Episode 197: How to Generate FREE Publicity & Marketing for your Pet Business

How to Generate FREE Publicity & Marketing for your Pet Business When you generate Free Publicity and marketing in your pet business, you will be able to connect with your community & learn how to truly bring value to your audience. But it is not an easy task Many business owners aren't sure where to start or what direction they should take. In this episode, I bring you, Regina Robinson of Outward Bound Hounds who shares some of the ways she was able to connect with her community during the COVID-19 Crisis. Regina Robinson In 2012, Regina left her career in culinary arts, nutrition, dietetics, and yoga to help a friend build her own pet sitting business. She quickly learned that pets need adventure, exercise, and love just as much as people do! After five years of loving pets and serving their pet parents, she decided to take a leap of faith and open her own company – Outward Bound Hounds. Show Highlights [1:30] - Who is Regina Robinson? [4:30] - What were you worried about before signing up for Better Marketing With Bella & what made you decide to take the JUMP? [7:30] - Can you describe some of the challenges you've had to overcome while marketing your pet business? [10:30] - What did you think was going to happen with the sidewalk chalk guerrilla marketing idea and what ACTUALLY happened? [13:00] - Tell us what happened once you started getting entries in your sidewalk chalk challenge? [21:00] - What has this experience taught you about marketing for your pet business? Links 0 Page Guerrilla Marketing Blueprint: /product/10-page-guerrilla-marketing-blueprint/ Better Marketing With Bella: /waitlist Regina's Website: https://outwardboundhounds.com/ 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’' Are You New Here? Welcome, I am so glad you are here. If you are a dog walker, dog sitter, cat sitter, doggy daycare or kennel owner, then you found the right place. Jump Consulting is the one place on the internet to get all the resources you need for your pet care business. Can I give you some freebies to generate sales and increase revenues for your business? Grab your freebies below. Are you starting out? Been in business for less than two years? Get your startup resources here. Do you own an established pet care business and you want to take it to the next level.? Get Your builder resources here. Transcript: This is episode 197 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. Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, and today I've got a really cool story for you. Have you ever wondered how you can get free publicity or free marketing in your area? I am joined today by Regina, and it has been so exciting to watch her. She is a stellar pet sitting business owner, dog walker extraordinaire, growing her business. We first met on Instagram about a year ago, and that's how we started our relationship. She has also been listening to this podcast, which is really cool, and she’s become a Better Marketing with Bella member as well. That’s where this story leads today because she truly messaged me earlier today with such good news, and it’s such a great story. You guys are in for a treat because this is something that every single one of you can do right now to get free publicity, marketing, and connections for your company. Without further ado, welcome to the show. Regina introduced herself as the owner of a pet sitting and dog walking business in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Her company focuses on the mind, body, and spirit of pets because, just like children, they need a well-rounded approach to care. She’s been in business since 2017 and recently entered her second semester with Better Marketing with Bella, calling it a game changer. Bella asked how Regina got into her ecosystem. Regina shared that it started with this podcast back in 2018. She had begun listening while out walking dogs because she wanted to learn and be inspired by business content relevant to her industry. She instantly loved the podcast and Bella’s personality, feeling like she’d finally found someone who truly understood the balance of being a “people person” and a “pet person.” She found Bella on Instagram and shared a story encouraging others to listen to her podcast. Bella reshared it, and Regina was thrilled—she felt seen. Bella said she always loves reposting when people tag her and encouraged listeners to do the same. Bella asked Regina about her initial hesitation to join Better Marketing with Bella. Regina said she had thought she was already “doing social media,” posting occasionally on Instagram and Facebook, but after hearing Bella’s podcast about outsourcing and realizing she didn’t have time to do it all, she decided she needed help. The program opened her eyes to how much she didn’t know and helped her organize her efforts so she could focus on growing the business. The conversation moved to the current time—May 2020, the middle of COVID-19. Bella explained that many pet sitting and dog walking businesses were operating at 10–25% capacity, and Better Marketing with Bella had chosen not to retreat but to support members more deeply. They provided pop-up challenge groups, a “grand reopening” blueprint with templates and scripts, and layers of resources. That’s where Regina’s story began. She had participated in one of the challenge groups where someone mentioned a sidewalk chalk game, sparking her curiosity. The idea was to create a community game where people followed chalk-drawn paw prints to a selfie spot. At first, she hesitated—overthinking how to make it perfect—but when she got the Better Marketing with Bella blueprint, which outlined every step, she finally took action. She created a laminated sign that read: “You found it! Take a selfie with your pup, tag #OutwardBoundHounds, and you’ll be entered to win a prize.” She set up the paw prints around her community, thinking it would bring a bit of joy to people’s repetitive quarantine walks. The day after setting it up, however, she received an anonymous call from someone claiming to represent the city, saying she couldn’t draw on sidewalks and would be cited for vandalism. He even asked for her email address to send the citation. It scared her, but she decided not to give up, reminding herself her intentions were good and that people needed something positive right now. She never received a citation, and Bella pointed out it was likely a troll or even a jealous competitor. Regina kept going. At first, participation seemed low, and she was discouraged. Then a fellow pet sitter texted her excitedly that someone she knew had found the paw prints, taken a photo, and posted it. The woman was thrilled and had been searching all week. Regina chose her as the first prize winner—a pop-up DJ party donated by her friend who owned E-Squad Entertainment. When Regina called the winner to arrange it, the woman, who lived in an apartment complex, asked her property manager if they could host the event there. To Regina’s surprise, the complex had already been planning something similar and jumped on board, securing food sponsors and promoting it to residents. Regina couldn’t believe how far-reaching her simple idea had become. Bella emphasized that this was the perfect example of how engagement matters more than numbers. Regina had built relationships, leveraged community partnerships, and brought joy during a tough time. She asked Regina what other prizes she’d secured—Regina listed a custom haircare consultation, a mini photo session with a local photographer, and a few other small-business collaborations. Bella highlighted how Regina had become a facilitator of happy experiences while marketing her business organically. She suggested Regina deepen the apartment complex relationship—perhaps setting up more chalk paw prints nearby or offering giveaways at their future events. Apartment communities often have online portals or groups where residents communicate, meaning free exposure for Regina’s business. Bella encouraged listeners to take the same kind of action—do something scared. Trolls and obstacles may appear, but doing nothing is worse. She reminded everyone that leadership means showing up for your community. Regina said the experience taught her how to think creatively and connect with other small businesses. A simple idea had turned into something much bigger, and it showed her how eager people were to collaborate. Her advice was simple: “If you’re sitting on an idea, just try it. The worst that can happen is someone says no—or some troll calls you. It’s all a learning process.” Bella wrapped up by saying that while the blueprint was originally exclusive to Better Marketing with Bella, she would make it available as a purchasable class on the website for others who wanted to follow Regina’s steps. She thanked Regina for sharing her story and reminded listeners to tag them both and share their takeaways. “Life is tough right now,” Bella said, “but it’s all about your mindset. And when life gets you down, always keep jumping.” 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.