want to get started as a dog walker or grow your dog walking business? You’ll want to Click the link HERE.
Hurdles to starting a dog walking business as well as exactly how to overcome them
I had a dog walking business in North Dakota for five years, as well as I just recently started a dog walking business in California. having done this twice, I am conscious of the difficulties new dog walkers face.
The complying with are a few hurdles you may run into if you’re starting a dog walking business, in addition to exactly how to overcome them.
Hurdle #1 – Your town is as well little to support a dog walking business
This may be true. Some areas may not have sufficient prospective customers, as well as you may have to think about walking dogs on only a part-time basis. I’m personally getting my business established in a town of 13,000 people, so I can relate.
If you’re in a rural area, you may deal with even more problem because people there may not even believe to hire a “dog walker.” On the other hand, you only requirement about 20 clients or so to make it work. If your town only has 5,000 people, you should still be able to discover 20 who might utilize a dog walker. You’ll just have to work a great deal harder to discover them.
What you can do:
Accept clients in close-by towns. You can always narrow your service area in the future.
Offer more services such as a pet taxi service, dog training, dog boarding in your home, pet sitting at clients’ homes, home sitting for people who travel in the winter, etc.
Ask your good friends to hang one of your fliers in their breakrooms at work as well as to hand out your business cards to their co-workers. institutions as well as hospitals are excellent locations for fliers.
Consider broadening your services to rural areas, however fee an additional charge for gas as well as travel time.
Get to understand regional business owners such as veterinarians, groomers as well as trainers.
Put a classified ad in your regional newspaper as well as any type of other regional publications.
Hurdle #2 – Your area is saturated with dog walkers
I went from an area where I was the only dog walker to an area where there are several, so I hear ya.
What you can do:
Offer something unique to your area such as dog running, dog fieldtrips, off-leash runs, a pet taxi service or loose-leash training. Are all these services offered already? then get more creative, as well as come up with something different.
Focus your advertising on whatever it is that makes your business unique.
Invest in higher-quality business cards so yours stand out among the others. hire a designer to assist you – it’s worth it.
Hire the designer to produce you some simple brochures, which you can ask regional veterinarians as well as other businesses to display. You might likewise hand these out at regional events.
Get your butt available everyday satisfying other business owners as well as handing out your info at neighborhood events such as humane society fundraisers, street fairs as well as so on.
Make sure you have a existence in browse engines (see below).
Network with established dog walkers as well as pet sitters.
Make sure you have dog walking insurance set up as well as your dog walking business forms ready to go so you’re not scrambling to do this when you get your very first client.
Hurdle #3 – Your dog walking business is not ranking in Google
When you’re wondering how to begin a dog walking service, one of the very best methods to gain clients is to rank in on the internet searches for terms including your town or area’s name. For example, “Solana beach dog walking” or “dog walkers Fargo.” however this can be tough if there’s a great deal of competition in your area, particularly if you have a new web site.
What you can do:
Set up a Yelp profile for your business, as well as fill out all the information on there as well. Ask your good friends as well as clients to leave reviews.
Do the exact same with a Facebook fan page, making sure to include the services you offer in addition to the areas you serve.
Consider marketing your business utilizing Google Adwords for a few months. These are the ads that appear at the top of listings as well as on the side of browse results.
Hurdle #4 – You’re worried you won’t make sufficient money
It does take time to develop up some solid clients.
What you can do:
Keep your task for now, however begin marketing your dog walking business a great three months before you think about leaving your other job.
Create a waiting listing now so you can get in touch with these prospective clients when you stop your job.
Start walking dogs on your days off.Consider working part-time at your present task while you transition.
See if you can arrange your routine at your present task so you work four days instead of five.
Hurdle #5 – Your good friends believe starting a dog walking business is crazy
I ran into this rather a bit the very first time I started a dog walking business. people believed I was nuts to rather my “secure” job. reason me? I was working at a newspaper!
What you can do:
Ignore the downers. spend time with positive, supportive people.
If your spouse or partner is the one concerned, try to listen to his concerns, however let him understand exactly how serious you are about the idea.
Know that dog walking can definitely be a serious career if you are passionate as well as wise about it. sometimes it assists to hear from somebody who’s been there. checked out my post: how can I begin a dog walking business?
Get my dog walking business ebook
Purchase the ebook that’s assisted hundreds begin their own dog walking Businesses.
Click the order now button below to download your copy of exactly how to begin a dog walking Business.
ORDER NOW
My ebook is a step-by-step guide designed to assist you begin or grow your dog walking business as quickly as possible. discover from somebody who’s been there.