Emerging Market for Products for Disabled and Elderly Pets

Filed Under Pet News, Pet Business Tips | 1 Comment

Yesterday I interviewed Jeanie Kraft, a pet acupuncturist for my soon to be released Secrets of Pet Business Success Audio interview series. In our discussion Jeanie mentioned that she is seeing growth in her pet therapy business as owners are looking for alternative ways to relieve pain in their pets that suffer from chronic diseases and allergies. These owners want the lives of their animals to be as comfortable as possible in their later years.

An article that I found today in the Huntington Post reminded me of this conversation and really brought home that the disabled pet market is one where many opportunities exists for new products and pet service businesses. The Post article highlights the growing willingness of pet parents to spend money on their disabled and elderly pets to ensure their quality of life. Here is an excerpt:

A growing number of pet owners are turning to custom-built wheelchairs to restore mobility to furry friends whose legs, hips or backs don’t work. The owners’ goals are simple: to reward their pets’ unconditional love with whatever it takes for the animals to live normally.

The two-wheel carts support the dog’s midsection with a padded saddle, and are secured with a shoulder yoke and chest strap. Most dogs have rear-wheel carts to compensate for lame hind legs, though a growing number of front-wheel carts are being ordered for animals with front-leg problems.

Donna Blain’s 7-year-old Maltese named Gizmo hopped and hobbled on his deformed front legs before she adopted him a year ago. She ordered his cart after learning the odd gait had damaged his spine and would have required surgery.

Now he wheels himself around for hours on sidewalks, in parks and anywhere he can find treats and praise.

“He’s into everything,” said Blain, of Woodstock, Conn. “He just wants to live, after all those years of really hobbling and not being able to get where he wanted to be.”

Eddie and Leslie Grinnell, founders of Eddie’s Wheels, built their first pet wheelchair in 1989 when their 10-year-old Doberman, Buddha, lost the use of her rear legs because of disc disease and spinal problems.

Their veterinarian, impressed by Buddha’s revived mobility and vitality, started referring others to the Grinnells. In 1998, they started their own business.

Similar wheelchair makers can be found in Montana, Maryland, Oregon, Washington and elsewhere. Most dog carts start around $250 and can exceed $500 based on the size of the dog, while the cost of wheelchairs for other animals can vary depending on the type and size of animal.

Since launching the business, Eddie’s Wheels has shipped carts worldwide _ the largest to a 220-pound Saint Bernard in Great Britain _ and has made wheelchairs for several cats, a ferret, alpacas, goats, sheep, a rabbit and a possum.

They even keep a supply of tiny wheels on hand for a gerbil or hamster.

Veterinarian Derek Fox, a University of Missouri professor specializing in orthopedic surgery for dogs, cats and other small animals, said pets that once would have been irreversibly crippled are benefiting from a variety of advancements: improved hip and joint replacements, better physical therapy and wheelchairs.

“Even if a treatment is expensive, these are people who say they’ll do anything to keep their pet moving, to keep them happy, to keep their quality of life up,” he said.

You can find the full article here.

I think that this trend is one that is here to stay and I hope that the growing consumer need will inspire the creation of many new products that will improve the lives of our pets.

How can you tailor the services that you provide in your business to disabled and elderly pets? Perhaps you can create a special package where you can combine massage, regular exercise, or other therapies into your visits or consultations and market them to pet owners. You could also offer a selection of products for disabled pets or add a page to your website giving information about the special needs of elderly pets.

Let me know by leaving a comment if you already have a special service that you tailor for this market, or if you can suggest any great products that can benefit disabled or elderly pets.

Tags :pet business tips, Pet News

Business Secrets of 16 Successful Work at Home Moms

Filed Under Pet Business Tips | 3 Comments

I am finally back in Dallas after a couple of weeks away in Lafayette, Louisianna. While I’m travelling I have more time to read and last week I got my hands on a great ebook put together by Nicole Dean. The book highlights interviews with 16 work at home moms who are running successful online businesses. I thought the tips shared were applicable to any business and I know that you can apply some if not all of these to increase the success of your pet business.

The 16 women all have unique business models with which they earn a full time income working at home. Even though their businesses are different they all use very similar strategies to grow their businesses. Here is a few strategies that they all apply:

1. Focus on a target market.

2. Have a marketing system that ensures your marketing is consiste easier and more effective.

3. Find a mentor who had done what you want to achieve in your business.

4. Network and learn from others.

5. Focus on money making activities and outsource administrative and day to day tasks.

6. Build relationships with customers and peers by using newsletters, ezines, and blogs.

7. Set goals.

8. Track your income closely.

9. Stay on top of industry trends.

10. Continuously lean and develop yourself.

11. Focus on one project at a time until it is complete.

Which one of these strategies will you apply today? Choose one and take the first step.

If you would like to join a group of like minded pet professionals who want to build their business faster, with less frustration and more fun come join the early bird club to be the first to learn more about the Pet Business Success Circle.

To find out more about these work at home moms that are making a full time living at home you can read more and get a copy of the Working at Home Success Blueprint here.

Tags :pet business tips

Boarding Business Boot Camp in Houston May 20-23rd

Filed Under Pet Events | 1 Comment

I received an email today out of the blue from another Australian pet business owner who is holding a large event in Houston this May. You just can’t keep a good Aussie down - we seem to be sprouting up all over the internet.

This Aussie is Sam Brown who is co-owner of a large boarding facility on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. Sam has perfected a method of managing her business so she can enjoy it and have time off while still growing her profits.

She is coming to the US to share these success secrets for 3 days at her Boarding Industry Boot Camp. At the camp she will be showing you how to put together an operations, finance, and customer service manual to get your boarding business running smoother without you! She promises you will be working 24 hours per week and taking at least 170 days off each year.

She is also teaching people to revamp their sales and marketing and focus on profit strategies.

For more information about the Boot Camp visit her site - Boarding As A Business.

Tags :Pet Events

Using Business to Business Networking to Grow Your Pet Business

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Network Pursuing relationships with your local pet business owners can bring you opportunities for cross referrals and allow you to offer your customers extra convenience.

When I interviewed Joseph Giannini from Chicago based Urban Outsitters last week I discovered that his goal is to fulfill the full range of his customers pet care needs. In the last 4 years he has grown his business from a pet sitting and dog walking service to a business that offers grooming, boarding, and day care. At his boarding and day care locations he also has retail outlets that sell pet foods and accessories. In the next year he also plans to add veterinary services. However, in the pet industry Joseph’s business model is fairly unique. Most pet care businesses focus on providing customers one service, or at most two to three complimentary services. These businesses can give customers more value and convenience creating partnerships with other local pet care providers.

Here are a few ideas that you can use to make the most of partnering with non-competative pet businesses:

Create win-win opportunities for cross-promotion. Organize an exchange of discount coupons for each of your services that can be distributed to your existing customers as appreciation gifts. Make customers feel special by printing “Exclusive offer for clients of XYZ pet services” on the bottom of each of your coupons.

Team up to organize community events. Organizing local events is a great way to get media publicity and give back to local charities. However, they require a large amount of work to organize and run. Why not team up with other local pet business and share the work and publicity.

Co-op Advertising. Advertising in magazines and coupon direct mailings is typically expensive. If you want access to reach these markets but can’t justify the price why not split the ad size and share an ad with another local pet business. You can split the cost of the ad and both reach the market you want to target.

Offer a combined service. Your clients need to take their pets to other local businesses to ensure that their dietary, training, and maintenance needs are met. To offer them more convenience why not combine your services with the services of other businesses to create service packages. A few examples are:

Pet sitting visit with grooming service

Pet sitting visit with food and treat delivery from local dog bakery

Dog day care visit with annual vaccinations

Dog walking service with training session

Dog birthday party at doggy day care with pampering by groomer and treats from local dog bakery

You will be able to charge a premium price for this service because of the time savings you offer your clients.

Emergency Planning. Your pet business should have an action plan that you will follow if a natural or human caused disaster occurs. A pet business with a large facility such as a dog day care may offer a good central shelter to bring your clients pets if you are no longer able to care for them in their home. Work with other pet business owners to make sure that you can pool resources in an emergency to ensure the safety of the pets in your care.

Don’t be afraid to contact local pet business owners and offer to meet for lunch or organize a meeting at their location.

Many business owners shy away from networking with other businesses that provide similar services in the same geographic area. This attitude is often based on scarcity thinking. In reality if you live in a highly populated area there are plenty of pet owners to serve and the advantages of getting to know your competitors can be many.

Advantages of networking with same service businesses include:

Opportunity to share best practices and learn from the experience of others
Have a backup for emergencies and vacation periods
A new source of referrals
Knowing others gives you the confidence to recommend other businesses if you cannot accommodate customer needs

Look for a networking group in your area by contacting business associations or asking other pet business owners. If you can find an existing network why not start your own. Associations typically can offer best practices and recommendations for forming networking groups.

A great starting point for your networking is joining us at the Pet Business Forum. Share ideas and brainstorm with us at www.petbusinessforum.com

Tags :business networking, business to business, partnering, pet business, pet business tips

Pet Business Success Circle Coaching Club Launches April 15th

Filed Under Pet News, Pet Events, My Pet Business | 1 Comment

I have been secretly working on a new project for a couple of weeks and I am now excited to announce the release date of my new coaching program for pet business professionals.

The Pet Business Success Circle will officially launch on April 15th 2008.

The mission of this new coaching program is to help small pet business owners to grow their business faster, and with less frustration, by giving them access to the right resources, tips and advice from pet business experts and their peers.

Members will enjoy all the following club benefits:

Live Monthly Q& A call to get your questions answered

Live Monthly Special Topic call to learn from business experts

Private access to Exclusive Networking & Brainstroming Forum

One Monthly One-on-One Call in Day for Private Laser Coaching

Access to Recordings of all Live calls

This type of comprehensive group pet business coaching is unique and a very affordable option to one on one coaching.

Pet Business Coaching Club I am offering an early bird discount for new members that opt-in to receive more information before April 1st. When you join this list you will also be the first to get a Free copy of my new ebook - “10 Steps to Super Charge Your Pet Care Business”.