Start a Pet Grooming Business

For those who love animals there is no better business than pet grooming business. It gives them a chance to work closely with pets, lavish love on them, wash them, shampoo them, cut their nails and make them look smart and presentable. The satisfaction is immense. Now there is money too in this business. Rough estimates say that the pet business in the US is as big as $32 billion! Of course, this includes a wide range of activities such as pet food, pet sitting, pet photography, pet shows, etc. But the good news is that the pet grooming business itself is growing at the rate of 10 per cent a year.

You have the option of starting a mobile pet grooming business or operating from your home. Pet owners prefer the first one because they can have their pets cleaned and groomed in front of them. Otherwise, they have to transport their pets to the premises of the pet grooming business.

Qualifications: You should ideally be a certified pet groomer if you want to start a pet grooming business. There are several pet institutes that offer a certification course in pet grooming business. Their charges range from $1,500 to $2,000 depending upon the duration of the course, and the course content. Pet owners feel comfortable entrusting their pets to certified practitioners because they know that their pet would not get hurt.

The education does not end here. The owner of a pet grooming business needs to learn the latest trends in the pet grooming business through trade shows and pet grooming magazines. Local veterinarians especially are a most valuable source of information, and must be constantly tapped for their knowledge of animals.

Pricing: Pet grooming business is highly competitive. Before fixing the price, you must visit the grooming saloons in your city, and find out how much they charge for clipping nails, shampooing a pet, or trimming the coat etc. Based on this, you can draw up your rates. However, these should be a shade lower than other pet grooming saloons. This may not give you a big edge, but it will surely get you some business initially.

Business promotion: The best way to publicize pet grooming business is through word of mouth. You can also adopt the referral system. Give discounts to all clients who refer your grooming saloon to their friends. You also need to get your pet grooming business listed in the city's yellow pages. Besides this, you should also place advertisements in local newspapers, and, if possible, set up a website where you can display your services and fees. Another good way to promote your business is to get flyers displayed at clinics of veterinarians and at pet food stores.

You can even consider offering your services free of cost or at a huge discount to the local animal shelter. This will generate a great deal of goodwill, and can also translate into business. You should make it a point to visit all dog and cat shows or pet grooming expos and seminars. You will get to meet people of your trade as well as prospective clients. These expos can also be a good platform for you to distribute your business cards, and popularize your business.

Project a good image: There is no better way to win business than to keep your work area clean. Your clients will feel comfortable handing their pets to you if they realize that you are considerate towards animals, and have made arrangements to groom them in a humane manner.

Investment: You don't need any special investment to start a pet grooming business. All that you need are simple tools like nail clippers, brushes, animal shampoo etc. You would also need an enclosed area to keep the pets. Otherwise, there is always a danger of the pets running away, and the owner holding you responsible for the loss.

GREAT BOOKS ON STARTING PET GROOMING BUSINESS: