Did you know April is all about pets? Yep, it’s officially time to show off your puppies… or something like that!
Joking aside, I know all about National Pet Month – running this year from April 1st to May 5th – because my gorgeous missus, Asha, has been their media and PR manager for more than a decade. So, every time we reach my birthday month, I know my big day is going to be overshadowed by dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, fish, canaries, snakes, lizards and anything else that might count as a pet.
One year the star of the show was an agility chicken. I kid you not!
With an April birthday, I’m kinda used to playing second fiddle to a bigger event. Growing up, I used to hate it when my birthday coincided with Easter (I’m more of an Ostara woman these days, but that’s another email for another day!).
You might be wondering why I didn’t particularly like having my birthday around the anniversary of JC rising from the dead, way before Buffy was here to save the day. Think about it… what do kids love about Easter? Eggs. Yummy, scrummy, chocolate Easter eggs… preferably packed with more yummy goodies once you crack open the shell. That’s all well and good until people start giving you Easter eggs for your birthday! I mean, really? That’s cheating, isn’t it? Suffice to say, every now and again, I’d understand the struggles of people born on December 25th.
For a few blissful years, I enjoyed April being all about ME! Yay! Easter eggs AND birthday treats… and then, along came National Pet Month! (And no, I didn’t start getting rabbits for my birthday. Unless we count the other kind of…. Nope… not appropriate for a business email!)
As much as I’m having a bit of a tongue-in-cheek moan here, I absolutely bloody love National Pet Month. Back in the day, when Asha and I ran our PR and social media business together, we both worked on the campaign.
Gradually, as I moved into coaching, training and speaking full time (which reminds me… if you haven’t yet booked onto this year’s Heart Of Speaking retreat, what on Earth is wrong with you? I’ll add a bit of info in the PS), Asha took on the majority of NPM responsibilities and now, I kind’ve hung around at the edges, cooing at all the totally lush animal stories and juggling a big dose of FOMO between my gorgeous coaching clients.
That’s really what I wanted to talk to you about today. No, not my gorgeous coaching clients (though they all absolutely are and I hope YOU get FOMO about that), but about the joy of pets.
Yes, I know there’s always someone close to apoplexy whenever someone posts a cute kitten on LinkedIn, but cutesy animals DO tend to grab attention. Social algos go all fuzzy and warm at the mere mention of a cuddly cat, cutesy chameleon, pretty puppy or – at the other end of the scale – a profane parrot. And yes, of course, I’ll show you mine… they’re right at the bottom of this email, so you’ll need to read to the end. It’s worth it. Promise.
So please, please, use National Pet Month as THE best excuse to talk about your pets, your family’s pets, your friends’ pets, your childhood pets and/or the pets you’re absolutely bringing home as soon as you convince your other half that they’re THE best addition to any relationship. Pets are clinically proven to help lower stress, plus they encourage us to get outside and exercise, don’t they? Well, unless you opt for a goldfish… please do not EVER attempt to take Nemo for a drag!
On a serious note, one of the core messages of National Pet Month has always been about finding the most suitable pet for your circumstances. You might not lead the ideal lifestyle to take on a dog, or even a cat. Maybe, for you, it IS a tropical fish collection, or a gerbil, or a corn snake… or a Tamagotchi. If you’re yearning for a bit of pet contact, I bet there are plenty of people near you who, for whatever reason, could do with some help with their own pets – maybe an elderly neighbour who struggles to walk their dog regularly, or someone who needs their guinea pigs looking after when they go away; there are plenty of animal rescue organisations in need of fosterers and volunteers, too.
Back to personal brand and sharing those stories.
Please, please DO NOT listen to Stanley Starchypants telling you animal pics don’t belong on LinkedIn. Animals belong EVERYWHERE, so get ‘em on Linkydinks, Facebook, The Gram, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, blogs… share the love EVERYWHERE! All the way through to May 5th, you have the purrfect opportunity to go pet mad in all your content. And if you’re really feeling brave… keep it going all year round.
See you online for the puppy pics!
#UnleashYourAwesome
Taz
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PS: Asha’s on the lookout for people who’d like to share their pet stories for this year’s National Pet Month campaign. If you’d like to show off your pet pals, drop her an email – Asha@TurquoiseTiger.co.uk – or find her on her own socials AND those for National Pet Month.
PPS: In case you’re wondering, it’s the 11th. My birthday. Please do NOT send Easter eggs. Unless they’re vegan and devoid of calories.
PPPS: We can squeeze just a few more into this year’s award-winning Heart Of Speaking retreat, in Peterborough, from May 13-15. Check THIS out – it’s THE best speaker training in the entire known universe (well, that’s about the size of it when you listen to our delegates!), it doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg, and, yes, if funds are tight right now, we can sort you out an instalment plan. Hit reply if you’d like to have a chat about how we can make it work for YOU.
PPPPS: Here are some of my gorgeous furkids. I genuinely believe these guys have saved my soul time and time again. I love them more than I ever thought possible, and I’d quite like them to live forever, please and thank you.
