Good Dogs Ready to Teach You Some New Marketing Tricks

Dogs. You have to bring one way, the soft, tender side of men, women and children. And they're big business. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association (APPMA), 39% of American households own at least one dog. The APPMA estimates pet owners spent on 15000000000 $ on food for their animals in 2006.

If you build a business that targets dog owners, think to take a lesson from Greg Jarvis by Trick Dog Gallery in Elberta, Michigan, and Dan Dye and Mark Beckloff by Three Dog Bakery in Kansas City, Missouri.

Greg Jarvis, an artist, met the mark when he started with his Trick Dog Gallery bizarre paintings, prints, sculptures and furniture. Nestled in the dunes of Lake Michigan and with views of Betsie Bay, the first thing you notice go to the gallery, the sculptures, paintings and cement are colored mosaics to make Trick Dog stand.

Big dogs. Small dogs. Benches. Paintings. Clothing. You name it. Dogs are Greg's brand and its customers – tourists looking for fun, relaxation and a good cup of Java – and here are the main loyal. The full-service espresso bar and bakery draws tourists in, and the dog at the center of art, she seduces their wallets, to gifts, toys and fun dog to show products to buy.

Here you will find everything from a $ 18 "Unleash Yourself" Messenger Bag are up to a $ 1,800 "Wish You Were Here" painting (50 cm x 30 cm). When we visited recently, a new sign hanging on the door caught our attention and made us laugh out loud:

Unattended children will be given an espresso! And a puppy! (No joke)

We went dog impressed with all Greg has to create a brand that is the essence of his talent and the best friend of humans.

Far from Michigan, but in a spirit of close are Dan Dye and Mark Beckloff, owner of Three Dog Bakery. When they started their business, they were not great to think about branding opportunities. They were just thinking about her three dogs: Sarah Jean, Dottie and Gracie. As Dye and Beckloff really wanted was to find dog treats free of artificial additives and ingredients. They could not find any, so in 1989, they baked their own and Three Dog Bakery opened in Kansas City, Missouri.

Today the company has more than 30 stores in the U.S. and Canada, seven in Japan and two in South Korea. Along the way, and spun off a Dye Beckloff TV cooking show for dogs, a mail order, several books, and the non-profit Foundation for Gracie abused, neglected and homeless dogs.

Three Dog Bakery has on the Oprah Winfrey Show has been identified, the Tonight Show, and National Public Radio, and into the New York Times wrote, People, USA Today and.

As with any strong brand, the idea for Three Dog Bakery and Trick Dog Gallery began with a unique product concept, a clear target, a focused and consistent message and a strategy to strangers into raving fans eager to buy again and again convert.

But success did not happen overnight. There were hard times. Times, they asked if they were on the right track.

But, dog gone it, branding paid off in a big way, as they created a distinctive brand identity that customers are drawn like a magnet. We think it is inspiring that they are so much fun in the process.

How about you?

* Do you have a business that focuses on your passion and strengths of it?

* Do you have a business that speaks for the wishes and needs of a specific target group?

* Do you know the heart and soul of your brand?

If not, it's dog-time to unleash away! Focus your brand around four key branding concepts – a unique product / service concept, a clear target, a focused and consistent message and a strategy to convert strangers into raving fans – and you will success in business