Marketing

Does Angie’s List Work for Gaining New Pet Sitting Clients?

listing optionsAs you have certainly seen in the recent past, many directory-style profile websites have popped up catering to our industry.

Sites such as Angie’s List, Care.com, DogVacay, Rover, and others are looking to be a viable resource to pet owners looking for reliable pet care.

I completely understand that the conversation here may be “these sites are nothing but filled with hobby sitters.”

But is that the case with Angie’s List?

And if that is the case, what does this mean for the future and direction of you and me (the professional pet sitter)?

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These Pet Sitters Will Be Joining Us in Vegas as Our Sponsor A Pet Sitter Winners

winner picOur 2nd Annual Pet Sitting Live Event and Conference is coming along nicer than I could have imagined – thanks, in part, to our incredible sponsors.

We created 2 programs this year to allow even more pet sitters to attend who otherwise could not because of financial restraint.

Personally, I created the Sponsor-A-Pet-Sitter program and the PetSittingOlogy Scholarship to help do all I can for those pet sitters who want to attend, but simply do not have the financial means at this time.

Plus, keep reading… we have great news for those pet sitters not selected who truly want to attend the conference, as our guest! (Watch video below.)

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It’s OK To Steal, As Long As You Steal From The Best

stealing foodDid you know that I steal from people every single day?

And I know you do, too (or at least you should be)!

I spent close to 15 years in the acting and film world before I became a pet sitter.

And one of the things that I still remember today from an acting teaching of mine was that very quote (about stealing from the best).

What exactly did she mean by this?

Was she condoning illegal or unethical activity?

Of course not.

She was referring to learning, studying, and applying the techniques of the best in the industry to yourself.

Whether it’s acting, a new website, or the next greatest invention, people “steal” inspiration from those respected around them.

That’s how we learn, create and discover our own great potential.

For example, I teach pet sitters how to create an amazing website from the success of my own pet sitting business website.

Over the past 4+ years, I continue to deliver articles, tools and resources and basically say, “Hey, this is how I do it and found it to work, you should do the same (steal it!).”

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Are Pet Sitters Taken Seriously?

If you spend any amount of time chatting with other pet sitters online, you quickly to hear similar stories, questions, issues, and frustrations.

One big overriding theme I see all too often has to do with the public perception of a pet sitter.

Sure, the pet owner who winds up hiring you understands and respects the service you provide, but this may be the exception, not the rule.

Dialogue of pet owners sneering at your fair pricing structure, making absurd requests, and expecting you as the service provider to be thankful that she is giving you the opportunity to be hired has got to stop.

But it starts with you.

In order to consider whether or not pet sitters are taken seriously (and why), we need to take a step back and understand what it means to be professional first and foremost.

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What is the PetSittingOlogy Scholarship Program – 2013

scholar photoSince 2009, PetSittingOlogy has been providing pet sitters at every stage of their careers with tools, services and resources to build stronger businesses.

You have seen everything from our “Start a Pet Sitting Business” course, IC Toolbox, and training webinars to the SEO master classes and WordPress-powered website system.

As part of the upcoming conference in Las Vegas on Oct. 7 and 8, we are proud to announce the PetSittingOlogy Scholarship Program.

NOTE: Visit petsittinglive.com for all details on the conference.

This program will award up to 3 professional pet sitters a full, complimentary trip to the live conference, including ticket fee, 2-night hotel stay at the Tropicana, and round trip airfare.

Simply put, the aim is to find, discover and promote pet sitters that bring something different, incredible and unique to the table.

There is no one correct way to run a pet sitting business, and so many professionals today have amazing stories that need to be heard.

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The Las Vegas Conference Calendar – 4 Unique Ways to Join Us This Year!

what's on your mind?
What fights for your attention inside your mind?
It amazes me just how often the pet sitting industry is on my mind.

You know when you get a song stuck in your head and it cycles through your brain over and over?

Well, it’s like that, but instead of having lyrics and the tune of a popular 80s hit on my mind, I have a handful of pet sitting thoughts, projects and new ideas fighting for head space at any given time!

Luckily, serving pet sitters is a passion of mine, so it’s no bother.

(I can’t say the same had it been, say, “Oh Mickey you’re so fine, you’re so fine you blow my mind, hey Mickey!”)

This Week’s Mickey is The Las Vegas Conference

Winning the fight for head space this week is our upcoming Las Vegas pet sitting conference.

We are coming down to the wire, with just about 40+ days before the big event.

Now is the time to get your tickets, come on board, and plan your trip.

This week, I offer you a variety of ways to make your decision to join us in person this October 7 and 8 even easier.

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Having Trouble Hiring Pet Sitters for your Team? There is a New Approach that May Work for You.

new approach to hiring
This other approach to hiring pet sitters for your team may be the answer.
If you’ve been in the industry for any length of time, at some point you get to a place where you are just working way too hard.

It’s time to hire.

The typical approach is to put the word out for pet sitters to join your team – either as ICs (independent contractors) or employees.

You may find yourself doing any of the following:

  • Placing an ad on Craigslist for potential applicants
  • Targeting local colleges for students
  • Finding housewives who want to make some extra money
  • Getting the word out to Vets in your area
  • Calling upon current clients who may make a good sitter
  • Bringing on retirees

Regardless of your success in any of these areas, there comes a time when you may find yourself with higher turnover than you’d like, and you need to go back to the drawing board to replenish your staff.

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Do Lawn Signs Really Work As A Form of Good Pet Sitter Marketing?

lawn sign photo
Do Lawn Signs work as good pet sitter marketing? One pet sitter says Yes!

One of the things I love most about our pet sitting industry is the varied way pet sitters run, operate and market their businesses.

Success comes in all shapes and sizes.

For example, some pet sitters find great success using Craigslist to hire staff, while others do not.

Some have had clients find them through pet directories, or had a Google Adwords campaign pay off, while others lost money though those forms of advertising.

I was recently speaking with pet sitter Rachel Muhammad, of See Spot Run, LLC, who mentioned that she successfully uses lawn signs to market her pet sitting business.

It makes sense Rachel was influenced by the real estate industry for this method. According to the National Association of Realtors, 48% of homes that are for sale by owner successfully use yard signs to market and promote the sale of their home.

I was intrigued by this form of promotion and wanted to hear more. Here is our Q&A session on the topic:

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If You Do Not Find Excitement and Inspiration from this Video, Something Is Wrong

Google Hangout screenshot
Watch us on this Google Hangout chatting about how to grow your pet sitting business.

Every successful business owner understands that they need to learn from others.

Whether it’s in the form of following their journey and reading their work, or having a mentor, success rarely happens without some influence of others.

Marcus Sheridan is someone outside of our industry who I personally follow, learn from and admire.

More importantly, the main reason I’m so excited to bring Marcus into our industry is because the way he succeeded is something that pet sitters can replicate.

Marcus began as a pool guy. He owned a pool company that installed fiberglass pools to his local community. He’s a local small business provider.

And so are pet sitters. While looking bankruptcy in the face, Marcus changed directions and used his website as his biggest form of marketing and now his pool company makes over $4 million a year!

The nuggets he provides in this insightful video can and should be used by pet sitters starting today.

Grab a pen and paper and take notes. He discussed things you can take action on right now to make huge progress. (Some pet sitters already have!)

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How To Create A Visual Service Area Map for Your Pet Website [Video]

service area map
Create a custom service area map for your website
Since you run a pet sitting business, you know that defining your service area is one important element.

While it’s advisable and recommended to have a “Service Area” page that lists the towns, neighborhoods, zip codes and/or areas you serve, it can also be helpful to include a visual reference for your visitors.

Did you know that Google Maps makes it simple enough to create your own custom map that defines your own service area?

Side Note: I made a video like this over a year ago, but since that time, Google has updated the maps method so that video is no longer relevant.

Google is always keeping us on our toes and you can be sure I’m always keeping up.

Create A Defined Service Area To Embed On Your Website

Watch this short video to create a custom map for your pet sitting business.

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