Beth Ann Black of Coppell, Texas has a client, a large group of specialty veterinarians–all for animals–that will celebrate their fifth anniversary this spring. She wants fun promotional ideas, beyond the one they’ve already thought of: hosting an open house where current and potential clients bring teddy bears to be examined so the doctors can demonstrate how they diagnose and treat illnesses that general veterinarians cannot treat.
From Earl LeVan of Bellefontaine, Ohio:
“Why not have a kite fly? Have special kites made, and make it a contestfor local schools and corporate sponsors. I’d check with higher education schools and see if their engineering schools would want to build special kites that looked like animals. Other events could be tethered balloon rides, remote control airplane show/flying contest, sand castle creations, etc. It would probably be best if it was an annual event.”
From Marion Grobb Finkelstein of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada:
“Ask owners to submit look-alike photos of their animals. A panel of judges (or maybe the public?) could vote on which person most resembles their pet.”
From Molly Hutchinson of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada:
“Why not research local news reporters to see who has a pet? Invite that reporter to end the evening’s news with their pet as a ‘co-reporter,’ live from the veterinary clinic announcing an upcoming 5th anniversary event.
“Knowing that lists are good fillers in print media, why not make a 5th anniversary Top 10 list of the most amazing, heroic, complicated, (you fillin the blank) procedures completed at this innovative veterinary clinic. An additional tie-in could be a prize, maybe a one-year supply of pet treats, for guessing the number of pets that have been treated in the five years since the clinic opened. The hook is that to claim your prize, you have to be present at the anniversary celebration event at the clinic. Read all the responses.
The Publicity Hound says: I especially love the idea of tracking down a reporter who has a pet. Whenever possible, try to get reporters involved in your story. For more ideas, read "Special Report #41: Tips for Letting Reports Experience Your Story, Not Just Write About It."