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Marketing Your Dog Biz

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Marketing Your Dog Biz

Welcome Everyone to Your Website

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Does your website offer a warm hello to everyone? Web accessibility is a term that promotes tools and technologies that can be understood and navigated by all, including those with disabilities. Google’s own website posits that “everyone should be able to access and enjoy the web”, and there is big overlap between search engine rankings and accessibility. This increasingly important part of web design means that the more accessible your site is, the more likely it will appear at the top of search results.

Over the past month at dogbiz we’ve been deep diving on ways to create a stellar website as part of our THRIVE! program. We’ve also been doing plenty of (actual and figurative) fist pumps witnessing members making huge strides on their own sites. Great writing is an integral part of the process, regardless of the type of dog pro you are. Once you’ve crafted your amazing content, you also want to ensure your site is available to everyone.

If web accessibility is new territory for you, we’ve got a few pointers to help you get started.

Equip yourself with the right information

The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) provides international standards for the web and has a range of materials to help you better understand accessibility. They also offer free online courses if you want to gain a deeper understanding on certain topics. To assess your own site and see where you’re at in terms of accessibility, take a look at the WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool.

If someone else is designing your site, ask them how they will approach this part of it. Are they aware of accessibility principles? What elements do they plan to incorporate so your site is easy to read and navigate? Many elements can be straightforward while others require specific skills and knowledge to implement. Planning from the start can save you a lot of time so include this in early conversations and designs.

Keep the principles front of mind

Once you start delving into the myriad of ways to create an accessible site, you may be struck with overwhelm paralysis. How do you even start? What should you include or not include? What does input modalities even mean? Don’t panic! You don’t need to incorporate everything all at once and technology is always evolving. Your website is essentially a living document and can be tackled one stage at a time. Understanding the four main accessibility principles outlined by the WAI can help to zoom out and keep the bigger picture in mind.

The principles emphasize creating online content that is:

Perceivable
Users should be able to recognise and understand the information being presented to them. This means considering a variety of senses. For example, are there closed captions on video content for those with auditory difficulties? Is there enough disparity between colors so that text can be easily read? You can use free online color contrast checkers to test this.

Operable
Websites should be easy to use and navigate for a variety of people. Visitors to your site should be able to access all functions, from shifting to and from a page, selecting a link on a menu and being able to play and pause videos and audio. This could mean large and plainly labeled navigation buttons, clear text headings and being able to hover over menu options without the text disappearing after a certain amount of time.

Understandable
Content should always be intelligible! This goes for written text as well as images and graphics. This is a key one for dog pros. We’re often so immersed in the world of dog training we forget that terms like conditioning, desensitization and socialization may not mean much to those landing on our site. Aim for content that is simple and jargon free and keep web pages and menus organized with a clear flow and structure. Muddled and text heavy sites can be particularly inaccessible for those with cognitive difficulties, as well as those who don’t speak your site’s primary language.

Robust
This principle suggests that content on your site should be efficient enough to be accessed and interpreted by multiple users and technologies, particularly assistive ones. If you’re working with a web developer, this is where their skills can really shine in terms of the backend of your site. For example, ensuring your website code can be easily read by screen readers for those with visual impairments.

Just as we want our training venues to be inclusive spaces, creating an accessible website means removing barriers for those wanting to engage with your services. Not only will you be reaching a wider audience, you’re also more likely to be boosted in those crucial search engine rankings. Incorporating accessibility into your design thinking will help to enhance as well as future-proof your business.

We spend a lot of time focusing on “websites that work” in THRIVE! Take a look and join the waitlist to be part of our community.

Breaking the networking ice

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A strong referral network can be the cornerstone of a successful dog training or walking business. From a marketing perspective, word of mouth referrals from clients and other professionals helps to drive traffic your way and elevate your reputation. These networks can also help you feel less isolated in your work, and embed you within the local community. Initiating contact with potential networks is a great strategy within any marketing plan, as is maintaining and enriching these relationships. So why can it feel so hard to do?

For some, striking up conversations with potential referral contacts feels as natural as smiling at every dog on your morning walk. For many, however, the idea of doing a promotional blast in their area fills them with dread and anxiety. Promoting your own business and services can feel uncomfortable – nervousness and concern about being too sales-y may be enough for you to avoid it altogether. Yet there are ways to approach this key marketing area which may remove some of the ‘ick’ and allow you to break the networking ice in comfort.

Try a reframe

When we are running a business, and especially one we really care about, everything about it can feel personal. As the driving force behind all decisions, it’s easy to worry about the perceptions of others and for imposter syndrome to take hold. If you don’t relish the limelight, being the name and face of your dog work is likely to take some getting used to. Rather than thinking ‘now I basically have to become a Juilliard graduate and completely change my personality’, it can be helpful to remind yourself of why you’re doing this work in the first place. 

For many R+ dog pros, it’s because they love what they do and really want to make a difference to the lives of people and dogs. Marketing your business, therefore, isn’t about being the star of the show and telling everyone how great you are. Instead, it’s just an everyday part of the work that allows you to have the impact you want – no different to doing your taxes! This reframe may help to take the intensity out of promotional interactions. The local groomer wasn’t so interested in what you had to say this time? Ah well – that’s just part of the game when you’re making the world better for dogs.

Cast a wide net

When thinking about potential referral sources, get creative! They don’t have to be limited to dog businesses, such as vets and pet stores. Dogs live with and impact all sorts of people which means you can cast a wide networking net. Community centers, dentists, cafes, hairdressers and accountants are likely to be filled with dog loving staff and clients. The more conversations you have, the more practiced you will become at talking about your amazing business. It also serves as a reminder that if one door isn’t quite open yet, there are plenty of others to walk up to. If there are businesses you already have contact with, this can also provide a softer conversation starter. If you have a favorite cafe or local gym you frequent, promoting your business in these spaces can provide a comfier starting point.

Do your research

Have you ever had a client mention that they love your website, or were excited to see that you offer a particular service? Feels good, right? Small businesses in particular often put a lot of heart and soul into the products and services they offer. Prior to approaching a potential network contact, take some time to understand what they do and what makes them unique. Not only will they appreciate you taking an interest, it can also provide good conversation material and will help you find shared values. If you’re passionate about canine nutrition and a store near you prides itself on sourcing local and high quality pet food options, this could be a perfect ice breaker. Or perhaps your local garden center specializes in sustainable planting methods and you’re a bit of green thumb. Could you chat to them about which plants are safe and resilient for dogs? Finding common ground is one way to combat possible conversation lulls and deepen relationships.

Let your work do the talking

Handing out business cards and flyers, especially to a cold contact, can be a particularly intimidating thing to do for many people. It also doesn’t provide a lot of information about who you are and what makes you different. Creating resources that do the talking for you, and create value for others, is a great way around this. Think about the likely business pain points for potential referrals. Anything that saves them time, generates more business for them or furthers their cause is likely to be well received. 

If you are approaching a local vet, for example, a handout on specific behavior issues, such as housetraining or separation anxiety, is likely to make a bigger impact. Similarly, with your client’s permission you could provide vets with clear and helpful assessment notes they can refer to when seeing mutual clients. You could even organize a meeting to chat about what information is most useful to them, and vice versa. 

If you have an online or print newsletter, ask a local business if you can interview them for a feature story. Not only do most people love talking about what they do, it also means they will be keen to feature your newsletter at their premises and/or via their social media. If you’re in need of material for the rest of your newsletter, dogbiz offers an easy way to make this happen.

If thawing rather than breaking the networking ice feels more natural, don’t let this be a barrier to your business success. Experiment with a range of strategies and find what works for you. What may feel gut wrenching at first will soon become second nature and you’ll be networking up a (quiet and thoughtful) storm.

Searching for content ideas? Here’s how to get unstuck

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Want to know a secret? This article spent several hours as a blank page, cursor blinking forlornly, before coming into existence. Despite the epic amount of dog-related content you probably consume, it’s common to draw a blank when creating your own. Whether you’re seeking ideas for an impactful social media post, a client handout, or an article for your newsletter, fresh ideas help you engage and educate your audience.

Here are some ways to get your creativity flowing when writer’s block strikes.

Plan and ponder

Often the best way to come up with new ideas is to consume some first. Signing up to dog related newsletters and events, subscribing to podcasts, and attending conferences can help you tune into what’s happening in the dog world. There are also ways to automate some of your dog news consumption, such as setting up Google news alerts with specific key words or joining a news aggregator application like Feedly.

Once this information is hurtling into your brain/inbox, stay organized! Maintain a bookmarked bank of inspiring articles or fascinating research papers you have stumbled upon, and regularly remove those no longer relevant. Take notes during events and podcast episodes, and save all those email newsletters into a specific ‘read later’ folder rather than deleting them or letting them drown your inbox. 

And don’t forget that all-important resource close to home – your clients. The best way to create content your readers will engage with is to understand the problems they are trying to solve. Send out surveys and ask clients directly about topics that interest them and knowledge gaps they struggle with. Are there particular breeds that are popular in your area? Has there been a recent spike in new puppies locally? Is there a recurring community concern, such as dogs escaping or persistent barking?

Now the hardest part…carve out time to meaningfully consume this hard-won content. Rather than skim everything on the fly, set aside time each week in your master schedule to turn off distractions and read, listen, or watch. By providing your full attention, you will be able to retain information in a lasting way, and more fully-formed ideas will start to flow.

Play and generate

Now’s the fun part! It’s time to let all those ideas swirl around as you begin turning concepts into content. If you’re always on the go, keeping a small notebook or note section on your phone is a great way to jot down thoughts as they arrive, as well as document your personal experiences. The phrase ‘write what you know’ suggests that an ideal starting point for creation is sharing your lived experiences and areas of expertise. It can also make your writing more relatable. If you’ve been addressing reactivity in your own dog, for example, sharing your learning and approach can help bring this topic to life.

If you love trying out new technology, experiment with AI tools like ChatGPT to ask for article ideas, headlines and answers to questions you’re pondering. This technology is in its infancy and the world is still figuring out how best to use it, as well as what its risks and limitations are. At this stage of the game, we suggest having a play and paying close attention to fact-checking and proof-reading. These tools provide exciting opportunities for content creators, but it’s important not to lose your unique voice and expertise in the process.

If you’re still pondering the direction of your writing, try some freewriting. Throw grammar, structure, and spelling concerns out the window, and just write whatever comes to your mind for a set period of time (use a timer – we suggest starting with just 5 minutes a day). Even if it makes no sense, or you end up on a tangent about that time you came in third in your high school swimming competition, keep going. The aim of this exercise is to loosen your creative muscles and get into the habit of writing regularly. 

If you need a bit more structure, give yourself a prompt. For example, you could pick a ‘hot topic’ word or phrase in the dog industry right now (“positive”, “collaboration”, “it’s not all how you raise them”), and use that as the basis of your writing exercise. You could also try listing all the words that come to mind related to that topic and see where it leads. Are there connections between these words that you haven’t considered before?

Anything that evokes emotion or a mindset shift is likely to be easier to write and more enjoyable to consume. Tapping into your senses can be another great way to get your writing flowing. Viewing images and art, both dog related and not, can prompt ideas in a way words sometimes can’t. The same goes for sounds and smells, including music, being out in nature and listening to conversations as you sip coffee in your local cafe. 

Pause when you need it

You’ve done your research, you’ve managed to get some ideas out onto the page, you know the direction you want to head in…but you’re still stuck. Creating content is not always a smooth process, whether you’re writing a 280 character tweet or crafting your latest feature article in your monthly newsletter. 

If the frustration is rising and you feel like flinging your keyboard across the room, take a break. Switch tasks and try something easier for a while that doesn’t require a lot of your creativity. Or try a different environment, such as a cafe or library. A change of scenery can often help spark new ideas and inspiration. 

The best reset of all? If possible, take a walk. There’s research to suggest that the simple act of walking leads to divergent thinking and an increase in creativity. If you were looking for another excuse to spend quality time with your dog outside, this is it!

Content creation is a key component of running a dog training business, helping to market your business, communicate with clients and share R+ methods more widely. Newsletters can help with all three of these, and are the perfect opportunity to put your creative strategies to the test. For more tips on creating an awesome newsletter brimming with great content, download our free guide.

Searching for your ideal clients? You need an avatar!

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Who is your dream client? It could be one you’ve longed for, or one you’ve been fortunate to work with. What made them so great to work with? Was it their unwavering commitment to the training plan, or enthusiasm for positive reinforcement based methods? Perhaps their dog was a breed or age you love working with, or maybe their busy household looked a lot like your own, and was easy to relate to. If you wish more of your clients ticked the ‘dream’ box, it’s time to develop an ideal client avatar.

Why develop a client avatar?

Here’s why figuring out your ideal client is key to the success of your business.

Identifying and defining your client avatar – an imaginary representation of your perfect client – allows you to tailor your services, marketing efforts, and communication to attract and connect with the people you want to work with. Spending valuable time and energy working with people you don’t click with, who aren’t interested in your training approach, or who drain your energy is a fast road to frustration and burn out. 

Understanding exactly who you are speaking to when designing your business helps with:

Targeted marketing

By defining your client avatar, you gain a deeper understanding of your target audience’s demographics, characteristics, and needs. This knowledge enables you to create marketing messages and materials that resonate with your ideal clients, resulting in more leads from the people and training topics that interest you most. 

Thoughtful and tailored services

Understanding your ideal clients allows you to customize your services to meet their specific preferences. Rather than offering a generic training service, you can design programs, packages, and classes which really speak to your ideal clients’ needs. This can also be a lot of fun! Let your creativity fly as you design services which stand out from the crowd and address specific problems. If you know you love working with busy city dwellers with adolescent dogs, for example, you might focus on enriching day training adventures for scatty teenagers as well as workshops on how to enjoy a successful cafe visit with your dog.

Not wasting your most precious resource – your time

Defining your client avatar helps you optimize your time, energy, and resources. Rather than trying to appeal to everyone who ever uttered the word ‘dog’, you can focus on reaching the people who are most likely to benefit from and invest in your services for the long term. These ongoing relationships tend to be where the biggest change happens, so you’re also likely to help more dogs in the process.

Your happiness!

R+ dog trainers tend to be highly compassionate people who care deeply about the wellbeing of dogs. This can make it tough to say no to helping people, even when the fit isn’t right or the outcome isn’t favorable. The reality is you can’t help everyone, and spending your time saying yes to the wrong clients and cases isn’t a good long-term strategy. If you’re not enjoying your work or seeing results, your ability to remain enthusiastic and effective may suffer. You may even want to give up altogether. Defining, targeting, and working with your ideal clients is vital to your own wellbeing and happiness.

How do you create a client avatar?

There are a few steps and considerations to pinning down the profile of your ideal client. So grab your favored detective gear – pen and paper, laptop, whiteboard, back of a napkin – and start daydreaming!

Identify who they are 

The first step is determining the demographics of your client avatar. Think about your favorite or ideal clients – who are they? What do they have in common? Consider factors such as age, gender, location, lifestyle, family status, and occupation. Examine their psychographics too – their values, beliefs, interests, and behaviors. Identify their motivations for seeking dog training, their attitudes toward training methods, and their level of commitment to putting the work in. This information helps you connect with clients who share similar values and goals.

Identify the problems they are trying to solve

Perhaps you have a sense of who they are, but what do your ideal clients want? What are the common challenges they tend to face? Are they dealing with specific behavior issues, a lack of time for training, or struggling in certain contexts such as when people come over? Consider their potential goals. Is there a type of relationship they really want with their dog? Are there certain activities or outings they would love to do?

Create a persona

Once you’ve done your research and answered the identifying questions, create a persona that represents your ideal client. It can help to give them a name (“What kind of services would Jenny really love this year?”). List their age, occupation, and a detailed description that includes their demographics, psychographics, challenges, and goals. This persona becomes the foundation for your marketing and service design efforts.

Use your avatar to guide decisions

Whenever you develop new services, content, or marketing materials, refer back to your client avatar. Ask yourself, “Will this appeal to and resonate with my ideal client?” Use your avatar as a guide to ensure consistency and alignment in your work. And don’t forget – just like a real human, your client avatar is likely to evolve as your business grows. Carve out time to regularly assess and refine your avatar. This helps to keep your business on track, and ensures you’re doing work you love with clients who are a great match.

Do you have a client avatar? Or is time for a refresh? We’d love to hear about it and how it has impacted your business.

Boost Your Marketing With Client Success Stories

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For many dog trainers, motivation to ‘stay in the game’ is tied to our clients’ success: Those nourishing fist-pump moments when a client’s relationship with their dog deepens, when they’re able to enjoy an activity together that was previously a struggle, when joy and relief replace frustration or fear. These tales of transformation aren’t just heartwarming – they can also be a powerful marketing tool, a testimony to your skills and the credibility of your business.

Here are 4 great reasons to include client success stories in your marketing strategy – and some tips for how to do so.

1. Connecting Through Real-Life Examples

Nothing speaks louder than tangible results. Sharing real-life success stories highlights your ability to positively change the lives of dogs and their humans. By showcasing the progress made under your guidance, you build credibility and instill confidence in your skills. These stories also allow potential clients to visualize the positive changes they could experience working with you. And the stories needn’t be about huge transformations – the overwhelmed puppy parent who is now successfully redirecting those puppy teeth is likely to be enjoying life a lot more after your guidance. 

2. Building Trust and Relatability

Client success stories create a personal connection potential clients can relate to. If someone is struggling with their reactive dog on walks, and hears the story of your client who had similar challenges, they suddenly feel understood. They also see that you have successfully tackled the issue and offered relief. Your expertise becomes extremely relevant, and they will be more likely to reach out.

3. Inspiring Hope and Motivation

Coping with dog behavior challenges can be tough, and often leaves people feeling embarrassed, guilty, and overwhelmed. Client success stories act as beacons of hope, showing that change is possible with the right guidance. When potential clients see that other dog lovers have overcome similar obstacles, they’re inspired to take action and seek your professional assistance. These stories can be the motivation they need to embark on a journey towards a happier, healthier relationship with their dog.

4. Creating Emotional Connections

Emotion is a powerful tool in marketing, and success stories are an effective way to tap into this. When you share stories of dogs and people who have overcome challenges to lead happier lives, you evoke feelings of empathy, admiration, and warmth. These emotions make your content powerful and memorable, appealing to a wide range of dog lovers. Emotional responses and connections are often the driving force behind decisions, and success stories can be the motivator for potential clients to engage with your services.

How do you craft a compelling success story? 

When sharing client success stories, keep a few key principles in mind:

Format: Decide how you want to tell this story. Is it a snappy social media post? Is it a series of posts telling the success story over time? Perhaps you want to tell this story in more detail, in which case it could be a great article for your blog or newsletter. You could even interview your clients and share the story as a video – perhaps a short version for social media, linked to a fuller version on your website. A great thing about success stories is how versatile they are as a marketing tool.

Authenticity: Ensure that the stories are genuine and accurately reflect the transformation your client experienced with you. Authenticity builds trust and credibility.

Detail: Paint a vivid picture by including details about the dog’s behavior before training, the impact of this behavior on your client’s life, and the training approach you used.

Before-and-After: A side-by-side comparison of the dog’s behavior before and after training is the centerpiece of your story. This can be achieved through the written word, or even better, through photos and video. Don’t forget to include the “after” for your human client, too – what positive changes they’re experiencing as a result of training with you. What are they able to do now that they couldn’t before? How do these changes feel?

Client Testimonials: Incorporate quotes from your clients about their struggles before training, their experience working with you, and the positive changes they’re now enjoying.

Privacy: Always respect client privacy. Obtain their consent before sharing personal information and media.

Client success stories are a potent tool to include in your marketing, from your website to social media and any and all other marketing you do. By sharing narratives of transformation, you not only showcase your expertise but also inspire, motivate, and connect with potential clients in an authentic way. These stories aren’t just about the dogs – they’re about the relationships you’ve helped strengthen and the daily lives you’ve made better. So next time a client mentions how much progress they’ve made, ask if you can feature them in a success story!

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