Thinking of starting a Dog Walking or Pet Sitting Business?
Great idea!
That’s exactly what myself and my husband did over 12 years ago and now we have the No. 1 Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Business in Ireland!
How to Start a Dog Walking or Pet Sitting Business
#1. Have a Vision
We knew we wanted a large Pet Sitting and Dog Walking business from the beginning. So we set everything up in our business with this in mind.
It made us more professional from the outset and that helped us attract the best clients.
You may have a different vision for your business and that’s great.
- Maybe you want to stay small and local.
- You may even want to do something niche.
- Whatever it is, take a moment to get clear on your vision and work towards it from the outset.
It’ll help with your brand before you even think about things like logos and colours and will help you get the right customers for your business.
In short, it’ll set you up for success.
#2. Set Your Business Up Properly From the Outset
Get your business set up legally – there are different ways to do this and you can get advice in your local area on which is best for you.
Get the correct insurance and the necessary background checks to give your customers and yourself peace of mind.
Have contingency plans for when things go wrong and make sure all your staff and customers are aware of them
This will gain trust from your customers and establish you as a reliable business quickly.
#3. Policies and Processes
Set up policies and processes from the outset and be clear on what they are – you’ll be glad you did as your business starts to grow.
Have a booking system and cancellation policy at the very least and anything else you need to run your business how you want to.
Make sure your staff and customers know them. This will add to your professional, reliable brand.
#4. Have a Marketing Plan
Without marketing, you won’t have a business! It doesn’t have to be complicated – check out this blog I wrote on 6 Simple Ways To Market Your Dog Walking or Pet Sitting Business to get started.
And also check out my Done For Your Marketing Planner
#5. Be the Pet Sitter / Dog Walker You’d Want to Hire
Think about what you look for in a Pet Sitter / Dog Walker and set yourself up to be that business.
If you’d hire you, so would your ideal customers!
And when you have the systems and support in place to be that business, you’ll consistently attract customers.
And now you’re in business!
I hope you found this helpful! If you want more help and support from me to set up your business, check out my membership.
