Go Mobile and Succeed

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.