Pet parents often have questions. But they don’t always voice them. They may hesitate to bother a busy professional, or they feel like they should already know the answer. When your blog answers their unspoken questions, that goes a long way toward building trust.
Why Do Pet Parents Hesitate to Ask?
Pet parents withhold their questions for a variety of reasons:
- They don’t want to bother you because they know you’re busy.
- It’s easier to ask their friends or a chat bot.
- They feel embarrassed or guilty about their concerns.
- They get distracted during an office visit and forget what they were going to ask.
- They don’t know if asking questions between visits will require an extra fee.
- They feel like they should already know the answers.
- They’re afraid of the answers you’ll give.
- They don’t know how to explain the situation.
Pet parents might look online for their answers. But what quality of answers will they find? Online searches can produce confusing and contradictory information that might not be accurate.
Or an online search can lead them to your blog with trustworthy and easy-to-follow information.
Finding the Unspoken Questions
To find out what your clients aren’t asking, first, listen closely to what they do tell you. When they give vague descriptions, long explanations, hypothetical examples, or seem to be dancing around an unspoken topic, think about what they’re not saying. You’ve probably had lots of experience in trying to decipher this code language. Those are the types of unspoken questions your blog can talk about.
You can also check social media and online forums like Reddit. What questions are pet parents asking? The questions with the most interaction are the ones lot of folks have in common.
Online reviews can also tell you what pet parents are struggling with. When a product review says, “I bought this item because …” then you know that’s an area of concern for pet parents. When a service review talks about an area of concern, or the client says, “I wish they had explained …” that’s another topic for your blog.
You can also look at audience comments on pet care blogs and YouTube videos to see how pet parents are responding and what their concerns are. People will post questions and concerns online that they won’t bring up in your office. The online arena feels less personal, so they aren’t as hesitant to share.
You can search for phrases like “Is it normal if my puppy …” or “Please help. My cat is …” Keywords or hashtags may include “concerned dog mom” or “cat anxiety” or “puppy behavior support.”
Hidden Questions Become Blog Topics
Your blog can be the voice that answers these hidden questions. When you blog about what pet parents want to know but hesitate to ask, you will build trust. Don’t be surprised if they schedule an appointment and show up with a list of questions.
Your blog posts will also surface when pet parents search online. You’ll help them get quality answers instead of more confusion. Pets will benefit from better care.
As you’re searching for those hidden questions, pay attention to the wording. If you see common phrasing, write it down. Be sure to include that exact phrasing in your blog post. That’s how pet parents will find you.
Your blog posts should not only be informative but also reassuring. Let pet parents know this is a common question. Help them understand they’re not alone. Show them their area of concern is normal and they’re not being judged for it. When pet parents feel that reassuring, non-judgmental tone, they’ll learn they can trust you with their concerns and their pets.
Pet parents have so many unspoken questions, and they don’t realize how many other folks have the same questions. If you are willing to search for those questions and answer them through your blog, you will become the safe, knowledgeable, and approachable professional pet parents will trust with their pets. The empathy in your posts will go a long way to build trust, reduce pet parent anxiety, and help pets receive better care.
This week, pick one platform, like Reddit, or YouTube video comments, or Amazon pet product reviews. Find one pet parent question or concern that comes up. Look especially for a question that’s often unspoken, one you don’t hear often from clients. Then write a blog post answering that question. Pet parents will be grateful, and you might find new clients or expanded opportunities with existing clients.
Repeat that process often, and you could have enough content for a pet care pillar page on your website or an ebook to attract new clients.
Janet Eriksson 