Marketing Your Dog Grooming Services

If you’re pursuing your dream of owning a dog grooming business, you’re likely familiar with some key marketing principles. Creating a name for yourself, building your brand, and attracting new dog grooming customers should all be high on your list of priorities!

We don’t have to tell you just how important marketing is for your business – not only do you need to put a strong marketing plan in place for your grooming business, you’ll also need to pay careful attention to how you continue to market your services once you’re up and running.

Follow the useful marketing guide below to ensure you cover all your bases and keep those grooming clients (both furry and human!) coming through your door.

Know your brand

What does your dog grooming business offer to clients? Perhaps you’re an expert shampooer, or your nail clipping services are above and beyond. As you create your marketing plan (before you even start offering services), take some time to reflect and determine exactly what you can offer clients as a groomer.

Knowing your strengths will not only help you market your services, it will also give you an edge over your dog grooming competition! Your business name, logo design, and even your online presence are all influenced by your brand.

Each dog groomer has their own strengths, and being fully aware of yours will allow clients to be aware of what you can provide. You’ll also attract new clients who are looking for specific services only you can offer!

Create a professional website

One of the most important components of your grooming business is your online presence. We live in a world that is fuelled by both social media and the ability to find information in a matter of seconds. Successful dog groomers know the importance of their website and instant communication with clients.

If you’re starting your own dog grooming business, creating a website should be your top priority. A professional website will attract the right clients who are looking for dog grooming services in their area, as well as keep current clients engaged with up-to-date information.

When creating your dog grooming website, take your time to do some research into design trends, look at other groomer’s websites, and consider the experience of the visitor. This will be the first impression of your business for many potential clients, so you want to make sure it is as impressive and informative as possible.

Keeping your brand in mind, be sure to inject some personality into your website! While you want to keep things professional and somewhat formal, you also want clients to be able to envision themselves getting to know you and becoming comfortable enough to trust you with their dogs. The right combination of friendly copy and pleasant images will help clients understand who you are and what services you offer, and will encourage them to get in touch!

Perfect your social media messaging

As a business owner, your professional website is the face you show to the world, but social media messaging is truly your voice! Create business accounts on channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as a way to attract new clients and keep your current clients engaged in a casual, fun way. Here are a few ways you can use each channel to its full potential:

• Facebook: Creating a business page on Facebook will allow your clients to find you, contact you, and communicate with you easily. Depending on your marketing plan, you can post content every day or several times a week that keeps potential and current clients in the loop about what’s happening in your salon. Sharing giveaways, events, discounts, and testimonials is a fantastic way to showcase your services and encourage page likes and comments. You can also answer questions, post blog content, and photos of your clients – it’s totally up to you!
• Twitter: This social media channel is even more casual than Facebook, as messages are limited to 140 characters or less. Twitter is best used as a way to post quick, brief updates about your dog grooming business, similar to your messaging on Facebook. You can also reply directly to questions, provide information, and share photos and videos to enhance your visitors’ experience.
• Instagram: As a visual medium, your Instagram account is essentially a showcase of your work as a dog groomer. With your clients’ permission, upload photos of various furry clients (the more varied, the better!) to Instagram and encourage likes and follows. This is an excellent way to show clients exactly what kind of services you offer, and reassure them that you’re an expert that they can trust their pet with!

Keep your clients happy

As a dog grooming professional, you know the importance of client satisfaction and how it can lead to referrals (among other benefits!). When creating your marketing plan, don’t overlook the ways in which your clients are treated – you want to cultivate an environment of trust and respect, as well as a reputation for always going above and beyond.

When a client enters your salon for the first time, with their pet in tow, provide them with a small welcome gift! This gift can be as simple as a discount on their dog’s first shampoo, or a free dog collar with your business name on it. No matter what the gift, be sure to promote this incentive on all of your website, email, and social media channels. Not all dog grooming businesses offer this, and new clients will be enticed by a discounted service or thoughtful gift.

Once your dog grooming business is up and running, you’ll need to stay as organized as possible when it comes to clients. Get into the habit of setting up the next grooming appointment while the client is still in your salon, and provide them with a reminder card to ensure they come back to you. Also, keep a meticulous database of client information that includes personal and contact information. With this, you can keep clients in the loop about grooming appointments, promotions, events, or any other goings-on in your salon. Your relationship with clients is key!

Finally, in order to attract new clients, word-of-mouth referrals are invaluable. Referral cards are one of the best marketing tools for your dog grooming business. Clients can give them to friends, family and co-workers, and can vouch for your dog grooming services from their own experience. Make it worth your clients’ while to share your business name with others – offer a discount on their next service if you they refer a new client!

Stay on your toes as a dog groomer by avoiding these rookie dog groomer mistakes!