Building a business is very dependent on building great relationships. Relationships with your clients, with your staff, with the animals in your care and more. One way to take your business to the next level is to build relationships with other local pet care businesses. This is really two fold. Let me explain.
Your clients trust your judgment when it comes to the care of their animals. Often times, new clients may also be new to the area and the first pet professional they’ve found is you. They still need to find a great Veterinarian, find a groomer, get recommendations for dog parks, figure out where to buy their special pet food and more. As a trusted pet professional - they may ask you for your recommendations and you should be prepared with accurate information. Being able to recommend a great vet or a great dog park can really go a long way in building a strong, lasting relationship with your client.
Similarly, new people to town may find their Veterinarian first. When they are doing their annual check-up, they may mention that they have a trip coming up and they really need to find a great pet sitter. Building a strong relationship with the Vet means that they won’t hesitate to recommend you and your company.
The relationship benefits both you and your the Vet. They have a great recommendation when their customer needs some advice (which helps them gain the trust and respect of their client) and you have a great recommendation for your customer. And of course - you each can get a new client out of the deal!
There are also lots of other great local businesses you can network with besides local Veterinarians. You should introduce yourself and your business to the local pet supply store, to some local realtors (who may be helping new people move to town), and really any other local business. Always have a stack of business cards that you can leave with them as well. Remember - you’d love to have some great recommendations to give your clients in addition to them recommending your company to their customers!
