Using Flyers To Grow Your Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Business

How To Create and Use Flyers to Attract New Pet Parents in Your Area – Updated for 2025!

Are you looking for ways to grow your dog walking or pet sitting business? If so, you’ve come to the right place! While there are several marketing strategies out there – especially online ones – sometimes going with a tried-and-true method is the best route. When it comes to pet care, one of the oldest (and most effective) ways to attract new clients is by using flyers.

Flyers are a highly versatile way to get the word out to pet owners in your community. You can place them in areas where people work, run errands, and take time to relax – with or without their beloved furry family members! This versatility opens up many opportunities to reach potential clients.

Imagine this: A pet parent is taking their dog to the park, feeling guilty that their pup, Fido, didn’t get enough exercise the previous day due to back-to-back meetings. As they pass by the community bulletin board next to the dog park, they notice a flyer advertising a dog walking company that offers daily walks filled with plenty of exercise and one-on-one attention for the pets in their care. For a busy pet owner, it’s the perfect solution to their pet-related woes! They grab a tear-off, scan the QR code, or dial the number provided—and soon, they’ve booked regular walks with your team. From there, they become a regular, recurring client who books 45-minute walks Monday through Friday (maybe even some one-off requests here and there!). And all you had to do was strategically place a poster.

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The Benefits Of Putting Up Flyers For Your Pet Care Business

Flyers are still one of the best ways to market your pet care business and attract new clients, even during the height of the digital age. You might be wondering, “But why? Why are flyers still so effective?” Well, there are four key reasons:

• Cost Effective: Unlike many other forms of marketing, flyers are relatively inexpensive to produce and print, making them a great marketing tool for small businesses. With so many free templates and design tools available online, creating a flyer is easier than ever!
• Targeted Advertising: You can think ahead and place flyers in places where pet parents in your area are most likely to be, such as dog parks, pet stores, veterinary clinics, and even local cafes or community centers. You can also time your flyer placement around certain seasons or services you want to highlight to make your advertising even more relevant.
• Highly Customizable: Your flyers can use visuals and copy that are tailored to your unique business, the services you offer, and the overall image you want your brand to project. You can also include pertinent information on your pricing, special promotions, or contact details like your website or phone number. You can even create different flyers for different seasons, events, or types of services – whatever fits your needs!
• Tangible Impact: Unlike digital marketing materials that are easy to scroll past, flyers are physical objects that people can see and hold, making them more likely to stick in someone’s mind and create a lasting impression. Consider including business cards or tear-off tabs with your contact information for potential clients to take with them. This gives them a little piece of your business to reference and follow up on later. Plus, having a flyer out in the community adds a sense of “local connection” to your business, which pet parents really appreciate when choosing someone to walk their dogs or care for their pets while they’re away.

Creating The Perfect Flyer and What Comes Next

When it comes to using flyers as a marketing channel, there are three main steps to take: designing, placement, and printing. First up is designing your flyer! A well-thought-out flyer can make all the difference in catching someone’s attention and getting your message across. While creating your flyer, keep these five components in mind:

1. Content: What information should you include about your business, and what is better left out? Think about the essentials: your services, contact info, and maybe a special offer.
2. Design: What will your flyer look like? Consider the layout, colors, and visuals. Will you go for a fun, cartoon-style with pet illustrations? Or maybe eye-catching stock photos of real cats and dogs?
3. Target Audience: Who is this flyer for? What clients are you looking to attract, and how can you achieve your desired results? Knowing your audience helps you decide not only the tone and style, but also where you should be placing your flyers.
4. Printing & Prepping: How will you print your flyers? How many should you print? Also, don’t forget about the little things – like the sizing and how you want to hang them up.
5. Distribution: Where are you planning to hang your flyers? Do you want to post them in pet-friendly restaurants, hand them out at the dog park, or maybe partner with a local shelter during an adoption event to distribute them to new or aspiring pet parents? Also, make sure your flyers are durable enough to withstand the elements if placed outdoors – and always check if you need permission before posting them!

While we’ll briefly cover the basics of designing the perfect flyer for your business and how to distribute it, we recommend checking out our Academy article, Using Flyers To Grow Your Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Business, for more in-depth information on these steps.

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Designing Your Flyer

When creating a flyer for your dog walking or pet sitting business, it’s important to strike a balance between professionalism and visual appeal for potential clients. This means being deliberate with every element you choose – whether it’s the images, the text, or the design – all of which should reflect the quality of service you offer and grab the attention of people passing by. In addition to the visual aspects, a common feature on many flyers is a “tear-off” section at the bottom, where people can take a slip with your contact information. This not only makes it easier for clients to reach out later, but also gives you a sense of how effective your flyer is at generating interest.

When it comes to designing your flyer, there are plenty of online programs that can help you create the perfect poster. Many of them are free to use and come equipped with excellent design resources. You can use simple tools like Google Docs or Microsoft Word, or if you decide to use a free design program that packs a little more punch, like Canva or Gimp, make sure you choose one that fits your level of expertise and helps you put together a flyer that appeals to pet parents in your area – while keeping things both aesthetically and professionally pleasing.

If you want to use a tool with more design capabilities than Google Docs or Word, Canva is a great option. It offers a multitude of tools that are perfect for businesses and can help you create stunning, professional-looking flyers, brochures, social media graphics, and other materials. Plus, it’s easy to use! Here’s an example of what using Canva looks like:

Canva offers a wealth of options if you’re looking for some templates or just need a little inspiration for your flyer’s layout. It also has a wide variety of design tools and tutorials that make it easy to create a custom flyer perfectly tailored to your business. While there may be a bit of a learning curve, you’ll get the hang of it with practice and be a pro before you know it.

What To Include on Your Dog Walking or Pet Sitting Flyer

As with many elements of starting your own dog walking or pet sitting business, it’s usually a good idea to start simple when creating a flyer for your company. While it may be tempting to overload your flyer with every detail about your services and pricing, it’s best to focus on the essentials that will grab potential clients' attention. The main goal is to make it easy for people to understand what you're offering and how to get in touch with you, so be sure to emphasize and highlight this information visually.

Here are some of the essential details and elements you should include on your flyer:

• Business Name & Company Logo: These are must-haves! Your company name and logo are how potential clients will recognize you and your brand. A memorable name or eye-catching logo could be what sets you apart from the competition and prompts a pet parent to reach out to you first.
• Catchy Headline: Your flyer’s headline should immediately grab a pet parent’s attention and spark a desire to learn more about your services. Some examples of catchy headlines might include: “Need a pet sitter? We’ve got you covered!” or “Going on vacation? Let us take care of your furry friends!” or “Don’t leave your pets home alone – hire a professional pet sitter instead!”
• What Services Your Company Provides: Be sure to highlight your company’s primary services, such as dog walking, overnight pet sitting, cat visits, etc. It’s also helpful to be specific about what sets your services apart from others – like staff members with vet tech experience who can handle complex medical administration, experience with certain breeds, or flexible scheduling options. Let potential clients know! That could easily turn the tide and make someone choose your company over your competitors.
• What Areas You Service: If you only serve certain areas of a city, for example, be sure to make that as clear as possible so there’s no confusion for potential customers.
• Contact Information: Ensure that you display how potential clients can best reach you with questions or service inquiries. Whether you have a client form they can fill out on your website, or prefer that they contact you directly by phone or email, be sure to include the necessary phone numbers, email addresses, or website URLs. Depending on how you use them, you may even want to include links to your social media pages as well.
• Eye-Catching Graphic/Illustration: Cute pet photos, colorful illustrations, or stunning artwork can help make your flyer more visually appealing and stand out among other advertisements. If you don’t already have photos you’d like to use, images are easy to add using sites or programs like Canva—just choose one that fits your style!
• Call-To-Actions: Encourage potential clients to take action when they see your flyer by including a call-to-action (CTA). Some examples of great CTAs to include are: “Call us today to schedule a free Meet & Greet!” “Visit our website to learn more about our services!” or “Don’t wait—book your holiday pet sitting services now!”
• QR Code For Your Website Or Social Media Pages: While entirely optional, a QR code makes it easy for anyone to open their phone camera and immediately be taken to your website or social media page, without having to type in a web address. In an age where instant gratification is at an all-time high, this can be an excellent way to prompt potential clients to visit your website or inquire about services with your company even sooner. HubSpot has a helpful guide that can show you how to easily create a QR code for your website here.

Whatever you settle on as the final design for your flyer, make sure it reflects the personality and values of yourself, your company, and your brand. But don’t forget to let your creativity shine! That can be a great way to establish a foundational connection with potential clients and create a favorable first impression for your business. So have some fun with it!

Planning Where To Put Your Flyers

After you’ve designed your flyer, the next step is to plot out where you’re going to display it. There are two primary things to consider here. First, where are the best locations to advertise your business? Second, do you already have permission to put up your company posters, or do you need to acquire permission to do so?

Let’s tackle the first question. The best places to put your flyers may vary depending on the area you live in, the areas you serve, and the potential clients you’re aiming to target. Typically, however, you want to advertise your services where pet parents – your potential clients – live, play, and work. You should also consider where pet parents are most likely to congregate. As we mentioned earlier, places like dog parks, vet clinics, and pet supply stores are all great locations to target because, at some point, every pet parent will likely wind up at one of those places. Most of these, especially dog parks, will have a bulletin or community board specifically meant for people to hang flyers or notices promoting local events or small businesses like yours.

Consider other popular spots that pet parents might frequent, such as walking trails near neighborhoods you serve, larger parks that see lots of pets and their owners, and dog-friendly restaurants or other local businesses. You can also collaborate with other local pet care businesses (like doggy daycares, boarding facilities, or grooming salons) and offer to hang flyers for each other’s businesses in back rooms or on bulletin boards where staff members or existing customers can see them.

If there’s a particular business where you’d like to hang flyers but you’re unsure if it’s allowed, call ahead to inquire about opportunities to display them. Some other locations worth reaching out to include neighborhood centers or pet-friendly apartment complexes. Just think about that big bulletin board seen in the lobby of so many apartment buildings and all the people passing through that area. These can be some of the best places to hang flyers because of their potential reach.

Whether or not your flyers include tearaways, wherever you hang them, you should also pin a few business cards in places with bulletin boards so people can take and share them. If you come across a location that seems ideal but don’t have any flyers with you, it’s still a good idea to leave some business cards until you have the chance to return with flyers.

Once you’ve come up with a list of places where you’d like to put up your flyers, make sure you have permission to do so. Most “community board”-type bulletins allow anyone to place a flyer and don’t require explicit approval. However, local businesses or community centers may require a sign-off before you can post anything. If you’re ever unsure whether hanging a flyer in a location is okay, reach out to the appropriate manager or authority to double-check. It’s always better to be safe than sorry! Most local businesses and community leaders are happy to support fellow small businesses – especially those they believe will benefit their customers or residents.

Printing And Preparing Your Flyers For Display

Now that you have a fantastic flyer design and have planned out where you want to hang them throughout your company’s service area (which may range from a small community, an entire town, or several neighborhoods of a larger city, depending on your location), it’s time to get them printed and prepare to put them up!

If you have a reliable color printer at home capable of producing high-quality flyers, you don’t need to look any further than your living room or office to get started. Just be sure you have the right type of ink and paper! If you don’t have a printer that can deliver professional-looking posters, consider visiting your local Staples, UPS Store, Office Depot, or even the public library to print your flyers. These places can print in bulk and provide excellent quality. You can even use Canva as they offer a great printing service, too!

If you’ve created flyers with tearaway elements, be sure to cut the sections beforehand to ensure it’s easy for potential clients to tear them off and take your contact information with them.

Lastly, once you hang your flyers, check on them regularly. If they become weather-worn or run out of tear-offs, it’s time to replace them. If any of the information is no longer accurate, or if you were advertising a special promotion that has since ended, it’s also time for an update. Most importantly, if your contact information has changed, be sure to swap out the flyers as soon as possible so potential clients don’t hit a dead end when trying to reach you.

Growing your pet care business can feel daunting at times, and finding new ways to market to prospective pet parents in your area takes time and effort. Advertisements through social media are helpful, but managing multiple online ad campaigns can quickly become stressful and expensive. That’s why offline marketing is such a great option. Especially if you’re just starting out or are new to the pet care industry, flyers are the perfect tool to market your business. Just be mindful of your flyer’s design, the information included, and where you’re hanging them – and you should start seeing new clients roll in!