10 Tips For Running A Pet Grooming Business

Pet Grooming Business Plan

Are you a groomer interested in going into business for yourself? Have you been grooming in a big box store and thinking “I think I could do this better on my own”; you’re not alone. If you have been ruminating on the urge to start your own grooming business, here are some ideas to start that journey to entrepreneurial independence. Read here for 10 tips for running a pet grooming business.

The pet population in The United States continues to climb as new generations enter financial freedom. But many pet parents do not realize that certain dog breeds come with elevated grooming needs. Entering the pet industry means an element of your role will be dedicated to educating pet owners on the importance of grooming and its health benefits.

More pets with more grooming needs is positive news for people who run a pet grooming business. There’s plenty of demand for you to meet. Still, it’s important to get the job done correctly. With the right tips, you’ll be on your way to running a successful business.

1. Keep the Bird’s Eye View

Before you make any big changes (or start anything new), it’s important to keep your perspective on your pet grooming business. There are a lot of questions to keep in mind while you manage the company.

What are your revenue goals? How long do you want to be in business for? What kind of legal classification do you want to have? If you can keep those questions in your head constantly, you’ll be better prepared to meet the challenges of the day.

2. Budgeting Is Key

A part of that bird’s eye view is your budget. Like with any business, you need to keep track of your money. It’s more than just how much money you’ll make and spend in a given month.

A great budget explains that and can also help you anticipate the future. You should be able to plan out years, not months, with your budget. And that will help you give better service to all those doggies in the long run. Or anything else.

To get your financial brain ticking, take a look at these articles on growth strategies aimed at increasing dog grooming revenue potential.

• • • • • • Chapter 1: Increase Revenue with Dog Grooming Services

          • Chapter 2: Optimize Profits with Add-On Services

          • Chapter 3: Boost Your Online Digital Presence

3. Be Comfortable with All Kinds of Pets

Depending on your business, you could be grooming all kinds of animals. No matter what, they will all be different. If you’re running a dog grooming business, you know that dogs come in different sizes, personalities, and cleanliness. Through your experience grooming already you’ve likely learned how numerous the needs of each dog breed comes with, account for it and factor that into your services.

If you deal with other species, you have to be ready for all kinds of animals. You should be prepared to deal with all the possibilities while you deal with the animals. Let’s not forget that services for cats are also climbing, take a look at what to expect when offering grooming for your feline clients.

4. Stay Human with the Client

You should groom pet owners while you groom their pets! That doesn’t mean cleaning them, rather train them how you can best help keep their pup healthy.

Set sustainable boundaries with your clients as most groomers when starting out over extend their services to make new clients happy. Consider having a business specific phone number your clients can use, and be sure your clients know your hours (waking up to respond to a 2am text about booking Fido’s next appointment is not sustainable). As a pet person it’s easy to forget who the real client your serving really is, so be sure to make a connection with who’s reaching into their pocket to pay you.

If you take time out of your day to small talk with your clients, you’ll build relationships with them. That will eventually help you earn their trust and continuing business.Of course, it’s a bit of a pain to make sure you talk to different people all the time. But those extra bits of time are important.

5. Accept the Time Sacrifice

It’s important to accept the truth now: running a pet grooming business takes time. The highest average work hours in the country are just over 40 hours a week.

You might be investing a bit more time than that. You should think of it as part of your responsibility. You’re running the show, which means you have to invest a little bit more time than everyone else. But don’t worry–you can find help.

6. Get Some Pet Grooming Business Allies

It’s important for you to be on good terms with other people around you who run a pet grooming business. Being friendly with the competition? Isn’t that like playing for the other team? Well, isn’t it better than being unfriendly with your competitors?

With some good networking, you can learn the tricks of the trade from the best. They can tell you money-saving tricks or relevant anecdotes. And that will eventually put you in a position to teach someone else. There are so many expos to consider for meeting like minded groomers, often attending a grooming expo will expose you to the competitive world. Explore what the industry has to offer and you might find even more ways to increase your brand and expertise!

7. Incorporate Social Media

Whether it’s your competitors or customers, the fastest way to reach anybody nowadays is through social media. There are over 3 billion people actively using Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp or Messenger each month. Each platform comes with its own strategy but when posting, keep in mind the optimal times to assure maximum reach. Below is a useful chart populated by Sprout Social on when to schedule your next post.

You should have a presence on social media, whether it’s Facebook, Instagram or any other platform. It’s a great way to market your products and get in touch with anybody, instantly. You should build some time into your schedule to hop on social media and improve your marketing. Keep in mind you’re using technology to increase your businesses audience, so be strategic in your efforts.

That can be one of many great habits that improve your business.

8. Build a Routine

Getting tasks done one by one can seem very daunting on a daily basis. A routine can make life much easier, and there are many benefits that come with having a series of daily habits.

The same is true of a business. If you can get your pet grooming business up and running the same way every day, the details will start to seem smaller. You’ll be able to focus more on the big picture: cleaning those pets, and figuring out how to clean more. And at the end of the day, service is the most important part of your business.

9. Use the Best Support Available

In order to keep that service intact, you need to make things easier on yourself. It’s not about taking shortcuts, but putting yourself in the best position possible to deliver quality service to your guests.

Look no further than Daysmart Pet Software, a product designed to take some weight off your shoulders. The computer program is made to help you organize your day full of appointments and bookings.

That’ll make the details smaller, letting you focus on your shop on a daily basis. As the industry moves forward, with Daysmart Pet Software you’ll be able to concentrate on the big picture. And that way, you’ll be a step ahead of your competitors.

10. Join the Wave, Don’t Get Run over By It

Any new pet grooming business joins an industry that is expanding quickly.

The grooming and boarding industry has almost doubled over the past decade with an industry revenue growing at an annualized rate of 4.3% to $9.2 Billion. That means new businesses are entering the field with new ideas.

The constant entry of new approaches to the industry means that customers will start to expect different things from your pet grooming business. It’s on you to stay ahead of these changes.

Basically, stay fresh. That doesn’t mean changing your business constantly. It means adapting it with the times to keep your winning formula intact.

Are You Ready?

With these tips, you’ll be able to improve your pet grooming business quickly.

And if you are only planning a business now, you’ll have a head start. Feel free to continue reading and to reach out for more information about running a pet grooming business.

Good luck!