The best use for flea collars: Selling Tool?

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September 9, 2015

photo by Gene White

Photo by Gene White

I regularly stumble across columns online warning of how flea collars aren’t always the best bet for your cat or dog. I had my own personal experience with this and was even chastised by my vet when I (as a new cat owner) brought a flea-collared Leroy the Cat in for his checkup. Not all flea collars are created equal, and there have been impressive strides in pro-pet/anti-flea technology, but depending on a pet’s specific health, age, genetic makeup and any number of factors that makes your pet your pet, many collars can cause ugly burns around the necks of pets, make them sick or cause fatal neurological damage. Sad stuff.

That said, have any PMPs considered making flea treatment recommendations after seeing an account’s pet wearing a flea collar? You don’t have to even be armed with facts and statistics. Nudge them to do a little online consumer research about collars and then soft sell the idea of a flea treatment (assuming you’re there to treat for something else). If the collar is part of the pet owner’s preventative steps, perhaps (gently) suggest that it might not be the best bet. You’ve just made a good case for your services and offered a little helpful knowledge an unknowing pet owner will probably be thankful for. No one likes to think of their pet suffering and no one wants to be the cause of that suffering.

Of course, it warrants mentioning that the way you communicate all of this is important. Don’t risk making the customer feel stupid or guilty for not already knowing this. Suggesting a little online research might go along way toward directing them back to you for your services, a decision they just might make on the spot.

I recognize, and am obliged to mention, I’m not in sales. (Heavens no! I don’t know how you sales people do it!) If you are and think I’m wrong-headed in my logic here, speak up in the comments, or drop me an email (wnepper@northcoastmedia.net) and I’ll gladly make note of your point here if not completely amend my suggestion. It was just a brainstorm that seemed worth putting out there.
-w

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