I recommend increasing your prices and your employees' pay at least 3% every year to keep up with inflation. Think first of becoming a dog walker as you might think of taking on a hobby. What does it take to be a dog trainer? Learn more about The Dog Trainer Course >>. Once you get established, your earning potential increases rapidly, with hourly rates for private sessions often over $100/hr and group lessons charging $30+ per group class, per dog. I was told, "Dog walks just don't sell in medium-sized cities. Although it might not seem fair to you as a business owner, the mistakes your sitters make are your fault as a boss, so it's your loss. The field of dog training is exploding, and there are new opportunities developing all the time. Again, you can A/B test your prices during the sales call, and experiment to zero in on what you can charge. What to Consider Before Getting a Pet for the Holidays (or Ever. Gaining education and experience increases your earning potential as a dog trainer, but it's not the only benefit. In Midtown Mix, the households are dominated by consumers who pursue active social lives – frequenting bars, health clubs, and restaurants at high rates, listening to progressive music, driving small imports, and acquiring the latest consumer electronics. " Don't Underestimate The Power of 50 Cents.
Dog Behavior Conference. Local pet sitters who don't walk dogs. Small fees literally punish your clients for doing business with you and clients hate hidden fees. This is because my price increase signaled that my team and I deserved more money for our hard work and the service we provide. At first I thought there was no way I could charge such a low price, but one day it clicked. Why did the professional dog walker worksheet 4. A theft in the USA last week became global news as the dog walker of pop singer Lady Gaga was shot in the chest as thieves stole her two pet bulldogs.
Also, it's good to search ads on free advertising platforms. Since they're super technology savvy and into electronics, your specialty is going to be to create and maintain a web page that you can load with pictures and narratives of each walk you take with their dogs, profiling what you're doing with their pets as the walk progresses, so that these women feel confident that their beloved pooches are not only in the right hands but having a blast while at it. But there's more to do! What are your options? Why did the professional dog walker worksheet answers. Yet as we said from the beginning, the opportunity for success is enormous because there are millions of dog owners who want your service. As with many careers, dog trainers often start out catering primarily to the local market.
There are definitely some behaviors that you need to master with your dog through your pre-natal training program, but don't worry — the expectations are not far fetched. Also, setting low prices can signal you are a budget brand, which can attract flaky customers that are looking to get the most benefit out of the least amount of pay. But understand that if you get paid by check and you don't have a business checking account, you will have to ask the client to write the check out to your personal name rather than to a business. Becoming a Dog Walker: Setting Up Your Dog Walking Services Well. The entirety of your price increase goes straight to your bottom line. However, you can make sure you recover the cost of the meet & greet by charging a minimum fee of $100 for the first time booking of service. Dog parents who need a dog walker or dog boarding are often pleased to pay a higher fee if their dog will receive expert training at the same time. I also recommend looking over your reports to make sure you have been saving enough for your credited visits.
They allow you to accept and process their credit card payments, manage your calendar, manage your clients, pets and service plan and agreement records through a centralized system, and do so from the comfort of your mobile device. It ensures consistency in the management of cashflow when you know that money is coming in on a fixed day of the week or the month just like payday. This is how they'd be more willing to help you in becoming a dog walker. If you have upcoming travel plans, it may not be the best time to bring a pet home. If you live in a colder climate and are getting a dog that needs potty training, be prepared for late nights, early mornings, and invest in a good flashlight, and a warm coat and boots for you and your dog. There is no faster way to go broke than by not tracking how cash is flowing through your hands in or out. How Much to Charge for Dog Walking and Pet Sitting Service. The police warned dog owners to take extreme care online and in parks. When you get close to the highest price your market will pay, your potential clients make "microdecisions. " Further, when your big client is not booking, you don't have work. Should I Charge For A Meet & Greet? List at the top of the card the most important benefit that your business offers, followed by your personal contact information.
With the new price, profit per service is $10. The profit increased from $8. Good trainers will seek out the latest information, committing to continuing education throughout their careers. Start with the first bite. The following is a concise list of potential locations where to arrange access for your dog walking flyers or business cards: - Local veterinary clinics. Why did the professional dog walker worksheet creator. This is an important distinction to make when you are offering free services, or giving a client a visit for free because you or a sitter made a mistake. Dog Walking Customer Referral Program. I recommend using your new price during at least five new client calls before you either adjust your price and run another test to see how much clients are willing to pay, or commit to your new prices.
Entry-level positions at big box pet stores offer the opportunity to build experience, but provide some of the lowest pay. Be sure to check it out, here. Not only did none of my clients leave when I raised my prices, some of them started tipping more. Be sure to promote your group in your flyers and blog posts and other media that you use to reach your audience.
Becoming A Dog Walker Is Only The Beginning. If while becoming a dog walker you see that your prices are much higher than your competitors, then you'll have to justify your higher price for your clients with a service offering worth that premium, or you'll have to lower your weekly earnings expectations. I later looked into my reports. You can also click on the bottom-right corner of the Estimator's pane to download a free copy and work on it off-line. First things first, list out all of the wonderful things your dog can do! Professional dog walking services tend to invoice clients on a weekly or monthly basis. This left us with a huge hole in our revenue.
Some clients are hard to please. I tried packages for a while, but many clients did not want to book enough service to get the price breaks. Assuming your expenses remain the same, your bottom line also increases by 22%. Take the only online course that teaches a complete set of proven procedures and policies developed specifically for professional pet sitters and dog walkers. How Much Should I Charge For All Day Service. However, I had one competitor in my area that was super busy doing majority dog walks. Ask them questions about their dogs. Create a form so people can contact you in writing. Solicitation is what you do when you attempt to secure a sale directly from a stranger. Compare your price with the prices offered by your competitors.
Pet owners specifically seek a trainer to find solutions and to forge a closer, happier relationship with their dog – a dog that they often view as a family member. Let your clients know that you post pictures and short stories of their dogs' adventures. In every post list the cities that you serve so that you can rank for them in the search results pages anytime anyone living in them looks for a dog walker agent online. We started with the suggestion that to begin offering dog walking services, you first need to think like a marketer and defined who you're going to proposition in the marketplace. Show interest in their animals. Now, that's an accomplishment worth barking up a storm for! If you are the most popular service in town, you can likely get away with charging the most. When they finally move on, you lose all of that revenue, and you are left trying to grow your company before your staff quits or your bills come due. Don't forget to present them with every medium that they can use to reach you – phone, social network, Boxer, WhatsApp, Skype, etc.
And this is a crucial factor in becoming a dog walker. He went on to tell me he landed some of his biggest clients because he does not charge a last minute fee. Make sure your child knows the importance of avoiding strangers and staying out of the homes of customers with whom he's not familiar. The ability to influence behavior in any situation and 4. If you cut the invoice too early, Happy Go Mobile will simply pick up the add-ons to include them in the next invoicing cycle. In essence, a manners program implements really good impulse control and how to "ask permission" by offering an appropriate behavior such as a sit. It's almost always better to keep your pricing strategy as simple as possible. Unfortunately, there have also been plenty of injuries sustained by children who haven't been taught how to approach an animal properly, or how to recognize when an animal wants to be left alone.
Then wear your dog walking branded shirt whenever you're out walking dogs or anywhere that your target audience frequents. Let people see you as accessible. The space bubble will show your dog that they cannot invade someone's personal space without an invitation and this will include your delicate little baby. So, find your uniqueness and exclusivity for your niche. Ask questions and take advantage of all the educational and networking opportunities available to you. You must be careful, however, on how and to who you deliver these dog walker door hangers. I tell my clients that the minimum fee just covers us getting them set up in the system. If you are looking for a quick and dirty way to set your prices, this is a good starting point. I like to set my prices above most of my competition, but a bit lower than the most expensive service in town. Whether you're currently a groomer looking to train, a trainer looking to add walking and boarding to your services, or a specialist who communicates with and coordinates care with your client's veterinarian to rule out health issues, coordination or diversity of services offered is becoming more important than ever.