Whether you live in a small town, or a big city, you will always have your choice of local pet business owners. You can find everything from groomers, to dog walkers, animal trainers, pet shops, and of course pet sitters. Although it may seem difficult to want to partner with some of these places, the truth is, it can help you get more business.
Partnering with another local pet business is a fantastic way to combine resources of both your company, and the others as well. It can not only boost your client base, but may also boost theirs. The goal is to help each other. Let’s say you decide to partner with the local pet grooming shop. Every time you get a client, you would recommend them to that groomer. Give them praise and pass out the groomers business cards. The groomer will in return do the same with their clients. You can share clients between each other, and give referrals back and forth.
Make sure you only partner with companies that will benefit your pet sitting business. For instance, a feed store may not be the best place to partner with. They will not have your preferred client base. Research all the places you want to consider, and become familiar with the owners. Use their service, and let them know your face. If you want to partner with the local dog walker, then hire them to walk your dog. Make sure you like them and their work ethic before jumping into a partnership with them.
Believe it or not, partnering with another company does not always mean you have to spend money. If you go to a smaller owned business like a dog trainer, they may be willing to partner with you to boost their numbers as well. Word of mouth is a great marketing tool, and if someone loves their dog trainer, then they are most likely going to use their choice of pet sitters before choosing one at random.
Another great point to partnering is sharing contact lists. You never want to give your clients information out without their permission. However, if you feel they need a groomer, trainer, etc., you can give them the number to contact that business and let the business owner know who will be calling and some details on the clients. This will make things feel more personal when they contact the trainer/groomer. Ask your clients how they feel about you giving out their number to that business.
You can even go one step further and share marketing costs if you feel that particular business is boosting your numbers enough. If you keep a good relationship with them, you may be able to put your flyers in their shop, or print up a poster to go on their wall. Remember the key is to help each other. The more people they bring to you, the harder you must work to bring people to them. Partnering with local pet business owners is an essential tool to building good relationships with other companies, and above all, it can help you to bring in more clients.