To find a unique point of difference when you are a Micro or Home Based Business, thus ensuring that your marketing, promotion and PR are not only remembered, but acted upon, is not easy.



Dogs are often featured on TV advertisements because everyone enjoys watching clever and spiffy animals. If the big corporates understand and utilise animals in their marketing message, why not the Micro and HBB sector too? It would certainly be a great way for the smaller businesses to give themselves a point of difference because the more traditional small businesses do not tend to think is such a creative and innovative way.

If you are on the Internet you cannot help but be aware of the viral marketing that constantly takes place. The ones that are most watched and forwarded on and on and on, are ones featuring animals, particularly dogs. This is what viral marketing is.

There are three wonderful segments currently being sent around the Internet (the morning news in Melbourne, Australia, even had one of them on their news show). One of a skateboarding bull dog; another of a skateboarding terrier and another of a line dancing golden retriever. They are so much fun to watch.

But what if they also had a marketing message? Where is the skateboard manufacturer? He should be paying to have these dogs riding his boards as hundreds of thousands watch the performance via the Internet. And what about a manufacturer selling fancy cowboy boots with the woman working with the line dancing dog wearing them and getting heaps of viral marketing.

You may well ask does this only work as video productions on the Internet? The answer is no. The success of this type of marketing will depend to a large degree on how far you are prepared to go.

Home Based Business Australia has a young Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Cooper, as their PR Resultant. He has his own business card (which the President hands out); his own email and runs his own forum discussion and he gets tons of responses.

Why does this crazy marketing work? There are a couple of reasons. One is because people do love dogs, particularly cute and/or butch ones. Secondly, using a dog in an unrelated message is quirky and fun and people like to have a laugh! And thirdly, people do like to see creative, innovative and interesting ideas. If the marketing message is sexy then the business probably is too!

If more businesses utilised animals in their marketing material they might see a huge explosion in the growth of their business. However it must be carried through a number of channels as has been done with Copper.

The photo of a dog together with the message needs to be designed by a graphic designer to ensure a professional finish. Who can argue with creative messages that are professionally executed?