You know that old saying, "Build it and they’ll come?" Well, you have built it, and your dream pet business has become a reality but now what? If you’ve listened to the advice, you've got your website up and running, you’ve created the social media pages and you’ve even got a big sign outside your door advertising that your business is now open. But now you’re just waiting for the mass of clients to come knocking at your door.
Unfortunately, there’s more to ‘building it’ than many new pet business owners realize. In today's world where clients are overloaded with information, you have to stand out and make them notice you.
So, if you want to start attracting your ideal clients and grow your pet business, then you’re in luck. I've outlined the steps that I used to get my pet boarding business fully booked within the first 3 months of opening and a 4-6 month waiting list every year since 2017.
1. Identify Your dream Client
Do you know who your dream client is? All pet owners are different; if you're a cat groomer you can’t just say your ideal client is a cat owner! You’re going to have to dig deeper than that if you want to attract them. Once you know who they are, what they want, and how you can serve them, you will be able to speak to them in all your content.
If you're struggling to picture your dream client, then here are some questions to get those juices flowing:
What are they like as a pet owner?
What do they worry about?
What is important to them as a pet owner?
What would make them book your services instantly?
If they were to use your service, how would they need to feel?
The cat furniture brand Catipilla has their dream client sussed, they know that their customer loves their cat, and want them to be happy, healthy and active but they have a modern sleek home and traditional cat furniture and scratch posts just wouldn't cut it for their dream customer. They want something aesthetically pleasing without compromising on their cats well being.
2. Find Your Secret Ingredient to attract your dream client
Every business has one thing that makes them special, so what makes your business special? Is it your previous experience or level of training that means that you can help with a certain kind of pet behaviour? Or do you have links with another amazing business and can offer something special such as a bespoke pet photography session during a doggy day care session? Or are you locally born and bred and know the secret off-beat walks that no one else knows? Maybe you have prior experience with giving daily injections, so it wouldn’t be a problem to give medication as part of your daily visit. Whatever it is, this is what will make you stand out, so shout about your specialness.
Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium in London isn't your average cat café. Not only can you enjoy a feline filled afternoon tea but they are massive cheerleaders for rescue cats and in fact, all their resident cats are rescue cats which they then help rehome, after a heavenly stay and at their café.
3. Build a Brand
A brand is your identity, and whether you like it or not, you need a brand. All businesses have a brand. It's how they are recognized; it tells us their values. Through the use of colours, fonts, words, or images, we can tell what a business represents. So it's important to give it some thought if you want your business to be perceived in a certain way.
Your brand also has a voice, a tone that your dream client will resonate with. If you're aiming for the premium, luxury market, then using slang words and "babe" all over your website and sharing photos of you at the end of your girls' night out on your Facebook page might not send the right message to your dream client about your brand. Same if you want to give off a zen, caring, and calming vibe, then your website and social media posts shouldn't be used as a space to publicly rant or moan.
You want to send the right message to potential customers about your brand. Just like Scoffpaper, I mean just look at their feed everything that they post is so on-brand! I might not have a dog but I love everything about them.
4. Create Captivating Content
Using what you know about your dream customer, your special ingredient, your brand, and how you want to be perceived, you’ll be able to create content that will make your purrfect client feel like you’re talking directly to them. And with the right content, they’ll be commenting and liking your posts, sending you messages, and eventually making a booking or two. That’s the goal, right?
Now, I know I'll probably upset a few people with this next statement, but it’s true…
Your ideal customer doesn’t really care about seeing a load of other people's pet photos on social media, especially when they’re looking uncomfortable!
But what they do care about is how you make them feel, how well you understand their concerns, and if you are the right person for them.
It’s easy to forget that the whole purpose of social media is to be social, to connect, and basically stay on the platform. If you can create content that makes people stop, give a thumbs up, or even tag someone else in the comments, then you’re winning. Don’t just post a random photo for the sake of it because you heard you should be posting daily no matter what. Post something because it's relevant, it showcases what you do, and it makes the reader think and you know that it is something that your dream client would want to see.
5. Get Your Name Out There
If you're starting out, then chances are you want to get your name out in your local area. There are lots of things you could do, like an open day, partnering with a local vet or pet shop, or starting a membership or loyalty program. You might even be tempted to offer a discount for their first booking. But, personally, I wouldn't. If you want to know why I wouldn't offer a discount to lure new customers in, then have a nosey at this blog here.
I did a few open days where people could come and look around without any expectations to book at the end. I got coverage in the local and national newspapers, did an interview with Paul Ross on Talk Radio, and appeared on the Channel 5 Gadget Show reviewing the latest tech for cats. All of this brought my purrfect customers to me because they liked what they saw or heard, so they got in touch.
Final Thoughts
In order to attract your dream client, you’ve got to get inside their head and make them feel like you are speaking to them. You want to give them answers to the questions before they even ask them and ease their concerns. Once you have the foundations in place, your purrfect clients won't be able to resist. The only problem you'll have will be keeping up with demand! But I'll be here to help you with that too.
If you want some more tips to attract your dream client, then grab my free workbook that takes you through the steps to attract your dream client.
P.S. You’ve got this!
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