Pet Boutique: How to Start a Pet Boutique Business

Business Outlook

According to pet product manufacturing association there are estimated 80 million cats and 75 million dogs.  The pet business is estimated at $55 billion dollars with pet boutiques gaining a share of the industry.

Things to consider before opening a pet boutique are employee salaries, insurance and rent. Others are funding the business, type of products and services to offer customers. The business is practicable on/offline depending on your business template.

Business Considerations

Considerations include legal fees, registering the business name, insurance and tax. You need quality products and services.

Others are accounting knowledge, interpersonal skill, operational license or permit. Register the business as a limited liability company or sole proprietor.

•         Legal fees

•         Registering the business name

•         Incorporate

•         Insurance

•         Tax

•         Quality products and services

•         Accounting knowledge

•         Interpersonal skill

•         Operational license or permit

Gain Experience

Gain workplace experience or get formal training. Work as an apprentice and Prior employment in related industry is an advantage. A good grasp of retail sales and marketing are important aspects of the business.

•         Formal training

•         Work as an apprentice

•         Prior employment in related industry

•         Retail sales knowledge

•         Marketing skill

Pricing

The business is highly competitive with many players. Pet boutique products and services attract premium prices.

To compete favorable your prices should be comparable with those in your locality. Try to study your competitions prices, products and services.

Marketing

Your target customer base are middle to upper class clients. Advertise the business at high end shops, upscale cloth boutiques, high end venues. Use flyers, posters, billboard, banners, sign board.

Use word of mouth, referrals, email marketing, reciprocal advertising. Other good locations to advertise the business are pet grooming centers, doggie day care, and veterinarian clinics. Add the business to yellow pages, online directories.

•         Use flyers

•         Posters

•         Billboard

•         Banners

•         Sign board

•         Use word of mouth

•         Referrals

•         Email marketing

•         Reciprocal advertising

•         Choose a unique business name

•         Add blog posts to the site

•         Add contact address

•         Use social media platforms

•         Online advertisement

•         Advertise in local newspaper

•         Organize community activities

•         Offer discounts

•         Use promotions

•         Coupons

•         Newsletters

Build a Website

Build a website to highlight the business. Choose a unique business name, domain name and good host plan. Add blog posts to the site, contact address, telephone number and products.

Add online shopping including a PayPal payment system or debit card processor. Use social media platforms and online advertisement to drive traffic to the website.

Place advertisement in local newspaper, pet magazines. Organize community activities, offer discounts to regular customers. Use promotions, coupons, newsletters.

Product

The list of pet boutique products is huge. Common products are pet toys, supplies, treats, travel carriers. Others are collars, leashes, pet identification tags, bedding. More are pet clothing, gift baskets, bows, bandanas, hats.

•         Pet toys

•         Supplies

•         Treats

•         Travel carriers

•         Collars

•         Leashes

•         Pet identification tags

•         Bedding

•         Pet clothing

•         Gift baskets

•         Bows

•         Bandanas

•         Hats

Location

The choice of location should be close to customer base. Target customers are middle to upper class individuals.

Good locations are highbrow areas, upscale areas and commercial areas. You need a web store to run a home based business. However a retail store offers better opportunities.

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How to Start a Mobile Dog Grooming Business

Mobile dog grooming business is very profitable and moderately challenging. To start the business you need experience, quality equipment. Others are mobile vehicle, funding and appropriately priced services.

Things to Consider

Business considerations are legal fees, advertisement fees, licenses and certification. Others are proper accounting, type of vehicle, business registration.

Contact your local government to find out the requirements. You need a vehicle insurance policy and liability insurance.

More considerations are utilities like water, electricity and standby generator. You need grooming equipment and a commercial driving license.

•         Legal fees

•         Advertisement fees

•         Licenses

•         Certification

•         Accounting, advertisement

•         Type of vehicle

•         Business registration

•         Vehicle insurance policy

•         Liability insurance

•         Utilities

•         Standby generator

•         Grooming equipment

Gain Experience

To grain experience become an apprentice or get formal training. There are a few professional training courses and associations. Attend seminars, workshops, read tutorials, books and web publications.

Gain workplace experience by working with a certified groomer. Knowledge in other disciplines like dog training, pet sitting and animal healthcare is advantageous.

•         Become an apprentice

•         Get formal training

•         Join an associations

•         Attend seminars

•         Workshops

•         Read tutorials

•         Books

•         Web publications

•         Gain workplace experience

•         Get certified

Marketing

Cover the vehicle with wraparound advertisement. You need a permit to advertise on the vehicle. On the advert include the company name, logo, location, telephone number.

Print flyers, posters, banners, billboards to reach potential customers. Place your adverts in pet shops, veterinary clinics, pet food stores and animal shelters. Network with pet photographers, doggie daycare centers and dog walkers.

Use newspaper publications, referrals, word of mouth or community based activities. Offer discounts to regular customers, build a website and use social media platform. Use promotions, print newsletters, brochures and use email marketing.

•         Vehicle wraparound advertisement

•         Print flyers

•         Posters

•         Banners

•         Billboards

•         Network

•         Use referrals

•         Word of mouth

•         Community based activities

•         Offer discounts

•         Build a website

•         Use social media platform

•         Use promotions

•         Print newsletters

•         Brochures

•         Use email marketing

Pricing

The amount of money to charge customers depends on many factors. Factors include breed of dog, type of grooming and type of cut. Other considerations are how long it takes to complete job and location.

More things that affect price are distance, fuel costs and labor. Mobile groomers charge higher than location based groomers. This is because of transportation costs, maintenance of vehicle. They also offer personalized services and convenience.

Licensing

You need a commercial driver’s license, vehicle particulars and insurance. You need advertisement permit, business license and vehicle insurance. You need liability insurance, tax identification number and register the business as a limited liability company or sole proprietorship.

Define Operational Area

Since you offer mobile services you need to define service area. The area should be reasonable distance from your office or home. Focus on your immediate environment and locations not more than 30 minutes driving distance.

It is important to organize outcalls and group according to demography. This will offer better efficiency and reduce transport costs. You can meet appointments on specific days depending on your schedule.

Common locations are individual homes, apartments, office complex.

Mobile Dog Grooming Equipment

Make sure the vehicle is fitted with mobile dog grooming equipment. Common equipment are nail clippers, bows, cleaning products, shampoos.

Others are blow dryers, bandanas, brushes and shears scissors. More are clippers, bathtub, grooming tables, electrical outlets, lighten and generating set.

•         Nail clippers

•         Bows

•         Cleaning products

•         Shampoos

•         Blow dryers

•         Bandanas

•         Brushes

•         Shears scissors

•         Clippers

•         Bathtub

•         Grooming tables

•         Electrical outlets

•         Lighten

•         Generating set

The Vehicle

The vehicle is the most important equipment in the mobile grooming industry. The vehicle should be large enough to contain grooming equipment and a grooming table.

Preferred vehicles are trailers or large vans. Most grooming vehicles are converted and fitted with appropriate equipment. The conversion should meet high way traffic safety administration standards.

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Pet Taxi: How to Start a Pet taxi Service

Transporting pets is an unusual niche in animal care industry. The job is lucrative with very few competition. To start the business you need to define a service area. Then purchase equipment, price your service and form the business. You need to manage your appointments, create a contract and advertise.

Define your Area

It is important defining your operational area. Focus on a specific region, town, state, county or city. A good place to work is within a large metropolis or city. Make sure you follow state regulation when transporting the animals.

Register the Business

Register the business as a sole proprietor company. Select a business name, get tax identification number and insurance.

To reduce liability, incorporate the business as a limited liability company. Make sure you comply with state laws and regulations. You need a commercial driving license and vehicle documents.

 •        Sole proprietor company

•        Select a business name

•        Get tax identification number

•        Insurance.

•        Comply with state laws and regulations

•        Commercial driving license

•        Vehicle documents.

Manage Appointments

Create a spreadsheet, organize schedules and manage appointments. Offer your clients quality service and manage calls.

Make sure while in transit you remain in contact with the client. If you are driving use a hands free set to answer enquires and calls.

•        Create a spreadsheet

•        Organize schedules

•        Manage appointments

•        Quality service

•        Manage calls

Marketing

To reach customers you need to advertise the business. Cost effective ways include building a website or blog. Others are social media platforms, email marketing and YouTube videos.

Advertise on your vehicle, print flyers, and business cards. Place the flyers at pet related businesses, dog grooming services, doggie day care centers. Add the business to yellow pages and directories.

  Advertise the business

•        Building a website

•        Blog

•        Social media platforms

•        Email marketing

•        YouTube videos

•        Print flyers

•        Business cards

•        Yellow pages

•        Directories

Pricing

Pricing requires determining the appropriate amount a customer will pay for your transport service. Things that determine price are distance, total mileage, fuel, insurance, labor.

Find out what competitors charge, their business structure and client base. Make sure the price is competitive and close to those found in the industry. The price could be estimated on meter mileage, per hour or a negotiate sum.

Contract

Hire an attorney to create a standard contract for the service. The contract should specify charges, liabilities, pick-up, destination, delivery time. There should be a form that highlights the animal’s medical history, age, breed, allergies.

The form should determine extend of liability based on accident or injury to the animal. The form can have contact information, address, phone number, emergency contact information. Others are veterinarians address, phone number.

Contract Form Parameters

•        Specify charges

•        Liabilities

•        Pick-up

•        Destination

•        Delivery time

•        Animal’s medical history

•        Age

•        Breed

•        Allergies

•        Contact information

•        Address

•        Phone number

•        Emergency contact information

•        Veterinarians address

•        Phone number

Purchase Equipment

The main equipment is the vehicle to transport the animal. The vehicle can be a sport utility vehicle, bus, van or truck.

Make sure the vehicle is properly aerated, air conditioned and ventilated. It should accommodate cages or kennels, crate. You need harness, seat belts, leashes and collars.
       Transport vehicle

•        Cages

•        Kennels

•        Crate

•        Harness

•        Seat belts

•        Leashes

•        Collars

•

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How to Start Dog Training Business

Worldwide, dogs are the preferred pet in most households. Two thirds of every household in America has a dog or some type of pet. Pet services in America in 2018 attract over $7 billion dollars in revenue.

The animal requires proper grooming, Medicare, food and training. Dog training services is in huge demand and very lucrative. The investor can hire a professional trainer or learn the trade. The business is practical from home and low startup cost.

Dog Related Businesses

There are different businesses that relate to dogs. You have the dog food producers, pet sitters and dog walkers. Others are groomers, kennel supervisor, dog show handlers, dog trainers and doggie day care operators.

•         Dog food producers

•         Pet sitters

•         Dog walkers

•         Groomers

•         Kennel supervisor

•         Dog show handlers

•         Dog trainers

•         Doggie day care operators

How to Start a Dog Training Business

Write a Business Plan

The first step is to write a dog training business plan. Then carry out a feasibility study and obtain an operational license. The plan should cover the mission and vision statement, accounting and services. The person needs to acquire appropriate skill and formal training.

Learn the Trade

To provide quality service the investor needs to gain experience. It is important to learn the trade before you can run a successful dog training business. The trainer should love dogs, understand different training techniques and develop business skill.

The job involves understanding canine behavior, responses and commands. The trainer could learn by becoming an apprentice, job place experience or formal training.

There are a few professional training schools, online courses, books and tutorials. The trainer needs to acquire certification.

Certification

It is important to join a professional association to acquire certificate. Some recognized bodies are association of pet dog trainer’s certification, council of professional dog trainers. The business is usually a one man enterprise therefore register as a sole proprietor.

Other options are incorporating as a limited liability company or partnership. You need a business license, operational permit and liability insurance. You need tax identification number, health and safety measures.

Equipment

The equipment depends on the size and scope of the business. A home-based business require very few basic tools. A boarding facility needs dog kernels, mouth guards, collars, chains, training props. Other equipment are treats, clickers, leashes.

•         Dog kernels

•         Mouth guards

•         Collars

•         Chains

•         Training props

•         Treats

•         Clickers

•         Leashes

Funding

The startup requirement is low and training equipment basic and easy to source. Fund the enterprise through target savings, borrow from friends and family. You can apply for a micro finance loan or find a business partner.

•         Target savings

•         Borrow from friends and family

•         Apply for a micro finance loan

•         Find a business partner.

Pricing

Make sure your rates are in conformity with those obtained in the industry. Private home training can attract $25 to $100 per hour. The trainers base their prices on time spent on the pet. You can offer group training, private training, and hourly training.

Marketing

Network with veterinary clinics, groomers, dog shelters, pet sitters and pet boutiques. Others are doggie daycare, boarding kennel, dog owners and pet shops. Advertise the business through word of mouth, social media a blog or website.

Use electronic media and print to spread the word. Use flyers, posters, banners, brochures, business card, sign board. Register a catchy business name and create a logo.

•         Word of mouth

•         Social media

•         Blog or website

•         Electronic media

•         Use flyers

•         Posters

•         Banners

•         Brochures

•         Business card

•         Signboard

•         Catchy business name

•         Create a logo

Location

The trainer needs to conform to zoning requirements. The trainer can start the business from home or work from a rented space. Some trainers prefer outcalls and work from client’s house. A large training facility will provide boarding for the dogs.

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