Marching Ahead: Elevate Your Veterinary Clinic’s Social Media Game!

Happy March! As we embrace the new month, let’s explore how to leverage upcoming dates and observances to engage, educate, and entertain your clinic’s clients. From National Puppy Day to Awkward Moments Day, March offers unique opportunities for connection. Join us as we navigate this month’s landscape together, armed with insights and inspiration to elevate your veterinary practice to new heights of success and connection.

Start the month with a Preventative Reminder. With spring on the horizon, so are the unwelcome guests—fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes. March presents an ideal opportunity to emphasize preventive medications. Keep this important topic on your radar and consider revisiting it multiple times throughout the month to ensure your clients are well-prepared.

March 1st marks Employee Appreciation Day—an occasion to honor the dedicated individuals who are the heart and soul of your clinic. Your clients hold your staff in high regard, entrusting them with the care of their beloved companions. Recognizing your team not only boosts morale but also strengthens client engagement. Whether through a team photo or employee spotlights, involve your staff in the celebration to foster a sense of unity and appreciation.

Ever wondered what pets would get up to if they had thumbs? It’s a quirky thought, but surprisingly, there’s a whole day dedicated to pondering just that. Whether it’s visions of world domination or simply mastering the art of opening treat bags,  If Pets Had Thumbs Day on March 3rd invites playful speculation. Engage your followers by asking them to share their imaginative insights on this amusing topic!

Professional Pet Sitters Week, observed from March 3rd to 9th, presents an excellent opportunity to highlight boarding services if your clinic offers them. However, even if you don’t, there are still plenty of ways to join in the celebration! Consider partnering with a local boarding company, sharing their content to provide valuable recommendations to your clients while fostering beneficial relationships with neighboring businesses. Alternatively, offer guidance to your followers on selecting a pet sitter from platforms like Rover or Care.com, ensuring they make informed choices. If any of your staff provide pet sitting services through such apps, promote their expertise to further support their endeavors. Let’s make this week a tribute to the invaluable care and support our pets receive, whether from professional sitters or dedicated staff members!

We know you have seen some very unique and sometimes, downright strange pet names. March 7th is Unique Names Day and a great time to feature some totally unique and awesome names. I saw a video from a clinic recently that would fit this adorable observance so well. Have staff members take turns opening an exam room door, clipboard in hand, and calling out some of your clinic’s most unique names (or make some up – Beef Shreddington the Sheriff of Snortingham and The Great Catsby are two of my favorites I’ve ever heard!) Stitch them together and ask your clients to share their pet’s unique name or the most unique pet name they have encountered.

It’s International Women’s Day on March 8th and time to celebrate the women of your clinic. From inventing new technologies, shattering glass ceilings, and shaping the future of vet med, women have been pushing vet med to new heights for as long as animals have needed care. Celebrate all of the women of your clinic today who are thriving and succeeding in your neck of vet med!

Daylight Savings Time starts on February 10th, and I always like to remind clients that the time change might throw their pet off a bit. With Spring Forward, it’s not uncommon for pets to be a little confused about why they are up an hour early, and they might not be ready for breakfast when it’s served, or might not have to potty when taken out!

Shamrocks, pots of gold, rainbows, everything green – what’s not to love about St. Patrick’s Day? Ask your clients to show off their lucky little shamrocks and share an Irish saying that relates to the bond we share with our pets. Here are some of my faves:

“When I count my blessings, I count you twice.”

“A good friend is like a four-leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have!”

“Beware of people who dislike cats.”

Well, that’s awkward. It’s Awkward Moments Day on March 18^th and we know pets can get themselves into some pretty awkward situations (Don’t you just love when they have their little lips stuck on their teeth or when they sit in very strange positions?!) Put the call out for your clients to share their pet’s most awkward moments or awkward photos!

• Safer spring cleaning: Bring some light on noxious fumes and toxic chemicals.
• Spring cleaning for pets: check their essential gear, wash what you can, and replace what can’t be cleaned.
• The great resurgence of parasites
• Signs of seasonal allergies in pets
• Consider a microchip the best way to say goodbye to winter and hello to spring is to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors. More outdoor time can mean more chances to be separated, and a microchip can help ensure reunification.

Of course, the International Day of Happiness falls the day after the first day of Sping! Celebrate happiness with your followers by sharing photos of happy patients, and asking followers to share their happy pet photos!

Respect Your Cat Day is on March 28th and a great time to talk about those finicky felines. There is a lot of mystery out there surrounding cat behavior and good cat care. Pick some topics to post that you feel passionate about (it’s people who expect their cat not to scratch their couch but provide no appropriate scratching surface for me) to help cat parents be better cat parents!

Doctor’s Day is on March 30th and a great time to feature your veterinarians for many of the same reasons you celebrated your staff on March 4th. Some fun ideas for featuring your doctors could be “Facts about Dr. X You Might Not Have Known” or, if you have a multiple doctor practice, play match the pet to the vet and feature photos of your doc’s and their various personal pets.

Surprise, surprise! Easter hops into March this year, adding an extra dose of excitement to the month’s festivities! Make sure to celebrate with your followers, but don’t forget to help them keep pet safety front and center. Remind your followers about the potential hazards associated with Easter, such as chocolate toxicity, the dangers of Easter lilies to cats, and the risks of ingesting plastic Easter grass. By striking a balance between merriment and mindfulness, you can ensure that everyone—both two-legged and four-legged—is able to enjoy a safe and memorable Easter celebration.

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March is Pet Poison Prevention Month!

Here are my suggestions:

Run this as a weekly feature, blog about it, or compile it into a helpful video. There is WAY too much to cover in a single post. A smart move would be to break this information down into the following subcategories:

• Medications: The Pet Poison Control Center reports that medications account for the majority of calls they receive. Human meds, meds for other pets, or too much of their own meds, are all topics worth addressing.
• Foods: I’m sure you feel like a broken record, but there are still people out there who need reminding.
• Plants: Houseplants are all the rage and spring bouquets will be making their way in soon. Review with clients what plants are okay and what plants are downright deadly. With Easter coming up, a no lilies for kitties reminder is in order!
• Household Items: Common cleaners, rodenticides, insecticides, antifreeze, pool chemicals, and more are all hiding in many households. With Spring moving back into town, a lot of those chemicals and poisons will be making their way back into clients’ households.

March also marks National Nutrition Month, offering veterinary professionals a prime opportunity to delve into the importance of pet nutrition on their clinic’s social media platforms. Here are some engaging ideas to spark conversations about pet nutrition:

1. Share Educational Posts: Create informative content highlighting the significance of proper nutrition for pets’ overall health and well-being. Discuss the essential nutrients pets need, common dietary misconceptions, and the impact of nutrition on various aspects of their health.
2. Nutritional Tips: Offer practical tips and advice on selecting high-quality pet food, portion control, and incorporating healthy treats into pets’ diets. Encourage followers to prioritize balanced nutrition for their furry companions.
3. Client Success Stories: Showcase success stories of pets who have benefited from dietary changes or nutritional interventions. Highlighting real-life examples can inspire pet owners to prioritize their pets’ nutritional needs.
4. Q&A Sessions: Host live Q&A sessions or create posts inviting followers to submit their nutrition-related questions. Use these opportunities to provide personalized guidance and address common concerns.

By leveraging National Nutrition Month to discuss pet nutrition on social media, veterinary clinics can empower pet owners to make informed choices and prioritize their pets’ dietary health.

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As we dive into the whirlwind of March, VHA has your back, making content creation a breeze! For just $65, you’ll snag a treasure trove of goodies: 15 eye-catching graphics, ready-to-go captions for easy scheduling, customizable templates to add your own unique flair, and nifty tutorials to smooth out the rough edges. This month’s package includes 16 posts and a short video all about Easter Safety!

With VHA in your corner, you’ll have March scheduled, squared away, and ready to rock! Let’s turn that social media game up a notch and make this month one to remember.