There are only so many hours in the day, so how can you communicate with prospective and current customers better?
You can provide the best pet services in town, but still have open slots for appointments and no shows for those that are booked. You may need help communicating with prospective and current customers – and scheduling them once you have their attention. But there are only so many hours in the day, so how can you do this better?
Leverage technology: Use software tools for communication and scheduling.
These can help extend your reach and engagement, helping pet parents feel important to you while allowing you and your team to focus on the work at hand.
Below we’ve included a few things that can help you and your team leverage technology to better communicate with your customers and focus on providing the pets in your care with a satisfying experience.
A regularly updated social media presence
What’s new? Pet parents will follow you on social media, especially if you supply them with tips and ideas they may find of interest. From a video of you explaining “grooming needs when you adopt a sheepdog” to photos of their furry friends “before and after” (with their permission of course), pet parents will be happy to follow you if they feel you “get” them and you offer great content. It is also a great way to share the latest in pet spa treatments, seasonal updates or other offerings.
Not every business owner has the bandwidth to manage a social media presence all alone, so make sure you consider the tools and resources available. One thing that can help is to collaborate with someone on your team or an outside agency to create some evergreen content (content that is timeless) that can be scheduled for release via social media automated posting software in between the more “just in time” or seasonal announcements.
While social media strategies can be useful for brand management and promotion, they’re also important tools for responding to customer comments and questions. According to findings in the journal Business Research, brands that interact with customers on social media are generally more profitable (Twitter published similar results about its users). Review social media demographics to determine where and how you invest your resources to reach your clients through their preferred platforms.
An up-to-date website
Today people are much more digitally savvy than in the past and they’ll expect you to have a fresh, easy to navigate and information-rich website. Your website is your “face to the world” – so be sure it looks good and is useful to your pet parents. According to Pew Research, about 85% of American adults own a smartphone while 93% use the internet, so having it be “responsive” or mobile-friendly is key.
If you’re new to digital marketing, there are many online resources offering tips to improve your business’ website. First and foremost, think like a customer and make the site about them and their pet. Some basics include easy-to-find contact information, a clear description of your business and its services, plus customer reviews that highlight the benefits of your pet care services.
And don’t forget the photographs! Pet care and services’ businesses can often be well represented with good images. Whether professional photos you’ve commissioned, high-resolution images provided by pet parents and/or sourced from a free resource of commercial quality photos such as Pexels, help tell your stories with good visuals.
Another tool that pet parents have come to expect is the opportunity to book and manage their pet’s appointments online. If not part of your current site, check out some options that could provide the functionality for you.
Consider your website as an opportunity to make a good first impression on the pet parents who will hopefully become long-term satisfied customers. The site should be useful and usable by them. Review it and think about whether or not your current format is representing your business the way you want it to -or if it could use a few touch ups.
