Mobile Grooming Pricing by Jay Scruggs
My main objective in writing this article is to help mobile groomers earn what they are worth by pricing thier business accordingly. As a mobile groomer I learned as most of us did to have seperate prices for my service, travel charge, and any ad on's such as medicated bath, de-shedding etc. I found out very soon there was an easier way. In my opinion, when a potential client calls and I begin quoting these seperate prices that tend to add up quickly they seem to be price shocked. My experience is those customers that ask first "how much do you charge" are usually shopping for a bargain or comparing prices of different companies. These people usually won't be a steady source of income for you anyway. The customers that are more interested in the services you offer and the care their pet will be receiving are the ones you want to target as long term clients. The first thing I do when a potential client calls is explain th type of business I run and let them know the benefits a mobile salon has to offer compared to spending the day in a shop. Then I quote them a starting price, for instance "our base price is $65 and go up from there. If you put a limit on a price exe. "a schnauzer is $65 to $75" you limit your ability to charge more if the dog is matted, aggressive, or has a difficult coat to dry. If the toy poodle you quoted a price over the phone turns out to be a very large miniature poodle you have just cost yourself time and money. If a dog comes to you and the owner says "I brush him every day", we all know that means I never brush him and they are matted to the skin. You've just lost time and money once again.
The animals that come to us matted to the skin and should have been groomed six times since their last haircut should be charged accordingly. I personally have no tolerance for the customers who bring thier dogs to us in this kind of condition and I don't feel one bit guilty charging them a lot of money to groom them. I in turn will not demat a dog that has been neglected. Reason being, if I were to take the time to demat their pet once, nine times out of ten the pet will come back in the same condition next time. You've just performed a miracle, now th client dosen't feel guilty because of how good their pet looks.
If groomers would charge more for their services instead of trying to undercut the groomer down the road our industry would be a lot more lucrative for all of us. I believe we are one of the most underpaid professions for the amount of physical and mental work we endure. Many groomers I meet at trade shows or seminars ask the question " how do I raise my price without losing customers?" If you lose a customer over a price increase you probably didn't need them anyway! Instead of raising your prices after you realize you are not charging enough, raise them now. Establish a set time of year each year and raise your prices accordingly. Your customers will come to expect the price increase every year. Don't skip a year, inflation does not. We raise our prices once a year when we give out our schedules for the new year. Our customers expect that. Remember we need to train our customers not have them train us.
We have to remember we are all in this industry for our love of animals, but we should be rewarded for our work. A quote to remember " anything you do that dosen't make you money is a hobby". How many people do you know have a job they love and the freedom that goes along with it? Not many! You have a job you love and should earn a nice income to boot.
Our goal is to build a clientel to a point you are booked months in advance or no longer taking new customers. We have built our business to the point all pets are groomed at least once a month and many are groomed weekly and bi-monthly. We achieved this by training our customers not them training us. It is not reasonable to turn customers down at first when building a client base, the objective is to educate them and get them to be a more regular customer. This make our job easier and is a lot healthier for the animal.
One way to get the customers to come back more often is to take a before picture of their pet,save it. When that four week point comes around send the an e mail of the dirty dog picture with the subject " I need to see the groomer" from the dog. This will get them in every time.
If you haven't attended any seminars GO! You will learn alot. Education is the key to building your business. You will learn from different speakers different ways to run your business. The way I have described is what has worked for my business and may not work for everyone, it's just how I do things.
We have built our business to the point where we no longer take new customers. Our waiting list has a waiting list and we charge a membership fee if they are a new customer which ensures a appointment indefinitely. I want you to be successful, let's stop cutting each others throats with slashing prices to be competitive. There are plenty of dogs for everyone to groom. Charge for your expertise, don't groom for a hobby anymore. Now go out and make some money. For more information or to contact Jay visit www.superstylingsessions.com CHECK OUT OUR NEW BUSINESS OF GROOMING DVD. $49.95
Jay Scruggs
Here Comes the Groom
