You are ready!
You’ve realized you love walking dogs and have decided to
make some money while you are having fun with pawdorable pups. You’ve signed up
on the Wag! platform as a Pet Caregiver, created your profile, and now… you
wait. And wait. And wait…
Still waiting on that first walk request? It can be
difficult to attract the attention of new dog walking clients without any reviews
or experience on the platform. Luckily, there are steps you can take to increase
your visibility and stand out from the crowd of other dog walkers in your area
to secure that first walk, and more.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at 5 furbulous ways you can
attract new clients while growing your
dog
walking business. So, get ready to hit the pavement!
Your profile on the Wag! app is where Pet Parents first get
to know you. And without any reviews, it’s the only place where they can find
out what kind of Pet Caregiver you are. You need to make that profile stand out
and show your love, enthusiasm and dedication to dogs that will make a new
client want to book you.
First, be sure you’ve included all your experience working
with dogs. How long have you been walking dogs? Have you worked as a groomer,
trainer, or at a dog daycare? Then, be sure to highlight your special skills.
Are you particularly good at handling big dogs? Have you worked in veterinary
care, and are adept at giving medications and injections? Even if you have just
taken care of your own elderly pooch, you can use those accumulated skills to show
your clients’ that their dogs are in good hands.
Finally, always be sure to include all the services you are
offering to Pet Parents right there in your profile. Are you focused and
dedicated to making each dog walk the best for each dog? Or do you also provide
sitting
or boarding services too to keep pets relaxed and entertained while their
family is out of town? All these details paint a picture for a prospective new
client of how much you care for the dogs you work with.
One of the best
things about the Wag! platform is that it allows you to easily share your
profile right in the dog walker app! Got a Facebook or Instagram page? Share
your profile on these and your other social media sites to catch the eyes of
thousands to millions of prospective new clients!
Be sure to give
these links some extra pizzazz by featuring them alongside pictures of you and
smiling, leashed dogs out on a walk. Don’t have any? Take your dog, or borrow a
friend’s or neighbor’s pup for a stroll and grab some pics along the way!
And don’t furget
about sites like Craigslist where your profile can be directly seen by people
in your local area looking specifically for pet care services. Again, include
some pictures, and a link to bring them directly to your jazzed up Wag! profile
page!
Build your own public website
That’s right, make
it official that you are in the dog walking business and build a professional
looking website to advertise your services! While the site doesn’t have to be
super fancy, you will want to invest enough time to make sure it is very easy
to navigate on both desktop and mobile platforms. Be sure to list the specific
areas you are offering walks in, including the city and state, along with your
rates and services offered. And don’t furget to provide an easy to see and use
link to your Wag! profile page.
On your own site, you
can feature lots of pictures, your own mini-articles about why you love dog
walking, and even longer dedicated reviews from people you’ve walked for. If
you don’t have any yet, offer some free dog walks to friends, neighbors and
co-workers in exchange for a pawsitive review.
And best of all,
you can share your Wag! profile with your website right in the dog walker app!
This means that prospective Pet Parents on the Wag! platform can navigate to
your website for even more info about you and read those reviews which may just
lead to your first walk!
We are going old
school on this one, but visibility is your best tool when advertising a new
business. Got a community board in your neighborhood? Post a flyer offering
local walks for their dogs! Does your local vet office, daycare or groomer have
a bulletin board? Ask if you can post your flyer to attract the exact customers
you are looking for.
Hand them out to
your friends, neighbors, co-workers and various people and businesses in your area
to grab their attention. When chatting up the other dog parents at the
dog park, be sure to let them
know about your business and have your flyers ready to go!
Right in the Wag! dog
walking app, you’ll find ready to print flyers you can use to make this one incredibly
simple. Be sure the flyer connects your potential new clients to your Wag!
profile page or website to learn more about you and book a dog walk.
Does your local bar
have a dog night? Or is your favorite dog park hosting a costume contest for
the holiday? Perhaps your nearest animal shelter is having an adoption fundraiser,
or there’s a dog show or agility contest being held nearby. Whatever the event,
be there with your flyers in hand!
All these and other
community dog-friendly events are pawtastic places to spread the word about
your dog walking business. Being with friendly, like-minded animal lovers can
make it easy to talk about your love of walking dogs, and just may be the thing
to get your first walk booked.
Before you go to
any event, just be sure to look at their guidelines for advertising. You may
need to purchase a vendor booth for some events, so be ready with extra items,
such as gift bags for doggies including treats, toys and other fun dog-safe
things.
Booking that first dog walk can be tough, but with these
ideas, you are sure to attract the attention of many prospective Pet Parents in
need of your services. With patience and persistence, you’ll be walking in no
time!
For help navigating the dog walker experience on the Wag!
platform, or for any other questions or concerns,
visit our support page today.