Recently I took a working vacation where my dog Cosmo and I rented a home next to a beautiful dog beach on Lake Michigan. Vacations always tend to get me thinking differently since they take me away from everyday routines and replace them with enjoyment, beauty and relaxation.
During one of these vacation states of mind, I got to thinking about how Top Of The List could easily become a great niche for companies that manufacture or sell pet products. We have some excellent link campaigns that would help give those sites great credibility. It was a matter of finding the right sites – those worthy of the credibility – or with owners that are willing to add good content.
I looked on LinkedIn for some nearby pet suppliers, figuring anyone with a business page on LinkedIn must be partly in the know about SEO, SEM, and so forth. It was neat to stumble on a retail store that opened a little over a year ago. They had a decent social media presence, had some local search going, and had an online ecommerce part to their site. But no SEO or SEM. So Cosmo and I took a drive to the store, which was located in the heart of a summer tourist area of a nearby city. Donned in my vacation clothes with Cosmo on a leash, we walked into the store, looked around, and chatted with the friendly sales lady.
The store’s products were great. All were high quality, made in the U.S., and there were some unique items I really wanted. We focused on a harness that connected a 2-sided leash to both the chest part of the dog and to the back part of the dog. In the past, Cosmo and I have used one harness for each purpose. Both had drawbacks. This one just might work.
The sales person helped adjust the leash on Cosmo, and another sales person insisted we go for a walk with it and test it out. “No hurry, take as long as you like,” he smiled.
We ended up purchasing the leash along with a new toy. After paying for the items, I asked the gentleman who checked me out if he was the shop owner. He was, and our business conversation started then and there. He was very interested in what Top Of The List could offer him and we ended up meeting for a “real” sales call a few weeks later.
Obviously all of this would not have happened had I made a traditional cold call. So thanks to Cosmo, we may be getting a new client soon. Now that’s a good dog!!
About the Author
Beverly Mapes
Founder & President, Top Of The ListBev founded Top Of The List in 2006 and has over 25 years of experience working with technology. In her free time, she competes in dog agility competitions with her Golden Retrievers, Cosmo, and Finn.