7 Ways to Earn Loyal Clients
At this point, you may already have a few stays under your belt (and you’ve made some new dog friends, too). There’s no secret formula for being a great sitter, but we’ve figured out a few ways you can make a lasting impression on dog owners—and their pets too. It all adds up to your earning loyal clients as you grow your business.
Become a Rover sitter to start earning clients today1. Thank new clients for choosing you
It’s a pretty great feeling to be chosen and trusted to take care of someone’s pet. Show your appreciation and enthusiasm when you and the dog owner agree to book: It’s a simple way you can start to build a great working relationship with dog owners.
2. Send a photo (or several) every day
It’s easy to keep a dog owner in the loop during a stay (a cute pic of their dog says a thousand words, after all). Sending at least one photo per day will show the dog owner that they can trust you—plus, it’s a great opportunity to practice your pet photography skills. Luckily, it’s super easy to send photos. Here’s how:
- By text: If your Rover account is set up to send text message notifications, you can send updates to your client that way. Just take a photo on your phone and attach it to a text message. If you want, you can include a sentence or two about how the stay is going.
- Through the app: You can send multiple photos at once through the Rover app. Download the app here (for iOS or Android) to take Rover with you when you’re on the go.
- If you have issues sending multiple photos on one message, try reducing the number of photos in each message.
Like we said, we recommend sending at least one photo a day. You can also talk to your client and see how often they would like updates—but generally, most people love seeing photos of their dog enjoying their stay.
3. Respond in minutes
Wow your clients (and potential clients) by responding in minutes to stay requests or general questions. How do you do this? or the smartphone app, of course. Dog owners are much more likely to book (and re-book) with sitters who get back to them quickly—and we want to make it easy for you to do just that.
4. Send dogs home with a little gift
We recommend checking with the owner before sending their dog home with toys or treats, but giving a fun little gift at the end of the stay will let your client know you enjoyed caring for their dog—and we’ve never heard a dog complain about it either!
Want some gift-spiration? Check out the Rover Store, where you can order everything from dog bandanas to poop bags.
5. Send dogs home clean and happy
Dogs won’t hesitate to go through that mud patch to get that tennis ball, and chances are good your Rover dog will get a little dirty during your time together. Wiping their paws with a wet towel or giving them a bath or brushing can really make an impression on a new client when they come to pick up their dog. And of course, make sure their dog is well-exercised so they sleep very well on their first night back with their family.
6. Send repeat clients requests
If you’ve had at least one booking with a dog, you and the dog owner both have the ability to send a request for the next time around. Show your client how excited you are to watch their dog by sending a request once you know when they’re going out of town or, in the case of daytime care, when they have a busy day or work. This comes in handy especially around the holidays, but you can do it anytime.
- From the Rover website, go to your inbox and click View Past Customers.
- A list of all your past customers will pop up, alphabetized by dog owner first name. You can find your client on the list, or you can search by dog owner or dog name. (You can even see how many times they’ve stayed with you.)
- Once you find the owner you’re looking for, click Book A New Stay.
- You’ll then be able to send a request for the right dates, and the owner will have one last thing they need to check off their list.
7. Offer repeat clients a discount to try your other services
Sitters on Rover can offer house sitting, dog boarding, dog walking, drop-in visits, and day care. If you offer more than one service, offer a repeat client a one-time discount to try another one of your services (read about how to edit the price of a booking here). For example, if you previously only offered dog walking but want to grow your dog boarding business, you can offer a client a $5 per night discount for dog boarding. Offering a small discount pays off: It’s a great way to build your dog sitting business and show your clients they can rely on you for all their dog-care needs.
You’re running your own dog sitting business on Rover: As your own boss, it’s in your best interest to provide great care and customer service. It all boils down to giving your client such a great experience that they’ll turn to you every time their dog needs care.
Are you on Rover yet? Sign up here!