Practice Made Purrfect

05/10/2026

Of all the CMA remedies, the poster is the one that gets under people's skin. I know it does mine. A notice on the opposite wall of every consult room, in the eyeline of your team all day, every day. I don't think that's healthy for anyone, and I dont think stewing on it helps either.

But we've got about a year before the official version needs to go up in consult rooms and reception. So for now we can put something more positive on the wall instead, and we're spending our energy on the opportunity in the remedies rather than the bit that winds us up.

This poster was Dr Steven Goodear idea originally. We've designed it up, had it printed, and we're sending copies out to practices.

If you'd like some, email [email protected] with your practice name and how many you want.

02/09/2026

Nobody (farm vets aside) has ever told us that marketing doesn't matter.

Justin has spent years listening to practice owners – on client calls, in our WhatsApp community, in the corridors of their practices. The same handful of issues come up over and over, in almost the same words, from people who have never met each other.

The will is always there. What's missing is structure.

Marketing ends up being the job nobody in the practice actually has, so it goes to whoever is willing rather than whoever is best placed, in half hours between other jobs, with no training on the platforms being used. And then everyone wonders why the output feels inconsistent.

Justin's new blog digs into why that happens and what to do about it. Why too many ideas is the same problem as none. And why outsourcing disappoints so often.

Ten minutes well spent if any of it sounds like your practice.

Link in the comments 👀

15/07/2026

Andy has been on the Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices' PracticeMatters podcast talking about the thing he does best.

Every practice is unique. And Andy has honed a very specific set of skills that lets him eke that out of a team and weave it into a narrative running through all of a practice's communications and touchpoints.

'Local' and 'independent' are ubiquitous now. Use them without context, without tangible examples, and you've missed a massive opportunity to showcase what makes YOU special.

It's been awesome to hear Andy develop, build confidence in, and refine this approach over the last four years. Now you get to hear it straight from the horse's mouth.

As with everything we do at Practice Made Purrfect, our intention is to share as much as possible of what we've figured out so you can do it yourself. If you can't, or don't have the time, you can join the other 40 practices who've hired us to do it for them.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3aRY9xVNAYSDPZZuSj8rEN

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ep060-practice-uniqueness-with-andy-donley/id1776101279?i=1000776722125

03/03/2026

Andy revamped the “About us” section of the Practice Made Purrfect website recently, and we added our mission statement in the process.

First – how fun it is to see the business I founded and the values and ethos I’ve brought put into black and white terms! I love it, but it’s also another sign that we’re growing up, which is exciting and all-consuming in equal measure.

Second, Andy’s drawn some fascinating parallels with how veterinary practices market themselves – and I think he’s right.

Each of the practices we work with are meaningfully different and our challenge is to draw out what that is and why it matters to their clients.

A lot of marketing can fall into cliches and platitudes, but we have an opportunity to use every touchpoint with local pet owners to tell them exactly why we believe we’re the right choice to trust with their pet's life.

Have a read of our blog and let me know in the comments below what you think!

Ditch the clichés and discover how to communicate what genuinely makes your vet practice different, and why you should focus on what you do, not what you think.

23/12/2025

Keen followers of our content may have seen my attempt to predict the future, when I wrote my vision for 2025 back when I launched Practice Made Purrfect, which we shared during our birthday celebrations back in October.

Seeing as I was so successful, let’s go again!

(Yes, that is irony. I was rubbish. Head to our website and dig out the blog to see for yourself.)

And this time, the team have lined up some elite competition to put me to the test!

Industry big hitters, David Hodges, Tracey Morley-Jewkes & Francesca Verney.

Read on to see what the veterinary industry could look like in 2030.
And merry Christmas!

Read on to see what the veterinary industry could look like in 2030 – and we’ll see you in five years to judge who’s the winner!

10/12/2025

I’ve spent years helping practices get their external marketing right – but I’ll let you in on a secret.

The most powerful marketing tool you’ll ever have is the one that keeps your team connected.

Internal communication isn’t as glamorous as other elements of the marketing mix, but it’s the glue that holds everything together. When your team truly understands what’s happening, why it matters and how they fit into it, everything else – from client care to recruitment to culture – starts to click.

In my latest blog I’ve shared what I learned during six years leading internal marketing at White Cross Vets, and how those lessons still shape the way I work today.

It’s practical, honest and (hopefully) a little inspiring.

Read it here 👇 and please let me know what you think.

A look at why clear internal communication helps veterinary teams feel connected and confident – and how simple tools can strengthen culture and care.

21/10/2025

I can’t believe it’s been five years since I launched Practice Made Purrfect – that time has flown!

One reason for that is how much has happened since then. It’s fair to say it’s been an eventful half decade.

While we are obsessed with staying at the cutting edge of developments, it’s sometimes hard not to feel like we’re all just reacting to things we can’t control. Hi there Covid! We see you AI!

Nevertheless, everything that’s happened has brought us new opportunities to engage with our clients and improve our service, and it’s been a pleasure to help practices to navigate this over the last five years.

The team and I have put together the blog post below looking at how much has changed since we opened for business – plus there’s a throwback in there to my predictions for the industry, put together in 2020. How do you think I did? You’ll have to read to find out.

Celebrating five years in the veterinary industry, we explore how Covid, tech advances, AI, CMA rulings and changing client habits have reshaped vet practices since 2020 — plus what to do next.

13/10/2025

This month is our fifth birthday!

When I launched Practice Made Purrfect and set out on my own in 2020 I knew lots about veterinary marketing – but nothing about running a business.

Fast forward to today and it’s very satisfying to look back at what’s been achieved.

I’ve taken some lumps and learnt hard lessons along the way, but I’ve also had a blast and couldn’t be prouder of the quality of work we’ve produced.

To mark the occasion, I’m going to indulge in a little nostalgia. I’ve enjoyed putting this together and I hope you can gain some insight from the lessons I’ve learned.

Once you’ve finished reading, if you’d like to send me birthday presents, I won’t put you off the idea… ;)

When I launched Practice Made Purrfect and set out on my own in 2020 I knew lots about veterinary marketing – but nothing about running a business. Half a decade on here's what I've discovered.

02/09/2025

Anyone who knows me or follows our work at Practice Made Purrfect knows I am big on health plans.

And not just health plans – unlimited consults.

I think they’re the most important thing we can offer our clients for a number of reasons, but it all boils down to this: they’re best for pets, best for clients – and best for your practice.

We all know our landscape is changing at the moment. But whatever is being thrown at us, I’m confident a strong health plan can be a robust part of our response.

Read on below to find out why – and remember, there’s nobody more experienced at helping practices with their health plans than me and my team, so if you want advice, we’d love to help.

Pet health plans are more important than ever for practices. Discover why unlimited consults, transparency, and client loyalty make them vital for pets, clients, and your business in today’s changing landscape.

18/08/2025

Our Fika is the Canva Queen – and now she’s shared some of her tips and tricks so you can make the platform work for you, too!

Find out how the platform can save you time when putting together social posts or simple marketing campaigns, as well as serve as the repository for all of the visual elements of your brand.

Enjoy!

Learn how vet practices can use Canva to quickly create professional, on-brand graphics for social media, posters, and more, without design training.