Setting up a reputable dog grooming company amid some negative spotlight on big-box pet store chains can be really scary. Some companies have allegedly being found to offer poor dog care services with some just hurriedly and carelessly handle animals to beat the long queues for more profits.
As a result, entering this market needs significant considerations to understand what’s been done wrongly, and how you can improve on that and even add to your customer experience.
If you’re looking to provide professional dog grooming services there are important inherent and acquired traits you need to have to lead a successful business. A dog groomer’s primary work is to ensure dogs’ coat and skin are in good condition while advising owners on proper diet, grooming and coat care. You also need to learn how to handle dogs firmly and gently.
Other essential traits dog groomers should have includes the ability to calm and control nervous dogs and paying close attention to a dogs’ behavior. Patience is also key here because you’ll be dealing with different types of dogs others will be just too much to handle and so learning to keep calm yourself is important.
Reputable dog grooming companies have continued to record significant profitability and growth with the increased spending on pet care and services by more than 63 million households. What are some of the key requirements for starting a dog grooming company?
Professional Dog Grooming Training and Certification
To make yourself a place in the pet care industry you must be skilled — either through a specialized grooming course, or develop skills from your previous job, or just general experience with dogs and dog shows.
Before you open a grooming business for dogs, enroll in that course at any of the many available institutions for training and certification. Although not everyone will be concerned whether or not you’re certified, you must be for the sake of marketing your business and it even appeals to your potential customers that you’re actually trained.
Business Plan and Considerations
The first thing is to decide the type of business you want. Are you starting it alone, a family business or a partnership with a friend? If it’s a company is it a limited liability company or corporation. Each business entity has its own set of rules and laws that govern its operation, as well as tax and liability considerations that also vary according to the region, state ad country.
You need to work with an attorney through this process to avoid legal issues and make sure your business is established within the right frameworks of law. Another business consideration you also need to factor is where your business will operate from.
Here you can either rent out retail space often in storefronts, make use of your property, or even design a mobile grooming service — which is becoming so common though it’s capital intensive to convert a van into grooming salon.
Choosing the Right Equipment
Purchasing equipment is one of the significant cost you’ll have to incur when setting your dog grooming service. Essentially you’ll need equipment like brushes, scissors, clippers, comb, forceps, styptic powder, conditioner, shampoos and professional grooming table.
Dog grooming companies also need washing machines, cages to keep the animals, dryers and bathtubs. Depending on the size and quality, this equipment varies greatly in terms of cost.
Promote Your Business
Like in most businesses, marketing is important to ensure you reach out to new and old customers and have a competitive edge over other dog grooming companies. You need a good business as well as a marketing plan, a catchy name and a nice logo to match with.
Using different marketing platforms from both conventional to digital tools, you can easily and effectively advertise your business. For instance, you can choose to give out business flyers, brochures and catalogs and compliment your marketing efforts with digital advertising on social media platforms.
Lastly, you should price your services after considering the current market price for the same grooming services. Set your prices within the range of other businesses to maintain competitiveness. Offering discounts can also give you an edge over other dog grooming companies and help your build customer loyalty.