Branding Pet Products: Are You ‘THE’ Leader of Your Category?

What exactly is a brand?  According to the American Marketing Association (AMA) a brand is the “name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.”  Technically that may describe a brand but it goes much deeper.  A brand is a person’s emotional attachment and gut feeling about a product, service, or company.  Your brand resides within the hearts and minds of customers, clients, and prospects. It is the sum total of their experiences and perceptions, some of which you can influence, and some that you cannot.  Companies may not be able to control this process but they can influence it by communicating the qualities that make their product(s) different than other products.  In today’s article we take a look at a few key strategies in how you and your company can help control and influence your brand.

How Do You Control Your Brand in the Pet Care Industry?

As a brand you want to be ‘THE’ leader of a specific product category (i.e. organic dog food). You want your brand to be the first brand that is visualized by the consumer when a certain word or image appears. Consumers create brands basically for every noun in the English language, whether that be people, places or things. For example, when you hear the word “coffee” for most people they visualize “Starbucks”. Starbucks has become a captivating brand as it is a product for which people believe there’s no substitute. Brand leaders like Starbucks tend to command the highest price premiums and best margins. For some companies they use pricing as their sales strategy. Only one company can be the cheapest – the others have to use branding. The stronger the brand, the greater the profit margin.

Create A New Product Category

If a company finds it difficult, or nearly impossible, to be the leader in a product or service category they must then re-define or create a new category. For example, the automobile industry is highly competitive. For decades, automobile companies tried to be ‘THE’ brand among consumers shopping for a new vehicle. They have learned over the years that you can’t own the automobile space so many have re-defined their brand identifying new categories within the automobile industry. They each have created a niche. BMW owns ‘driving’, Mercedes-Benz owns ‘prestige’ and Volvo owns ‘safety’. Three of the top four European automobile brands own a word in the mind of the consumer.

A Brand Shift in the Pet Care Industry

Recently, we have witnessed several brand changes within the pet care industry most noticeably the large retail chain stores Petco and PetSmart. In September of 2005, PetsMart announced a slight, but effective, change in their name from PetsMart to PetSmart. On the surface it may seem like a subtle change but the focus of the change was to reposition the PetSmart brand distancing themselves from Wal-Mart, K-Mart and 68 other U.S. ‘Mart’ retailers. The word ‘mart’ has become synonymous with low price, low quality shopping. Since 2005, PetSmart continues to see tremendous growth. Their 2010 4th quarter revenue was $1.52 billion a 7.8% growth from 4th quarter 2009.

PetSmart’s biggest rival is Petco and on August 17th of this year Petco announced a slight change to their logo and brand. The retail pet food supplier updated its logo by adding the word “healthy” to its tagline. The slogan now reads, “where the healthy pets go”. Elisabeth Charles, Petco Chief Marketing Officer, stated that the change reflects a forward thinking company that is “healthy, active and contemporary”. It was also noted that the new slogan reflects a remodeling process of their stores.

Will the slight change in the slogan and brand improve Petco’s category placement? If not, did they create a new category that evokes a ‘healthy, active and contemporary’ company? To develop a strong brand not only must you be a category leader but it must evoke emotion, innovation, address a problem (i.e. Volvo and safety), differentiation (a unique market position that avoids commoditization), and closes the trust gap between you, the company, and the consumer. We will cover each one of these topics in future blog entries.

You Can Control Your Brand

You must shape, guide and influence people’s perceptions as you control your brand. The tools of branding certainly have changed, but not the general rules. The first step of controlling your brand is to define your category and ask yourself, ‘can we be, or are we currently, the top brand in that category?’ A simple consumer survey will quickly tell you if are a category leader with your brand. Once you establish the right category the next step in a successful brand is to evoke emotion when people hear or see your name. We will cover this topic in our next blog entry.

To receive email notifications on future cheetahLink blog posts sign-up for the email subscription service on the top right of this page.

Is It Time For a Company Re-Brand?

If your pet care company has a tired brand or is in the process of creating a new brand contact cheetahLink today. Founded by Preston Munsch, cheetahLink is a creative brand consulting firm for the pet care industry. Munsch has spent the past 12 years in the pet care and animal health industry specializing in brand development and management through his expertise in product development, marketing, packaging design, market position branding, and market channel strategies. Munsch has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration along with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Associates Degree in Graphic Design. We look forward to helping you rediscovery who your are and what your brand stands for.  You have nothing to lose.  Feel free to contact us at 720.244.2034 or pmunsch@cheetahlink.com.

Animal Health Marketing: The Power of Video

According to Dr. James McQuivey of Forrester Research a minute of video is worth 1.8 million words.

With proper optimization, video increases the chance of a front-page Google result by 53x over standard content. (Forrester, January 2010)

Video in email marketing has been shown to increase click-through rates by over 95%. (Implix, 2010)

As the internet continues to be a primary marketing avenue for both B2C and B2B companies, there is an ever growing trend to discover new ways to deliver an attention grabbing sales message to potential customers. Over the past few years, content creation, SEO and social media networking have been the most popular online marketing strategies. They each certainly play an important role but there is one online marketing strategy that has become more powerful than any other.

Video.

Video is not new to the internet but due to the cost of producing high quality videos on a consistent basis and the previously unreliable low bandwidth of internet users, video was not widely used by companies. Video is finally becoming an integral part of online sales and marketing due to its efficacy and the improvement in technology.

“The rise of broadband and better mobile networks and devices has meant that video has become an increasingly popular part of users’ online experiences,” said Kathleen Moore, PhD student at Penn State University. “People use these sites for every imaginable reason – to laugh and learn, to watch the best and worst of popular culture and to check out news. And video-sharing sites are very social spaces as people vote on, comment on, and share these videos with others.”

Video has the potential to change the face and way animal health companies communicate with potential customers. As long-time supporters of video, we have helped several companies develop new videos to help communicate their message. The following is a video we recently produced for a soon-to-be-launched nutraceutical company. Their strategy is to incorporate new and fresh video throughout their website and through their email marketing campaigns.

Where’s the Video in the Animal Health Industry?

Currently in the animal health industry, very few companies are using video. Matter of fact, in reviewing the top 20 B2B and B2C animal health company websites according to Google, only ONE company utilizes video on their website. If an animal health company needs proof that video has become the most powerful online marketing tool available, here it is:

• 175 million U.S. internet users watch online video content per month an average of 15.1 hours per viewer.
• The total U.S. internet audience engaged in more than 5.4 billion viewing sessions during an average month.
• 84.1 percent of the U.S. internet audience view online videos each month

Internet users are not just viewing videos online for entertainment purposes. According to a new study done by TidalTV (July 6, 2011) the top two industries for online video clickthrough rates (CTR’s) are finance and home improvement. 9th on the list was the pharmaceutical/OTC industry.

Only Young Adults are Watching Videos Right?

A common myth is that video’s are only for young adults (16 to 25). According to a recently released (July 6, 2011) TidalTV survey two age groups tied for the highest clickthrough rate for videos – Ages 15-17 and Ages 65+. Yes, people in their sixties are watching as many video’s as high school teenagers. The next highest group for online video clickthrough rates was the age group 55-64. Whether it is for entertainments purposes, product research or self-education videos appeal to all age groups.

Video Isn’t Just for the Internet

Up to this point, we have primarily focused on the use of video as a sales tool to acquire new customers. This is certainly a great way to engage with a consumer and to make a sales message stick however another wonderful but rarely used opportunity for video is for internal purposes. Let’s look at an example of this within the animal health industry. The most common market channel strategy in the animal health industry is the use of distributors. For those that have worked in this channel, you know that it takes A LOT of work to have any sort of success. It takes sales calls, ride alongs with sales reps, in-store visits, promotions and other labor intensive and time consuming efforts. Even when these strategies are implemented it can be difficult to achieve much success. As most have experienced, typically after a sales call or a ride along you get a quick boost in sales but it is typically short lived. To achieve continued success you need to continually pitch your product and its benefits and features. Imagine an animal health company using the power of video to promote, train and conduct sales calls with distributor reps or even their own internal sales reps.

Who Will Start The Video Revolution?

If an animal health company is ready to take the next step in online marketing and utilize video throughout their marketing strategy contact cheetahLink today. We have the ability to produce high quality videos at fraction the cost. Typically, we can produce videos at 1/2 the cost of other production studios. Along with the video above, our video production team completed a new video for Thorne Vet. Thorne Vet is one of the leading animal nutraceutical companies in the world. To see their new video visit www.thornevet.com.

About cheetahLink

Founded by Preston Munsch, cheetahLink is a consulting firm for the animal health industry. Munsch has spent the past 13 years in the animal health industry specializing in product development, animal health marketing, market position branding, animal health sales, market channel strategies and new client acquisition. Munsch has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration along with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Associates Degree in Graphic Design. If you have any questions feel free to contact us at 720.244.2034 or pmunsch@cheetahlink.com.

Animal Health Marketing: Companies Lack Market Position Branding

You may not realize this but right now your company has a technology, a process, a service or a product that is unique and needs to be branded….but you are not!  We have discovered in working with each one of our clients that they have something special, something unique that they often don’t realize.  Furthermore not only are they underselling this feature but animal health companies are missing a tremendous opportunity to brand this unique feature to strengthen their market position.  We call this Market Position Branding.

Market Position Branding, a term coined by cheetahLink, is the strategy of identifying your unique feature or selling point (a technology, a process, a product or a service) and branding it to strengthen your market position.    

We look at how two animal health companies have discovered their unique selling point, turned it into a brand and have strengthen their market position.

Who Are You?  What Are You Selling?

Animal health companies struggle with Market Position Branding due to the fact that they often don’t know who they are or what they are selling.  Confused?  Let me explain.  The standard response to these two questions – who are you and what are you selling – rarely includes something that makes the company unique and really separates them from the competition.  Let’s look at two examples.

Client A is a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for the pet care industry.  Their facility and staff is top-notch as they clearly are not your typical manufacturer but they were missing something.  They didn’t have a brand to help gain market position and separate themselves from other manufacturers.  Contract manufacturing is a very competitive segment of the animal health industry so it was vital to discover what makes them different and brand it!

After working with the client for a couple of weeks their unique selling point, their brand, was obvious.  They had this amazing process of helping their customers go from product concept to a finished product.  They don’t just manufacture products they analyze, develop and design the product focused on making it better (and more profitable for the client).  We took this process and developed a brand called The Precision Formula.  We built two stages within The Precision Formula called The Foundation Advantage and Intelligent Manufacturing.  At the end of the project the client went from being ‘another’ animal health manufacturer to a company that has a unique and branded process.  A new sales brochure and sales pitch have been developed focused on their new brand and position in the market.  Their website is also being revamped to push this new brand.

This company now has an exciting brand they can pitch to animal health companies.  This process always existed within the company but they never thought of it as something they can brand and strengthen their market position.

“We Just Sell Probiotics”

Client B is a probiotic company, another very competitive segment of the animal health industry.  I began working with this client and it was apparent immediately that my client needed a much stronger presence in the industry.  Without question they are one of the best probiotic and paste manufacturers in the industry but they are relatively unknown in the industry.  In working with the client we discovered two unique features of this company.  One was a process while the other was a product (patented bacteria strain).  We decided to go with the process and brand this to the industry.  The process the client has developed is a micro-encapsulation that is unique to the industry and one that brings real value to their clients.  The process of branding this technology included developing a logo (see left) to help establish this process, this brand, within the industry.  Developing a logo is a significant part of building a brand as it creates a difference and distinction between you and me-too products and services.

“In order to help set ourselves apart and attract new business, ProbioFerm has invested time and money into branding our own technology”, said Scott Goldsmith, ProbioFerm President.  “We wish to enhance consumer confidence with proven technologies. Our openness to share these brands with our customers has helped expand our technology into the market.”

This brand is now being incorporated into sales literature and product labels by animal health companies who are using this technology within their products.  For example, we worked with Devenish Nutrition to develop a new swine microbial paste product and they are prominently showcasing the Durabac logo as they believe it helps position the product in the market place.

These are just two examples in how Market Position Branding can strengthen a company’s position in the animal health industry.

Timing Is Right for Market Position Branding

With the lack of new products and technology hitting our industry its paramount that animal health companies capitalize on their current unique selling points and brand it.  Brakke Consulting (November 12th newsletter) is clearly worried about the current state of new animal health products:

Hopefully, every company will be launching new innovative products in 2011 so the industry will see new revenue growth.  At the present time there seems to be a “hush” related to new product introductions for 2011.  Is that because there are very few, or are new products tied up in the regulatory process?. 

With a bleak outlook for new products in 2011 animal health companies must discover their unique selling points and brand it.  A well thought out market position branding plan can be more affective than launching a new product or technology.  Without question it can be very challenging to discover and develop a current product, technology, process or service into a brand.  For this reason, it takes an outside source (customers, vendors, consultants, etc.) to really discover what makes you special – your brand.  As Warren Buffet said, “Your premium brand had better be delivering something special, or it’s not going to get the business.”

If you enjoyed this article and want immediate access to future animal health marketing articles from cheetahLink sign-up for the email subscription service located in the right column.  You can also sign-up for the cheetahLink RSS Feed which is also located in the right column.  You can follow our Twitter account as well.

About cheetahLink

Founded by Preston Munsch, cheetahLink is a consulting firm for the animal health industry.  Munsch has spent the past 13 years in the animal health industry specializing in product development, animal health marketing, market position branding, animal health sales, market channel strategies and new client acquisition.  Munsch has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration along with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Associates Degree in Graphic Design.  If you have any questions feel free to contact us at 720.244.2034 or pmunsch@cheetahlink.com.

 

Good Manufacturing Partner Key To Avoiding Product Recall

Over the past two years, consumers have faced their fair share of health scares when it comes to animal health products.  Product recalls have hit virtually every product category of the industry including horse supplements, dog food, treats, livestock feed, cat food, horse feed and vaccines. 

The animal health industry is a fragmented industry creating an environment of shifting brand loyalty.  Consumers switch brands for a variety of reasons including product cost, product availability, and veterinarian recommendation.  Providing the consumer one more reason (product recall) to make a shift from one brand to another needs to be avoided at all cost.  Product recalls can be especially harmful during an economic downturn when most companies are already experiencing a decline in revenue. 

Product recalls, whether voluntary or involuntary, can have huge economic effects on a company’s brand and bottom line.  Recalls in the industry have been the result of a variety of reasons but there is clearly a common trend amongst the recent recalls. 

• Supply chain
  • Improper storage of raw materials
  • Inadequate transportation logistics
  • Tainted raw materials (i.e. melamine inclusion to boost protein)
• Not meeting label claims
  • Excessive amounts of copper in the feed
  • Incorrect levels of zinc and potassium
  • Sufficiently low levels of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate
• Contamination
  • Metal fragments discovered in feed
  • Salmonella detection

A product recall can be the result from a variety of reasons starting with the supply chain.  No matter the source or reason for the mistake the fact remains it is the responsibility of animal health companies to partner with a manufacturer that provides quality control standards to help prevent such damage.

Some companies, like Royal Canin, took it upon themselves to enhance quality control programs at their pet food plants.  In 2007 they were hit hard with a major product recall resulting from criminal activity in China.  The company took great lengths to make sure such a catastrophic event doesn’t occur again.  They have installed a new system to monitor incoming ingredients to determine if they require further examination and testing.  Other measures will also ensure finished products meet new standards before entering the market.

As Royal Canin and others have experienced, the best way to avoid a disastrous product recall is proper quality control standards throughout the production process.  This process begins well before manufacturing.  It begins at product conception and continues through the manufacturing life of the product.  Animal health companies can protect their company from a recall by selecting a manufacturer that places a high standard in quality control.  Such a manufacturer should have several procedures in place including the following:

• Certified facility – There are several different certification processes within the industry (NASC, AFIA, FDA, etc.) available to manufacturers.  Certainly the highest merit a facility can receive is to be FDA certified.  Using an FDA certified facility provides animal health companies the ‘insurance’ needed to protect their brand and bottom line.   
• Ingredient analysis – Many of the problems animal health companies experience from a product recall begins with the ingredients.  For this reason, it is extremely important that the manufacturer has a thorough process in place to evaluate all incoming raw materials.  The first important step is to receive a Certificate of Analysis for all raw materials.  The Certificate of Analysis provides important information on the ingredient such as appearance, odor and identity.  If no Certificate of Analysis accompanies the ingredient the manufacturer needs to have a process in place to properly store the ingredient so contamination of other ingredients, goods or machinery does not take place.  All ingredients upon receipt should be quarantined until they have gone through a stringent criterion. At a minimum an ID should be performed on all ingredients.  An ID is a physical inspection of the raw material to make sure the appearance is typical of that product.  On critical ingredients the manufacturer should send a sample of the ingredient to an outside laboratory for verification.  These simple but important steps are critical to protect a company from a product recall. 
• In-house laboratory – The key to comprehensive quality control is the use of an in-house laboratory.  An in-house laboratory is a primary component to achieve the mission of maintaining strict control over every aspect of manufacturing and quality.  An in-house laboratory also allows for timely, accurate, cost-effective testing that ensures every product, from raw material to finished goods, meets all quality requirements.
• Client care process – A successful client-to-manufacturer relationship incorporates more than the single element of manufacturing.  It includes various steps that are focused on the complete product life cycle.  It begins with a strategic conversation that looks at the vision and future goals of the client.  It then advances to research and product development followed by packaging.  At this point in the process, the manufacturer should conduct a product review with the client to verify that the product fits the client’s vision.  Also at this point you take one last look at the product formula, ingredients and packaging to make sure everything works well together.  Once the product review is complete quality control procedures begin.  After the product has been cleared by the quality control team the product goes into production.  At the conclusion of production, the manufacturer should offer logistical help which may include transportation, warehousing, and fulfillment.  For most manufacturers once the product leaves their facility the contractual obligations are complete but if the manufacturer views itself as a true partner of their client’s business the process never stops.  Periodic reviews between the manufacturer and client should take place reviewing product performance, customer feedback, product improvements, and packaging issues, among other topics.  A client care process is not a typical procedure implemented by manufacturers.  For those who do have a client care process in place they greatly enhance their client’s probability of long-term success.    
• Quality control standards – Manufacturer’s have the responsibility to their client and to the consumer to have  Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) in place.  This includes, but not limited to, raw material specifications, finished product specifications, equipment evaluation and maintenance records, adverse reaction plan and finished product Certificate of Analysis.  In the face of a challenging regulatory environment it is vital that manufacturers create a culture where quality and a stringent reoccurring process is standard practice.  These goals can be achieved by following certain sets of procedures (SOP) that are essential for effectiveness, efficiency and quality.       

There are only a handful manufacturers in our industry who follow these critical steps in helping their clients succeed.  One of them is Precision Science  out of Phoenix, Arizona.  Precision Science is a custom manufacturer of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and medicated feed products for the animal health industry.      

“The first thing that someone notices when they walk into our state-of-the-art facility here at Precision Science is how safe and clean they are,” said President/CEO Bryan Vincent. 

Precision Science has taken great lengths to guarantee that every aspect of their process meets the highest standards possible.  For this reason they have gained both FDA and EPA certification. 

What that means to our customers is that Precision Science holds the quality bar very high.  It is a pretty unique place to be.  

As our industry becomes more regulated working with facilities like Precision Science will become a necessity as company’s look to protect their brand and bottom line.  Some animal health companies are already being proactive by having their products made at a facility like Precision Science.        

The animal health industry has been rocked by product recalls and lawsuits causing companies to lose market share and significant profits.  They have caused financial doom and a blow to the reputation and quality of numerous animal health companies.  It is the responsibility of animal health companies to thoroughly research their current manufacturing partner.  They need to be confident beyond a doubt that their manufacturer has their best intentions in mind and is providing the best possible quality control standards possible to prevent any future damage.

About cheetahLink

Founded by Preston Munsch, cheetahLink is an online marketing and consulting firm that specializes in the animal health industry. The focus of cheetahLink is to increase sales, brand recognition, online visibility and website traffic through search engine optimization, website development, social media site marketing (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) and other online marketing services.  CheetahLink also provides consulting services for animal health companies including product development, business development, sales/distribution plans, contract manufacturing, and other services.  Munsch has spent the past 10 years in the animal health industry specializing in product development, animal health marketing, branding, sales, distribution and advertising.  Munsch has a Masters Degree in Business Administration along with a Bachelors Degree in Communication and Associates Degree in Graphic Design.  If you have any questions regarding our services feel free to contact us at 720.244.2034 or pmunsch@cheetahlink.com.

Animal Health Marketing: Having a Website Doesn’t Mean You’re Online

It is estimated that there are over 125 million websites. 

Over 20 billion web pages have been indexed by Yahoo. 

Google has indexed over 1 trillion unique URL’s.

The numbers are overwhelming.  They nearly make you to think twice about launching a website or increasing the budget to enhance your current website.  Despite these astounding numbers the reality still remains that very few companies are TRULY online.  Simply having a website does not mean you are online!  Confused?  Lets explain in more detail what defines a true and successful website. 

• A true and successful website…can be easily found – With over 125 million active websites consumers have to be able to find you.  The good news is that you don’t have to spend a six-figure budget to gain online visibility. 
• A true and successful website…solves a problem – People go online looking for solutions.  Does your website solve a customer problem?
• A true and successful website…provides valuable content – Content allows your website to be found, to solve problems and stay original.
• A true and successful website…has a call to action – You worked hard on getting visitors to your website.  What do you want them to do now?

The competition for online visibility in today’s market space is certainly challenging.  To help your company truly have an online presence and not a stagnant website, we offer the following three strategies.  These strategies will help you achieve the four criteria outlined above to have a true and successful website. 

Keywords – The term ‘keyword’ has been around as long as the internet has existed but how they are used within online marketing has changed over the years.  Initially you wanted to include a laundry list of keywords in your HTML code.  It wasn’t long before search engine developers caught onto this trend and began minimizing the value of the keyword meta tag.  Search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing may not recognize the keyword meta tag any longer but having a very good list of 6 to 10 keywords to accurately describe your business is a must.  These keywords will be used in EVERY online marketing activity to help establish your presence and expertise online.  Identifying the ideal keywords and phrases for your business is not easy as it takes extensive research.  Personally, I prefer keywords that have monthly enquiries of 5,000 to 30,000.  Keywords that are above 30,000 are very competitive and good search engine placement will be difficult.  Once you have established a list of keywords for your business the next necessary step is to establish keywords for each product or product category.  Establishing keywords for specific products or product categories allows consumers to more easily find your product and land directly on your product page.  This is called landing page optimization.  Lets walk through an example.  You are an equine supplement company that has ten products.  Your first step is to determine what are the 6 to 10 keywords that describes what your company provides.  This may include keywords like horse vitamins and horse feed supplements.  The next step is then to identify specific keywords for each product.  If you have a joint product you may decide to use keywords like equine arthritis and equine joint supplements.  Once you have established your keywords for both your business and products/product categories you are ready for the next step…content.  To learn more about keywords and why they are so vital read this previous cheetahLink article – 7 Reasons Why Keywords Are Still Important.

Content…Content…Content – Now that you have your keywords established it is time for content and A LOT OF IT.  The reason why people go online is to look for answers and solutions.  You want people to come to your site and say….

Yes, this is who can answer my problem

The way you answer problems is through content, valuable consumer driven content.  One mistake companies often make is that they write and distribute content that nobody cares about.  For example, companies that send out press releases about a new employee or a customer of the month does not attract consumers.  This type of content does not help the consumer solve their problem.  I call this tactic ‘chest-pumping’ content.  It is content that does nothing more than promote one self. 

Another important aspect to content is to diversify.  Successful content is more than just news releases its articles, ebooks, white papers and videos.  Search engine results are no longer just websites but also include latest news releases, videos, ebooks, social media site messages, products, etc.   The goal behind search engine results today is to provide a diverse and mixed bag of results from several different mediums. 

Creating original content is BY FAR the biggest challenge we see with companies.  They don’t have the time, energy or personnel to develop continuous and original content.  Some companies are hesitant in developing content as they are not sure what to write about.  If you don’t think you have anything to write about remember that everyone has a story to tell.  Unfortunately not enough companies take advantage of the opportunity. 

Spread the Word – If you are taking the time to develop original and valuable content – spread the word.  Submit it to your website, social media sites, press release distribution services, social bookmarking sites, RSS feeds, blogs, etc.  All it takes is for one person on one site to spread your message and it becomes viral.  Distributing your information may seem like a simple process but it is a step many companies execute poorly.  You need to make sure your content is SEO friendly, includes keywords/tags, setup for landing page optimization, contact information, etc. 

These are just three of many strategies your company can put into place to dramatically enhance your online visibility and become a TRUE website.  Remember simply having a website doesn’t mean you are online.  It is strategies like these that will provide your company online visibility and develop your website into a profit center for your animal health business.

About cheetahLink

Founded by Preston Munsch, cheetahLink is an online marketing and consulting firm that specializes in the animal health industry. The focus of cheetahLink is to increase sales, brand recognition, online visibility and website traffic through search engine optimization, website development, social media site marketing (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) and other online marketing services.  CheetahLink also provides consulting services for animal health companies including product development, business development, sales/distribution plans, contract manufacturing, and other services.  Munsch has spent the past 10 years in the animal health industry specializing in product development, animal health marketing, branding, sales, distribution and advertising.  Munsch has a Masters Degree in Business Administration along with a Bachelors Degree in Communication and Associates Degree in Graphic Design.  If you have any questions regarding our services feel free to contact us at 720.244.2034 or pmunsch@cheetahlink.com.

Animal Health Marketing: AFIA Set To Take On Equine Industry Issues

Last month during the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) Purchasing and Ingredient Suppliers Committee in San Antonio, a group of fifteen equine leaders met to discuss the idea of forming an Equine Committee.  The group discussed the current issues in our industry and how an Equine Committee within the AFIA could help address these issues.  There was a tremendous about of energy in the meeting as it was clearly agreed upon by the group that not only is this committee needed but we could make a major impact on the industry. 

The idea for this committee started back in the summer of 2009 when I had the opportunity to discuss the idea with AFIA President Joel Newman.  Joel embraced the idea and made a trip to Colorado to discuss preliminary thoughts on the objective of the committee.  Less than a year later, the idea is one step closer to reality as Joel  gathered a group of leaders in San Antonio to discuss forming this first-ever Equine Committee within the AFIA.  The initial meeting in March included leaders from Hallway Feeds, cheetahLink, Triple Crown, ADM, AlfaGreen Supreme, Blue Seal Feeds, Alltech, MARS Horsecare, Southern States Coop, Cattleman’s Choice Loomix, Nutreco, Pennfield Corporation and Seminole Feed.

During the meeting, the group established a number of isses that we believe the Equine Committee could address to help further the equine industry.  Among those issues we established the three most pressing concerns that need to be addressed. 

• Unwanted horse issue – Currently there is a lack of information regarding the total number of unwanted horses existing in our nation but general consensus is that number is well over 100,000.  This is an issue that needs to be addressed as the number of unwanted horses is having a dramatic affect on the industry.  Due to the large surplus in unwanted horses, breeding is down which has a direct negative affect for veterinarians and breed associations.  New horse purchases are down both in number and value.  This is an issue that the AFIA Equine Committee will take serious and look to industry leaders and organizations for help in developing a plan that works for everyone in the industry. 
• Product labeling – There is a tremendous variability in labeling interpretation from state-to-state.  The AFIA has been very successful in working with state regulators in other industries so we hope to have the same level of success in the equine industry.
• Quality assurance – There is a lack of consistent quality assurance in the equine feed industry.  This ranges from manufacturing processes to ingredients.  The AFIA currently has a program called Safe Feed/Safe Food which is an option to help address this issue.  The Safe Feed/Safe Food Certification Program is a voluntary, independently certified program designed for the total feed industry. The Safe Feed/Safe Food program establishes comprehensive standards of excellence that go beyond existing regulations to maximize food and feed safety.

There were other issues addressed during the meeting as well including product registration in Canada, state tax and registration fees, foster youth participation in the industry and lack of standards for “low starch” horse feeds.  One other major issue this committee will discuss is the definition of a horse in whether they fall under ‘livestock’ or ‘companion animal’.  How horses are defined by state and federal governments will have a major impact on several issues (unwanted horses, ingredient usage, labeling, taxes, etc.).     

One member of the group who attended the meeting was Jeff Pendleton, General Manager of Hallway Feeds (Lexington, KY).  “Instead of individuals addressing issues/concerns alone, having a group effort with focus will accomplish much with greater efficiency,” said Pendleton.  “This template will allow the AFIA Equine Committee to work for the betterment of all Equine feed manufacturers.”

Jarrod Kersey, Director of Ingredients and State Legislative Affairs for the AFIA, has been selected as the staff contact and leader for this committee.  Jarrod believes that the Equine Committee will be a valuable tool and resource for the industry.

“AFIA is excited about the interest expressed by the feed industry to develop a committee dedicated to the regulatory and legislative feed issues facing the equine industry,” said Kersey.  “The issues impacting the equine industry vary from feed labeling to trade to a host of other issues involving state departments of agriculture, FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine to federal legislation.  With FDA promulgation, Animal Feed Safety System and the various food/feed safety bills out there, the timing couldn’t be better.  An Equine Committee focused on feed has the ability to make a difference by education and lobbying efforts focused on equine issues.”

There are a few final steps that need to take place before the Equine Committee is officially approved by the AFIA.  A proposal that includes the committee’s mission, objectives and 2010-11 Action Plan needs to be finalized.  We also need to propose an initial slate of Committee members and identify future meeting times and locations.  All of these items will be presented at the AFIA Board Meeting in May for approval.  We are optimistic the Board of Directors will approve the Equine Committee as we all believe this committee will serve the equine industry and the AFIA well both short-term and long-term. 

If you would like to learn more about the AFIA Equine Committee or how your company can be more involved in the AFIA email me at pmunsch@cheetahlink.com or contact AFIA President Joel Newman at jnewman@afia.org.

About cheetahLink

Founded by Preston Munsch, cheetahLink is an online marketing and consulting firm that specializes in the animal health industry. The focus of cheetahLink is to increase sales, brand recognition, online visibility and website traffic through search engine optimization, website development, social media site marketing (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) and other online marketing services.  CheetahLink also provides consulting services for animal health companies including product development, business development, sales/distribution plans, contract manufacturing, and other services.  Munsch has spent the past 10 years in the animal health industry specializing in product development, animal health marketing, branding, sales, distribution and advertising.  Munsch has a Masters Degree in Business Administration along with a Bachelors Degree in Communication and Associates Degree in Graphic Design.  If you have any questions regarding our services feel free to contact us at 720.244.2034 or pmunsch@cheetahlink.com.

Animal Health Marketing: Marketing ROI is the Trend In 2010

Return on investment (ROI) can be simply defined as the ratio of money gained or lost on an investment relative to the amount of money invested.  The definition is simple but for most companies measuring ROI, marketing ROI in particular, is easier said than done.

According to a recently released survey “Marketing Trends Report 2010” by Anderson Analytics and the Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG) marketing ROI is the hottest trend for 2010.  Marketing executives are more focused on getting a good return on their marketing investments.  The fact that marketing managers want to measure their return on marketing activities is a sign of a more optimistic economic future.  If marketing ROI is the top trend in 2010 this means that marketing dollars are increasing which points to a more positive prognosis for this year.

Marketing ROI has become a hot trend for two reasons.  First, companies are increasing their marketing budgets in 2010 but they are going to monitor it closely.  Most marketing budgets were reduced over the past year in light of the economic downturn but all indications show an upswing in marketing budgets.  The second reason why marketing ROI is a hot trend is due to the dramatic increase in using online marketing tactics (social media, blogging, mobile marketing, etc).  Online marketing is a new concept for most companies and most executives are still a bit leery on its true effect and ability to increase revenue.  For these two reasons, marketing ROI has surfaced as the most important trend for marketing executives.

Measuring marketing ROI has always been a challenge for companies in past decades due to the fact most marketing strategies were based upon traditional mediums (magazines, newspapers, radio, tv, etc.).  Traditional marketing ROI can certainly be measured (unique URL’s, tracking phone numbers, etc.) but it takes planning and diligent follow-up to measure the success.  The beauty of online marketing is that there are tools (Google Analytics, WordPress analytics, LeadLander, etc.) that can be implemented to allow you to measure your marketing ROI 24 hours a day.  But there is a caveat!  You need to know what to measure and how to read the measurements.

Most companies review their analytics once a month and only review their dashboard (the landing page of Google Analytics).  The dashboard will provide some basic information (visits, page views, average time on site, etc.) but it clearly does not provide sufficient information to measure the true success of your website.  To get a better understanding of your analytics follow these simple steps:

1. Get a weekly report from your marketing team or outside consultant that provides an update and overview of your website performance.  This weekly report is meant to keep you up-to-speed on the growth (or lack of) of your website.  This report does not need to be long in length as the objective of the report is to keep you and your management team informed of your website.
2. Give your marketing team or outside consultant one day a month (via in person or a webinar) to provide a detailed end-of-the-month presentation on your website performance.  This presentation should not only provide data but provide answers and solutions.  A presentation that only provides snap shots of your dashboard is not sufficient!  Some topics that should be covered include looking at your top landing pages and their exit percentage.  If you have any pages with an exit percentage of 50% or higher find out why and provide suggestions to improve that number.  Look at your top ten content pages and look at their exit percentage.  You may be getting a lot of people to a certain page but you could have a high exit percentage.  Your exit percentage on your best content pages should be 40% or less.  These are just a few examples of what this presentation should cover.
3. Ask for a short analytic report every time your company runs a new promotion or ad campaign.  In order for you to measure your analytics properly you must setup the proper parameters to allow analytics to measure your success.  For example, if you are pushing a new promotion through Twitter make sure you have a link to a page that you can measure click through rate and bounce rate.  This is called landing page optimization.  For example, you are providing a coupon that end-users can use at retail stores to get 25% off a certain product.  Create a new page on your website with the coupon.  This allows you to measure how many hits you are getting to the coupon page.  Another suggestion is to ask the consumer 2 to 3 questions so you can gather some market research.  Also add a function that allows the person to forward the coupon to others via email.  This allows you to collect email addresses of potential customers.

These are just a few strategies to implement to help measure your marketing ROI.  As the economy begins to show signs of life, companies are making new commitments to their marketing budget but they are doing it with a watchful eye.  Marketing ROI is not something new as it has been around for several decades.  It is receiving renewed attention due to the fact that marketing strategies have changed dramatically over the past 12 to 18 months.  Senior managers of most companies are still trying to get a complete grasp and understanding of online marketing.  One way to better understand it is to measure it.  Measure new leads generated, increased website traffic and increased revenue.  If you follow the suggestions outlined above you are taking the first needed steps to measure your online marketing campaign and marketing ROI.

About cheetahLink

Founded by Preston Munsch, cheetahLink is an online marketing and consulting firm that specializes in the animal health industry. The focus of cheetahLink is to increase sales, brand recognition, online visibility and website traffic through search engine optimization, website development, social media site marketing (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) and other online marketing services.  CheetahLink also provides consulting services for animal health companies including product development, business development, sales/distribution plans, contract manufacturing, and other services.  Munsch has spent the past 10 years in the animal health industry specializing in product development, animal health marketing, branding, sales, distribution and advertising.  Munsch has a Masters Degree in Business Administration along with a Bachelors Degree in Communication and Associates Degree in Graphic Design.  If you have any questions regarding our services feel free to contact us at 720.244.2034 or pmunsch@cheetahlink.com.

Animal Health Marketing: Our Site Looks Great, Where’s the Traffic?

I recently ran across this definition for online marketing – Online Marketing is the art and science of selling products and/or services over digital networks, such as the Internet and cellular phone networks. 

Simple but a bit outdated.

I then saw this definition – Online marketing refers to the placement of media along different stages of the customer engagement cycle through search engine marketing (SEM), search engine optimization (SEO), banner ads on specific websites, e-mail marketing, and Web 2.0 strategies. 

Decent but a little heavy.

We can simplify the definition into three words – Follow, Share, Buy.  Is it that simple?  Yes and no.  Let me explain.

Lets take a real life example, an example I see too often.  Company A is looking at launching a new website.  Everyone is excited as this certainly will lead to an early retirement and a second home in Belize.  Maybe a little dramatic but I have seen organizations believe that a new website as the second coming.  Soon the project begins and of course there are obstacles pushing the launch date back 3 to 4 months.  Finally the new website is launched ($15,000 to $20,000 later) and it looks great.  Everyone is standing around their computer waiting for the orders to come in.  The first day, the first week, the first month is slow but things will certainly pickup as the new website looks so good.  Soon enough company executives realize that their substantial investment is not producing the type of ROI they expected.  Here lies the problem.  Yes, Company A has a beautiful website but outside a press release announcing the new website the company isn’t doing anything to drive new and continual traffic to their site. 

Now lets take a look at Company B.  Company B decides to launch a new website but they also make the commitment to develop an online marketing strategy (courtesy of the President’s teenage daughter who keeps telling her dad how cool Twitter is).  A well thought out and designed online marketing strategy will provide a number of benefits including…

• Drives new and continual traffic to your website
• Increases your organic search engine results
• Allows consumers to follow and share your message with others  
• Generate new leads and customers
• Helps retain your current customers

Online marketing encompasses a wide range of strategies all revolved around the simple but very effective motto of Follow-Share-Buy. 

The first step of a successful online marketing campaign is to get consumers (new and current) to follow you.  There are a number of techniques that can be used but the most important technique to get followers is to establish your company as ‘the’ expert in your industry.  This is accomplished by providing valuable content as content is king!  This is done by writing news releases, articles, ebooks and white papers that indirectly sell your products and services.  Nobody wants to follow a blog of articles and releases on how great your company and products are.  Now take these written items and distribute them through online tools such as blogs, social media sites, social bookmarking sites, company website, and press release distribution services, just to name a few.  In today’s world, consumers use the internet to find immediate answers.  They use the internet to learn, to education, to resolve, to buy.  For this reason, your company needs to be online providing valuable content to help answer the consumer’s needs. 

Once a consumer finds your information valuable they will begin to ‘recommend’ or share your message, products and services with others.  A person who shares your message with others is a true believer in your company and products.  Sharing also starts the process of mass distribution of your message.  With online marketing all it takes is for one of your written pieces to become viral and it will literally be seen by thousands of people.  Once a consumer is following you and sharing your message the final step, buy, is inevitable. 

The three steps of online marketing, Follow-Share-Buy, can provide wonder results if done properly.  Another benefit from Follow-Share-Buy that I want to point out is that it will dramatically improve your organic search results.  Search engines today produce a diverse  mix of results including news releases, social media sites, websites, and videos.   The more diverse you are in spreading your message, the better your organic results will be within Google, Bing and Yahoo.

Hopefully we have provided you a much better understanding, and definition, of online marketing.  You can define online marketing a hundred different ways but lets keep it simple, but powerful – Follow-Share-Buy.  To receive notification of all future cheetahLink blog entries subscribe to our email subscription or RSS Feed both listed on the right.

About cheetahLink

Founded by Preston Munsch, cheetahLink is an online marketing and consulting firm that specializes in the animal health industry. The focus of cheetahLink is to increase sales, brand recognition, online visibility and website traffic through search engine optimization, website development, social media site marketing (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) and other online marketing services.  CheetahLink also provides consulting services for animal health companies including product development, business development, sales/distribution plans, contract manufacturing, and other services.  Munsch has spent the past 10 years in the animal health industry specializing in product development, animal health marketing, branding, sales, distribution and advertising.  Munsch has a Masters Degree in Business Administration along with a Bachelors Degree in Communication and Associates Degree in Graphic Design.  If you have any questions regarding our services feel free to contact us at 720.244.2034 or pmunsch@cheetahlink.com.

Animal Health Marketing: Timing is Right to Launch New Products

We are now two months into 2010 but there are already concerns from industry leaders in the lack of new products.  The recession has made companies a bit ‘gun-shy’ in launching new products as they reduce their investment in R&D.  Instead we are seeing companies implement different product strategies including re-branding current products or simply increasing the price of their current products.    

Typically you will see plenty of new products at trade shows in the first quarter of each year.  Lets take a look at three major animal health shows that have already taken place this year.  As you will see, there are some new products but overall there is a growing concern in the lack of new products we are seeing in the animal health industry.

– Equine Industry – 2010 WESA Market (Denver) – I walked the floor for three days and noticed very few new products for the equine industry.  In visiting with one President/CEO he noted that he was more concerned about his current products than developing new ones.  Due to the recession, his marketing budget has been dramatically reduced so the focus in 2010 was supporting his current products.  Another very large equine company had no plans for any new products immediately.  They also were more worried about their current products so their strategy for 2010 was to re-brand their current products.  Farnam, one of the largest animal health companies in the country, only had two new products at the show, a shampoo product and a flea product. 

Overall I was very disappointed in the lack of new products at the 2010 WESA Denver Market.  Typically, you will see at least 8 to 10 new animal health products but they were clearly lacking at this show. 
   
– Cattle Industry – 2010 NCBA Convention (San Antonio) – There were some new product introductions at the NCBA but you will notice several of the products were re-launches of current products.

Pfizer presents HD 50K for Angus, a genetic selection tool that is also the first commercially available Molecular Value Predictions (MVPs) derived from a high-density panel with more than 50,000 genetic markers. The suite of 14 genomic trait predictions, including the beef industry’s first DNA-based economic index, provides MVPs for some economically important traits not available as EPDs, such as average daily gain, dry matter intake, net feed intake and tenderness, as well as many traits that complement EPDs.

Novus International, enters the U.S. beef nutrition market with several feed products with wide range of health benefits.

Merial announced a return of the Corid powder for prevention and treatment of coccidiosis and a new 15-dose bottle of Cystorelin.

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health launches, Resflor Gold, the only FDA-approved combination antibiotic to treat three major bacterial bovine respiratory pathogens. Nuflor Gold®, is an antibiotic for the treatment of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) associated with four major bovine respiratory pathogens.

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., continues in their reorganization of the former Fort Dodge cattle product line, including Pyramid 5 and Cydectin.

– Companion Animal Industry – 2010 North American Veterinary Conference (Orlando) – This event took place in January and is typically the first major trade show of the year.  The following report from Brakke Consulting provides a great insight on the lack of new products seen at this show.

Like many of you, we’ve just returned from the NAVC meeting in Orlando that was held earlier this week.  We were impressed with the positive attitudes and expectations for 2010 that were expressed by many of you.
 
While there were some new product launches, we remain concerned with the limited number and size of new product introductions at the show.  Without new offerings it’s a challenge to find growth in some of the more mature product categories. While some additional growth may come from improved product compliance, the cost of obtaining this growth may be prohibitive.
 
New higher pricing seems to be one alternative being used by some companies to maintain top line growth. That is fine, as long as it does not drive the veterinarian or the pet owner to another product or source. How much is the pet owner willing to pay in a recessionary time?  We don’t have that answer on each product in all categories but we’re seeing some information that suggests that we’re starting to reach the value limits.    
 
There is Hope

Not all is lost as over the past month I have worked with two animal health companies helping them launch three new products.  One of the companies launched a new canine paste product that is focused on breeders and newborn puppies.  They hope to hit the market with this new product within the next 30 days.  The other company, a swine feed manufacturer, is putting the finishing touches together on a new piglet product that includes cutting edge technology along with a patented Lactobacillus casei strain from ProbioFerm.

It can be tempting for senior executives to cut back on innovation during a recession but this short-term savings is made at the expense of the long-term health of the company.  Although the future of the economy remains difficult to predict, an eventual upturn is assured, and companies must ensure that they maintain a strong innovation pipeline in order to capitalize on future demand.

Those companies that are prepared to innovate new products in a downturn are faced with a number of advantages.  As many companies are focused on cost-cutting, there is less competition and less noise in the market.  Assets can be acquired more cheaply, so the relative cost of developing a new product can be lower than during a boom period.  We strongly encourage those in the animal health industry to invest into new products in 2010.  With the right ideas, manufacturing relationships and ingredient acquisitions in place, a new product does not have to be a labor intensive or a costly process. 

To continue to receive the latest industry news and articles from cheetahLink either subscribe to our email subscription or RSS feed on our blog.  Both can be found on the right side of our blog.  If you have any feedback, thoughts or ideas please leave a comment or email us at info@cheetahlink.com. 

About cheetahLink

Founded by Preston Munsch, cheetahLink is an online marketing and consulting firm that specializes in the animal health industry. The focus of cheetahLink is to increase sales, brand recognition, online visibility and website traffic through search engine optimization, website development, social media site marketing (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) and other online marketing services.  CheetahLink also provides consulting services for animal health companies including product development, business development, sales/distribution plans, contract manufacturing, and other services.  Munsch has spent the past 10 years in the animal health industry specializing in product development, animal health marketing, branding, sales, distribution and advertising.  Munsch has a Masters Degree in Business Administration along with a Bachelors Degree in Communication and Associates Degree in Graphic Design.

Animal Health Marketing: Online Marketing Generating Real Customers

The use of online marketing and social media channels such as blogs, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are becoming key tools in generating new leads according to a new survey.  A recent survey, 2010 State of Inbound Marketing, by HubSpot revealed some staggering results and the growth of inbound (online) marketing.

• Average cost per lead for outbound (traditional) marketing was $332.  Outbound marketing includes trade shows, direct mailers, cold calls, etc.  Average cost per lead for inbound marketing (social media sites, blogs, SEO, etc.) was $134.
• Social media sites and blogs are the most cost-effective ways to generate leads out of all marketing activities (trade shows, mailers, telemarketing, etc.).  63% of respondents estimated that these tools were “below average cost” for lead generation.
• 88% of those surveyed are either maintaining or increasing their inbound marketing budgets in 2010.
• 61% of respondents reported that they publish a company blog compared to 48% a year ago.
• 85% of respondents rated company blogs as useful or better in 2010.

The survey by HubSpot not only reveals that companies are using online marketing tools but they are seeing results (i.e. lower average cost per lead).  In the animal health industry, the use of online marketing tools (social media sites, blogs, SEO, etc.) is growing but is still lacking in other industries.  Traditional forms of marketing still dominate the landscape in our industry.  Unfortunately, traditional marketing techniques – including direct mail, print advertising and trade shows – are becoming less effective.  Buyers are not only finding ways to tune these messages out (do-not-call lists, TIVO, email spam filter, etc.), but more importantly they now have the capability to evaluate the products and services they need on their own. 

Let us know which social media tools your company currently utilizes in their marketing efforts by answering the poll below.  As more data such as the HubSpot survey becomes public knowledge, we expect online marketing to become a key element in marketing campaigns in the animal industry.  There are some companies that are expanding their marketing efforts to include social media tools (Novus International with Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, Hallway Feeds with Twitter, Facebook and iPhone application) but the large majority are not.  The opportunity is there for companies in our industry to leap-frog their competition using online marketing tools (social media sites, SEO, ebooks, white papers, etc).  The question is – who will make the commitment to online marketing and establish themself as a clear leader in our industry?  We will find out over the next ten months.

About cheetahLink

Founded by Preston Munsch, cheetahLink is an online marketing and consulting firm that specializes in the animal health industry. The focus of cheetahLink is to increase sales, brand recognition, online visibility and website traffic through search engine optimization, website development, social media site marketing (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) and other online marketing services.  CheetahLink also provides consulting services for animal health companies including product development, business development, sales/distribution plans, contract manufacturing, and other services.  Munsch has spent the past 10 years in the animal health industry specializing in product development, animal health marketing, branding, sales, distribution and advertising.  Munsch has a Masters Degree in Business Administration along with a Bachelors Degree in Communication and Associates Degree in Graphic Design.