8 Steps to Grooming Success

Grooming Matters

by Daryl Conner

o you ever wonder how groomers who have been happily at the table for decades build those successful, long-term careers? Is it mastering breed profiles? Is it keeping up with the latest trends and techniques? Is it having mad business skills? Perhaps it is all these things and more. Read on for eight steps to get yourself to grooming success!

1. Never Stop Learning

One of the best things about the pet grooming industry is that there is always something new to learn. There are techniques you have never tried, innovative handling methods that raise the standard in safety and health, and creative ideas you couldn’t have imagined. A great place to start is by attending a trade show near you. If that isn’t possible, try taking an online class and see where that takes you.

Acquiring new information and skills helps keep our work fresh and interesting. Things are constantly evolving; there are new tools to try and new products that make our job easier and give better results. And while we are an unregulated industry, you might consider gaining a voluntary certification to polish your skills and gain some credentials. Groomers who are in this career for the long haul keep themselves relevant by committing to life-long learning.

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2. Maintain a Professional Image

Pet groomers tend to be artistic and creative. Our industry allows for much leeway when defining “professional image.” An executive in a Fortune 500 company may not be able to get away with having colorful tattoos and primary-colored hair, but many groomers pull this off beautifully.

In our line of work, we can express our creative side while still being professional by communicating clearly with our customers and co-workers, fulfilling our promises, and taking care of business in an organized, consistent manner. This means good record-keeping, running things smoothly, and keeping a sanitary and attractive workspace.

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3. Find Your Niche

What do you love best about grooming? Are you a fan of doing makeovers on giant breeds? Is your idea of fun scissoring Poodles and Bichons all day? Do you have a thing for designing doodle trims? Is cat grooming your happy place? Discover what fulfills you and focus on developing relationships with more clients that bring those pets to your table. The more you build your own personal style, the more pets and people who appreciate what you have to offer will find you.

4. Create Great Client Relationships

Your reputation will bring new customers to you, but it is your ability to maintain relationships that will keep people returning and make them feel confident and comfortable enough to entrust their beloved pets with you. Building and maintaining strong relationships is the way to ensure personal referrals, which is key in a service business like ours.

Building and maintaining strong relationships is the way to ensure personal referrals, which is key in a service business like ours.

5. Target Financial Goals

As creative people, groomers tend to flounder when setting and sticking to financial goals. We must understand our business costs, from supply purchases to rent/mortgage and all the other things we might forget, like equipment maintenance, cleaning products, insurance, utilities and taxes. Only then can we properly know how to set up fees for our services that allow us to make a profit and invest in our future.

If you have trouble with this, consider hiring an accountant or bookkeeper and someone to help you set up investments so that you can retire comfortably when it is time to put the scissors down.

6. Seek New Opportunities

There are lots of opportunities to branch out in our industry. Do you have a skill that you can share by teaching a class to other groomers? Trade show producers are usually open to finding new people to teach classes, or you can put together something to share online. Do you have a writing talent? Share your words with other groomers in pet-related magazines or through a blog. Maybe you are skilled at making grooming accessories like bows, collars or dog clothes. Those are markets to explore. The key is to keep an open mind, be aware of potential opportunities and be brave enough to push out of your comfort zone to try new things.

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7. Mentor Other Groomers

It can be a wonderful experience to help other groomers, both new to the industry and established groomers looking to expand their skills. You can do this in many ways. Extend an invitation to other groomers in your area to meet for snacks and watch an educational video. Networking and building relationships can open many doors. Try hiring a grooming educator to give a class at your place of business and invite groomers in your area to attend and offset the expense. Chime in on discussions you find online to advise groomers trying to improve their skills.

Last year, I was contacted by a groomer who wanted to learn more about a specific skill that I have some expertise in. I invited her to hang out with me on a workday and ask questions while she watched me groom. I enjoyed spending time with another groomer for a few hours, and I think she got some of her questions answered.

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8. Take Care of Yourself

This can be done by investing in ergonomic tools that save your body from repetitive-motion injuries and muscle strain, and by scheduling regular visits with a chiropractor or massage therapist (or both.) Learning to say no to grooming dogs that you dread is another great way to take care of yourself, as is creating a schedule that allows you to have enough time off to rest and rejuvenate. We all need to recharge to bring our best selves to work and avoid burnout.

Groomers in this career for the long haul know that it takes more than clipper and scissor skills to keep them working for decades in this demanding but fulfilling career. What areas of your job do you need to focus more energy on to keep you happily—and successfully—grooming for years to come?

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