutes or so—picking up more people at each one. By the end, you’ve created a moving community event that brings visibility and connection. I also like including coffee at the end of it. Set up a little coffee station or gathering space—it helps people mingle and creates more opportunities for connection. Another idea is a Dog Hiking Club. If you’re more of an off-the-beaten-path kind of person, this might be a better fit for your community than a typical neighborhood walk. This works great in rural areas where hiking trails are accessible. Find trails that are suited for large packs and dogs of all breeds and ages. If you’ve taken my advice in the past and created a blog with the best dog walking trails in your area, start there. You could even reach out to existing hiking clubs to partner for an event with a twist—dogs! You could also plan a Dog Park Date. Create a holiday pet event within your community and invite your clients to the dog park. Some dog parks are great; others not so much, so use your discretion. Get creative with the event—host a raffle, a flyball contest, or, if it’s winter, a snowball-catching contest or a “find the treat” game where treats are hidden in the snow. This event is perfect to meet new people and to reach pet owners who are already at the park. It allows you to create a memorable, happy experience that people will associate with your brand. Another idea is Santa Paws. As we come into the Christmas season, taking pictures with Santa is something almost everyone loves, no matter what they celebrate. You could even create a Hanukkah-themed setup. By hosting this event, you can partner with a local pet store, have a trainer dress as Santa, and hire a photographer or do it yourself. Order backdrops on Amazon—they’re under $50—and make the pictures available on your Facebook page to drive engagement. Invite everyone, with or without pets, and plaster your flyers everywhere. You might even get featured in the local paper or magazine. The main idea of these pet events is to bring more exposure to your brand. Not everyone will be ready to buy your services immediately, but getting to know you and what you stand for will make your business memorable when they do need your services—or when their friends do. Remember, these events aren’t about how many people show up; the real value comes from all the promotion leading up to it. Flyers, social posts, and partnerships all spread your name throughout the community in a fun, positive way. If you’re looking for more step-by-step guidance, I actually have an entire class called How to Have a Howling Event. This course teaches you everything from A to Z—how to make flyers, what to say to people, how to get partnerships and free stuff for your events. You can find it at jumpconsulting.net under “Store” or in the podcast notes for this episode. So go on out there, spread some holiday cheer in your community, and don’t be afraid to host some pet events. They don’t have to be massive—they can be small, intimate gatherings. Remember, the real return on your investment is all the promotion and goodwill you generate. Happy holidays! So what did you think? Did you love this episode? I sure hope you did because I put a lot of love into this for you. The best way you can show me that is by going to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcast and leaving a review. I just might read it on the next episode. I also want to remind you that when life gets you down, remember to always keep jumping. Thanks for listening.