You love animals and have turned this deep adoration into a healthy business. As a pet groomer you have a large pool of potential clients. They trust you with their pets as you understand how animals are fully fledged members of the family. So how can you make all that love go a little further in order to take your pet grooming business to the next level? Here are 4 ways.
1. Go mobile
Having permanent premises is great, but consider expanding your reach with the addition of mobile services. By investing in a bakkie and converting it into a horse box mobile grooming container, you will be in the unique position to cater to customers in a wide variety of areas. This also empowers you to franchise your business in the future as you will have a large footprint and access to a wider network of clients.
2. Continuously research your market
Market research should be an ongoing project. This is essential to understand if you are running your business in a sustainable way. This research begins with smart questions like:
- Do many people in my area own pets?
- What types of pets are they?
- Would these people like pet services?
- How can I attract their attention?
Further to this, you should also be assessing your competition on an ongoing basis in order to understand the following key factors:
- How competitive is my pricing?
- What services and products are being offered by my competitors?
- How are they attracting clients and what is their marketing strategy?
- What are their unique selling points and is there anything I can learn from what they are doing?
3. Create an innovative marketing plan
It is crucial to operate across multiple social media accounts. Here are some great ways to improve your social media presence:
- Create engaging content that will bring immediate joy to pet owners. Animal videos tend to generate millions of views so film your four-legged clients (remember to get permission to post) and then offer attractive promotions alongside this content.
- Consider running exciting competitions to incentivise your clients. You might invite them to post their funniest pet video, clips of their dogs doing tricks or a story about how their pet makes their home a better place.
4. Build relationships and networks
It could be worth your while to build strong relationships with local pet stores or dog training schools in various areas, so you can build your client base. By offering a value-add for their businesses you can really attract some quick attention. When you cross-pollinate in this way it is a win-win for both parties.
The bottom line
While change doesn’t come cheap, there are funding options which are not only fast but are tailor-made for small businesses just like yours. A Merchant Cash Advance can be obtained in as little as 48 hours and has a repayment method that works directly in line with turnover. With quick access to working capital, you will empower your pet grooming business to grow in leaps (wags) and bounds.
