The global recession has left many businesses struggling to stay afloat, and the dog grooming industry is no different. During a recession, it can be difficult to maintain or even grow your business, but there are steps you can take to ensure your dog grooming business remains strong in spite of the economic climate. In this blog post, we will explore seven strategies you can employ to successfully grow your dog grooming business during a recession.
1) Keep up with social media
Staying connected with your customers and potential customers is essential for the growth of your dog grooming business during a recession. Social media is an invaluable tool for this, as it allows you to reach out to customers at little or no cost. Posting updates on your services, special offers, and customer reviews can help you stay connected and increase your visibility. Engage with followers by responding to comments and messages, as well as liking and sharing posts related to your business. Doing so will help you gain followers and grow your reach in the market. Additionally, social media can be used to run advertisements and campaigns that target a specific audience and encourage growth in your business.
2) Be flexible on opening times
One of the best ways to ensure growth for your dog grooming business during a recession is to be flexible on opening times. It’s important to recognize that many people’s work and leisure activities have been affected by the recession and they may need different opening times than they had before. Offering a range of opening times can help you to attract customers who have been hit hard financially and can’t afford to pay for regular appointments. Additionally, being flexible on opening times can help you reach more customers by making it easier for them to access your services. To make this work for your business, it’s important to keep up with customer feedback and adapt your opening times accordingly. For example, if you notice more customers coming in after work, consider offering later hours. Alternatively, if you find that your customer base is made up of mostly weekend customers, you might want to consider offering shorter hours during the weekdays and longer hours on weekends. By being flexible with your opening times, you can ensure that your business will be able to grow even during a recession.
3) Offer new services
In a recession, the way to keep your business afloat is to make sure that you are staying competitive in the marketplace. To do this, one of the best strategies is to offer new services to your existing customers. Not only will this help attract new customers, but it will also help you retain the ones you already have.
When it comes to dog grooming, there are plenty of new services that you can offer. These can range from additional trims or nail care, to specialty services like fur dyeing or de-shedding treatments. If you’re feeling ambitious, you could even offer pet massage or teeth cleaning services.
The important thing is to make sure that whatever new service you offer is both helpful and convenient for your customers. If possible, try to find ways to package different services together at a discounted price. This will make it more appealing to customers who may be on a tight budget during the recession.
By offering new services to your existing customers, you can help your business remain competitive in these tough economic times. Make sure to do your research before introducing any new services so that you can find ways to give your customers value and convenience.
4) Create a loyalty program
One of the best ways to grow your dog grooming business during a recession is to create a loyalty program. A loyalty program is a great way to reward customers for their continued patronage and encourage them to come back for more services. It also helps create a sense of loyalty and connection between you and your customers.
When designing a loyalty program, it’s important to make sure it’s rewarding and engaging for your customers. Offer rewards that your customers will value, such as discounts, free services, or points that can be used to purchase products. You could also offer exclusive deals and promotions for members of your loyalty program.
To ensure that your customers remain engaged with your loyalty program, it’s important to communicate with them on a regular basis. Send out emails or messages via Savvy’s Send to All or Marketing Suite informing them of new offers, updates, and exclusive deals. Make sure to keep track of their progress and reward them for their loyalty.
Creating a loyalty program is an excellent way to increase customer retention and attract new customers during a recession. Not only will it help you grow your business, but it will also provide you with valuable customer insights that can help you improve your services.
5) Participate in local events
Getting involved with local events is a great way to grow your dog grooming business during a recession. By taking part in activities, you can make new connections and build relationships with people who may need your services.
You can participate in events such as pet shows, farmer’s markets, charity walks, and more. Even if it’s just handing out leaflets or providing advice on dog grooming, it’s still a great way to get your business in front of potential customers.
You could also create your own event and invite potential customers to attend. This could be anything from a product launch or a styling demonstration to a “pamper your pup” event. Whatever you decide, make sure that your event stands out and attracts the attention of your target audience.
You could also join forces with other local businesses to create a joint event that could help promote both businesses. This is a great way to share resources and increase visibility while simultaneously supporting the local economy.
Participating in local events can be a great way to reach new customers, network with other businesses, and show your commitment to the community.
6) Get involved with the community
One of the best ways to grow your dog grooming business during a recession is to get involved with the local community. Community engagement helps to build trust and loyalty, two key elements when customers are deciding who they want to use for their pet’s grooming needs. You can volunteer at animal shelters, offer free or discounted services to low-income families, host fundraising events for charities, or collaborate with other local businesses.
There are a few benefits to getting involved with your local community. Not only does it help to create relationships with potential clients, but it also showcases your business as being charitable and compassionate. Additionally, you can use these community efforts as part of your marketing strategy, which can be great for gaining exposure. Finally, it will give you an opportunity to engage with local influencers in the pet care industry, which can help build credibility for your business.
7) Focus on your existing customers
One of the best ways to survive a recession is to focus on your existing customers.
You should provide excellent customer service and maintain open communication with customers. Respond promptly to any questions or concerns they may have, and be sure to follow up after each appointment to see how their pet is doing. Doing this shows your customers that you care about them and their furry friends. You can automate these points of contact in Savvy with the pre-programmable appointment messages.
Finally, don’t forget about word-of-mouth marketing. If a customer had a good experience with your business, ask them to leave a review or recommend you to their friends and family. Positive reviews and referrals can do wonders for your business, even during a recession. In Savvy, use a message attached to the ‘Complete Message’ and never forget to ask for a review!
