When creating a webpage, brochure, magazine ad or postcard ad about your pet product or service, you want to make sure to include all the details. List the essential or active ingredients of your food product or herbal remedy. Tell potential customers what your ?fantastic thingamabob? does. Detail the pick up and drop off times for your Doggy Daycare and assure the owners that Fido will have playtime and snack-time.

Just whatever you do, don't stop there, especially because that's exactly where most of your competitors will go wrong. The features of your product or service are wonderful and you must tell people about the most important details, there's no question about it. Just don't forget about the benefits.

In other words, spell out for your potential customer how you or your product can help them solve whatever problem they're looking to resolve, or how you can make life better or easier for them and their pet. While it may be obvious to you, it may not be quite as crystal clear to your reader. Besides, when they see in print all the ways your product can serve them, they'll become more convinced they simply must buy your product or use your service.

Many people don't realize there is a distinction between features and benefits when they set about writing a marketing piece. Let's say you've created the Ultimate Puppy Play-toy and you want to create a brochure for it. You detail that it's made of a safe, non-toxic substance. Describe the replaceable chew-toy where a puppy can gnaw away with his sharp little teeth to his heart's content. Mention the safely hidden ?squeaky? that will capture Fluffy's attention. Explain the time-released latch that will send the little balls rolling down the ramp at random intervals. And of course make sure people know where to find you and where they can buy this toy.

Are you done? No, you still have some writing to do. Go back to your features and include the benefits. Don't forget to mention that the chew toy will keep Fido from destroying the cushions. The hidden squeaky toy allows the owner to make a call from the other room without Buster vying for attention, or needing to worry that he'll get at the squeaky and choke on it. The ball feature means mom can see to dinner rather than spending time trying to tire out Honey.

If my cat has arthritis, I want to know how the ingredients in your herbal product are going to help him, not just what they are. If I brush my dog's teeth, I need to know why your tartar-fighting-chew is a better option for us.

Sure, sometimes it's obvious what the benefit is: if your dog daycare service includes pick-up and drop-off, that saves the client travel time and some gas money. At the same time, it doesn't hurt to point it out to your customers. After all, pet owners are interested in how you can make their lives easier or how you can help their pet with a problem.

So when you're creating a marketing piece, remember not only to include what's great about your pet product or service, but also why that's a good thing for the customer.