The Nanny Nine: Halo, Purely For Pets
With over 20,000 Facebook Fans, and 25,000 followers on Twitter, I’d say Halo, Purely For Pets is doing Social Networking right! They are informative as well as engaging.
Halo has a holistic pet care approach that drives them to develop all-natural products with ingredients chosen to give your pet a happier, healthier life.
David Yaskulka, Vice President, Marketing Communications points out the important connection they have with Free Kibble in distributing thousands of free meals for dogs and cats at shelters. They put philanthropy over advertising, and in return get something even better than paid-ads…real customer kudos for their quality product.
Ellen DeGeneres believes in Halo so much, she became part owner after purchasing the brand for a dog with severe allergies. If you know anything about Ellen, you know she loves animals, and says “if you’re going to have pets you should treat them like you’d treat yourself.”
1. How long have you been using Social Networking for your business?
HALO started using social media in 2008.
2. Is your business using Facebook &/or Twitter?
Yes, both.
3. Facebook vs Twitter – do you like one better? If yes, why?
We actually love both. They’re very different communications channels, but we get extraordinary engagement and word-of-mouth in both.
4. Do you post daily?
Yes, usually multiple times.
5. What is your favorite thing about Social Networking?
The chance to communicate with our customers — some of the most amazing, passionate pet parents and animal advocates you will ever find.
6. What do you think is the biggest benefit of Social Networking?
From a societal perspective, it’s a place where genuine dialog can occur with less financial influence than elsewhere. In advertising, the more you can pay, the more nice things are published about your brand. Public relations (“earned media”) is less influenced by brand spending, but it still is. Social media is truly consumers talking about their experiences. It’s real, and consumers trust it most for that reason.
So as a brand with an exemplary product, and one that donates most of its marketing budget, Halo needs to find communications channels not influenced by ad spend. So social media is great for us!
7. How do you measure Social Networking, and explain.
We really use all of these, however, at the end of the day, it’s ROI just like any other effort. The trick is measuring ROI well.
8. What is the best moment you’ve had on a Social Networking site?
My favorite moments — and they happen weekly for us — is when a nonprofit partner such as Freekibble.com posts about one of our donations, and people start singing the praises about our brand. I’m very proud that we value philanthropy over advertising, and that animal shelters (as well as consumers) place so much value on the quality of our ingredients.
9. What is your best piece of advice to other businesses about Social Networking?
The formula for social media success is very simple:
Be good.
Do good.
Listen.
Talk.
(in that order)
Folks like me can easily do the “talking” part well. The trick is the other three.
Also — I know that some of your readers are eBay sellers — they should know that eBay Giving Works makes the “Do Good” part exceedingly easy (and profitable, BTW).
Facebook: Halo Pets
Twitter: @HaloPets
The Nanny Nine brought to you by the Social Networking Nanny