Get More Clients To Your Pet Business Website using SEO Advice From Website Grader

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I found a great free online tool that I wanted to share with you today.  It is a tool that you can use to measure the marketing effectiveness of your pet busines website. The tool is called Website Grader.   You visit their website, plug in your website address or url and hit the analyze button and it produces a report that tells you how well your site is set up for ranking in search engines and for marketing.

Some of the results include an analysis of:

1. On-site SEO (search engine optimization) including your use of keywords, headings, images, page title, and reading level

2. Off-site SEO including domain information, Google pagerank, the date that Google last crawled your site, Alexa traffic ranking, and whether your site is listed in the DMOZ, Yahoo and ZoomInfo directories

3. Your Technorati ranking for blog popularity

4. Your Social Media popularity by looking at delicious and Digg tagging

What I like most is that at each step there is a link that you can click that gives you a good explanation of the what is being measured and why it is important.

The site can also give you an analysis of your competitors websites if you plug in their website URL’s on the input page and tell you how well you rank in comparison to their websites.

If you enter your email address on the input page Website grader will send a copy of the report to your email address so you can follow up on it’s suggestions at a later date

I just tryed it out on http:www.workingwithpets.com and found that this blog is rated 75% higher than most other sites they have analyzed. Not bad ….. but they also suggested plenty of improments that I can make around here to get more traffic.  If you are interested you can see my report here. 

You’ll see that at the end of your online report there is an ad for their free whitepaper - 5 Tips to Turn Your Website into A Marketing Machine.  It is a fairly brief report at 12 pages that will give you basic information about using on page and off page SEO, using website forms to capture visitors, how blogging can bring your more traffic, and the importance of analyzing your traffic statistics to improve your website marketing.

You have to give them a lot of your personal information to get the report including your phone number. If you don’t want to get on their list then you can easily Google these topics and you will find just as much, if not more information on each of them online.

How to Gain the Trust of Nervous Pet Sitting Clients

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Nervous ClientDo you ever have clients that are new to the concept of pet sitting - they want to try it out and feel it will be better for their pets - but they can’t help but be nervous about having a stranger enter their home and relying on them to take care of their beloved pet?

I had one of these clients this week. All they need from you is a reason for them to put their trust in you. Put some of these tips to use in your business and you will instantly put them at ease.

1. Give them a list of references.

Have a printed list of references that they can call and have someone with which they can discuss their concerns. Give the potential client your references name, phone numbers, and the city that they live in. If you have been in business for a while also put down how long your have worked with the client you are using for a reference.

The best references that you can give are for clients who have worked with you several times and that have always had good experiences with your service. Even better if they are raving fans and have given you great testimonials or called to compliment you on the care you gave their pets. Also ensure that you get the person you are using for a references permission so that they won’t be surprised or caught off guard when someone calls them.

2. Get Accredited with A Pet Sitting Association.

Having an accreditation with a well known pet sitting association will give you automatic credibility with new clients. Taking the time to learn more about your profession and about pets will benefit you but also show clients that you are serious about your business and serious about giving great care to their pets.

Pet Sitters International (www.petsit.com) offer an accreditation program where you will learn about pet behavior, diseases, marketing and office procedures. I took their course and became accredited earlier this year. I’d recommend their course and you can use this creditial in all your advertising to differentiate yourself from other pet sitters in your area.

3. Have your policies and processes clearly stated on your website.

Customers will feel more comfortable working with you if they know what to expect. They will also be reassured if they can see that you have processes in place to ensure the quality of your service. On one page of your website give customers an outline of the process of scheduling the initial interview, what information you will collect from them, how you manage keys, if you provide a daily written log at each visit, and what you typically do during each pet sitting visit.

4. Take the time to get to know them and their pet.

At the initial interview make sure that you are friendly and take time to chat with the client to find out as much as you can about them and about their pets. Ask questions about their pets behaviors, if they have had an past medical issues, their favorite toys, treats, and make sure you get to know their regular routine.

Don’t be afraid to share past experiences that you have had with clients pets, and let them know how you have handled any pet emergencies. They will be reassured to know that you acted responsibly and can get their pet the help it needs if anything should happen while they are in your care.

5. Give them permission to call and check up on their pets.

Always make sure to give clients a business card or keyring that they can take with them on their travels that has your contact details. Encourage them to call you if and check on their pets at any time. When they call make sure you tell them about what happened at the visits, if their pet especially enjoyed the walk, loved lots of tummy rubs, etc. Reassure them that their pets are doing fine, or let them know if you have seen any strange behavior.

My client has called a couple of times already this week and I’m sure she feels much better knowing exactly what’s going on at home.

6. Explain How Your Insurance and Bonding Works 

Clients that are nervous about a stranger visiting their home are probably worried that things may go missing. Explain that you have insurance and are bonding which covers them for any loss or damage to their home or their pet.  Tell them about your track record - how long have you been pet sitting with no incidents and claims.

If you are using employees or contractors considering doing a background check as part of your hiring process. You can them explain this process to clients and guarantee them that your sitters have a clean record and are not thiefs!

I hope you can use these tips in your business. If you have any other tips to add please leave a comment after this post and share them with our community.

Secrets of Pet Business Success Now Available!

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Secrets of Pet Business SuccessMy new product is finally ready and now available right here. Secrets of Pet Business Success is a collection of 5 interviews with successful pet business owners to discover their secrets to building unique businesses that really stand above their competition.

Here is a taste of what you can learn from these pet business professionals:
4 behaviors that put into action will build you a reputation for excellence, and distinguish you from other pet services

5 qualities that when applied to your pet business will make your clients raving fans and will inspire them to tell everyone they know about your pet service

3 ways to ensure that you get the attention of the media and get free publicity that will expose your business to a larger audience and make sure that everyone in your city recognizes your business name

5 real life examples of how you can create a niche for your business that instantly makes you the obvious choice of pet care provider for your target market

2 methods to guarantee that doing business with you is easy and customers feel no reluctance to leaving their pets in your care

3 case studies of how to publish a book that establishes your expertise, gives you instant credibility, and acts like a giant business card

3 new pet industry trends that when incorporated into your business will give you instant appeal to emerging new markets

How to use blogging and blog radio to build your status as an expert, so that you develop a pre-established trust with pet owenrs and they feel a connection to you and your business

Why volunteering and community involvement should be integral components of your marketing strategy

I’m sure you’re wondering who these 5 generous entrepreneurs are that let me interview them and share their strategies. They are:

1) Diana Guerrero is a world recognized pet behavior expert, who has worked in the movies, been a featured expert on the Animal Planet cable network, and has now used these experiences to build a profitable pet training and pet career consulting business

2) Helmi Flick is the official cat show photographer at national and international cat shows, and her photos were chosen for the cover of Cat Fancy magazine for 9 out of the 12 issues published in 2007

3) Kim Bloomer is a dog natural health care specialist, the host of two weekly radio shows, and has authored her own book on dog health.

4) Joseph Giannini is the Owner of Urban Outsitters in Chicago. He started a pet sitting business which has now grown into a pet empire that consists of 3 dog daycare and boarding locations that also offer grooming services and pet supplies.

5) Jeanie Marie Kraft is a dog accupuncture therapist. She transformed her traditional accupunture business into a full time pet business that provides accupuncture therapy for dogs in the comfort of their own homes.

This is a physical product that is delivered to you as 5 CD’s (over 240 minutes of audio) and a 120 page spiral bound book that contains the full written transcripts of all calls. I’m giving you the transcripts so that you can take notes and put together your own action plan for implementing all the new ideas for improving your buisness that you will have when you finish listening to these calls.

I am also giving the first 50 buyers as a bonus a digital copy of my One Page Pet Business Plan so that they can set out their new business action steps in an official written plan that will inspire them to take action!

If you are ready to differentiate your pet business from the competition and create a reputation for excellence grab your copy now and make sure you don’t miss out on the fast action bonus!

Get your copy here!

Top 5 Pet Business Marketing Mistakes

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Pet Business MarketingAn effective marketing strategy for your pet business is worth its weight in gold.  It can mean the difference between long term success, steady profits and cash flow, and a business which can sustain itself during economic slow periods.  Marketing is in effect the fuel that drives your business.  No fuel and you’re going to stand still and watch the traffic go by.

So what is an effective marketing strategy?  It differs for each business and target market however there are a few mistakes every business owner can avoid to get, and stay, ahead of the curve.  Here are the top 5 pet business marketing mistakes to avoid:

#1  Not listing your website with the search engines. 

Even if you do not have an online business you cannot afford to skip listing with the search engines.  More than 80% of internet users search online before they buy a product or service.  That means brick and mortar stores, in addition to online stores, benefit from having an online presence.  

In addition to the big three search engines:  Google, Yahoo, and MSN it is a great idea to list with the local search engines.   Each search engine has a local division where someone can search by city or state and their keywords.  For example, “Boulder, Colorado Organic Pet Care”

The good news is if you have links coming to your website you’re quite likely already listed with the search engines.  If you’re not, visit each search engine and follow the process to submit your website.

#2  Not having a niche. 

Niche marketing gives you leverage in the industry.  Niche marketing, having a specific category within your industry, for example, organic pet grooming as opposed to the broader ‘pet grooming’ category, gives you the potential to become the expert in your industry. It reduces your competition and gives you a USP - unique selling point.  Niche marketing makes your marketing much more powerful.

#3  Not having an opt-in list. 

An opt in list, if you don’t already have one, is a list of prospects who have expressed an interest in your products or services.  Typically it is a list of email addresses because email is inexpensive and immediate however snail mail works too.  Your opt-in list is used to send information and promotional messages to potential and current customers.  

The theory, and it works, is that if you stay fresh in the mind of your prospects, they’ll be more likely to make a purchase.  Communicating with your opt in list doesn’t have to be a time consuming process.  A monthly newsletter, or more frequent is fine.  The key is to get that list and to start using it.  

#4  Failing to have a marketing strategy. 

Many business owners simply ‘wing it’ when it comes to marketing.  (They do the same thing with their budget and then end up with negative cash flow.  Not good for business)  Planning takes the struggle out of running a business and the great thing about a plan….you can change it.  It isn’t set in stone.  If you don’t have a marketing plan, sit down with a piece of paper and outline a year’s worth of ideas and strategies to communicate with your prospects and customers.  From that outline create a plan for each idea.  Now you have a marketing strategy - not too hard, right?

#5  Not knowing your market. 

Who are you selling to and why would they want or need your product?  If you don’t know the answer to these questions then it’s time to get serious about your pet business.   If you don’t know who your customer is then how on earth are you going to sell your business?  

If you have customers begin there. Who are they and why are they using your products or services?  If you don’t and you’re just starting a pet business outline who you think your customers will be and what problems they have.  Then you can go about solving their problems with your products or services.  

Marketing is a process and everyone makes marketing mistakes however if you can manage to avoid these five biggies you’re well on your way to marketing, and business, success.

In the next couple of weeks I’ll be announcing a new program that I’m about to release that will be a full 3 month e-course to teach you how to develop a marketing system for your pet business. I’m excited about it - and will be giving away a free whitepaper next week to kick off the program. Stay tuned! 

Pet Business Interview - Petaholics New York City Dog Trainers

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This week I have the pleasure of interviewing Jordan Kaplan from New York City Dog Trainers . Jordan has a dog training business in New York City that offers private in home lessons, group classes, and puppy playgroup and socializaton classes.

1. What kind of business do you run?

I personally am a dog trainer in New York city, I also own a dog walking business.

2. How long have you been in business?

I started pet sitting in 2001 and training in 2004.

3. How did you choose to start a pet care business?

I have always been an entrepreneur ever since I was a kid charging my neighbors to shovel snow off their driveways in the middle of winter. I enjoy helping people and after 9/11 I was working in corporate and the time seemed right to make the jump back into entrepreneurship.

4. What advice would you give someone about to launch a new pet care business?

Do your homework, make sure there is a need in your area. Scout out your competitors to see what they are doing. If you can, start while keeping your full time job and slowly make the transition.

5. What has been the greatest challenge in growing your business?

Competing in a hyper-competative marketplace.

6. What are the pros and cons of your profession?

Pros - make my own schedule, choosing who I work with, flexibility, joy of making people happy. Cons - Potential lawsuits, getting bitten by a dog, people with unrealistic expectations.

7. What daily tasks do you enjoy most?

Speaking to first time dog owners and helping them bring a dog into their lives

8. If you could have done anything differently what would it have been?

Started my business sooner!

9. Did you have a mentor or business coach? If so how did they help you?

I had both, my mentor is Steve Diller, a well known trainer who has been in business for 30 years. I worked with a Fabinenne Fredrickson from Client Attraction, she was very helpful in creating systems to attract new clients.

10. Are you a member of any professional organizations? How have they helped you?

I am a member of many organizations, Assoc of Pet Dog Trainers, Intl Assoc of Canine Professionals to name a couple. They have given me geat exposure to learn from other professionals in the dog training community. the annual convention is a weeks worth of seminars and is worth the cost as you get a lot of hands on work with the top trainers in the country.

11. What forms of marketing have you found most effective in reaching pet owners?

Working with veterinarians has really been great, mainly referrals and word of mouth.

12. Do you offer clients incentives for giving referrals?

Yes

13. At what stage of your business growth did you choose to take on help?

When I was loosing potential customers because more time had to be spent on back office work

14. Did you choose to use employees or independent contractors?

We use independent contractors and hired a human resources consultant to make sure we were compliant with IRS regulations

15. What have you found is the best way to find new staff members?

Referrals from current staff or clients. Craigslist is not bad but you have to have a good system set up to find your ideal staff.

Thanks Jordan for sharing that information with us.  If you would like to be interviewed at Working with Pets please send me an email with your contact details - daniellechonody@gmail.com.

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