Are you ready to combine your passion for animals with your dreams of starting your own business? Starting a franchise for pets can be a rewarding experience but there is a lot of work to be done before opening your doors. Here’s what you can expect as you get ready for your grand opening.
Budget
Before you break ground, market your business, or even buy a franchise for pets, you need to have a clear idea of your budget. This is the best way to avoid overspending before you have a healthy revenue stream.
Consider how much you are willing to risk in your franchise and then set your budget for the following categories:
- Real estate (if you need a brick and mortar location for your franchise)
- Marketing
- Personnel
- Equipment
Stock Up
Start stocking up on all of the materials needed to run your business now. Keep your spending low by finding used equipment or scouting out deals online for office supplies.
Hire
Do you need a team to back you when you first get started? If so, start the hiring process right away. Finding the right manager for your franchise and employees can be a time consuming process. The average time to hire an employee is 24 days, according to Workable.com. The sooner you begin, the more time you’ll have to train your team so you can have a strong start when you open your doors.
Find Strategic Business Partners
Fur babies are family. When a pet owner needs someone to groom, treat, or exercise their four-legged baby, they look to someone they can trust. Often, this is a person or business they’ve worked with in the past.
When you’re just starting your pet franchise, it’s a good idea to have a list of strategic business partners that can refer you business. This word of mouth marketing inspires more trust among potential customers, which is especially important to have on your side in the beginning.
To find business partners who can help kickstart your business, attend local networking events at the Better Business Bureau or Chamber of Commerce, even before your grand opening.
Spread the Word
Don’t wait to open your doors to market your business. There are plenty of things you can do to market your business before you’re accepting new customers. The more creative you are, the more excited people will be when you first open. Here are a few ideas to kickstart your thinking.
- Pass out branded waste clean-up bags at your local park;
- Plan a pet photoshoot for your first day open and advertise it on social media;
- Put out a water bowl and treats while your store is under construction.
Set Up Shop
Location, location, location isn’t just a mindset when searching for your dream home. It’s equally important when you’re looking for real estate for your new business.
As you start to set up shop, consider the best locations for your customers to see you and to buy from you. Make yourself visible so your property can do some of the marketing for your new business. It’s equally important to make it easy for your customers to bring their pets in to you. Having a separate entrance and exit for pets might be a good idea since not all animals get along with other animals.
Getting Started
There’s a lot to consider when starting a franchise for pets. By taking your customers’ experience into consideration and that of their animals, you’ll be off to a strong start when you open on day one.
Susan Guillory is the President of Egg Marketing & Communications, a marketing firm specializing in content writing and social media management. She’s written three business books, including How to Get More Customers With Press Releases, and frequently blogs about small business and marketing on sites including Forbes, AllBusiness, The Marketing Eggspert Blog, and Tweak Your Biz. Follow her on Twitter @eggmarketing.