Go Mobile and Succeed

Using YouTube As A Marketing Tool

Using YouTube As A Marketing Tool

How would you like to have the ability to reach out to potential customers with your friendly face and cheerful voice that won't cost a penny? Consider using YouTube as a marketing tool. Let those who are looking for grooming services meet you up close and personal with just a click.

It is easy to do because technology is on our side. You can use a camera or your smart phone to make a short video starring YOU and your van, trailer or salon. Add the video to your website/Facebook page. This makes a great first impression when they see you in the flesh with your genuine, sincere smile and sparkling clean environment. If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is a video worth? I’m my opinion; it’s worth its weight in gold.

I know the YouTube video that is on my website has contributed to my full appointment book. Callers comment that they’ve seen it when they are inquiring about my services. If callers haven’t seen it, I’ll send them there to take a peek. Often, they call back to make an appointment. Sometimes we get a chuckle out of it. Granted, I’m not an actress. I just had fun with it! I think I look a bit dorky but maybe that is part of the charm.

You can reshoot your video over and over again until you are satisfied. In less then an hour you can have the video uploaded onto YouTube and posted on your site. It’s that easy! To date I have had 900 views. Pretty good deal in my opinion considering it was done in an afternoon.

Please visit my website http://www.royalcaninemobilegrooming.com/ if you’d like to visit my YouTube “Tour The Van.” You will find it under the Gallery tab. Technology has opened up a whole new marketing and advertising tool that will benefit you and your business and it’s FREE! Why not take advantage of it? Spice up your website/Facebook page with your first starring role in a YouTube video your customers will never forget.

 

My First Webinar On Demand - The Sixty Minute Health And Wellness Groom

The Sixty-Minute Health And Wellness Groom

When Ellen Ehrlich started her mobile business right out of school she groomed a St. Bernard the first week and every dog took hours or more. By going to seminars and conventions, being an avid reader, and constantly challenging herself, she slowly began to carve those minutes away as she improved her skills. She can now groom a small dog that is on the proper maintenance groom schedule in sixty minutes or less. At the same time Ellen began to “reorganize” her business. Her appointment book became full of cooperative cats and small dogs on maintenance trims with accommodating owners.

This is more then just a “how-to” seminar. Ellen will share her philosophy and explain how to set up your grooming business so that every trim is 60 minutes or less, guaranteeing you more grooms in a day with less stress and wear and tear on you as you build the ideal relationship with your customers.

Topics covered include breeds, styles, pricing, prep tips, bathing tips, drying tips, and grooming tips for groomers with the emphasis on your health and well being! Let Ellen guide you to making every groom a healthy, happy 60 minutes or less.

$24.99, Running Time 45 minutes 

After payment you will get a link to the recording. You can watch it when you want to, stop it and finish it another time. You can watch it as many times as you like just like a DVD.

To purchase the recording you can register here and watch it now!

Live webinars of this class will be available at future dates to be announced.

Feel free to comment below or send me an email. I look forward to having you in class!

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For information on other Webinars On Demand by top speakers in the grooming industry click here: www.pawsitiveeducationaltraining.com

 

 

2012 – Starting Out On The Right Paw

2012 is starting out on the right paw! Royal Canine Mobile Grooming is going to be better then ever. I’m very excited about the changes I am going to implement this year. My goal is to run my business even more efficiently. This means more time for me to write and make dog bows!

The first thing I will be doing is encouraging my customers to communicate with me by text or email, especially my new customers. (Thank you Judi Cantu Thacker for this brilliant idea) In my world the phone is becoming a thing of the past. I can never stop to answer it when my hands are full of soapy bubbles but I can peek at a text message. I can peek at an email and I can respond immediately to both. The last thing I want to do is stop and listen to a voicemail once or twice and have to write the information down. When a customer responds by smartphone all the information is stored for you forever. It’s the only way to go.

I will be adding to my Policy Form that I must have access to the pet when the owner is not home. This is becoming more important to me everyday. The busier mobile groomers get, the less they can accommodate their customers time and day requests. Crazy as it sounds, in our business, they have to accommodate us! What takes precedence is the daily schedule and route. We are only one person. We can only be one place at a time.  It doesn’t make sense to zig zag all over town wasting gas and minutes.

NO MORE SHAVEDOWNS! After six years in this business I am pulling the plug. I am done. I have found these are the customers that you can’t make happy. More important, I don’t enjoy doing it. If potential customers are not willing to get on a six week grooming schedule or less, I am not the mobile groomer for them.  They will have to go elsewhere.

Charge by the hour instead of the trim. This is a BIGGIE! One thing I have learned in this business is that two dogs of the same breed are not created equal. Look at these guys and you have the classic example.

There is another reason why charging by the hour is so important. If one of my maintenance trims should miss an appointment, you know what that means! The next time I see the dog they will have twice as much hair. More time. More labor. Explain to your customer up front that there will be a higher groom fee. Make sure they know you are not “raising their price.” You are just being fairly paid for the additional time it takes to groom the dog.

I’d like to close with some words of wisdom. Keep this is mind everyday. As I always say: Run the business. Don’t let it run you. You come first. Get tough. You can say “No.” Do what makes you happy. Take care of yourself everyday. Feel good about yourself and what you do. This is the key to a successful business and a happier you.

I want to wish everybody a happy, healthy holiday and New Year. There are going to be some very exciting new things for Go Mobile And Succeed in 2012. It is wonderful to see our industry grow in so many new directions on the Internet. Who knows what the future holds for every one of us. Just wake up everyday and do your best. That’s what I do!

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Holiday Special until December 25^th!!!! Free shipping on all Go Mobile And Succeed Products. Treat yourself or a special grooming friend to the secrets of my success. Go Mobile And Succeed, 49 Essays on Pet Grooming and Go Mobile And Succeed – The Two-Hour Seminar DVD. For more information go to: www.gomobileandsucceed.com. You are always welcome to send an email to: ellen@rcmgrooming.com.

 

Bows, Glorious, Bows

I have fallen madly in love with ribbon. This is only natural for someone like me. I’ve been sewing since I was ten years old. I have always been fascinated with making something out of nothing and I enjoy working with my hands. It only took one visit to the craft store to get me hooked. Let’s talk bow making!

Locally, I’ve had the best luck at Michael’s finding inexpensive ribbon. I have found that 3/8” works best for ear bows, with 5/8” and 7/8” for collar bows. My store has a large display of ribbon in 3-yard packages for $1.00 a spool on sale. If you cut the ribbon between 11-13 inches long you will get about 10 pieces of ribbon. This works out to approx. 10 cents apiece.

I precut all my ribbon and keep it in a plastic bag so it stays organized and clean. I use grosgrain ribbon. I like the way this type of ribbon looks. It has an interesting texture and makes for an attractive bow. Grosgrain ribbon also gives the bow weight and an expensive feel.

Make sure you use thick, high quality rubber bands. You might want to use two rubber bands instead of one so your bow will have back up in case one rubber band breaks. Upholstery thread is the way to go with a long darning needle for stitching it all together. Make sure the needle is sharp so it is easy to push through the layers of ribbon. You won’t have to make as many passes with the needle because this thread is heavy duty and doesn’t break. I always triple knot my thread.

You can also make bows out of paper flowers. These were purchased at Michael's.

Finding something special to put in the center of the bow is the fun part. You can use beads, pom poms, buttons, rosettes…that’s up to you. You can wander around the craft store and buy anything that strikes your fancy. I hand stitch all my bows. I keep my trinkets in a little container that includes an assortment of styles and colors so I can mix and match. Experiment. You can also troll eBay for goodies and do-dads for bow centers.

Many of the local craft stores have coupons every week. Some creative groomers frequent the Dollar Stores and buy the 99 cent stems of plastic flowers, popping off the flowers and going that route.

(Photo Courtesy of Bo Sommer)

I found the cutest packages of bugs and spiders for my Halloween bows at 99 cents a package at a dollar store. They came in two colors, black and white so I bought one of each. I even have plenty left over for next year’s bows!

I am a big fan of the collar bows. I find that many of my customers do leave them on until the next groom. Ear bows can leave knots and tangles in the hair and frankly, I don’t like putting them in. The biggest bonus in regard to collar bows– you only need one! That’s a money saver. 

Some holiday bows...

Everyday bows...

Here are some ear bows. These were easy as pie! All I had to do was stitch a rubber band on the back as pictured.

Now, if you are reading this and shaking your head and saying this is not going to happen, there is hope! If bow making is not your cup of tea there are many talented, creative groomers out there that make bows. One of my favorites is Tica Verret. Tica has a large assortment of high quality, hand crafted items. Check out her facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/TicaBows. Other places to find interesting bows are www.etsy.com, www.ebay.com or just google “bows.” To get more familiar with bow making you can also watch bow videos on youtube.

Every single one of my customers has noticed the hand made bows. They love them and are impressed when I say I made them myself. No doubt, bows can give your groom the WOW factor. They are the icing on the cake. A finishing touch. Dress up your furry best friends in the finest bling and guess what will happen? Every time your customer sees that snazzy bow on their pet’s collar, they will think of you and smile. Whatever path you follow, you can be creative or spend some time having fun shopping for bows on the Internet. It’s even a good idea to just look around and get ideas. I’m hoping this blog will light a spark under your bow-making fire as we all head towards the holiday season together. 

 

Fun In The Sun 2011/Halloween

Fun In The Sun 2011/Halloween

What do you get when you combine a grooming convention and Halloween….double the fun! I’m glad I took advantage of the opportunity to attend Fun In The Sun for the first time. With the lure of a cheap plane ticket and staying with friends, I just couldn’t say no. As I flew through the clouds on my way to Orlando, I spent my time with ribbon and a needle and thread, making a pile of collar bows for all my furry friends when I return home.

All the stars were aligned for me on this trip. I managed to miss a devastating winter snowstorm that hit the East coast when I was gone. My plane took off on time, leaving behind my family, who spent three days without power, heat or phone, while I took advantage of some down time floating on the Lazy River at the beautiful Championship Resort where the show was held.

I knew this was my last hurrah facing the winter weather as a mobile groomer and I was going to take advantage of it. Florida mobiles are one lucky bunch. They don’t have to face the trials and tribulations we do heading into November as we turn the clock back and the temperatures start to drop.

This was a last minute trip for me so I had few obligations at the show. I was able to visit with my southern grooming buddies that I often don’t get to see. I spent some time with Ali and her family at the Groomers Mall who are some of my favorite people. I was able to watch quite a bit of the grooming competition, awed by the talent and skill of the humble Lindsay Dicken, as she took four 1^st place wins in Division A.

I got a kick out of seeing many canines dressed in their Halloween finery, the highlight being a Boston terrier in a pink tutu and a matching polka dot bandana. This little girl was into it as she strutted her stuff on the trade show floor entertaining everyone, wherever she went.

It was great to see two special friends from my old days at petgroomer.com, Judi Stratton and Lee Duffy. I was very proud of Lee who won an Honorable mention with her yorkie pom Chloe.

I even got to meet Amber Powell-Brooks and Celeste McCormack from my Facebook group Go Mobile And Groom.

The Halloween Party was a lot of fun on Saturday night. I was glad I saved many of the costumes that my kids wore when they were growing up. I managed to dig up a pair of feather wings and a silver tinsel halo, dressing up as an angel as I got into the spirit of it all. I even managed to cut a rug or two as the DJ played some rockin’ music on the dance floor. The cutest couple by far was Sally and Jerry Shinberg, dressed up as witches, shrouded in orange and black.

I was feeling pretty cheerful until I read the text message from my husband when the plane landed. A transformer had blown up on our street and the power was out again. Driving home was just horrendous. Everywhere you looked were hanging wires and power lines, branches and trees were all over the place.

I managed to unpack while it was still light outside. Then DH and I decided to go to the movies and eat out. We stopped at my Mom’s house, delivering all the frozen food we had in our freezer as she still had power. We got home, lit a few candles,  and wandered around the house with flashlights in hand. Brrrrr! It was cold. Forty degrees!

Looking back I’m sure glad I took a nice long float on the Lazy River because last night I huddled under a pile of blankets, frozen like an ice cube. I’m a bit upset with Mother Nature as I’m hoping this storm isn’t an indication of things to come. The power in our house is out but not in the van. The green light is on.  I’m always ready to groom!

 

Three Ways To Create Loyal Customers And Grow Your Business

Three Ways To Create Loyal Customers And Grow Your Business

Don’t you love to please your customers? I know I do. I’m always happy to return Fluffy to Mom and Dad clean, trimmed, and wagging her tail with a spiffy collar bow. As business owners we all try to do the right things to keep our customers coming back. In our line of work there is no doubt that there is a relationship between the groomer, owner, and pet. How do we cement this relationship so that a new customer becomes a repeat client for the life of their furry friend? That is the question.

What pet owner doesn’t want to know that their baby is relaxed and in good hands? Ever since I got a smart phone I’ve been taking advantage of photo opportunities in the van. When grooming multiple dogs, I whip out the phone and it’s picture time. While I give big sister a trim on the grooming table I love texting pictures to the owner of little brother taking a snooze in the sunshine. One of my favorites is taking photos of puppy’s first groom. Oftentimes, that picture winds up as the wallpaper on the family’s computer screen, a reminder of you, their groomer.

Let’s talk hairballs. When the fur starts to fly, I spring into action, reaching into the drawer for a recycled plastic newspaper bag. Nothing says repeat business like the dreddded “Bag Of Hair” that the owner is always horrified to see. A bag of Fluffy’s shedding hair is a wake up call to the owner to get the pet on a maintenance grooming schedule. That’s the perfect time to hand the owner a card with their next appointment on it.

What about the words, “Thank you?” Thank you is defined as telling someone that you are grateful for something they have said or done. I have had so many wonderful experiences with my customers and their pets through the years. If your customers have done someone special for you let them know it. In this day and age it’s as easy as sending a text message or an email from your phone to let them know that they are appreciated.

These are three of the ways that have helped me create an appointment book full of pets on maintenance schedules and considerate owners that I look forward to see. It doesn’t take much effort to go the extra mile. It is so worth it and it won’t cost you a penny! Incorporate thoughtfulness into your daily routine. Your customers will get the message and your business will flourish.

 

 

 

Watching Women Succeed

Watching Women Succeed

I have loved watching women succeed in the grooming industry. I have watched them follow their dreams and go to grooming school, build and open their own shop, buy mobile vans, and start new businesses. I’ve met very smart, talented, and funny women. Through them I have learned the meaning of friendship.

I am proud to know so many women that work for good causes, who support and help others, who educate, who sacrifice, who understand the meaning of respect and trust. I have been to many different places and met many people since I became a groomer. I’ve watched people grow. I’ve seen many changes, even in myself.

I know I’m supposed to be writing about mobile grooming but sometimes I get philosophical. I like to spend time thinking and using my imagination. Perhaps that is one reason I love grooming and writing. I have a blog that gives me the opportunity to write about grooming and my experiences. Then, I can creatively focus on the task at hand during my workday, brushing and trimming that sweet puppy that is giving me kisses on my grooming table. I know I could never sit behind a desk, surrounded by paper, answering phones. There is something magical and addictive about grooming. I can’t deny it. It’s part of my soul.

Success can be measured in many ways. Success can be attending your first grooming show, making bows, finding a forever home for a homeless pet, volunteering at a shelter, fostering a mommy cat and her kitties or making a new best-friend in the grooming industry. It doesn’t matter how old you are or where you live or how many years you’ve been grooming. It’s about the big picture. I’ve seen many in the grooming industry start from scratch, reinvent themselves, create new lives, expand their lives, have babies, get married, move, but our topic is always about grooming. We all stick together under the same umbrella.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Eternal Optimist/Super Zoo 2011

The Eternal Optimist/Super Zoo 2011

Last week was a whirlwind! Thursday I drove through the floods of Hurricane Irene to Groom Expo in Hershey, Pennsylvania. On Sunday night I made it safely back to New Jersey. On Monday I headed to Las Vegas, the Mandalay Bay Hotel, and Super Zoo. I didn’t know what time zone I was in or which way was up.  Another adventure was underway.

This was my first visit to Super Zoo. Primarily a retail show for the Pet Industry, they also host a small assortment of vendors in the grooming industry and a full scale grooming competition, including Rescue Rodeo. I love the Rescue Rodeo. It gives groomers the opportunity to get their feet wet in the competition ring where they don’t have to supply their own dog; one is provided for them by rescue organizations, making it much easier for them to compete. It is a labor of love by those who participate hoping that a freshly groomed pet will increase the chances that they will find a new family to care for them. Many are adopted on the spot. At Atlanta Pet Fair’s Rescue Rodeo this year about 50% of those on the grooming table found a forever home. Money is raised and donated to the rescues through Registration Fees. It’s a great cause.

The reason I went to Super Zoo this year was to attend the Crystal Awards Ceremony where I was nominated for Mobile Groomer Of The Year. I came away empty handed. I have to tell you the truth. I was disappointed when my name wasn’t called. Afterwards, in my hotel room, as I mulled this over, I began to look on the bright side. It was an honor to be nominated and I am grateful to those who voted for me. I started my business in 2006 and have been a part of the grooming industry since 2009. I have come so far is such a short time. Who could be sad about that? I perked up, counted my blessings, and promptly started planning and plotting my next move in the grooming industry, always looking towards the future.

The future for me is right around the corner. On Sunday, October 16^th, I have an exciting all-day seminar planned for those interested in hearing my “take” on mobile grooming.  Half day is also available. In conjunction with the Groomers Mall in Virginia, we are proud to offer the “Mobile Adventure with Ellen Ehrlich.” The Adventure includes a three-seminar package – Go Mobile And Succeed (2 hours) The 60 Minute Mobile Maintenance Groom (1 hour, NEW) and 9-5 with Royal Canine Mobile Grooming (1 hour, NEW) including an Andis Clipper Clinic and lunch. There will also be Door Prizes. Lucky groomers will win an Andis Pink XL Clipper, 2 Andis Show Edge 30 Blades, 2 Groomer's Mall $30 Gift Cards, 2 Southall Sharpening $20 gift cards and a Go Mobile And Succeed book. If you’re within striking distance, and even if you’re not, come on out!  Arrangements have been made with the Holiday Inn Express for a reduced room rate at $109.00 per night. For hotel information go to: http://www.hiexpress.com/hotels/us/en/midlothian/ricva/hoteldetail. For seminar information go to: www.groomersmall.com and click on “Seminar.” If you have any questions you can contact Allie at the Groomers Mall or send an email directly to me at: ellen@rcmgrooming.com.

I already have some irons in the fire for the month of November. I’ve been invited to be a guest on an Internet radio show. More information to follow. I jumped at this opportunity because my plan is to put a motivational and inspirational spin on my foray into mobile grooming and the grooming industry. This is something I would really like to expand upon in the future. When I started my new career at fifty years old, I had no idea I would travel far and wide, make new friends, both in person and online, be on TV and the radio, blog and write books, speak at grooming conventions, and most important, help others accomplish their goals, hopes and dreams.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adding Mobile To Your Salon/Hershey Groom Expo 2011

Adding Mobile To Your Salon/Hershey Groom Expo 2011

There was an interesting twist at Groom Expo this weekend. When speaking to many groomers, a new topic came up for me; adding mobile services to an existing salon. That intrigued me and then it rang a bell. Think of all the possibilities! If you have a salon that is bursting at the seams, consider adding mobile grooming.

Take a look around and see if your area is ripe for this service. As I’ve said, there are just not enough mobile stylists to go around.  Because you have a salon you could be way ahead of the game. A percentage of your customers might love the convenience of mobile and be more then willing to pay the additional fee. You may have a trusted salon employee in mind that would pounce at the opportunity to drive off into the sunrise every morning to groom puppies and kitties all day. That person might even be you… hiring someone to take your place in the salon. This is just some food for thought! I’m sure I will be returning to this important subject in the future.

As many of you know, Groom Expo almost didn’t happen this year due to Hurricane Irene. On Wednesday night it rained so hard I was concerned the show would be cancelled. There was flooding and roads were closed. On Thursday morning I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed and off I drove hoping I wouldn’t be seen floating in my car on the evening news. I made it safely and as soon as I got there it felt like Old Home Week. I love Hershey! This is my seventh time. I love the lobby, the fireplace, the comfy leather chairs, the cozy atmosphere and the chocolate martinis! I immediately sprang into action running around collecting items for the Internet Social, which was a huge success thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and vendors. We raised money for Missy Arnold, one of our own who needs our help.

On Friday I attended Judi Cantu Thackers all-day seminar, “It’s My Way On The Highway” which I thoroughly enjoyed; then off to the Boy Voyage Deck Party. What a hoot! It was a lot of fun seeing a room full of groomers dressed up in their funniest and finest cruise ware, complete with Hawaiian shirts, maps, life preservers, sunglasses, and wearing floats.

The rest of the weekend I hung with my pals at the Groomers Mall chatting away with many old and new friends. I love doing this. I get to find out who went to grooming school, who bought a new van or trailer, who is converting a van or sold their van, how their business is going or what new gizmo they bought. I am always interested in my grooming friends, what they have to say, and what their plans are.

My temperature started to rise as the day wore on, as I knew what lay in store for me. Saturday night was the Barkleigh Awards and I was nominated for two – Up And Coming Speaker and Blogger Of The Year. Now I find this crazy ironic. Two things I’m sure you didn’t know about me. I used to be terrified of public speaking and spent six months in Toastmasters overcoming my fears. When I signed up for a blog I stressed over having enough topics to write about! I don’t how this all happened, really. Life is strange, and wonderful.

Things got a little “hairy” when I stumbled upon two of my competitors, Daryl Connor and Debi Hilley, on the way to the Awards Ceremony. We decided to duke it out for the blog award on the way to the ceremony! We all lost out to a dear friend Barbara Bird, a very special person that is respected, admired, and loved by so many in our industry. Although I did not come home with an award, I was a winner. I was very honored to be nominated twice!

To be continued…

www.gomobileandsucceed.com

 

 

 

A Visit From The Mobile Vet

A Visit From The Mobile Vet

It sure was nice to be on the receiving end of mobile services for my poodle Jesse last week. Now I can relate to how my customers feel when I show up to groom their pets. I searched out a mobile vet because my dog does poorly when he needs to see a doctor no matter what I do. His last visit resulted in twenty-four hours of diarrhea, including waking hubby I and up all night. On another occasion, my poodle almost keeled over in the back seat of my car as we headed home from a visit. Have you ever seen a dog almost faint? I have and it’s not pretty. I dreaded taking him back.

Mobile vet care is similar to mobile grooming in many ways. The best part is the doctor comes to you and your pet is seen immediately. There is no waiting involved. You don’t have to drive back and forth to the vet’s office where your cat or dog may get upset around other pets like mine does. My poodle has a sixth sense when he is headed to the doctors office. If tears could flow, they would! The panting starts and it’s downhill from there.

So, when Jesse started shaking his head and scratching his ear I knew we were in trouble. Suspecting an ear infection, I did not want to take him in for a visit. Since we had a mobile vet in our area, I did some googling and found Dr. DiMaria of Pets Aloud Mobile Vet and made an appointment. Yes, I did have to pay a Housecall Fee but it was worth it to me. When she showed up to examine Jesse I felt a sigh of relief. This was going to make caring for my poodle so much easier.

Wouldn’t you love to see these two show up to care for your sick furry friend?

Jesse jumped into the truck and started investigating.

 
They had everything on board from a lab to an operating room and it was sparkling clean!

 

In less then twenty minutes my poodle was examined, treated and back in the house without a peep. I was hooked and so was Jesse!

When you’re thinking mobile services think outside the box. The more I see the more I am able to confirm what I have always known. The mobile universe continues to expand in so many different directions, giving a wide range of options to pet owners who are looking for specialty services for their furry best friend.