Dog Training Marketing
Owning a successful dog training business requires experience and dedication, and it takes time to build trusting relationships with clients and future prospects. However, there is a time in every dog training business owner’s journey that feels like a plateau.
As a dog trainer, you might be feeling accomplished when you have a well-functioning business and satisfied clients—but you can also feel limited in the ways that you can scale and grow.
However, there are simple steps you can take to continue to grow your dog training business organically. Primarily, business owners should take a holistic look at their marketing approach, from packaging to payment. Here are some steps you can take to continue scaling your business:
Offer Dog Training Packages
In the beginning, most dog trainers work on an hourly basis. As they get more experience and build up their businesses, they may raise their hourly rates. However, when you spend several hours—or even weeks—to get to the end result, an hourly rate isn’t exactly the most effective pricing strategy, and it typically is not indicative of your quality of service.
In dog training, your client is paying for an end result, so packaging your services in that manner actually makes more sense to the client. They may not understand what you work on in one hour, but they will understand paying a flat fee for the result of a well-trained dog.
Include a Value Ladder as Part of Your Dog Training Marketing
As you consider how to offer packages and what should be included in each, think about incorporating a value ladder. There are several ways you can frame your packages and cater to the most common needs of your prospects. And once again, you want to ensure that these value packages are results-based.
For example, a basic package may include boarding and training. Beyond that, more expensive packages can include everything the client can expect from the board and train package, plus additional results. Meanwhile, a top-tier package may include off-leash training and a special one-on-one session with the owner.
When your client is able to visualize the end result instead of just seeing an hourly rate tick up, they’ll better understand the value you offer. For nuanced situations when your prospect’s need doesn’t fit your regular package descriptions, you can create a private training package where you address their extraordinary dog training needs.
Offer Payment Options for Dog Training Services
As you scale your business, be sure that you have different payment options for your clients. When people welcome a new dog, they already have expenses related to vet services, rehoming fees, and supplies. Some of your prospects might not have enough disposable income to spend on dog training, but they do realize their need for your dog training service.
In these situations, it is important to give your clients different options to allow for the maximum flexibility—which in turn allows you to close the sale. LendingUSA, LLC partners with dog trainers to help them offer low monthly payment plans for their clients, so they can pay for your services when they need them rather than waiting months to save up. In addition, having options will put your prospects at ease, and they’ll have the peace of mind to focus on your services and actually enjoy the process with their dog.
Engage in Marketing
Although one of the most effective marketing strategies is word of mouth, it shouldn’t be your sole marketing strategy. Oftentimes, dog trainers feel pressured to keep prices low in order to close the sale. Part of this issue lies in relying only on word of mouth to grow your business.
By engaging in some traditional marketing strategies, including paid social media and Google advertising, as well as email marketing and organic social media, you can reel in new clients through several channels. Making your name, and the name of your business, available to the larger public can effectively grow and scale your dog training business.
Want to learn more about how LendingUSA can put your pet training services within reach for more customers with dog training financing? Check out how it works.
