A couple of weeks ago, some friends got two new cats and they asked us which Veterinarian office we go to. We visit one not too far from here, which works a good deal with VOKRA (Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association), where we got our kitten Guinness.

Anyway, we have been really happy with our service there. The place is called Arbutus West Animal Clinic. They are very nice people and really pay attention to the overall health of our pets. They were very helpful to us when my cat Nala had a lot of stress after we kept Guinness, and we like that they work with the community.

So, we later get a card in the mail. It is a very nice thank you card from Arbutus West for referring our friends to them. The thank you card was hand written and included personal references, like saying hello to Nala and Guinness for them.

This personalized little note made us both feel really good about our choice. We know we are in good hands and that we will continue to refer people there.

I want to bring this up because it is a great example of marketing. But it is so well done, so un-templated and unexpected, that it doesn’t feel like marketing. It feels more like you are a part of a great community.

Word of mouth is very effective marketing. Finding a company that takes the time to appreciate it and say thanks – even better.

Tags: arbutus west, vancouver, pets, vet, veterinary, marketing, word of mouth, local marketing