As a pet sitter, you know you can make good money caring for other people’s animals. It’s a great career for anyone who loves spending time with animals and doesn’t want to be chained to a desk. Being self-employed also offers such an incredible flexibility and the ability to answer to no one but yourself (and your pet owners!)
Still, you might have gotten to the point in your pet sitting business where you’d like to see a bit more cash coming in. With any business, there’s always room to grow if you know what to do and how to market yourself. There are plenty of things you can do to get your business seen by new customers and improve the value and profitability of your existing services.
Offer Additional Services
A great way to increase your profitability is to add extra services to your existing choices. This could include things like obedience training – who wouldn’t want to leave their dogs with a sitter and get them back better trained? You could also offer extras like grooming or even animal massage that would appeal to customers who like to give their pets the VIP treatment. Then there are more general additional services like house and pet sitting or boarding pets yourself. Make sure that whatever services you offer, you have the right skills and training to offer them safely and effectively.
Gain Desirable Qualifications
Another good way to broaden your appeal to customers is by taking additional qualifications in animal care and handling. This will make your business stand out to pet owners over more casual pet sitters. This can also open doors to you caring for more varied pets, such as animals with behavioral issues or medical needs.
Transform Your Outdoor Space
If you often host pets at your own home rather than sitting at your customer’s home, then it’s a good idea to improve the space you have. Your backyard and other outdoor spaces, in particular, can be a real selling point to customers. In addition to quality walks with their pet, pet owners want to know that their animals will enjoy the place they’re living while they’re away from home. A spacious, well-maintained and animal-focused outdoor space can do just that. The outdoor space will need to be properly secured, with quality fences that even the largest of dogs will be unable to scale. Include plenty of shade and watering points, as well as fun outdoor toys and comfortable spots for the animals to nap.
Take On Some Helpers
If you want to expand your business, you might find that you’ll have more pets on your hands than you can safely care for solo. In this case, it’s best to look for help to take care of the animals properly. Consider hiring someone with prior experience working with animals who can help you shoulder some of the heavy lifting in the day-to-day running of your business.
Leverage Google Reviews
Nothing is more important for new and old businesses alike than quality, positive reviews. Harnessing the power of Google reviews is an excellent way to generate more business and keep your existing customers coming back for more. You’ll need to make sure you claim your business on Google so the reviews can start coming in and encourage your happy customers to write reviews when possible. Signpost have some excellent resources and tools to help you make the most of Google reviews and help your business flourish.
Partner With Other Pet Services
An excellent way to grow your business is by partnering with other pet services in your local area. Look for complementary services where you can enter into a mutually beneficial relationship to recommend customers to each other. Local businesses like pet groomers, veterinarians, pet shops and dog trainers can all be great options to join with to share customer leads.
Always Have A Backup Plan
Sometimes things happen that you can’t prepare for – sudden illness or injury that could leave you unable to care for the pets you have booked in. It’s vital that you have contingency plans for scenarios like this, as last-minute cancellations can result in significant difficulties for the pet owners who are relying on you. You could consider partnering with another local pet sitter to provide cover for one another should you be unable to take care of the pets you have booked.
Be Active On Social Media
Social media can be an incredibly helpful tool for businesses of all sizes and types. It can help you connect with possible customers and help you market your services. It’s a good idea to set up social media profiles for your pet sitting business on a range of social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. You can post videos of the pets in your care having fun and showing the kind of quality service you offer – with the pet owners’ permission, of course. Post regularly to generate a good following and show your commitment to offering an incredible service.
Start A Blog
A blog can be a fantastic way to engage your existing customers and attract new business. By writing a blog, you can showcase your skills as a pet sitter and relate fun stories of the adventures you’ve had with the pets in your care. This can be a really good way to sell your business, as prospective customers will be able to read a wealth of information about you and how you work. Make sure that you write engaging, high-quality content and post regularly to get a good following. Consider using professional editing and proofreading services to ensure the content is of the best possible quality.
Final Thoughts
Pet sitters offer a truly valuable service to customers, allowing them to go about their lives safely in the knowledge that their pets are being cared for well. As a pet sitter, you get the benefit of working for yourself and spending most of your time enjoying the company of the animals in your care. It’s a win-win for most people, but it is still important to look at ways to expand your business so you can see increased profitability. Make sure to take your time when making changes to your business, and think it through from all angles to ensure it’s the right decision for you and your customers.