I usually receive several requests a week, or even multiple a day during holidays. I recently decided to leave my full time job and get more serious about pet sitting/walking, but I haven't received a single request in nearly a month! I post to craigslist and other sites, hand out business cards, ask loyal clients to share with friends and neighbors I'm available. I don't know what else I can do.
I looked at your profile... This is just my option!
Your response rate needs to improve,
You need more reviews and testimonials,
You take big and small dog. Most small dog people don't like that,
Cats.... I could never board my dogs with cats. They would want to kill it, and they are small dogs,
One dog per night could be hurting you too. I have a lot of customer with two dogs.
Again this is just what I think and I only took a quick look. Some things you may not be able to change like the cat. But the first two I think will defiantly help you.
Happy sitting, Amber G.
I've found requests really ebb and flow depending on the time of year and the demand in your particular area. I can go weeks without a request and then get 5 within a couple days. It sounds like you're doing all the right things, so it may just be an off time in your area, or perhaps there are a number of new sitters in the area who have lower rates and are increasing the competition.
You have a great number of positive reviews, so kudos. I definitely agree about the response rate. If I need time to think or am busy, I just reply with "Hi __. Thank you for reaching out to me. I will check my schedule and let you know by 6pm tonight." This gets counted as a response, which will get your rate up. Once you get that up, you can also apply for Rover's Pack Badge. I would check out your competition - look up sitters in your area with lots of reviews (aka lots of customers) and see how their profile is similar or different from yours. I read your profile too and you seem like a very open, honest person, which is great. I would add in a marketing element and read your profile again. Think of your profile as an advertisement - you want it to sound as amazing as possible while also being truthful. That "small" dog park becomes a "beautiful" or "conveniently located" dog park. I agree with Amber that the cat may be a big issue, especially if you also have a lot of competition in your area. Depending on your home, you could consider giving guest dogs a section of your home, while the cat gets the rest of the house. This way you could accept dogs with a high prey drive. Also, a lot of dog owners aren't sure about their dog's prey drive. Maybe they haven't been around cats or chase cats but they can't tell if it's out of play or for prey. Hope this helps. Good luck!