Are you looking to learn how to make money with pet grooming? Then this post is for you. A career in pet grooming can be very rewarding, but it is also quite demanding.
If you own a pet, you probably know how frustrating it is when you cannot find someone to groom your pet at an affordable price. This is a common problem that plagues a lot of pet owners across the country.
That is why a pet grooming business can be a very lucrative one, and making money from it can be relatively easy if you play your cards right.
Here are 11 easy steps on how to make money with pet grooming:
1. Get Your Hands on Some Essential Pet Grooming Equipment
Pet grooming is a great way to make money on your own schedule. But if you are just beginning to groom pets, you need all the appropriate tools to do the job well.
Acquire pet grooming kits that contain everything you need to start grooming such as a powerful vacuum pet dryer, heavy-duty dog comb, professional clippers, pet grooming tables, stainless steel scissors, tubs for bathing and drying, gentle mitts for cat fur, and more.
2. Make Money with Pet Grooming by Offering Home Services
One of the easiest ways for you to make money with pet grooming is by offering home services to pet owners. This makes it convenient for pet owners who are too busy to take their pets to a groomer’s location.
Remember, however, that after the service, you will also have to clean up the mess.
3. Get a Mobile Pet Grooming Station
Getting in a pet grooming business means at some point you will have to decide between having a physical location or being a mobile dog groomer.
This portable unit should come with everything you will need to set up an appointment, take care of your pet, and charge for your services. There is also a wide variety of tools and accessories that help to make the mobile station more easy and convenient for pet grooming.
4. Get a Physical Pet Grooming Station
This is the most expensive option and depends on how much money you want to earn as a pet groomer. A physical location is great for building trust with customers. Most pet owners would prefer to visit a physical station than place their pets in the arms of someone who drive off.
A physical location will also make operating easier as you won’t be on the move so much.
5. Attract Customers near You with Google My Business
To make money with pet grooming, you should consider registering your services with Google My Business. People would be more willing to patronize you if your pet grooming station appears on Google maps when they search. Even if you operate from home, it is always a good idea to put it on Google My Business.
No worries, setting up the account is completely free. Here is the information required to set it up.
- Photos of your grooming salon
- Photos of the building
- Days of operation and operating hours
- Your address
- Prices of your services
- Discounts if available.
6. Use the Power of Social Media to Your Advantage
People love the feeling that comes with watching or viewing adorable transformations of cute pets on social media. This makes social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, a powerful tool for promoting your pet grooming business.
Just make sure you get permission from their owners before you post them. In case you are just starting and need content to post on social media, you can offer free services to pets of family and friends to get what you need.
Additionally, you can start a blog where you share tips about pet grooming techniques, best practices, and the benefits of pet grooming for pets and their owners. This blog will help boost your credibility as a pet groomer, and monetizing it helps you earn more money.
So, get the attention of potential customers and boost your profile by showing videos or photos of moments before and after you serviced your clients.
SEE: How To Make Money With Your Social Media Followers
7. Let Your Car, Van, or Trailer Do the Marketing
Get the word out that you offer pet grooming services by designing your private vehicle and work van. This is a free and effective means of promoting your business. Just make sure you add your contact details, services offered, business name, and salon address on the banner, poster, or vehicle design.
SEE: How to Make Money by Advertising on Your Car
8. Offer Discounts and Promotional Services to Attract Customers
Offering special promotions like discounts and free services can help you distinguish yourself from competitors. When you can offer competitive pricing, customers are willing to take a chance on your service.
Discounts and promotional services create excitement, entice attention, increase traffic, and ultimately gain new clientele. Offering discounts for first-time clients or clients willing to try a certain grooming procedure will create interest for others to follow suit.
Animal lovers and hobbyists love to mingle, share their experiences and expertise with others, and holding pet-related events is a great way to do just that. Consider offering special events open to the public, which enable customers to learn more about the benefits of your pet grooming services and take part in other activities related to pets.
9. Offer Packages with Adequate Prices
A price tag is what a customer sees in front of them, but the back end to it is the overall value that you add to that package. This means you should charge a certain dollar amount, but provide enough extra value to make up for it. If done correctly, the client should feel like they were getting a deal when in reality you were charging a normal market price. Below are two pointers to consider when setting your rates.
1. Know what you can offer
The secret to your success as a pet groomer is to know exactly what you can offer and then put that into words. Are you great with animal haircuts or hair grooming, or maybe you are an expert shampooer or pet pedicurist? Do you tend to cats or dogs, or both? Highlighting your skills and the animals you can groom will help you figure out how much you will charge and inform clients about the services you offer.
2. Set the prices for what you offer
Setting prices for your pet grooming services is something you want to get right. You do not want to charge too much or else you might not get any clients, but you also do not want to charge too little or your business will become under-funded. But whatever you decide on, make sure it is enough for you to live on, but not over the top that it chases clients away.
10. Offer Additional Services
Once you know how much your pet grooming session is going to cost, you can offer some extras alongside. For example, offer flea treatment baths, nail designs, and beautification services alongside the grooming.
As long as it is pet-friendly, fun, and safe, most pet owners would love to see their adorable fur buddies looking all glammed up.
Make it clear ultimately that this all costs extra.
11. Certification Helps
Nothing says I mean business like getting a certificate to boast that you are skilled. Boost your earnings as a pet groomer by showing clients that you are skilled than most of your competition.
Pet grooming is a very profitable business if you have the knowledge on how to cut right. Pet owners are loyal to people who give their pets a nice haircut or styling. You can earn big money by becoming a certified pet groomer.
Certifications can dramatically increase your “street credibility” as a pet groomer. In fact, the more certifications you have, the greater your marketability and upward mobility.
Professional Pet Grooming: Pros and Cons
Many benefits and challenges come with running a pet grooming business. Learning the highs and lows will help you prepare for setbacks and make money with pet grooming.
Pros
1. You Get To Do What You Love
Running a pet grooming business makes sense. You get to spend your days doing something you love and earn some extra money on the side. If you are passionate about pets and skilled at taking care of them, then this business will be a walk in the park. After all, pet owners feel more comfortable leaving their pets in the care of a skilled pet lover.
2. It Is Community Focused
It is easier for you to build a customer base in your community and run marketing when you get into the pet-grooming business. This is because so many homes own pets and would prefer to pay for grooming services due to their busy schedules.
3. Ease of Partnerships
You can easily partner with pet-focused businesses, veterinarians, shelters, or stores that can refer you to customers or potential clients. This relationship is mutually beneficial as you can also refer clients to them.
4. Variety of Operational Options to Choose From
You can run a mobile pet grooming service by using a trailer or bus equipped with your equipment and supplies, to cover a larger area. You can also operate from your home or offer home services to clients.
Cons
1. Insurance against Liabilites
You might require insurance before running a pet grooming business to protect yourself from liabilities. While we would all love to run a hitch-free business, there is the possibility of a pet getting injured in your care. Even worse, the chance that a pet might runoff, resulting in a negligence suit.
2. Cost of Starting Up
Pet grooming businesses are expensive to start. This is because you need enough supplies and the right equipment for breeds of all sizes. Your equipment also requires maintenance.
3. Basic Training Is Necessary
In addition to caring for animals and grooming them, you will also need knowledge of what it takes to look after them. Animals and their breeds differ in their temperaments, including cats and dogs. One breed may be friendly and calm, while another may be restless or aggressive. If you wish to become an animal groomer and make money, you should first obtain basic training.
FAQs
Can you make a living off pet grooming?
Yes, you can make a living earning as a pet groomer. This is because the services of pet groomers are often in demand due to the ever-increasing rate of pet owners.
If you decide to make money with pet grooming, you won’t have to worry about getting jobs, and can successfully thrive on it depending on your skillset.
Is being a pet groomer hard?
Being a pet groomer is not as hard as you would think as long as you have the proper skills and knowledge required. However, it does not pay as much as human hairstyling and you tend to do more and take on more responsibilities as a pet groomer.
Do you need to train to become a pet groomer?
Becoming a pet groomer requires minimal formal training and is considered a good way for pet lovers to make use of their creative side at the same time earn an income.
However, it is recommended that you study the basics of the job and get adequate training, or it will be difficult for you to succeed.
What are the requirements for becoming a pet groomer?
To become a pet groomer, you do not require any qualifications or certifications. Although it is possible to become a pet groomer without formal training, taking the time to study animal welfare, grooming techniques, and pet hair styling will help you succeed.
You could also attend a certification course and receive a certificate within 12 months if the goal is to prove your worthiness.
Conclusion
Pet grooming can be a great business if you enjoy working with animals. You can make a lot of money with pet grooming if you are willing to dedicate your time and effort to get the training and equipment required.
In addition, I would recommend you start a YouTube channel, and with the permission of their owners, upload cute videos of before and after transformations of your adorable furry clients to grow a following.
Finally, additional services like dog walking can also earn you more money as a pet groomer. Here’s how to make money walking dogs.
I hope this post was helpful. Thanks for reading.