We are very grateful to be able to spend time with all of you and hope you have an amazing holiday with your friends and family, whether they be two or four legged!
It's taken a little longer than expected, but Google finally announced the availability to create Google + Pages this week allowing businesses and brands to join the Google + social network.
We've learned over the past months that Google has been very particular in allowing only 'real people/real names' to join their new social network, deleting those that created personal Google + pages previously to represent a business (or even a pet).
If you have a pet business or a pet related brand, we highly recommend that you join Google + now that the business and branded pages are available. We believe it's going to be a very good way to connect with potential and current customers in the coming years. And getting in early will provide your pet business with a certain edge.
It's actually incredibly easy to create a Google + branded business page for your pet business. Here are the necessary steps:
Login to your Google account (Note: if you plan on having multiple people administrate your Google + Business Page then we highly recommend you create a Google account for your business rather than use your personal Google account.).
Local Business or Place - for businesses that are local in orientation
Product or Brand - preferably the most utilized category for national/international pet businesses
Company, Institution or Organization - great for non-profits
Arts, Entertainment or Sports - would work well for blogs, pets, informational websites and the like.
Other
After selecting your category complete the basic information, including your business name, website url, category (there is one for pet supplies and services under the Product or Brand classification,) etc.
The next step is to customize your public profile. Add your pet business brand tagline and your logo or brand image.
We recommend skipping the next step of 'promoting your page' until you fully customize and have begun sharing some information so that visitors will know more about whether you are worth adding to their circles. However it would be good to save this url for directing individuals at a later date.
At this point our recommendation is to upload photos in the scrapbook photo section at the top of your profile. Remember to utilize these photos for creating a unique, informative and fun way to represent your brand. Unlike Facebook Business Page photos at the top of FB pages, these photos will stay static, so you can really have fun with them.
You can post from the Home tab and begin sharing information with potential followers.
Benefits:
Hangouts in Google + can provide you a
high-quality, real-time video chat opportunity with customers, potential
customers with a single click.
You can group your followers
into smaller segments (prospects, customers, vendors, etc.) utilizing
the Circles function allowing you to communicate when you post to only
those groups or multiple groups instead of publicly - this will be a
great option for providing couponing to current customers, for example.
Google + Pages will be indexed and added to search results in Google
allowing for further link backs for your business. Local pages have
special fields that help people find the business’ physical location
which will also be indexed.
Your customers/fans can +1 your Google+ Page, recommending your brand directly to their friends.
Items of note:
Remember that all the posts on your Google + Pages will be public, it is the default setting.
At this time you won't receive notifications via email relating to those adding you to circles, or posts; so checking the notifications link will be important.
Pages can't +1 other pages.
Google provides a couple of website badge options to promote your page on your website.
Holding contests and promotions:
As with Facebook, Google does prohibit running contests and promotions directly on Google + Pages. To paraphrase from Google's Terms and Conditions:
You may not run contests, sweepstakes, offers, coupons or other such
promotions (“Promotion”) directly on your Google + Page. You may display a
link on your Google + Page to a separate site where your Promotion is
hosted so long as you (and not Google) are solely responsible for your
Promotion and for compliance with all applicable federal, state and
local laws, rules and regulations in the jurisdiction(s) where your
Promotion is offered or promoted.
Ethics...It's a very difficult term to define, but yet one of the most important aspects of your pet business.
In running your pet business, whether is be an online store, developing or manufacturing a product, blogging, or providing a service to pet lovers, you make 100's of decisions throughout the day. Some of these decisions are easy and some are very difficult.
What criteria do you use to help you make the right (and ethical) decisions for you and your business?
In my early years of working in the corporate environment, I was required to attend several seminars on business ethics. While I didn't dwell much on what I learned at these seminars at the time, I have come to value the information I garnered and have utilized the advice all throughout my career.
Actions on Wall Street and by corporate big business over the years have created an environment where ethics seems to be thrown out the window in many cases. Nearly everyday I hear or see actions by others that are unethical in nature. And in my opinion, the Internet, with it's readily available amount of information, material and opinions from a very wide range of sources, has exacerbated unethical behavior.
According to Dr. Max H. Bazerman, a professor at the Harvard School of Business, "...many people aren't aware that they're doing unethical things." Source
Yes, I'm sure there are bad people in the World. But why do good people do unethical things? Dr. Bazerman goes on to say in his article that there are several reasons. One main reason is because individuals are very busy and have much pressure on them to perform and succeed in their every day demands of life and business. But, when they allow themselves time to really think about the decisions they are making, they are more likely to make more ethical ones.
What are ethical decisions and what are ethics?
Here are two great videos from the Markkula Ethics Center of Santa Clara University, California.
One of the most important points to take away from these two videos is when making a decision, keep others in mind. Look at both sides of those affected and whether your decision is fair to all. And look at whether your final decision keeps the greater good in mind, not just the good of your business, but good for those you work with, your industry, the World and it's people, in general.
How do we apply ethics to our busy, demanding lives?
One of the most important points I've garnered over the years is to take a step back when making a decision and don't succumb to pressure. Yes, we're all very busy...but the decisions we make on a daily basis are not only important to our business, but the business of others. Wait, take a deep breath, and weigh both sides fairly.
Why do we want to?
Our decisions affect others, pure and simple. When we write a blog post, tweet, present a Facebook message, compose an email or communicate in any form, we are affecting others. When we decide on the direction our business will take, we are affecting others. Most all decisions we make, day in and day out affect others. That's why making ethical decisions is important.
And, people want to do business with companies that have high ethical
standards and do the right thing. And they will most definitely stay
away from a company that doesn't.
So what are the lessons here for running your pet business?
When faced with a challenging decision about your pet business, working with a client, business associate, or partner, think before you proceed. Take into consideration the advice given in the video of how to make ethical decisions, think about how you want to be treated.
Within the past month I have seen several unethical decisions made by well-meaning pet business owners and pet business company employees. Some of those have affected me, some have obviously affected others and their business. But who is it really affecting? Yes, the pet business that's created unethical behavior in the first place.
We're not perfect. On the contrary, we are all human. But I do think if we all take a step back, take more time in making the decisions about our pet business and how it will affect others, I believe we can make a very worthwhile difference in our industry and in our pet business companies.
Leslie May, founder of Pawsible Marketing, was featured as one of "12 Amazing Pet Lifestyle Experts" in the Fall 2011 Issue of American Dog Magazine.
American Dog Magazine's mission focuses on everything the enthusiastic dog parent needs to know about taking the ultimate care of their best friend and family member for life!
It's taken a little longer than expected, but Google finally announced the availability to create Google + Pages this week allowing businesses and brands to join the Google + social network.
News coming out of H.H. Backer's 45th Annual Christmas Trade Show & Educational Conference in Chicago this weekend.
Ethics...It's a very difficult term to define, but yet one of the most important aspects of your pet business.
Actions on Wall Street and by corporate big business over the years have created an environment where ethics seems to be thrown out the window in many cases. Nearly everyday I hear or see actions by others that are unethical in nature. And in my opinion, the Internet, with it's readily available amount of information, material and opinions from a very wide range of sources, has exacerbated unethical behavior. 
Why do we want to?
Within the past month I have seen several unethical decisions made by well-meaning pet business owners and pet business company employees. Some of those have affected me, some have obviously affected others and their business. But who is it really affecting? Yes, the pet business that's created unethical behavior in the first place. 
