So many parents are looking for ways to maximize their income. So many start businesses like eCommerce stores, but others work towards their strengths. If you’ve got a pet in the household, you may want to consider starting some form of pet-sitting business. It’s a very popular practice because many people’s pets need care and attention, it can be incredibly rewarding, and it’s very inexpensive to get started. But here are three things to consider, not just to run an effective business but to make sure you are running a competitive one.
Offering a Diverse Range of Services
Pet sitting and pet walking are two of the most common services, but you may want to diversify even further to be more competitive. For example, you may want to address pet health by providing a balanced diet or giving them a pet supplement if necessary. We can easily view looking after a pet as placating them for a couple of hours, but the fact is that we can use this time to develop more resilient and resourceful pets. This is why we may want to look at things holistically beyond the walking and the entertaining.
Deciding Where You Will Operate
You could operate from your home, from the homes of your clients, or you could do both. When you start to operate out of a client’s home, you’ve got to remember there will be irregular hours, including nights or weekends. When you are working in a client’s home, for example, because they are away on vacation, you may want to offer other basic services such as watering plants or taking in the mail. Conversely, operating out of your home means you need to invest in more things to make your home more secure. These could include gates and beds but you may also want to set aside a part of your home that is purely for the pets.
If you are planning on taking a high volume of pets, you’ve got to be prepared for a lot of loud noise, in which case, if you are in a close-knit neighborhood, you may want to inform the neighbors about potential noise or consider soundproofing your home. There are many ways to soundproof your home but while it is an extra expense, it can be classed as a business expense when it comes to doing your tax return.
Promoting Yourself Properly
It is essential to remember it’s not just about going on local Facebook groups, but about ensuring you know how to maximize your reach. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is essential here because it gives you the tools to fine-tune your website and promotional materials to appear higher in Google search engine rankings.
It is certainly a great way to earn extra money, but you have to be dedicated to animals if you want to be a pet sitter. So many people think that it’s a great way to earn money, which it is, but you are responsible for animals that other people will consider their children. As long as you go into it with the right attitude, it can be an incredibly rewarding career.
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