When K9 Heaven’s new owners took over, they faced a poorly designed website and ineffective marketing. Ready to help them grow into New Zealand’s leading doggy daycare, we rebuilt their digital presence from the ground up with a user-friendly website and data-driven marketing strategies.
When K9 Heaven reached out to us, they had just acquired the business and were saddled with a fundamentally broken website. It was difficult to edit, hard for customers to navigate and lacked automation. The original layout also made it difficult for customers to register or make inquiries. Beyond the website, numbers were down and the company needed an effective marketing campaign to drive sales.
When K9 Heaven signed up for our Virtual Marketing Department, we took a deep dive into rebranding the business. The result was a comprehensive strategy that included a brand-new, user-friendly website, implementing marketing automation, and launching targeted campaigns. We also created robust tools to track and manage marketing performance. To boost customer acquisition and retention, we designed systems to streamline the onboarding process and increase conversion rates from trial-day participants to loyal, lifetime customers.
Firstly, we crafted a custom WordPress website using Elementor that not only provided a seamless user experience but also captured the wit and charm of the brand. The site was designed to be visually appealing and easy to navigate, making it effortless for users to explore their services.
To infuse fun and whimsy into the brand, we introduced playful illustrative elements, standardised the colour palette, and added adorable Polaroid-style photos of dogs enjoying their time on the farm. These creative touches helped convey the warm and welcoming atmosphere that sets K9 Heaven apart.
While creating the website was an important step, the real challenge lay in strategically increasing the value and volume of K9 Heaven’s business. Our goal wasn’t just to attract more leads; it was to maximise the lifetime value of each customer by enhancing their overall experience. We focused on strategies that deepened engagement, encouraged repeat visits, and fostered long-term loyalty.
K9 Heaven needed to grow their numbers and they needed an effective marketing plan to do it. At Backbone, we specialise in creating impactful social media campaigns and targeted Google Ads. Our team crafted a strategic approach designed to increase lead generation and engagement through innovative and effective marketing techniques.
Since we started working with K9 Heaven, we have launched many successful Facebook campaigns. We have also launched campaigns for free trial days, pick-up/drop-offs, and overnight boarding. More recently, we launched a campaign to boost bookings for puppies.
To activate dormant revenue within their current customer database, we implemented a series of activations including a referral competition and various giveaways. To increase the number of bookings in October, we introduced a prize draw entry for anyone who booked a day at K9 Heaven during the month.
To improve the customer experience, we introduced digital surveys to gather valuable feedback. We also created personalised report cards to keep dog parents informed about their pet’s day. To add a special touch, we launched gift campaigns where dogs where sent home with treats.
Another project we worked on was the launch of Boujee Boarding. Boujee Boarding is a penthouse experience, offering luxury hotel-style accommodation for dogs. We helped the team develop the idea for this service and promote it to target customers.
We enhanced every stage of the customer journey by implementing email automation and creating moments of surprise and delight. Our approach included special offers, personalised notes from the owners and thoughtful free gifts and vouchers.
When the new owners acquired K9 Heaven, their SEO rankings were significantly low. Our objective was to create a comprehensive marketing ecosystem that increased visibility without relying solely on paid ads. We conducted in-depth keyword research and seamlessly incorporated these keywords into the website’s content. Additionally, we launched a series of engaging blogs aimed at improving SEO, driving more traffic, and connecting with our target audience. Topics ranged from the benefits of doggy daycare to exercise and grooming tips. As a result, we have successfully improved SEO rankings by up to 400%.
In our experience, the lack of an online booking system can severely impact the customer journey. The original website had no automation, which made it difficult to generate leads. We built an online booking calendar with a trial day booking function that allows customers to choose their own time based on their availability.
As part of this system, we also worked with the owners to develop a K9 Concierge service that supports customers from the moment they book a trial day until the first purchase of a boarding, daycare or grooming package. The concierge team are on hand to interact with the customer and solve their queries.
For better lead tracking, we also built custom landing pages for specific ad campaigns. This enabled us to measure the effectiveness of each campaign and optimise strategies accordingly.
As the booking platform lacked the necessary data for informed decision-making, we created our own tools. We developed custom recording tools to analyse the usage of various product streams and built a bespoke spreadsheet to model campaign effectiveness. Additionally, we created tools to provide insights into the time required to break even on marketing investments and the lifetime value of a customer.
When it comes to branding and design, we transformed the look and feel of K9 Heaven. We developed a fun and whimsical brand personality that we weaved into our content and web design. We also created various assets including postcards, report cards, and fliers.
We developed a growth plan to monitor and maintain the website. We used our own hosting setup with real-time backups and security fencing. We also implemented a staging version of the website for updates and changes before going live.
With the Backbone Virtual Marketing Department running in the background, K9 Heaven has witnessed significant growth. Having achieved their revenue per user target, they are now expanding their user base and scaling efficiently without increasing staff numbers.
The original website lacked automation, which hindered lead generation. Today, the company features a dynamic, user-friendly website with a robust semi-automated system that has significantly streamlined operations. We’ve not only enhanced the brand’s external appearance but also improved the experience for both customers and staff. By building local activations and effective marketing systems, we have unlocked the dormant revenue within K9 Heaven’s current customer database. With 19k followers on Facebook, their community of dog lovers continues to grow.
At Backbone, everything we do is done through the eyes of the customer. Instead of crafting strategies based solely on our preferences, we focus on the customer experience. For K9 Heaven, this approach allowed us to develop a comprehensive ethos centered on delivering a positive customer journey. From creating moments of surprise and delight to implementing automated emails, our marketing efforts are designed to enhance the user experience and drive business growth.
