Pet Poison Prevention Month, and this is the time when you must be proactive in warning your clients about potential poisons in their pet’s orbit. While this is not a traditionally extensive marketing campaign for most clinics, you can still focus your marketing efforts this month on bringing awareness to everyday toxins, poison prevention tips, and providing information to be referenced in emergency cases. You are likely already a trusted resource to your clients and the followers of your practice. The information you share this month can not only help promote your practice but also save a pet’s life.
While fear-based marketing isn’t always ideal, it can be a valuable tool to tap into what this all feels like from the client’s perspective. What is going on in their life? Are they aware of these potential poisons all over their home? They chose your clinic because they care about their pet, and this is another way to add value and educate them to care for their pet even better. Most pet parents, especially new pet parents, are not always aware of the common poisons in their homes that could hurt their pets. Whether it’s a plant or a wayward grape that hit the ground, education is critical when keeping your patients healthy.
You are the experts on Pet Poison Prevention Month.
Connecting with your clients in office (or virtually during COVID) is another great way to get the word out about poison prevention. Developing a set of talking points regarding common household toxins, prevention techniques, and an emergency plan are tools that can be utilized during wellness visits. This is also an opportunity to tailor the information to your area’s most commonly seen toxins.
Get personal. Do you have a patient success story about a pet that recovered from ingesting a toxin? This is your chance to share the story, get photos, and explain what happened, how it was remedied, and how to handle it in the future. Take it a step further and ask for a testimonial from a pet parent that highlights your practice’s work. Using cases from the hospital for marketing purposes can be a great way to growth hack your content strategy. This would also make a great post for social media or addition to your website.
Add a page to your website dedicated to poison prevention information and frequently asked questions. Use this page to detail common toxins, signs and symptoms of pet poisoning, and emergency preparedness. You could also highlight the services your clinic provides regarding urgent care.
Speaking of emergencies, now is the perfect time to make sure that your emergency page is up to date. An effective emergency page should have vital information that will help pet parents make quick and informed decisions during a stressful situation. Include information about who to contact with an after-hours emergency and the types of emergency services your clinic offers.
READ MORE: Your Veterinary Website Needs an Emergency Page
Post poison prevention tips and resources on your social media feed.
Your social media platforms are the perfect place to share information regarding poison prevention. Here are a few post ideas to get you started:
- Share the ASPCA’s annual list of top pet toxins. Every year, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals releases an updated list of the most common pet toxins. Sharing this information with clients can help them ensure a safe environment for their furry friends.
- What is your clinic’s suggested plan in case of a toxin-related emergency? Whether you are a 24/7 emergency clinic or you refer emergency cases to another local clinic, creating a guide for pet parents to reference during a stressful situation is always a good idea.
- Post about common signs of pet poisoning. Share some signs that your clients can look out for to know when their pet may have ingested a harmful toxin.
- Share the contact information for pet poison control. A phone number to reach a professional toxicologist during emergency situations is an important resource for all pet parents to have handy.
Plus, if you’re on WhiskerCloud’s content plan, our team can create custom graphics and expertly worded captions to make posting a breeze.
Pet Poison Prevention Month is not only an important time to bring awareness to common pet toxins, but it’s also an opportunity to increase the credibility of your practice by becoming a resource to pet parents. With the help of our extraordinary social media team, we can help you put together and execute a marketing plan that does just that.