If you’ve noticed pet owners pulling back, you’re not alone. According to AVMA data, there’s been a nationwide decline in veterinary visits and active clients per clinic in 2025.

Despite this drop, there is good news. Wellness or preventive care remains the primary reason pet owners bring their pets to the veterinarian, as it has for the past three years.

Savvy veterinary teams can capitalize on this desire for proactive care to help attract new clients, build trust and retention with existing clients, and reconnect with lapsed pet owners. Here are four fresh, creative ways to boost your veterinary business in the year ahead.

 

#1: Get creative: Offer unique promotions and specials

Veterinary services can be expensive, and pet parents are looking for ways to save without compromising the quality of care. They’re also looking for ways to connect with their veterinary clinic and understand their pet’s health.

While seasonal savings on parasite preventives and dental care are standard for many veterinary practices, they are one-and-done marketing strategies.

Give new and existing clients something more, with unique or creative offers that reward participation, engagement, and learning. This could include:

  • Referral challenges — Word-of-mouth marketing remains an affordable, easy strategy for attracting new clients. Referral program software makes it easy to track and reward clients who recommend your vet clinic, and is available in many client communication platforms. Try running special challenges throughout the year to drive engagement and reward loyal clients with high-value prizes.
  • Testimonials for treats — Soliciting reviews is easy when clients are rewarded for their time and effort! Offer free services or account credits for every online review, and surprise gifts for five-star ratings. This simple gesture says thanks, encourages return visits, and boosts your search engine visibility for potential clients.
  • Social media challenges — Make your loyal clients social media stars with online competitions that reward engagement. This can be a simple “like, tag, and share” request, a call for pet photos, or a quiz to test their vet IQ. Announce winners—and their prizes—across your social media platforms and promote the challenge in your clinic to attract new players.

 

#2: Refresh the client experience

Do you know what it’s like to be a pet owner in your veterinary practice?

Take the time to walk through the client experience from first contact, to check-in, to post-visit follow-up. Identify areas for improvement, such as:

  • Communication gaps — Do you share practice policies and information before the first visit? Do clients receive timely reminders and follow-ups? Is your online presence current and reflective of your veterinary services, practice values, and client expectations? Do clients know how to reach you with questions or concerns—and do you respond promptly?
  • Cost transparency — Do clients receive estimates for added services? Does a team member explain each line item?
  • Delays or dead space — Do pet parents know where to go when they arrive? Do they spend a long time waiting without their pet? Are they informed about the next steps at each touchpoint?

Smoothing these small points of friction is an easy, economical way to create a more seamless experience that feels more valuable to clients.

 

#3: Personalize client communication 

Modern pet care is personal. Clients want to feel like their vet clinic knows and cares about their pet as an individual. This level of understanding improves retention and makes pet parents more likely to reach out with minor concerns or questions—before their pet gets sick.

The fastest way to build and maintain a personal feel year-round is through tailored digital communications. Most client communication tools and platforms make it easy to personalize every piece of veterinary marketing, including:

  • Targeted emails — Divide email marketing topics by target audience (e.g., cat topics to cat-owning clients, senior dog care tips to pet parents with dogs over 7 years old).
  • Personalized reminders — Emails and messages that feature the client’s or pet’s name are more likely to be opened. Adding them to your calls to action (e.g., “Book Toby’s next visit today” or “Request Purr-cilla’s medication refill”) gives pet parents a better understanding of what’s recommended.
  • Relevant educational resources and promotions — Sharing resources and offers that apply to the pet’s species, lifestage, risks, or diagnosis helps pet parents build confidence and comfort with their pet’s health. It also wordlessly welcomes them as a proactive partner in their pet’s veterinary care.

 

#4: Take clients behind the scenes

A female veterinarian examines a dog's mouth while a male client holds the dog

Clients don’t always recognize the value and purpose in their pet’s routine veterinary care, making it easier to postpone visits or dismiss important health changes. Bringing your client base behind the scenes can help them see firsthand what truly goes into their pet’s care.

  • In-person efforts — Veterinary technicians, assistants, and CSRs can explain the benefits of routine recommendations and coach clients on at-home care. Veterinarians can narrate the physical examination as they perform it, allowing clients to follow along.
  • Digital marketing — Behind-the-scenes videos, shared to social media and your veterinary website, can provide comfort and confidence for worried pet parents. Story ideas include:
    • What happens when you drop your pet off for surgery, hospitalization, or other services
    • What happens during anesthesia
    • How we keep your pet comfortable during their stay
    • Bite-size webinars on common pet health concerns (e.g., “Does my pet need a dental cleaning?” “Is year-round prevention necessary?”)

Rethink, refresh, rebuild: Driving client attraction and engagement

Declining business is always a red flag for veterinary practices, but the recent downturn may be about more than rising costs alone—it reflects a shift in consumer expectations.

By replacing standardized workflows and one-size-fits-all communications with a more personalized, attentive, and transparent experience, practices can rebuild trust, demonstrate clear value, deepen loyalty, and support pet health with every interaction.

In a competitive industry like ours, marketing needs to do more than reach your audience—it has to truly resonate. With deep veterinary insight and proven writing expertise, the Rumpus Writing and Editing team helps you tell a story that feels authentic, connects with clients, and inspires the response your practice needs. Contact us to schedule a meeting.