10 Ways to Start Your Own Pet Sitting Business
If you’re passionate about animals and love to be around them, starting your own pet sitting business can be a great way to earn extra income while being able to spend time with furry friends in need of company while their owners are away. Starting this business doesn’t require expensive equipment, and it’s quite easy to get started even without previous experience in the pet sitting field. Here are 10 ways how you can start your own pet sitting business
1) Get Professional Training
Many people are surprised to learn that pet sitting is a profession. If you’re thinking about starting your own business, consider enrolling in training courses through organizations like Pet Sitters International or Best Friends Animal Society (or your local ASPCA chapter) as an option for getting started. Professional development and networking can be invaluable resources for budding entrepreneurs. Though it’s not necessary, these opportunities may help you get off on the right foot when opening your business. It also never hurts to find out what others are doing so you don’t end up reinventing the wheel. A little competition isn’t necessarily bad; just make sure it doesn’t turn into hostility!
An alternative to formal training is reading up on best practices online and consulting with other pet sitters. This will give you a good idea of what it takes to start your own business, but won’t provide any sort of official certification or licensure if you’re looking for those things.
2) Sign Up with FetchDog
FetchDog is a leading pet sitting website that allows sitters to create profiles and share their services. The site connects pet owners with dog walkers, house sitters, and other pet care professionals who’ve been background checked and insured. Dog lovers can browse all approved members and choose one based on things like experience, location, price range, availability, etc. Once you find someone you want to hire, simply contact them through FetchDog and schedule your first meeting.
3) Register on Google and Bing
Register your business on Google and Bing, both of which allow you to create a free profile for yourself and your business. When it comes time to search for local professionals, consumers will be able to find you easily using these platforms. It’s also a great idea to register with city or local government entities in case anyone has questions about how you’re following local laws when it comes to operating a pet sitting business. Also, take note that each state has its own set of rules governing small businesses like yours; make sure you check what requirements are necessary before opening up shop.
What is an average cost per visit? Figure out what kind of money you can expect to make per visit—the more detailed your calculations are here, the better off you’ll be down the road.
4) Create an Email List
When you establish an email list, it will allow you to keep in touch with people who have shown interest in your product or service. It can be a great way of establishing rapport and fostering trust between yourself and your readers. A free tool that can help you generate an email list is MailChimp. You can also create an opt-in form for your website or landing page so that visitors can subscribe directly from there. You should aim to collect subscribers’ names, emails and other information so that you have a clear idea of what kind of content they like and what their interests are. That way, when you post content on your website, you know exactly what type of information they’re looking for – which makes writing more effective copy easier!
5) Create a Website
Make sure your website is up and running before you start hunting for clients. (This will save you a lot of time, money, and confusion!) Websites are often overlooked when it comes to starting a new business because of how expensive they can be. Fortunately, there are affordable ways to create a website without breaking your budget. You can get domain names from GoDaddy or Namecheap for as little as $2.99 per year. Then, you can use WordPress to build a site that’s easy to customize and manage. There are also plenty of free themes available if you want something quick but professional-looking. If you need help getting started with WordPress, check out our guide on how to build a website in an hour .
6) Advertise Yourself on Instagram
A little self-promotion goes a long way—if you get in front of your target audience, you can build up a solid client base and establish yourself as an expert. Turn that into repeat business, and all of a sudden you’re not just serving other people’s pets—you’re making some cash too. Post high-quality pictures on Instagram and share them across other social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to grow your brand presence.
7) Offer Services for Free in Exchange for Reviews
In order to get your new business started, you’ll need customers. One great way of getting your name out there is by offering free services in exchange for positive online reviews. For example, offer a 15-minute walk with a dog in exchange for a review from Yelp or Angie’s List—with your contact information in mind. Asking clients if they know anyone who would be interested in similar services could help spread word-of-mouth recommendations as well.
8) Network With Other Businesses
The pet industry is a lucrative one, and that means there are plenty of other businesses out there you can partner with. Whether it’s selling dog toys at your local pet store or placing promotional material on bulletin boards in your neighborhood, connecting with other businesses in your community can benefit both you and them. You can also set up advertising campaigns with local newspapers and radio stations. The more eyeballs you have on your services, the greater chance of landing clients!
9) Set up an LLC or DBA
It’s very difficult to start a pet-sitting business in some states if you don’t have an LLC or DBA. Make sure you set up your business correctly so that you can be protected from liability, and then register your company with your state. You can get all of these done online for less than $100 total. It will take a little time, but it’s worth it!
10) Use Online Marketing Tools Like Facebook Ads
Facebook ads can be a great way to introduce your business. If you do not have a significant customer base yet, Facebook ads are great at building an email list because they are more affordable than other paid advertising options and they allow you to use Facebook’s targeting capabilities. (You can target users based on demographics, location, interests and more.) You also get information about which of your ads were clicked so that you can tweak them in order to optimize results.
