illustration of people walking in business attire while all carrying a large key together
the secret selling system: unlocking success in your grooming business typography

by Dominic Hodgson

Picture this: Sarah, an experienced and passionate groomer, has, on the surface, a thriving pet grooming salon. Her clients rave about her impeccable grooming skills and the genuine care she provides to their furry companions. However, behind the scenes, Sarah faced a common challenge that many groomers can relate to—the uncertainty of income and the constant struggle to fill her appointment book.

Despite her top-notch grooming talents, Sarah found herself at the mercy of unpredictable no-shows, last-minute cancellations and clients who were hesitant to invest in additional services. She worked incredibly hard to implement a fresh, high-standard grooming experience for the dogs in her care, but still her bank balance didn’t improve. Sarah knew there had to be a better way to ensure a stable income and build lasting client relationships.

So, what was the missing ingredient?

Sarah had forgotten that it’s the client who pays the bills, and she needed a better way to turn her top-notch grooming skills into a reliable and profitable service.

The Systems That Power Your Business

Groomers know better than anyone the value of a well-structured system. From handling various breeds and coat types to ensuring each pet gets a safe and comfortable grooming experience, systems are the backbone of any successful grooming salon. These systems will be a mash-up of what you learned at grooming school, what your mentors taught you and what you’ve picked up through years of experience in the salon. They keep the wheels turning in your grooming machine, and also allow your staff to replicate your high standards.

selling is actually a process—a series of selling steps, a bit like a well-choreographed dance routine, where each step contributes to the overall performance.

Sarah’s experience highlights one critical piece of the puzzle that many groomers overlook, which is crucial if you want to build a super-profitable grooming empire…and that is the power of a well-structured sales system.

Most people think of sales as a one-time activity where the customer either buys or they don’t. However, selling is more sophisticated than that, because selling is actually a process—a series of selling steps, a bit like a well-choreographed dance routine, where each step contributes to the overall performance. Imagine how successful your salon would be if your selling system was as reliable as your service delivery system.

Three Essential Groomer Sales Systems

Let’s delve into how the systematic approach you already use for grooming can be your ticket to unlocking hidden revenue streams in your pet grooming business. Introducing, the Three Essential Groomer Sales Systems:
1

The “Only Good Clients” System

There’s a series of steps every dog owner goes through on their client journey, and this usually starts with a phone call or a website inquiry. Ideally, at this stage of the process, I recommend you require the prospect to pay up front or, at the very least, pay a deposit to secure their grooming appointment. This simple change will massively reduce your “no-show” rate, and it shows the customer you are a running a real business with rules of engagement—no deposit means no booking.

You might get one or two potential clients who don’t like the idea of pre-paying, but these will usually be the same people who cancel last minute, moan about your prices and are generally a nightmare to deal with (and you can live without them).

2

The “Easy-Peasy Upsell” System

The next point of contact with a client is usually the first appointment or pre-groom consultation. Now, as well as assessing the dog’s coat condition, you should also use this as an opportunity to find out the client’s concerns and worries. Ask them what’s important to them or, better yet, ask if they could wave a magic wand, what would they change about their dog?

They may need some guidance to get them started, so help them by asking what they find frustrating or worrying about their dog’s appearance. Then, when they tell you they love their pooch more than life itself but worry about their shedding, matted coat and dry nose, you’re set up perfectly to offer them de-shedding, de-matting and facial upsells.

I’d also recommend you make a note of these pet peeves on your client forms, because that information will come in very handy next time you have a new service or a product you want to promote.

To make the sales process easier, you should have a printed-out menu of the upsell options on hand to help you sell these extra services. Think of it like a specials board or a dessert menu in a restaurant; seeing pictures and descriptions of your upsell options will help clients to understand the benefits.

Remember, it’s easier to sell more services to existing clients than it is to find new clients, so be prepared to put some thought and effort into the marketing materials you create to promote your upsells.

3

The “Customer Cloning” System

The third system you can implement that will help fuel word of mouth about your business and attract more of your best clients is to offer your existing clients a FREE service if they leave you a Google or Facebook review. Give them specific instructions to share a picture of their freshly groomed pet on Facebook or Instagram, tag your business in the photo, and also leave a review on Google or Facebook. If they do that, they will automatically get a free facial, paw balm or some other treatment next time they are in.

To increase the number of people who take part, I would also send them home with a postcard outlining the review instructions and send a reminder email the day after the groom. Remember, the fortune is in the follow up! In addition, you can add some urgency to this request by theming the free treatment as a seasonal special and do it over Christmas, Valentine’s Day or Easter.

So, there you go. Three simple sales systems that will increase profits and spread the word about your business.

Now, you may be thinking, I kind of do that already. But, do you really?

Do you have set-in-stone systems that ensure this sales process happens with every client who walks through the door? Have you trained staff members so they know the sales process steps as well as they know the grooming process? Have you documented the process and created sales scripts, presentation aids and a checklist so no opportunity is missed?

If not, you could be leaving a lot of money on the table.

Sarah transformed the profitability of her salon when she got serious about systemizing her sales process, and you can too. So what are you waiting for?

Dom Hodgson is known as the Pet Biz Wiz. His mission is to help pet service providers create superior customer service systems that enable them to build an impactful and profitable pet business. Dom has written over nine books including “How to Disnify Your Pet Business” which you can purchase at www.petbusinessmarketing.com/magicbook.

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