Whether you are just starting your dog walking business, or you have been established for several years, the ability to attract and retain more clients is key to long-term growth and success. Even if you are a proven business with a regular, sustainable client base, adding to this will further your development, add more stability to your business and strengthen your sources of income.

At GoWalkies, our number one mission is to make dog walking fairer and safer for all by connecting owners who care for their dogs with walkers who want to offer peace of mind when providing their services. This means we have a wealth of potential dog walking clients available to you at the click of a button and, more importantly, we know that you’ll have a higher chance of securing new business if you follow the below steps:

Build your profile

Your GoWalkies profile is the first thing a potential client sees. Making this as informative and welcoming as possible will create a fantastic first impression.

Making the most of every tab available when setting up a GoWalkies profile will give prospective clients everything they need to know and provide peace of mind when booking a dog walk. Including your name, a friendly photo of your face and a brief description of your background and history with dogs is the perfect introduction. Adding these small touches will show your clients that you care, as well as making you stand out from those who have not gone the extra mile to include this information. Comparatively, if your clients see no profile picture, a lack of basic information and have no idea of your previous experience, they are less inclined to trust you with their beloved pooch.

Show off your reviews

If you have built a good relationship with a client and they are happy to share their experience – ask for a review! All dog walkers have their ratings and reviews displayed on their profile to inform future clients. If they are happy to leave a rating and, even better, write an informative review, owners can and will often use this to decide if you are a good fit for their dog based on your history. When browsing for dog walkers, the nod of approval from fellow dog owners who are as likely as you to want the best walker possible, can go a long way to making them want to book a walk with you. And while all reviews my not be positive, constructive feedback and critique will only help you to improve your services.

Make yourself accessible

When deciding pricing, availability, and location, it’s important not only to consider your own lifestyle, but also your clients. For example, dog owners need support during the day whilst they are at work as opposed to in the evening or early morning.

We also advise for you to do your research to remain competitive with pricing to ensure you are near the top of the list when people are choosing who to leave their pup with. Finally, a willingness to travel can often increase the number of clients and bookings providing you are operating in busy areas. Also, if you can travel, you may be able to offer walks in new areas such as woods, fields or dog parks, which can be a huge bonus for more suburban or city dwelling dog owners.

Share your work

If you have permission, why not share photos and videos from your dog walks on social media? Whether it’s a beautiful view, a new route or just dogs having the time of their lives, it’s a great way to advertise your service for free, build your online presence and link back to your GoWalkies profile.

Any prospective clients will be interested in an online portfolio showing off how well you take care of dogs and where they will be enjoying themselves! This will also benefit current clients who can stay up to date with their pooch whilst they’re out getting the exercise and stimulation they need.

If you do post your work, don’t forget to tag GoWalkies and we’ll also share it on our social media profile to help boost your business presence!

Conclusion

GoWalkies is packed with tools designed to get your business off the ground or help drive growth to the next level. Ensuring that you use each of these to the best of their potential will make you stand out from the crowd and separate yourself from any competitors.

Businesses that embrace all of these options will have the best chance to gain new clients, take more bookings and make more with their dog walking business via GoWalkies.

For any additional information, help or advice please email the team at [email protected], or download the GoWalkies app for Dog Owners, or Dog Walkers, today!

Alternatively, if you know a dog walker looking to increase their client base, you can refer them to GoWalkies here!