Inexpensive Holiday Marketing Ideas for Your Veterinary Hospital

Have you been looking for affordable holiday marketing ideas for your veterinary clinic? We’ve got you covered!

The holidays are here, and while it’s a great time to relax, it’s also the last chance to get any revenue into the business before the end of the year. Special holiday hours and days off mean less time for pet owners to come to your clinic and pay for treatments, goods, and medications, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for slow business. We have some quick tips to get people in the door during the holiday season and keep your business buzzing! It’s not all about revenue—it’s  also essential to provide a sense of family and togetherness with your clients throughout the holidays. That’s why our inexpensive marketing ideas can not only help your veterinary hospital stay busy during slow times, but also help bring your community of pet parents even closer to your practice.

Update and promote the holiday hours for your veterinary clinic online

Make sure that people Googling your practice, visiting your website, or stopping by your clinic understand your holiday schedule from November through early January. This will allow them to plan accordingly and may drive them to get an appointment in before your team takes off for the holidays. There’s nothing worse than reading wrong business hours on a website or social media page, and then showing up to that business just to find out it’s closed for the holidays. If you use convenient communication tools like the PetDesk App, make sure you update your hours there as well.

PetDesk clients, please email your holiday hours to our support team at digital@whiskercloud.com. We will ensure your online presence is completely updated.

Set up a holiday display or photo op for your clients and patients at your veterinary clinic

Whether it’s “photos with Santa” or a special “holiday baked goods for pets night,” being creative to get your clients in the door will help strengthen the bond you share with them. If you don’t have space, partner with restaurants, pet stores, or other neighborhood businesses that would love to join you in spreading some holiday cheer. Even if you don’t invite clients to the clinic, decorate and post photos to social media. Have a contest or informal poll to see which decorations clients like best and would enjoy the most when visiting.

We understand that this may be difficult during a pandemic, but veterinary individuals are some of the most creative people on Earth. Setting up some curbside fun may be a great way to ease some of the pandemic tensions that veterinary hospitals have been dealing with recently.

Develop special holiday offers on veterinary care and supplies

End the year with a bang by offering discounts and specials that pet parents will love. Remember that sales only work if it’s something that clients want to purchase. That means getting people in the door by offering things like 10–15% off of a dental cleaning, a 2-for-1 deal on common heartworm protection, or a free nail trim with a wellness exam. Make sure your offers are meaningful and helpful in driving people to the clinic. When considering offers, ask yourself, “Would I make an appointment to take advantage of this deal?“

If you provide boarding or grooming, promote these services on your website and social media so you can fill up the schedule well before the holidays arrive. You can increase client numbers for boarding and grooming by taking advantage of PetDesk features like search engine optimization for your veterinary website, which will help you target people actively searching for “pet grooming” and “pet boarding” in your area.

To reach engaged clients directly on their mobile devices, you can count on PetDesk for sending custom veterinary messages that drive clients to your clinic for end-of-year pet treatments or special offers on products and services.

Give a gift or treat with a purchase

We’ll keep this one short and especially sweet: let each pet leave with a low-ingredient holiday treat after they come visit your clinic! Crack open a bag of treats or place an order for a special gift, and most importantly make sure each patient leaves with a smile. We think pet parents will love it, too. 🐾

Partner up and get down to doing good!

Whether you collect food and blankets for a local animal shelter in need of supplies or help less fortunate families during the holidays, doing some good can help strengthen the bond with your community. Now’s the time to reach out to local shelters and non-profits supporting humans and animals to find out how you can help. Get your clients involved and do something positive over the holidays together. PetDesk Marketing can help you catalog the event and tell the entire story on your website and social media pages.

The holidays are for spreading cheer and joy, and you can do that in your clinic with little to no effort. Need additional inspiration or help? The PetDesk team is here for you! Don’t hesitate to set up a free chat with one of our experts, and we’ll help make all your business wishes come true this holiday season. ✨