Check out the below guest blog post by PocketSuite all on the topic of shifting your dog training business to become more digital! ⬇️ P.S. We also have an extended trial for you at the end of the post should you want to try Pocketsuite for your dog training business!
When small business owners look back on 2020 and 2021, many will think about business closures and lost income. But there were some exceptions, dog trainers among them. That’s because of the “pandemic puppy” trend which saw a rise in pet adoptions as shut-in people got companionship to help reduce stress. In fact, the American Pet Products Association estimated a 3.9% rise in spending on pet services in 2020, compared to the previous year.
An increase in pet ownership meant more people needed to learn how to care for their pets, including getting them the right training. While that’s great news for all dog trainers, the ones who’ve benefited most are the ones who have taken their business digital. Mobile business app PocketSuite serves dozens of dog trainers via its platform. Here are some of the key insights they’ve learned that can help you make your dog training business more efficient.
1. Offer Online Dog Training
In the past, most dog trainers gave in-person classes, and the system worked pretty well. But the pandemic changed that, and it turns out that offering dog training via video conferencing can work even better for both pet owners and you. One PocketSuite Pro revealed that virtual dog training cuts down on travel. That means you can book more appointments. Plus, it cuts down on the settling in period for the dogs and keeps the dog owners fully engaged. The result? Better behaved dogs, which keeps everyone happy.
2. Waitlist Your Clients Automatically
If you’re offering group classes digitally, you may be able to increase class size. But there’s another way you can assess demand and pack out your schedule. PocketSuite lets you create “Series” classes and waitlists, which is great for our dog trainer Pros. With this feature, you can offer a suite of classes, set maximum class size, and waitlist clients who are late to commit. Waitlisted clients are automatically booked in if a slot becomes available. PocketSuite Pros use this feature to assess demand for their most popular classes so they can add new dates.
3. Reduce Your Admin Load
One of the major annoyances when running a small business is having to use different apps to manage different aspects of your business. You often have an app for scheduling appointments, another app for taking payments, another app for selling products, and yet another app for communicating with your clients. It’s pretty time-consuming, and often those apps don’t synchronize easily with each other.
You can save time, money and admin load by handling all of those tasks on PocketSuite’s platform, thanks to its “business in a box” approach. And you’ll be able to handle all your business needs yourself.
4. Streamline Customer Communication
One of the best ways to keep your dog training business healthy is to win repeat work from your existing customers. That means keeping in touch n between training sessions to let them know about new products and services, or deals and discounts.
PocketSuite offers a couple of great options for communicating with clients. First, you can use SMS from within the app to text appointment reminders or marketing information. SMS messages have a 98% open rate, so it’s a great way to be in touch with clients. Another option is use PocketSuite’s Smart Campaigns feature to ensure you’re sending the right messages to the right customers at the right moment to persuade them to take action.
5. Sell More Products Digitally
Here’s another tip courtesy of PocketSuite pro, Kris Taylor of Taylor Made Working Dogs: don’t be afraid to go beyond training. One way he kept business healthy during the worse of the pandemic shutdowns was to sell more custom dog food. This was great for new dog owners wanting guidance and reassurance about feeding their new pets. Think about what your customers might need and bring it onstream. The good news is you’ll be able to sell it via the PocketSuite app - and safety conscious customers can pick up their purchases curbside.
It’s hard to predict what will happen to dog training businesses in 2022. But one thing’s for sure: dog trainers who pivot to increase their digital offerings will be well set up to cope with changes in the business environment.
Get Pocketsuite for 60 days FREE by using the link here.
P.S. One way to differentiate yourself from other dog trainers is by adding a Welcome Packet to your process. Learn more about our Welcome Packet Templates for Dog Trainers and why they're great by clicking below!
