Business competition is inevitable in any business venture, including the Pet care Industry. When starting up your pet sitting business, it can be challenging to differentiate yourself from the competition. You must make many decisions to broadcast your services and gradually make your mark. Decide on the type of services you will offer and their prices. Educate yourself on marketing and promotional strategies to grow your pet sitting business.
Adding a Variety of Pet Daycare Services
Creating more options for your existing and potential clients can separate you from the competition. Nevertheless, you must carefully craft your business plan because more service options may not always result in long-term business practices.
A successful Pet Sitting business often provides dog walking services, which clients can access with pet daycare software. This service is critical because it allows for a robust flow of income throughout the year.
Use this information to designate the types of dog walking services you want to offer. Dog walking businesses have two categories – individual and group walks. However, regardless of which category you will offer, providing a wide range of dog-walking options can significantly impact both categories. Here’s why.
Individual Dog Walking Options
If you want to include 30-minute, 60-minute, and 90-minute dog walking services in your pet daycare software, you are limiting your facility and your staff to the actual number of walks you can accomplish within the most in-demand time frame, which is midday.
For example, if three clients request 60-minute individual dog walks between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., you can only take those three clients with minimal upsell. Nonetheless, if you provide 30-minute individual walks, you could schedule six clients during that same time frame, thus increasing sales by sheer volume.
Group Dog Walking Options
If you provide group dog walking options, offering different time schedules using daycare schedule software can be challenging. If you have six (6) clients requesting two or more dogs to schedule different time lengths, you’ll be in for a disaster. Part of growing businesses is increasing demand. Operating 30-minute, 45-minute, and 60-minute group dog walking options can be challenging. It would be best to maximize your returns efficiently with your time.
Having multiple clients can result in a time constraint between dog walk schedules. For example, one client may book the 30-minute walk and be scheduled to go on the 60-minute walk because of time constraints. If your clients discover they could enjoy the benefit of the 60-minute dog walk at the price of the 30-minute category, using the pet sitting software for pets system, they could take advantage of paying for the lower category dog walks.
How Do You Stand Out in a Competitive Pet Care Industry?
It would be best to start your pet care business by offering one or two of the most popular dog walks using the daycare business’s software. Most clients look for reliability, flexibility, and trustworthiness in a pet daycare service company and usually research the company’s reputation online.
Rather than competing at the price point, focus on building your reputation by establishing rapport with your new clients and solidifying your relationships with your existing clients. Use the daycare software for pets system to contact your clients with promotions and discounts.
Make your company message heard by creating a compelling marketing campaign based on your values, attributes, and background. You can emphasize this when you use pet daycare software to manage your business.
Setting standard dog walk lengths allows you to grow your company, organize work schedules, and increase your business’s bottom line. You can use the pet daycare software to provide your clients with these pet care service alternatives.
Keeping Your Pet Sitting Business Successful in Any Economy
The economy can rise and fall, part-time pet sitters proliferate, and other pet care businesses are opening up and competing with your company. These factors may cause you to worry about their impact on your business.
Fortunately, people’s spending on pet welfare remains high, and the need for pet care services increases yearly. By carefully crafting your business strategies. How can you keep your pet care business successful in any economy? Here are some ways:
#1: DIVERSIFY YOUR PET DAYCARE SERVICES
Different kinds of pets have different needs. With the economy fluctuating and causing a decrease in the number of your pet sitting clients, offering other services may benefit your existing and potential clients.
Dogs and cats remain at the top of the list when discussing pets. But every pet daycare business must understand it isn’t only for dogs and cats. A market study from the Packaged Facts research firm showed 116M fish, small mammals, birds, reptiles, and other pets. 7.2M households take care of fish pets, 4.6M have birds as pets, 2.5M have pet rabbits, and 1.8M households have reptiles.
#2: USE ADVERTISING STRATEGIES EFFECTIVELY
Letting the world know that you provide various pet care services, not just for cats and canines, allows you to reach a wider audience. Use advertising strategies effectively to promote your business. Leverage your knowledge, skills, and expertise in caring for all types of pets. If you have a certificate specializing in a different kind of pet, include it in your marketing and promotion efforts. Speak with friends or family members who own unique types of pets and let them know that you have passed the certification program. Take time to volunteer in pet rescue groups or facilities specializing in particular species to increase your knowledge and experience in caring for these species.
#3: ANALYZE YOUR SERVICE AREA
When business is slow, taking every pet care service request can be tempting without considering your overhead costs. Giving pet care services outside your immediate area will incur additional time, money, and effort for very little profit. Analyze your service area and add a mileage fee for clients outside a specific range. Focus your marketing efforts on getting new clients with the most extensive clientele in nearby neighborhoods.
#4: HIRE STAFF SITTERS TO HANDLE OTHER ASSIGNMENTS
If you plan to expand your pet sitting business, you must decide if you should hire employees or work with freelance pet sitters. Identify the best pet sitters for your business. Sometimes you need to turn down a service if you feel uncomfortable or are unsure if you can deliver the assignment correctly. Turning down a pet assignment can be for several reasons, and you should always follow your intuition.
#5: EXPAND YOUR MARKETING REACH
The impact of online marketing reaches every computer or gadget in the world. The majority of people nowadays have internet access through a gadget. People are always online and checking their smartphones throughout the day. It increases your chances of getting your business message across to your target audience. Set up your social media accounts, blogs, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter to promote your business to local pet owners. Online promotion and positive reviews from satisfied clients can boost your business.
Don’t forget what the power of word-of-mouth recommendations can do for your business. A personal recommendation from people you trust is the most compelling and persuasive kind of marketing and promotion. Ask you are satisfied clients to leave a positive comment, feedback, and recommendations on your official online accounts for the world to see. You can also ask your friends and family to spread the word about your pet care services. Give out business cards to share with their friends and family, and offer deals and commissions when referring new clients.
Expand your reach to local pet stores, animal shelters, and pet groomers when advertising your business services. Set a meeting with the facility managers and owners, and give incentives when they allow you to advertise there. Provide coupons with perks and privileges, especially for their customers.
#6: MAINTAIN EXCELLENT PET DAYCARE SERVICES
Continue to offer superb pet daycare services, especially when the economy is down. A good word from satisfied clients will go a long way and outlast any economic downturn in your area. Adding more benefits to your pet daycare services instead of decreasing services leaves the impression that you are taking extra care of their pets and giving excellent service even in difficult times.
#7: MAINTAIN YOUR NETWORKS AND CONNECTIONS
Keeping positive relationships with fellow pet sitters online, in your neighborhood, and through nearby Pet Sitting networks is a great way to receive support, referrals, and advice. A solid network of connections is critical for any business’s success, regardless of the economy’s state.
Expand your networks outside the Pet Care Industry professionals; you would never know who could refer a new client. Many referrals are from hair salon owners, medical facility staff, travel agents, bank tellers, and even police officers. You can provide details on how they can reach your business online with the scheduling software embedded in your industry.
What Keeps Your Pet Grooming and Daycare Business Successful?
With the increasing number of households getting pets, the pet care industry continues to skyrocket. New businesses need to establish a strong foundation for their enterprise, while established professional pet care services wanting to maintain or increase their business must try to understand the behavior and preferences of local pet owners. Pet Sitting businesses can use this information to create a service package that meets their pets’ needs.
