I have invented a dog product, have a website (portablepetshower.com) and are in local and some eastern Canadian retail stores. This is a new product I created to help solve a big problem. I am trying to get with a pet distributor with repeated attempts for them to answer my calls or at least get back to me so I can present my product and they have not yet responded. I feel that since I am first to market with this product no one knows about it or is searching for it as none has ever existed until now. How do I drive traffic to my website or at least inform dog owners of my product? Its been a month since in retail and sales are promising but not going as fast as I would like. It's tough to invest more money into marketing but I would be willing if it pays off...any suggestions? Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks, Kim

Kim, looks like you have tried to solve a problem, but the fact that retailers are not rushing to put your product in their aisles may be telling you a number of things:

1. It is not a big problem
2. There are other products/solutions out there
3. It is priced too high
4. There is not much profit margin for them to carry it
5. You are first to market because there is no market

An there could be others. The best way to get this in the hands of pet owners is to go to pet shows, get involved in pet discussion groups, talk to vets and/or pet grooming places specifically and so on. You also need testimonials from those outside your friends and family circle who love the product which will then be unbiased opinions. They need to tell their connections, and so on.

From a marketing standpoint, you need to find pet lovers through social media campaigns and ads, which will require significant investment on your side if you wish to really test the market. Otherwise, the sales will be dependant on your time commitment.

Your website is also confusing as you want this for pets but 3/4 f your web page is on other uses whereas you should be showing pet lovers with pictures, testimonials, etc. If you are convinced it is for other uses, then this is not a pet product, but a general product. Then you are competing with garden hoses, etc. which are used "free". Your messaging has to be clear and concise.

Lots of issues to sort out. Good luck with the product.

Sunil Godse, President, Radical Solutions Group