Did you know that retaining 5% more customers can increase your profits by 25–125% and that a 2% increase in client retention has the same financial impact as cutting costs by 10%?* Amazing numbers. Given how hard you work to get your clients – and how fond you become of their dogs – it makes sense to go above and beyond to keep them.
* Figures come from Bain & Company research for The Institute of Customer Service.

We write and talk a lot about marketing at dog*tec, and we’ve spent 10 years looking for ways to make it less intimidating and more palatable for dog pros. If you still find yourself reticent to put a marketing plan into action, you may find retention marketing a bit easier. Unlike public and referral marketing to get new clients, retention marketing is all about honoring and deepening relationships you already have. No fear of rejection here. The people you’re marketing to already think you’re the bee’s knees.

What Retention Marketing Does for You
Here are other great reasons to engage in retention marketing:

• To help keep clients through hard times – think recessions, rate increases, and canine scuffles.
• To educate clients – good marketing can help clients better understand dogs and dog behavior, positively impacting dog and human relationships – a central goal we all share.
• To maintain brand loyalty and presence – the more you’re a part of your clients’ lives, the less likely you are to lose them to competitors.
• To get new clients – the more you’re in your clients’ field of view, the more likely they are to tell others about you.

Below are a number of retention marketing ideas. Choose the ones that best fit your budget, skills, and interests. But remember: the more you do, the better.

Keep in Touch
Make sure clients don’t hear from you only when there’s a problem. Regular communication creates padding for occasional bad news. Offering services that largely take place away from client supervision requires finding ways to show clients all you do for them. Use daily or weekly or monthly report cards for daycare, highlighting a particularly fun moment and sharing progress on any behavioral issues you might be working on. If you board dogs, send a quick text message or email each day to share a cute anecdote, let clients know their dog ate enthusiastically, or just to say you hope they’re enjoying the beaches in Hawaii and that Spot is having a great time, too. End the stay with a more in-depth report so clients can see the hands-on care you provided while they were away.

Educate
An e-newsletter is a great way to educate clients while keeping in touch. Sign up for Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, or another similar service to send out a professional monthly newsletter. Keep it short: one useful or entertaining article (e.g. a quick tip, dog biscuit recipe, or list of local dog-friendly businesses), a client dog profile, and a small bit of sales info (a call to reserve holiday boarding space early or a note that you’ve got daycare space open and would love referrals).

Team up with a local trainer to bring into your daycare or boarding space for a free talk for both the trainer’s and your clients. It’s a great way for you to get exposure to each other’s clients while doing something for your own. Market the talk generally, too, to bring more potential clients into the mix.

Say Thank You
Offer small discounts to repeat customers. If you offer multiple services, give clients a break when they use more than one. Daycare clients might enjoy a slightly reduced boarding fee or free socials, for example. (Be careful, though, about discounting ongoing services. We don’t recommend discounts for using more daycare days per week, for example.)

Reinforce referrals with a small discount. Did a client send a friend your way for daycare services? Give them a free day to say thanks. Got a new boarding dog from a client referral? Surprise your client with a 10% discount off her next booking.

Be Social
If it’s time to focus on retention marketing, social media is a perfect tool. There are plenty of options. Facebook is particularly well suited to dog businesses. Post pictures of the day’s playgroups or dogs relaxing and enjoying themselves while their guardians are away. Share funny dog stories, useful tips, dog-related articles, fun local places to take your dog. Encourage clients to engage by asking questions: What are their favorite weekend hiking trails? Best dog treats? What should you name your newly adopted puppy?

Take a look at Pinterest and Instagram, too. These newer social media options are quickly gaining ground. Both are image-based, and dog pros certainly have no lack of great photos to share. If you or staff members enjoy recording short videos of the dogs in your care in action, Instagram is the perfect way to share them.

Being social doesn’t have to be limited to the Internet. Look for creative ways to get clients together with you and other clients. Arrange a dog movie night with popcorn for people and liver treats for the dogs, or a business networking event for clients (with dogs in tow to help break the ice), or dog socials on winter weekends to let clients enjoy watching their dogs play with their daycare buddies when it’s too cold or rainy for outdoor adventures.

Spending time to nurture and deepen client relationships is a great way to strengthen your business, educate dog owners, and even have some fun. Remember those numbers from the first paragraph: retention marketing means a better bottom line, too.

Veronica Boutelle, MA, CTC, is author of How to Run a Dog Business and co-author of Minding Your Dog Business. She is a top consultant in the dog service industry and a sought-after speaker and workshop leader at conferences around the country and internationally. Through her company, dog*tec, Veronica and her colleagues help aspiring and existing dog professionals create thriving careers and businesses in the dog service field. Learn more about dog*tec at www.dogtec.org. Reach Veronica at [email protected].

Next Article