Collaborate, Connect and Communicate. How to Kick Start Your Referral Marketing Using Lunch and Learn Sessions

It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows – Epictetus

As small business owners, we often have more time to invest in marketing than money. However, time is not limitless, and we should greatly value how we use it, particularly for those of us in the service industry where our time is money!

Lunch and learn sessions with other industry providers, those who have the potential to refer clients to us, are a wise investment of our time. Think about groomers, veterinarians, boarding kennels, dog walkers, and other industry professionals who would mutually benefit from a working referral relationship with us.

Can you say pet stores, bakeries, and even dog parks? These are all business types that can be worked with to kick start our business and generate lots of leads, not only to improve our profitability but to enhance the advocacy of our “Informed by Science, Guided by Empathy, Governed by Ethics” approach to pet care and training.

Referral marketing, unlike word-of-mouth tactics, is not a passive marketing strategy. It is, in fact, one that has to be worked on and developed, building up our credibility as the go-to expert in our area while supporting other like-minded professionals.

Creating a Lunch and Learn session is a low-cost educational, advocacy and marketing option. It is a great way to introduce a topic, provide a small demonstration on a new product or service or help educate fellow workers so groups of professionals can collectively provide support structures to pet owners.

Included in this webinar package

• Your 90-minute presentation
• Homework assignments
• We will hold a follow-up group call at 2:00 p.m. on February 18, 2025, to discuss progress, roadblocks, and challenges so we can support you in finding solutions and having success with your lunch and learn program.

Webinar Objectives

• Understand the basics of marketing and be able to differentiate between passive, word-of-mouth marketing versus active referral-based efforts
• Understand what Lunch and Learn sessions are and what they are not.
• Be confident in planning, preparing, and hosting a lunch and learn session
• Be able to address difficult situations and people
• Create practical takeaways and convert interest into action
• Use feedback from sessions to improve future lunch and learns
• Explore potential topics and how they can be presented.

Topics Covered

1. Quick overview of marketing
2. What are lunch and learn sessions
3. The preparation work
4. Creating the content
5. During the session
6. Food and Facilities
7. Take away material
8. Difficult situations and people
9. Best practices
10. Wrapping up

Your Presenters- Niki Tudge

Niki Tudge – M.B.A, PCBC-A, CABC, CDBC SSA-CFT, Six Sigma Black Belt, HCITB TS1, TS2 & TS3 Certified People Trainer, Certified Facilitator and Business Project Manager.

As the founder and President of The Pet Professional Guild, DogNostics Career Center and The DogSmith, Niki has substantial leadership experience in the pet industry. Niki has published numerous articles on dog training and dog behavior and her pet dog training businesses have been featured in many publications including The New York Times. Niki’s professional credentials include; AABP-Professional Dog Trainer, AABP-Professional Dog Behavior Consultant, PCBC-A and PCT-A through the Pet Professional Accrediting Board and she has earned diplomas in Animal Behavior Technology and Canine Behavior Science & Technology through the Companion Animal Science Institute. Along with Niki’s business degree and MBA from Oxford Brookes University she is also a certified Six Sigma Black Belt, a HCITB TS1, TS2 & TS3 certified people trainer and a certified Facilitator and Project Manager.

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