Groomers Guide

An illustration titled "How to Show Up as Your Best Self on Social Media" depicts a person with a poodle in a frame resembling a social media post, surrounded by hearts and like counts.

by Jennifer Bishop Jenkins

Ahere are two kinds of people in the world: those of us who are old enough to remember life before the internet and the rest of us who have never known life without it. Technology has revolutionized how we communicate with each other, and with it has come the constant but impersonal connectivity of social media.

The differences in how we orient our interpersonal communications between the older and the younger generations are real. The older among us went to libraries to look up information and had to call someone on the phone if we wanted to talk. But, most importantly, we first learned how to communicate in face-to-face interactions. Younger generations grew up with automated tools that ease communication, but in a less personal way.

We all live in a world—including our pet grooming world—where, in just the last three decades, communication between people has grown incredibly. But that communication has also become mostly electronic and impersonal, and that has consequences…

A Chinese study published in Frontiers in Psychology looked at the effect of social media on people’s emotions, mental health, stress and anxiety levels, self-image and depression. They concluded that social media does indeed increase stress, depression and anxiety, and even a sense of isolation.1

The United States Centers for Disease Control published a study on social media and bullying victimization, finding persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and even suicide risk, especially among adolescents.2

This is the dark side of our changing communication, and it is well-known. It should hopefully make every user of social media feel some personal obligation to work to prevent these effects in any way possible.

However, social media has also enabled tremendous communication of a new sort. Not only has it helped us to build larger and stronger work-related communities with our fellow pet groomers, it has also helped increase groomer education and elevated best practices while growing our clientele.

So, how do we best use social media to build better relationships with our current and potential clients, and within our grooming community?

1
Think Twice Before Posting.
The first rule to remember is that everything you put out on the internet or social media (including texting) is now permanently out there—retrievable and recordable. Even if you think it is private and just going to be seen by one or two other people, it could end up being very public. Also be sure to check grammar, spelling, subject-verb agreement, etc.
2
Always Use “I” Messaging.
When talking to anyone, whether in person or on social media, about anything difficult, frame everything from what you know personally. “I have learned…” or “My experience has been…” or “I am committed to…” Don’t talk about how “you” should do this or “you” should not do that. Talk about what you yourself know from your own experiences.
3
Surround Your Negatives With Positives.
Start and end every communication with positive statements. Sandwich the negative message in the middle between them. For example, “It’s so great to see Miss Luna today! She is just precious! I can feel a few mats and am probably going to have to shave those off on her rear and underbelly, but I am going to make sure the topcoat on her upper torso is long enough to protect her skin. Thank you so much for bringing her in today!”
4
Be a Reliable and Helpful Source.
Do your research. Don’t put information out there that you are not sure about, or that you cannot cite proof of or support for. Avoid speculating or criticizing and keep your communications short, interesting, creative, caring, factual and as positive as possible. Remember, there is a lot of misinformation on the internet, even if it sometimes appears correct.
5
No Drama!
Recently a groomer I know had a big split from her employer. They both had their own perspectives about what went wrong and who was at fault, but the experienced employer said nothing about it. She always kept public-facing comments professional. The groomer, however, vigorously vented on social media against the employer. Even if the complaints were legitimate, this use of social media as an outlet to vent would make her a risk for anyone else to hire.
6
Separate Personal and Professional.
Online identities need to be separated into personal (family, friends, private life) and professional (work related). Friend requests need to be divided into personal and professional, and a brick wall erected between them. Even so, apply all the same rules of careful posting to both your personal and professional online identities.
Cherish your reputation, protect it, and work to build it positively and intentionally. Whether you want to become an “influencer” or not, your reputation is precious. And you never know what direction your life might take later on.

Always post with integrity and propriety, writing more thoughtful, helpful and mature posts. Good manners online matter. Finally, implement all these same principles not just on social media, but in all your relationships and communications.

References:

  1. Chen M, Xiao X. (2022, Sept 15). The effect of social media on the development of students’ affective variables. Front Psychol. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9521624
  2. Young E, McCain JL, Mercado MC, et al. (2024, Oct 10). Frequent Social Media Use and Experiences with Bullying Victimization, Persistent Feelings of Sadness or Hopelessness, and Suicide Risk Among High School Students—Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/su/su7304a3.htm
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