So you’ve decorated your lobby, sealed your floors, spruced up your play area and hung up your shingle for all the world to see. Now what? What are the best ways to let your immediate community be aware of your presence and of the wonderful services you offer to dogs and dog owners in your area? Here are our Top Ten Tips for publicizing your business locally…
What’s in a name? A lot. Your front lobby decor is important, as is the courteousness of your front desk staff. But well before these factors make lasting first impressions on your new customers, your kennel or dog day care’s name and logo are usually the truly first impression you will leave. So make it an excellent one: memorable and on-message.
You already know the three most important factors in opening a kennel or dog day care, right? But the question remains: what IS the right location for my new pet boarding facility? What’s the trade-off between high visibility and low-rent? The answer is: it all depends on what you’re trying to accomplish…
Question: what’s the difference between a boarding kennel and a pet hotel? Answer: about $30 a night. That’s meant to be a joke, but it also addresses an important reality in the pet boarding industry. Dog day cares, kennels, pet spas and pet hotels all offer essentially the same service to the community. But each has its own unique style, business model, and – yes – pricing. But which one is the best for your location and the needs of your community?
No smartly run kennel business ever begins without one. Winging it is not an option. Are all business plans created alike? Not at all. The best ones are time-tested and take into consideration all of the foreseeable vicissitudes of your business. Can you just take an old shoestore business plan you have lying around and search-and-replace the word “shoes” and replace it with “dogs”? We think you can guess the answer…
These decisions are never easy, and always complicated if not downright confusing. We take a look at some of the pros and cons of starting your business as a corporation versus an LLP, as well as considering some of the other possible options.
To keep your kennel or dog day care running smoothly, both office supplies and kennel supplies should be ordered weekly (or bi-weekly, depending on the season).
When starting a new kennel or dog day care, even after you’ve found the perfect location you’re still got work to do before cutting that red ribbon. If you already run a pet boarding or grooming business, there will be countless remodeling projects smoldering on your To Do List.
If you build it, they will come. Well, that only works if you also build a sign. A professional exterior sign will always be the first impression your kennel or dog day care creates for dog owners. Skimp on your sign, and it could end up also being the last impression.
Here is a list of important pet industry terms and definitions specific to dog kennels, dog day care, grooming salons and related pet boarding facilities. Before you begin a new business, it’s important to be well versed in all of the important terminology. As you begin to hire and train new employees, be sure that they are equally as familiar with these kennel terms. Remember: the occasional quiz never hurts. Flashcards anyone?