Introduction
A lot of people have considered pet sitting in their home as a side job. It really does make a lot of sense when you think about it. Some people cannot always afford to take their pets with them on vacation or a business trip. Using house pet services opens up all kinds of possibilities for folks with pets. If you are only going to be gone for a short time it may make more sense to have someone come over to the house and take care of a dog or cat. The neat thing about this service is that it requires almost no expense money to get started.
Create a business plan for house pet services. There are two main purposes for making a business plan. The first purpose is to document an overview of the business including supplies, materials and equipment needed to run the business and identify money sources to pay for it. The second purpose of a business plan can be used to obtain a new loan for your business. Even if you never use the business plan for a loan, it will help you to focus on all aspects of how the business will work.
Identify which services will be offered as part of your house pet sitting service. Make a list of all the types of pets you will care for such as dogs, cats, horses, pigs, hamsters and so on. Decide if you are qualified to care for sick and insured pets including administering medications or shots. Consider whether your services will include taking pets to grooming or vet appointments.
Come up with a cleaver business name for your house pet sitting service and complete all the legal paperwork. You will have to register the name of the business with your state, and get a sales tax license as well as filing federal taxes as a business yearly. Make sure to buy liability insurance to coverage yourself and your business. Liability insurance is just as important for you as it is for your customers. It makes most customers feel more comfortable using small businesses.
Once you have taken care of all the business basics and are ready to open for business, it is time to advertise. Place advertisements in local newspapers and online classified websites such as Craigslist. Order business cards with your name and number and hand them out at luncheons, parties and meetings. Build a website offering your house pet services. List all the services and costs on the website and offer discount coupons for new customers. Write articles about house pet services and post them in online article directories with a link back to your website to increase traffic and interest. Check with several veterinarian offices and pet stores to see if you can post your house pet sitting service on a bulletin board.
Tips and comments
After getting your business license, you make qualify for purchasing products at wholesale prices. This can save your business a lot of money if you should need to purchase large quantities of pet food or grooming supplies. Work on new advertising campaigns monthly to build a client base and add new customers.
