The Grooming Guru

Staying Up in a Down Economy

  I've mentioned before that I belong to many online groomer forums.  Recently, there's been a lot of talk about the down economy and issues that many groomers are facing right now.  It seems to be a combination of less clients and more competition-- which can be devistaing for a small business. Since my business tends to stay busy year round, I wanted to share with you some of the things that I feel help contribute to the success of my shop.  

Know Your Niche

Know what seperates you from the other groomers in town.  Do you specialize in particular breeds? Are you certified by any of the national associations?  Do you cater to high end pets, promise short appointments,  or work with difficult dogs? By targeting your particular client in your advertising and the way you run your shop, you will attract a loyal and consistent clientele.  

Get More Education Wherever You Can

There's a lot of talk about whether or not education and certifying are really necessary in our industry. Whatever side of the issue you're on, learning additional skills through workshops or seminars you attend will always increase your performance and make you more attractive to your customers.  Never stop learning, and take the time to sharpen your skills by attending seminars wherever you can, or sign up for an online video site like learn2groomdogs for ongoing education. I find this site really helpful for brushing up on a breed I don't see often, or when I'm teaching one of my staff a new groom.  

Then Brag About It! -- Get The Word Out

Use your specialties, certificates and education to hype up any advertising that  you have.  Use an online newsletter to talk about any type of tradeshows or events you've gone to recently or breeds you are perfecting, and don't forget to post it on your Facebook Page!  

Have In-House Reward Programs for Preferred Customers

Consistant bookings means regular cash-flow.  Having a Preferred Customer Program ensures that my pet owners schedule multiple appointments on a regular basis.  Want to get new customers?  Try rewarding existing customers who refer new business to you, and that way they feel appreciated and are motivated to spread the word! I also have a 10% off coupon on my website to bring in new business (actually, we give this to all new clients).  This gives new clients a reason to try your shop with less risk and more reward.  

Consistency and Quality

Be sure to develop consistency throughout your shop and make quality your number one goal.  Try the following...

• Use good products 
• Have long-term staff so that your customers feel comfortable seeing the same faces.
• Hold meetings to talk about your shop's standards and systems.
• Discuss the different ways trims in your shop should be done. 

 

Cleanliness

While it is hard to put money into improvements  during down times, your shop should be clean *and smelling good* at all times. A clean shop shows you care about details and have pride in your business. Customers will want to come back if they know you run a tight and tidy ship.  

It's All About the Customer & Their Experience

• Be professional -- greet the customer and know frequent customer's and their pet's names
• Take extra time with new customers to get detailed information and let them trust that their pet is in a safe place
• Talk about their expectations and their needs
• If the owner wants something that's unrealistic, be honest about what you can and can't do (and why!!)

  Lastly, keep your chin up, and move ahead.  Instead of getting caught up in what other shops are doing, or the economy, try to stay focused and put energy into your own shop.  By putting time into developing these systems and training your staff, you will also develop customer loyalty.  Customer Loyalty translates into repeat bookings which keeps the cash coming in. If you've covered all of these bases, your shop can thrive in any economy!!

Funny Dog Pictures & Quotes

For all of you dog lovers out there, here are some photos to make you smile!!  

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

     

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

 

Keeping it Together When Everything Around You is Falling Apart

Just because I’ve written this book / blog about how to run your business does not mean that bad things never happen to me.

Recently, I’ve gone through a period that in the past would have probably made me want to shut my doors.  I lost 3 of my 4 bathers in a very short amount of time.  Then, a fabulous receptionist that I had just hired left for a new job.

All this happened while I was training up my existing staff to step in when my head groomer and manager leaves for maternity leave.  And to add to this on a personal level, my mother had surgery with a long recovery that required a lot of attention.

There was a time that this would have completely overwhelmed me.  However, now I find myself able to get through these moments without falling apart.  I don’t worry or go into panic mode. I have my program and systems in place, so I know what to do.

I find myself being very calm, which helps to keep my stress level down, and also allows me to be comforting to my remaining staff who were kind-of freaking out about the situation.  I was able to calm them down and let them know, “I’ve got this, we are going to get through this, and we’ll be fine.”

When things seem to go terribly wrong all at once...

The first thing you have to do is stabilize your shop.  If you are in a situation that you lose two or more employees at a time, you may have to move people around, bring in an old staff member, or even bring in a family member or significant other just to get things covered.  In this situation, I was able to shift people back towards the bathing, while I stepped in to handle the grooms.  By doing this, my staff didn’t feel like they were taking the burden for me or going beyond their comfort level to take on more.  I also held more meetings to discuss what was going on.  I remained calm and was able to let them depend on me throughout the transition.

Next, I went into hiring mode.  Since I had my ads already stored on Craigslist (click here to see How to Write an Ad) it only took me five minutes to tweak and post the ad.  After which, I put the rest of my hiring and process into place.

This all took a couple of weeks, and my life didn’t stop during this time.  I think one of the most important things that I’ve learned is to pace yourself during these times, so that you don’t get so wrapped up in the issue that everything else stops.  You might need to remind yourself that this is just one part of your business and that it is not the whole thing.  You need to make sure that you are taking breaks from the process, like not  looking at resumes on Sunday or taking a day off from interviewingl.

There's a paragraph Zen an the Art of Happiness by Chris Prentiss that states:  Imagine that god appeared before you this instant and said:  "I promise you that everything that happens to you from this moment forward will be of the greatest benefit to you and will bring you the utmost good fortune.  Suppose God went on to say, "Even though what happens will sometimes appear unfortunate, or hurtful, in the end your life will be wonderfully blessed, and hugely benefited by whatever happens."

 

I think what’s important to understand when you are going through these things that this is just part of running a business.

These things are not happening because you are doing anything wrong, or because you are a bad person.  It is just that these things happen.  We never know how long we are going to have someone in our lives or business, it could be for a short time period, or for longer.  So,  rather than falling apart and going into the “Poor Me” mode, I try to embrace the situation as an opportunity.

It’s not to say I do not find it somewhat frustrating, because I have to stop moving forward, and need to go in a different direction for awhile, but what really helps me keep things in perspective is to anticipate positive things from the new people coming into my shop.  (And, by doing so, this also helps new staff feel welcomed, and relieves the tension in the shop!)

 

Lastly, If you have your system in place, and you go back to that system, you aren’t redoing the whole process each time.  One of the reasons that I’ve talked so much about systems in my book / blog, is because you need them -- especially in times like this.  Having a set of steps that you take when something like this happens means that you efficiently get back to work much faster, and with a whole lot less stress.

If you think about it, all big businesses and small businesses should be alike.  When McDonalds loses someone, they don’t sit around wondering how they are going to go on.  They don’t throw their hands up in the air and shout, “OH MY GOD, I AM GOING TO MISS THIS PERSON! What do I do?”

No, they follow their system, put a new person in place, and they get back to work.

When you have your ad, your process for reviewing applicants, your selection process, interview questions, working interviews, hiring, and training methods in place --then you just go through the motions that you already know how to do.  And, as the title of this post suggests, you can go through all of this process... without freaking out!!

Inspirational Business and Life Quotes

As business owners, we are very busy creatures.  Oftentimes, we need a pick-me-up, and that is what this post is designed to do.  Here are some inspirational quotes that I hope you find helpful in your life and business...

“The roles dogs play in our lives have changed,” Verplank says. “They used to be bred for a job. But dogs moved from barns to our homes and to our beds. Terriers aren’t out in the barn ratting anymore. They’re in our homes with us. They need to be clean and appealing and cuddly to share our lives.”  -Melissa Verplank , Notes from the Grooming Table

"We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world." - Buddha

 

“In the end, it is important to remember that we cannot become what we need to be, by remaining what we are.”― Max DePree, Leadership Is an Art

 

"So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."

— Mitch Albom (Tuesdays With Morrie)

 

"Think about your goals at every opportunity throughout the day." - Brian Tracy

 

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.                 - Maya Angelou

 

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.   - Dale Carnegie

 

Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.   - Napoleon Hill

 

"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. "   - Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent.   - Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

"With realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world"   - Dalai Lama

 

 

"And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed." - Dr Seuss

Learn How to Groom Dogs on YouTube!

As I come across valuable resources, I love to share them with you.  Today's post is going to be about an AMAZING resource that you can access online, from anywhere, for free.

Melissa Verplank is one of the best groomers in the industry.  In previous posts, I've recommended her book, Notes From The Grooming Table.  She has multiple websites, and loads of resources, but I just discovered that there are also over 100 videos and tutorials on YouTube!

Check out Melissa Verplank's Lern2Groom YouTube Channel by clicking here.

 

 

She has set up her own YouTube Channel here, where you can browse by topic, or simply check out whatever category suits your latest needs.

Stuck on how to groom a particular dog?

Look up "Best of the Breeds" and find the solution there.

Want to know what the latest trends are?

Find them on the latest "Featured Videos".

Have a question about the grooming industry?

"Ask Melissa" will give you all the answers you need to get your shop to the next step.   Hopefully you find this resource as amazing as I have.  If you have any other resources, please share them below!  

Getting Involved In Local Pet Events

Events are a great way to increase people's awareness of your business and start getting noticed in your community.  There are two kinds of events.  Public events where you attend someone elses event, or private events that you have at your own shop.  In today's post, we'll be focusing on public events.

How to Find an Event

Let's start with finding an event that you'd like to be a part of.  Throughout the year there will be events that are pet related, or community related.  For example, look for these events at your local SPCA, training clubs, or local dog park.  Check in local papers, with the Chamber of Commerce, or Google local pet events to see what is happening throughout the year.

How to Get the Word Out

If you offer to contribute something to the event, sometimes you can get promoted for free, or even get your booth or table for free.  This is a great way to spread the word and keep costs down. Some of the things you might consider doing a Doggy Makeover, or Grooming Exhibition. Find out what kind of advertising the event is doing, and see if you can get your name and logo in the advertising.  If you are a part of the event or exhibition, you should be featured in the marketing materials. To get the word out on your own, advertise in your newsletter, and send an email blast just before the event.  If you've created a facebook page, that is another great place to post.  In our shop, we also hand out fliers before the event to our customers.

What to Bring

•  
  • Find out what the event supplies.
  • Do they provide tables and chairs?
  • Do they provide an "easy up" or tent for shade?
  • You’ll also want a professionally made sign advertising your shop.
  • Don’t forget lots of business cards to hand out!
  • I bring an event box with pens, paper, string, scissors, tape, or any other items I think we might need.
  • If you are allowed to bring your dogs, don’t forget an X pen, water bowls, shade cloth and plenty of water!

Prizes, Giveaways & Handouts

The more prizes you have, the more likely people are to stop by your booth.  Buy some things that will contribute to your branding like: magnets, pens, slip-leads, or bandanas. Create "Doggy Bags" put free stuff together and give away samples of things like shampoo, dog food, and information on your shop. Let people know about your Mission Satement, what is your shop about and what makes it different from other shops.  What sets you apart? On giveaways, be sure to add a space for their email address so you can import them in to your mailing list and newsletters.

Follow Up

After any event, it is important to stay in touch with the contacts you made.  I recommend having an online newsletter so that you can continually stay in front of your audience and keep inviting them to your shop and future events.  Be sure to keep them informed of any specials, or any events you are involved with in the future. Enjoy your next event!    

Improving Communication With Your Staff

Putting together a solid team and learning how to best communicate with them is one of the biggest challenges of a business owner.  I have found in my shop that effective communication begins to happen once you've established trust.  I meet with my staff individually on a regular basis, and this opens up the lines of communication while breaking down barriers.  When your staff feel comfortable sharing ideas with you, you are on the road to success!

Build Trust

One thing that I really look for in my employees are individuals that really want to invest emotionally in my business--and in order to do that there needs to be trust between us.  By investing emotionally, I mean that they actively participate in growing the business, sharing ideas, and putting things in place that will help everyone become more successful.  The way that you build trust is through open and honest communication.  I do this through regular staff meetings, and individual meetings that I call “one-on-ones”.  Here is how I conduct those meetings:

Before you meet with your staff individually...

Announce who you are going to have the one-on-ones at your regular staff meeting.  This prepares them in advance for the meeting and allows them to relax instead of assuming that they are in trouble for something.

Take some time to think about them and how their performance has been on the job.

Decide what you want to get out of the talk.  For example some topics could be... training goals, improving communication with clients, additional responsibilities, upcoming events, scheduling issues, or getting their help with achieving new goals for the shop.

During the meeting...

Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed, such as your office or nearby coffee shop.

Ask them how they are doing.  It is really important in a small shop environment to know your employees well and care about their lives outside of work.  Some people may feel uncomfortable about talking about their lives, but it is important for them to feel that they can talk to you.

Try to find something they are doing right, and compliment them on a job well done.  You can also talk about setting goals for themselves and their grooming skills.

If there is something that you feel needs to change, explain in a nonconfrontational way what you see in terms of their behavior.  Explain to them what needs to happen and why.  If you have set clear expectations in your Job Descriptions then they should understand why these improvements are necessary.  In my shop, I explain that while I care very much about them, and feel compassion for them and their issues, my job is to keep my business running and growing. If there is an issue that affects me, my business, the other employees, or the customers, it needs to be addressed.  (If the problem is severe enough, or it has happened too many times, I explain that while I really care about them, these things still need to happen, and if they can not make them happen, maybe something else is a better fit for them.  This could also be a verbal warning if you want to make note of it for your records.)

Ask them for their input on ideas that will improve the shop.  Are there ways that they can become more involved?  Is there something that can improve the workflow, and make everybody's lives easier?  Do they have ideas for getting in new customers?  Give them a chance to explain their point of view and thank them for sharing their valuable ideas.

After the meeting...

Try to casually observe improvements and positively reinforce changes that you see.

Be sure to follow through on expectations, implementing changes, or training them for extra responsibilities that they asked for.

Remember, your job is to try to get them to invest emotionally in their job and understand their importance.  So, keeping up with regular meetings and continuing to build trust through open communication will get you there!

If you'd like to have some additional resources, here are some books I'd recommend:

The One Minute Manager

Leadership is an Art

Improving Communication With Your Customers

 

In my last post I talked about some of the issues I feel get between groomers and their customers. Here are some of the changes I've made in my own shop in order to improve communication:

Initial Pet Consultation

When a new pet comes in, the groomer who will be grooming it does a consultation.  They ask about past grooming experiences, expectations the owner has about how often they are going to want to have the dog groomed, how much maintenance work they are realistically going to do at home, and what kind of trim they want to have for their pet.

Expectations

If the client’s expectations are unrealistic, then this is the time that we address them.  If the pet is matted, we show them the matting and talk to them about brushing and combing.  If we see any behavior problems at this time, we also discuss them and what we have to do about that at.  If we can’t come to a meeting of the minds, I would rather know now, and decide that this is not a good fit between us and the client than accept this pet for grooming and have a problem later.  Then the new client signs a contract outlining and addressing situations that can arise and our policies.

Minimizing Potential Risks

If they want us to pull the ear hair, express anal glands or we see a problem  such as extreme matting, fleas, etc. we have them sign waivers explaining that problems can arise from these invasive procedures or issues and they are aware of the potential risks and do not hold us liable.  We explain to them that we are not veterinarians and therefore can not treat any issues that arise from these procedures.

By talking to the owners about different situations that can arise, we hope to educate them and head off potential problems.  We are looking to build a long-term relationship with these people and their pets and that starts with a good foundation of communication.

Taking Responsibility for any Injuries

In even the most safety-conscious shops, injuries can happen. The smallest nick or irritation needs to be brought to the owners attention, and if veterinarian care is needed we pay for it (unless it was caused by a pre-existing condition they signed a waiver for). We also take $5 off  the groom for smaller injuries. It's not about the $5 or the vet bill, but about our reputation and future relationship with that customer.

Since we have put these things in place, we've seen issues with upset owners diminish. People tend to be far more accepting when they have been forewarned, and appreciate that we take the time to let them know what's going on. If a customer has a problem with the way we do things, I’m not afraid to suggest  that they may be happier at another shop.  We do not have to groom every pet that walks through the door, and the piece of mind and safety of my staff - as well as the reputation of my business - are well worth losing a potential customer.

Outreach

I've also been more proactive in the community, reaching out to other groomers via Facebook and community boards.  I want to be a part of the changes that I see coming through licensing and regulation. California Professional Groomers Association and Northern California Groomers Association have Facebook pages, and Yahoo (Groom_TNT), LinkedIn (Pet Grooming Professional) and petgroomer.com have groups that members post on regularly.

Keep The Big Picture In Mind

As business owners, we need to see the big picture -- which is having a clientele of regular customers that take responsibility for their pet’s grooming.  Sometimes this means having to be honest and say no when someone’s expectations are beyond what you can provide.  By choosing who you want to work for and expecting the same respect that you give to them,  you will build a clientele that you look forward to seeing every day.

 

What are some of the tactics that you could use in your shop to improve the communication with your customers?

in my next post I'll talk about how to improve communication with your staff.

 

 

Communication Underload

 

So many of the issues that we face in our business and personal lives come down to lack of communication.  I've decided to write a series of three posts, outlining how to improve communication with work, with clients, and employees.  All too often, we assume that we understand what is going on when we really don't.  One of the big ways that I see this manifest itself is with the public's perception of what we do and the reality what we actually do.  These are some of the issues I feel we should address in order to improve relations between customers and groomers.

 

Pet owners are afraid.

In this communication age groomer accident stories quickly spread, and many owners are genuinely scared that we will do something to injure or traumatize their pets (or worse). As animal lovers, we of all people understand that bond. Although the actual cases of animal abuse or injury from groomers is very low, we need to try to have some sympathy for them and calm their fears. We need to do this while building a bond with them and educating them to the realities of grooming and what we do as groomers to insure the safety of their pets.

Pet owners are uninformed.

They can be demanding and their expectations can be unrealistic because they really don’t understand what we do. There can be a lack of understanding of  basic animal behavior or the responsibility they have for the upkeep of their pets. Many times,  they expect us to be able to do things that we can’t or shouldn’t, such as a brushing out an extremely matted pet or doing an elaborate trim on an elderly pet or puppy. We are supposed to be able to handle fearful, neglected or untrained pets, make them look beautiful, and have them leave on time and happy or we don’t get paid.

Groomers don’t like to say no.

This is understandable because our livelihoods depend on the happiness of the customer. We have a hard time setting boundaries on what we can and can’t do. We’re afraid to have a client leave rather than agreeing to do something we shouldn’t or send home a pet that is too matted,  frail, old, or aggressive to groom safely. Every time we do something we shouldn’t, we are potentially putting their pets, our business, or our bodies at risk, and giving the customer the wrong message.

Groomers need to be proactive.

Issues that commonly arise in our shops should be communicated with the customers verbally, and through contracts and waivers. We need to address their fears, and  what is realistic for them to expect from us. Talking about how they want their pet groomed, how often they plan on coming in, how much maintenance they plan on doing at home and what their budget is can help build a bond with them based on honesty and trust.

Groomers don’t communicate well with each other.

SB969, the bill that unsuccessfully tried to legislate licensing and regulations in California of groomers in California, created a lot of conversations on Facebook and email boards. It was a poorly-written bill based on emotion due to the injury of a pet by a neglectful groomer. It needed to fail, but it brought up a lot of issues that I believe lead to mistrust and frustration between pet owners and groomers.

One thing that has always bothered me about our profession is the isolation and lack of trust between groomers. Without communicating with each other, we’re not going to be able to standardize our industry, address the issues and be involved in any future regulations.We need to start organizing ourselves at a local level to communicate with each other, and feel more support in our industry.

On the other hand, I've never seen another profession where the most successful leaders in the industry were as accessible and eager to help the rest of us.  If you attend a seminar, workshop or trade show  you’ll see how happy these top groomers are to answer questions. We are all so desperate to share stories  about our businesses and get support from other groomers. With SB969 it was really wonderful to work together with other groomers on a common goal and feel the camaraderie.

 

What issues do you face with your customers?

How can you use these ideas to improve things in your grooming shop?

Are there ways you can reach out to other groomers in your area to improve communication on a local level?

In my next post, I will explain changes I have made to improve communication in my own shop.

 

Do You Really Need to Do More to Achieve More?

I recently came across an article listing the 12 things successful people finished before noon. These were things like exercise, make a to-do list, have a morning ritual, eat breakfast, be on time, take a break, follow up on messages, etc. As I read it through, I couldn’t help thinking that A: these people must get up at 4 a.m., B: there is no way anyone could do all these things in a whole day, much less before lunch, and C: there is no way these people are doing all these things AND getting any work done. What pressure! It really made me stop and think: Do You Really Need to Do More? As a small business owner, you are already doing so much. There is so much pressure to do more and more and more, but what would happen if you decided to do less? In my experience, probably 85% of your problems will solve themselves if you don’t do anything about them (physically or emotionally). I’m not talking about the things that obviously need your immediate attention, like your air conditioner going out in the middle of a heat wave. However, a lot of the issues we feel are crises are really things that will work themselves out if we let them. When I gave up the idea that I needed to do More, that’s when I really started to experience success. Relaxing If you are putting too much pressure on yourself, you are not going to enjoy whatever activity you are doing. The pressure to do more sucks our energy and we actually get less done. Maybe if we learned to take the pressure off, whatever we are trying to accomplish will seem easier and more enjoyable. Remind yourself of the success that you have already created. If you are feeling like you have to recreate your business from square one every day, you will feel burned out. Realize how far you’ve already come, and that it is not going to disappear in a day. The human condition is such that we will always want more. By accepting that this is a part of being human, but not letting it consume you, you can realize that ‘where you are is where you are supposed to be’. Try accepting, not resisting and relaxing into your situation and see what happens. Find what it is for you personally that helps to quiet your mind and rejuvenate. Take a walk, do yoga, paint, or find some activity that takes you away from the busy mind and quiets you. By quieting down your brain you actually have more energy to achieve more. (And, you don’t have to wake up at 4 a.m. to make it all happen!!)