How to Get Free Advertising

Free advertising is easy to get once you know how. The best free advertising is word of mouth. Beyond that, try the following ideas.

Write a pet news column

Focusing on those publications, blogs, online sources and news feeds that focus on your local community is key. Contact small newspapers, business newspapers, breeder’s newsletters, and so on, and volunteer to write a short column once every month or two. (Be careful not to take on too much; this can take up more of your time than you’d think. I suggest a 200-500 word monthly column at most).
Although larger newspapers won’t usually take you up on your offer, the smaller publications are often in dire need of material. Tell them you’d be happy to do this provided that the “bio” (the short paragraph “about the author” that appears at the end of the column) includes information about your practice. Keep it short. For instance, “Dr. Carin Smith is the owner of Friendly House call Services in Leavenworth, WA; (509) 123-4567.” You’ll be amazed at the amount of business this can bring. In fact, with print newspapers having smaller and smaller budgets, there is more reliance on local ‘volunteers’ to write local stories. You can be one of those sources of information!

Gadgets

Have refrigerator magnets, canned pet food lids, and other (useful!) items made. Give them to clients and potential clients. Hand them out to kids when you teach 4-H doggie first aid. Use refrigerator magnets in lieu of a business card. Avoid items that are cute but that won’t be used to contact you. (Who ever looks on their pen to find the phone number of a business?)

Your vehicle

Having your practice name on your vehicle doors is a great way to let the community know you are in business. When you stop at a house call, you’re seen by neighbors who may later ask your client about your services. Any time you drive anywhere, you have a continual “business card” displayed to the public.
You can have this done in one of two ways: a decal, or painting. Paint that is removable can be used. Decals are handy if you have more than one place where they’ll be used, since you save money by getting several of them. However, decals may not adhere well to a car door that isn’t flat (has ribs or other bump-out in the body work).
Note: Certain neighborhoods or apartment complexes may not allow residents to keep “commercial vehicles,” which may be defined as those with signs on them. If that’s the case in your area, get a magnetic sign or strip that you can remove when you come home. That approach might also be preferable for those who don’t want the practice name on the vehicle all the time, for security reasons.
Mobile practitioners can host an “open house” day with tours of the vehicle, demonstrations, and short classes about behavior or basic health care. Invite the media; have your press kit ready! (Brochure and press releases.)
 

Encourage Referrals

Referrals from pet owners

Your existing clients and your friends can give you lots of referrals. Every time you hand out your business card, give the recipient two of them, saying, “Here’s one for a friend.”

Referrals from veterinarians

How can you increase the number of clients that are referred to you from area veterinarians? Getting referrals depends on good relations. Start by becoming involved with your state and local veterinary associations. Attend meetings regularly so that everyone knows who you are. Give everyone your business card or brochure. Seeing you will give them a constant reminder that your services are available.
Then, when one of their clients has a need for a house call, your name will quickly come to mind. Another idea is to take a different veterinarian out to lunch once a week. The expense is tax deductible (50%), and you will benefit not only by reminding them of your service, but also by sharing medical or surgical ideas and practice tips.
What about other house call veterinarians? You will do yourself a favor if you stay on good terms with them all. Remind yourself that there is plenty of work to go around, and that doing a good job will allow you to get and keep clients. (When more than one person offers a service, sometimes it increases everyone’s business because it increases the public’s awareness of the service.) If you get a call from a potential client who lives out of your service area, a referral to another house call veterinarian is appreciated and will be reciprocated in the future. If you know a particularly cooperative group of house call veterinarians, consider cooperative advertising, such as a display ad that touts the benefits of house call service and lists all of your businesses.
Mobile practitioners have a bit of a problem since you can be seen as competition for ordinary hospitals. Gain their respect and referrals by always returning their clients to them, following up with cases, and stressing the services that you can offer that are unique to a mobile practice.

Remind them of your service

Send a letter out to nearby practices on a regular basis (1 to 4 times per year). Remind them of special services or situations where you can be of help, including home euthanasia, hospice care, behavioral consultations, and so on. Include your phone number, hours, and any policies that they can let their clients know about when referring them to you. Encourage referrals by specifying that you will return clients to their original veterinarian following any special service you provide (e.g., home euthanasia).

Follow up

A call, note or postcard thanking a veterinarian for a referral is a nice touch that will be appreciated. Also follow up on your established clients who have to visit a full-service hospital for one reason or another. If the veterinarian does not contact you, then call the clinic and ask for a report on the patient’s condition. Don’t forget to thank them!
 

Generate Good Will

Community involvement

You may be so busy in starting your practice that there isn’t time for outside activities. Yet community involvement is a great way to get more business. Every person you meet is a potential client or is someone who can refer a potential client. Give your business card to everyone you meet. Every time you see another person, your presence reminds them of your service. Think of this as part of your work day instead of an “outside activity.”
You don’t have to spend a lot of time, nor do you have to force yourself to become involved in something you care little about. Take some time to look around and find an activity that you enjoy. If you aren’t sure what you want to do, just make a “trial visit” to various groups’ meetings. Read your local newspaper’s activities calendar to find out what is going on around you. Some ideas:

• Get involved in your neighborhood watch program.
• Introduce yourself to your neighbors. Host a casual neighborhood party such as a Saturday afternoon barbecue.
• Join the Chamber of Commerce.
• Volunteer for the local arts, music, theater, museum, or film association.
• Volunteer for Welcome Wagon.
• Join the local gym or golf club; take tennis, ice-skating, or swimming lessons.
• Join a club, such as Kiwanis, Lions, or Rotary; offer yourself as a speaker at a lunch or dinner.
• Take a class in the community school, or adult evening classes
• Offer to give a class. The easiest are one-time seminars such as “First aid for your dog.”
• Join Toastmasters, and learn to speak while you meet people.
• Get involved with the Friends of the Library.
• Take your dog or cat to shows or competitions, even if it’s in the “mutt” category.
• Offer to help teach a 4-H class.
   

Write a Press Release

Start by compiling a media list, including all newspapers, television, radio, and other outlets in your area. Don’t forget all the small publications, such as the retriever’s club.

Announce your opening

Write a press release announcing the opening of your new practice. Use the format in the following examples. The release should contain enough information so that you have done all the journalists’ work for them, they don’t have to make any calls or do any research to write the story. Include a quote (from yourself) and write the release as if you were someone else writing about yourself. Use double spacing, or, to get more information on one page with the same effect, set the spacing to 1.5. Put a sentence or two in bold type to make them stand out.
Take note of whether “pet stories” are typically written by one reporter or included in a specific section (e.g., “Lifestyle,”), and send the press release to that person at the newspaper’s address.
If you can send a photo of yourself posing with an animal, so much the better. The photo must be perfectly in focus and should be close up enough that only you (preferably just your face or upper body) and the animal fill the picture. Call to find out if black and white or color is preferred.

Announce an event

You can also write press releases after your business is established. These take a little more work to be “newsworthy,” but you can still get a story about yourself published. For instance, if you are starting to target the elderly for a client base, or you are able to treat fish, you could make a press release about this new service. Try to get an established client to agree to be quoted in the release (see example). Even more effective is to include a photo of yourself with an elderly person and her pet.
You can send press releases to newspapers, online news feeds, radio stations, and television stations. Don’t be shy! The worst they can do is toss it in the wastebasket; the best they will do is give you some free advertising.
When applicable, take note of any submission deadline to be sure your press release arrives in time to be reported when you desire. It is a good idea to call ahead to find out who, specifically, to send the press release to. Your submission is more likely to be printed if it falls into the hands of a journalist who is interested in your subject. Don’t always feel as if you should send it to the “pets editor,” though. For instance, if you are targeting senior citizens, you might send the press release to the person who writes about them.

Follow through

Follow up is important and could make the difference in whether you get the free exposure. Call the newspaper, radio station, or television station a few days after you send the press release. Ask if they have received it, and if they have any questions.
 

Sample Press Release #1 (When Starting a Practice)

Friendly House calls
PO Box 698
Peshastin WA 98847
(509) 123-4567

Press Release: For Immediate Release
Friendly House Call Veterinary Service Provides Much-Needed Assistance
Friendly House calls, a house call veterinary service, is now open for business. Owner Dr. Carin Smith will attend to dogs, cats, and small pets in the greater Leavenworth area.
According to Dr. Smith, house call veterinarians are gaining in popularity. “House calls are convenient for the elderly and the disabled,” Dr. Smith said, “but busy professionals also find that my services save them valuable time. I can meet them at home before or after work, so they don’t have to interrupt their full work day.”
Pets also appreciate the house call veterinarian. Cats that hate riding in the car, puppies that get car sick, and birds that become stressed at the veterinary clinic are all easier to treat in their own homes. Dr. Smith notes, “Pets are much calmer and easier to work with when they are home with their owners.”
Certain pet problems are easier to diagnose in the home, Dr. Smith notes. She finds many clues to pet behavior problems, such as inappropriate urination, when she is able to view the pet in its home environment. “I may notice that one pet is picking on another, or that the type of litter in the cat’s litter box isn’t the best,” she says.
Dr. Smith plans to schedule regular appointments from Tuesday through Saturday. “To make the best use of my time, each day will be devoted to calls in a different area of town,” she explained, “although I will always try to fit in urgent problems as they arise.”
Pet owners interested in finding out more about Friendly House calls can call (509) 123-4567. Dr. Smith’s regular telephone hours are Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9-10 am; you can leave a message at any other time.
Dr. Smith is available for in-person or telephone interviews.
Call her at (509) 123-4567 for more information.
 

Sample Press Release #2 (For an Established Practice)

Friendly House calls
PO Box 698
Peshastin WA 98847
(509) 123-4567

Press Release: For Immediate Release
Pet Health Care Aid for Senior Pet Owners
Friendly House calls, a house call veterinary service, offers a special helping hand to the elderly. Veterinarian-owner Dr. Carin Smith has been coordinating with the Senior Center to bring her services to those who cannot leave the home.
Dr. Smith has given several talks at the center to educate seniors about pet health care. Her next talk, “Health Care for Pet Birds,” will be held on Saturday at 3 pm.
“I really enjoy working with senior citizens,” Dr. Smith said. “I can answer some of their questions after my talk, and can schedule a convenient time for home visits when necessary. These people care greatly about their pets, but they may have difficulty bringing the pet in to a veterinary clinic.”
Mabel Dodge, age 84, agrees. “Before Dr. Smith came along, I had to rely on my daughter to help me take my bird to the vet,” she said. “Now I feel more independent because I can schedule the appointment at my own convenience.”
Friendly House calls serves pet owners in the Greater Leavenworth area. For more information, to schedule an appointment, or to schedule a talk for your association or group, call Dr. Smith at (509) 123-4567.
Dr. Smith is available for in-person or telephone interviews. Call her at (509) 123-4567 for more information.