Would you love to secure press coverage for your pet business and need some story inspiration?
You’ll find plenty in this blog post and episode of the podcast where I’m sharing my top 20 favourite stories from five years of helping clients get in the press.
To celebrate the 200th episode of the Your Pet Business Content, Your Way podcast, I’ve rounded up a selection to show what journalists look for.
Since I began working with small businesses supporting them with approaching the media, there have been over 1,000 pieces of coverage.
From local outlets to the BBC Breakfast sofa and This Morning, I hope listening and reading these examples will show you what’s possible.
And if you’d like to chat about working together, head to the ‘work with me’ section for a range of options to suit all budgets.
Listen to this episode on the player link below, or you can read many of the examples in the blog post.
Key topics and timings in this episode:
How this podcast started at Publicity for Pet Businesses – 2.28
What made me train as a coach – 3.53
How you can pitch to the press yourself and why I feel so passionately about showing business owners how to do this – 7.00
Story number 20 ‘Meet Carla Finzel, the district nurse for pets.’ – 8.03
Story number 19 ‘Kate Taylor on why dogs should be allowed everywhere like children.’ – 9.40
Story number 18 ‘Karen Boyce the puppy queen of Wales.’ 12.20
Story number 17 ‘Doreen Potter, the Cumbrian dog trainer giving Romanian rescues a home.’ – 13.38
Story number 16 ‘Supporting your cat coming out of lockdown with Wendy Thomson in the Warrington Guardian.’ – 15.07
Story number 15 ‘Katie Gwilt The Kat Lady in Total Grooming.’ – 16.14
Story number 14 – ‘Helen Motteram on the mental health crisis facing our dogs in the Daily Mirror.’ 18.23
Helen Motteram shares what it’s like to be on the BBC Breakfast sofa – 20.14
Story number 13 – ‘Caroline Wilkinson as a doggy agony aunt in the Guardian.’ – 22.11
Caroline on how publicity has helped her business – 23.02
Story number 12 – ‘Not all breeders are Cruella De Vil with Rebecca Walters.’ – 24.09
Rebecca talks about what it was like being in the press sharing her mission – 25.23
Story number 11 – ‘How to train your dog for social media stardom with Kerry Jordan.’ – 29.15
Kerry talks about being in her local lifestyle mag Cumbria Life – 30.15
Story number 10 – ‘A crisis can bring out the best in us – Suzanne Gould.’ – 31.33
Suzanne talks about how being in the spotlight has helped her stand out as a dog trainer – 32.44
Story number 9 – ‘Meet lockdown hero and Menopaws story Louise Humphrey.’ – 36.16
Louise shares how PR has positioned her as a pilates and canicross expert – 37.31
Story number 8 – ‘Jo Sellers on being a prisoner in her home in Take a Break.’ – 38.29
Jo on what it was like being in a real-life women’s magazine – 39.52
Story number 7 – ‘Emily Thomas why more people are turning to canicross and lots more.’ – 41.20
Emily on raising her profile as an authority in canicross – 42.56
Story number 6 – ‘Meet Zoe Willingham – the animal lover who lives with over 100 pets in the Daily Mirror.’ – 44.52
Zoe shares what it’s like to be in the press – 47.38
Story number 5 – ‘Becky Baker on The One Show and post-puppy blues.’ 49.27
Becky on why you’ve just got to ‘go for it!’ 50.54
Story number 4 – ‘Sarah Jones and her mission for dogs in yellow to get the space they need in the Daily Mirror.’ 52.09
Sarah shares what being in the media has done for anxious dogs – 55.23
Story number 3 – ‘Dog trainer Niki French on why you shouldn’t walk your dog every day.’ – 56.07
Niki on what it’s like to go viral – 58.35
Story number 2 – ‘Kerry Whitney on her sweary bow ties.’ – 1.01.27
Kerry on being published in her favourite title – 1.03.25
Story number 1 – ‘How I dressed the PM’s dog with Kim O’Donnell from Leo, Charley and Me.’ – 1.04.20
Kim on the impact of being on the front of every paper in the world and how it led to orders globally – 1.06.59
Thank you to everyone who has supported the podcast – 1.10.23
What to do if you’d like support getting your message out there – 1.11.23
Links mentioned in this episode:
Read about Carla Finzel, the district nurse for pets: https://www.the-sun.com/lifestyle/consumer/1576514/paws-and-claws-zoned-out-pooch/
Listen to Carla on the podcast
Read about Kate Taylor’s story: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8043343/Woman-struggled-conceive-says-dog-Poppy-13-treated-like-actual-child.html
Read about Karen Boyce, the puppy queen of Wales: https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/19005250.wrexham-puppy-trainer-celebrates-record-number-pups-coming-classes—despite-multiple-lockdowns/
Listen to Karen on the podcast
Read Doreen’s Cumbria Life feature on her website: https://www.a2bdogtraining.com/blog/cumbria-life-magazine
Read Wendy’s guide to helping cats after lockdown: https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/19204763.cat-sitter-recommends-paw-maps-feline-friends-lockdown-restrictions-ease/
See Katie Gwilt in Total Grooming: https://totalgroomingmagazine.co.uk/unfamiliar-felines/
Listen to Katie on the podcast
Read Helen Motteram’s story in the Sunday Mirror: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/dogs-heading-mental-health-crisis-13525296
Listen to Helen on the podcast
Read about Caroline Wilkinson as a doggy agony aunt in The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/may/23/13-common-pet-problems-solved-dogs-cats-fish-rabbits
Listen to Caroline on the podcast
Read Rebecca Walter’s story about her mission to support dog breeders: https://www.bordercountiesadvertizer.co.uk/news/19686229.oswestry-puppy-expert-launches-conference-dog-owners/
Listen to Rebecca on the podcast
See Kerry Jordan in The Times: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-to-train-your-dog-for-social-media-stardom-its-your-national-duty-jp2kg9jh7
Listen to Kerry on the podcast
Read about Suzanne Gould in The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/in-depth/crisis-can-bring-best-us-meet-small-businesses-creating-hope/
Listen to Suzanne on the podcast
Check out Louise as a lockdown hero in The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/body/coronavirus-exercise-stay-fit-walking-running-cycling-distance/
And her menopaws story in the Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7687089/Dogs-secret-weapon-dealing-menopause-say-four-women.html
Listen to Louise on the podcast
Read about Jo Sellers in the Daily Express: https://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/1716804/dog-news-miracle-special-needs-puppy-transformation-jo-sellars
Read about Emily Thomas in Dogs Today: https://dogstodaymagazine.co.uk/2021/07/27/why-are-more-people-turning-to-canicross/
Listen to Emily on the podcast
Read Zoe’s story about her Crufts spending: https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/crufts-spend-55k-31-dogs-2946728
Read Zoe’s ‘Zoah’s Ark’ story: https://www.eadt.co.uk/lifestyle/20663380.east-anglian-life-ive-got-85-pets-counting-/
See Becky Baker’s story in the Sunday Mirror: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/you-post-canine-depression-psychologist-11807136
Listen to Becky on the podcast
Read about Sarah Jones her dog Bella in the Daily Mirror: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/real-life-stories/i-made-feel-embarrassed-aggressive-26491991
Listen to Sarah on the podcast
See Kerry from Franky’s Bowtique on her Instagram channel: https://www.instagram.com/frankysbowtique_ltd
Read Kim’s story in the Daily Mail about dressing the PM’s dog: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7821419/Ex-School-nurse-sees-dog-accessories-modelled-Boris-Johnsons-dog-Dilyn.html
Useful links:
If you’d like to work together, join my Pets Get Visible membership here: https://rachelspencer.co.uk/pets-get-visible-right-for-you/
To chat to discuss training for your pet business head here: https://calendly.com/rachelspenceruk/discovery-calls
Let’s connect on social media:
https://www.instagram.com/rachelspenceruk
