![The Modern Dog Trainer Podcast – Ep 8 – Interview with Donna Hill of Service Dog Training Institute]()
by Ines | Sep 14, 2016 | Podcast
In this episode, we invited Donna Hill of the well-known Assistance Dog Training YouTube channel and founder of the Service Dog Training Institute. We discuss how she got started and what inspired her to start her own online dog training courses.
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Donna Hill & The Service Dog Training Institute
We’ve followed Donna Hill for many years. She’s recently grown a large audience thanks to her detailed dog training videos which break down behaviors into tiny steps that anyone can understand and use with their dogs.
She’s taking this success one step further by developing an online dog training institute for anyone that needs a service dog but can’t necessarily afford to purchase one or hire a trainer to train one.
We’re excited to share with you the details about how she got started, why she came up with the Service Dog Training Institute, and where she’s going to take it. Listen to the podcast and share your thoughts in the comments below!
Dog Training Business Tips
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![3 Novice Marketing Mistakes Most Dog Trainers Make]()
by Ines | Aug 7, 2016 | Marketing
When you are just starting out, it is tempting to take shortcuts in order to get more clients. There are endless ways to get the word out, but some can be costly with a low to no return on investment if you aren’t careful. You’ll be bombarded by calls from social media agencies and Yelp advertising reps, but don’t succumb to the temptation to give away a bit of cash for dreamy promises.
Social Media Agencies
There are a lot of companies out there that claim that they can get you more “likes” or “followers” for a certain cost. Some companies that approach you can seem truly legitimate and some may even be listed in the “Better Business Bureau” directory. However, their fees can add up very quickly. Ultimately, social media is about building relationships with people in your area. Spend some time getting to know how to target your shares to specific, local areas for the best results.
Facebook in particular now allows you to limit and target posts towards a certain audience. Use these options to your advantage. Don’t spend hundreds on companies that give you false hopes. (Check out this eBook on Facebook Marketing Strategies to get the most out of that platform.)
If you’re considering Facebook ads, check out this insanely detailed article on narrowing your target audience to limit spend and increase your return on investment.
Email Marketing Agencies
Just like with social media, many companies will gladly take your money in exchange for email newsletter creation. Again, taking the time to learn about free alternatives is a great way to save money. It is actually extremely simple with free services like MailChimp. There are also tons of free “how-to” videos on YouTube. To learn about what you should include in an email newsletter, read my article on “Key Components To Creating A “Must Read” Email Newsletter.”
Local News Sites
Local news sites often reach out to new businesses with “special” or “exclusive” ad space availabilities. Whether advertising in a newspaper or on local news sites, this old school method of advertising is unlikely to lead to new clients. Spend advertising budget wisely by advertising in places where people are already looking for services like those you offer – Google! Read my article on digital marketing tactics for dog trainers.
Google Adwords is the ultimate place to find new customers because your business only shows up to people who are already looking for businesses like yours!
Business & Marketing Courses for Dog Trainers
Looking for up-to-date information and advice on running your dog training business? We’ve just launched a waitlist for a few courses for dog trainers. Learn the ins and outs of running and marketing a dog training business from experienced, certified professional dog trainers. Check out our starting list of courses here.
Check Out Dog Training Business Courses
![How To Make Continuous Income As A Dog Trainer]()
by Ines | Jul 25, 2016 | Business
Income can become seasonal as holidays and vacations affect your clients’ ability and availability to train their dogs. Additionally, the worst situation dog trainers put themselves in is always having to get new clients in the door to make a living. That is the hardest sale to make! However, there are some steps you can take to make income more continuous and steady throughout the year.
Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to make income more continuous and steady throughout the year as a dog trainer.
Offer Day Training And Board & Train Programs
Day training is when the trainer comes to the house during the day to work with the dog one-on-one without the owner. Many clients are grateful to have you come in and help them with training because their lives are already so hectic. During vacation seasons, people often look to board their dogs while they are away so give them an even better option – boarding and training while they are away. These programs are often accompanied by private lessons to ensure training transfers smoothly to the owner.
Partner With Apartment Complexes
Apartment complexes are always looking for a way to offer competitive benefits. Consider partnering up with a local complex by teaching weekly classes for their residents only. Explain to the management that better-trained dogs and a sense of community will increase their value and create a more peaceful living environment for their residents. If you partner up and offer weekly, open-enrollment classes then this is a great avenue to continuous income throughout the year.
Recurring Refresher Classes
As professionals, we know training never stops. However, many clients have trouble continuing the training long term. Offer a monthly or bi-weekly class for previous class graduates to pop in for a class with a monthly subscription. Consider adding a rule such as “you must attend 10/12 months a year in order to maintain eligibility to attend these refresher classes.” This creates dedicated clients, a sense of community among the clients, and better behaved dogs as the end result.
What are some ways you or others make consistent income throughout the year?
Dog Training Business Tips
Receive valuable dog training business tips and resources right in your inbox! Subscribe to The Modern Dog Trainer now by submitting your name and email below. Don’t forget to let us know what you want to learn more about!
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![The Modern Dog Trainer Podcast – Ep. 7 Discussion on CCPDT Policies with President, Brad Phifer]()
by Ines | Jul 17, 2016 | Podcast
We invited Brad Phifer, President of the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers, to discuss some of their new and current policies. Listen as we discuss Brad’s views on banning shock collars, enforcing their CEU presenter credentials, and some exciting plans for the next 3-5 years.
Subscribe to The Modern Dog Trainer Podcast on SoundCloud or iTunes. Follow The Modern Dog Trainer Blog on Twitter at @ModernTrainer, on Facebook at The Modern Dog Trainer Blog Page, and on Instagram at @TheModernDogTrainerBlog. We love hearing from our listeners! Please leave us a review on iTunes to help support our podcast!
Brad’s Views on Shock Collars & the CCPDT’s Role
We hit on some major hot topics in this episode. One of those being Brad’s views on why the CCPDT should or should not advocate banning them as a certification organization.
Ultimately it comes down to whether or not it is the CCPDT’s role to prohibit their certificants from using them all together. Since the CCPDT is not a membership or trade organization, they are simply not in the position to impose that on their certificants.
Qualifying Requirements for CEU Credit
While new requirements for educators and speakers were published in 2014, the enforcement of these new guidelines is just now beginning and people are starting to notice. By December 2016, many widely recognized professional trainers who teach seminars around the world will not be able to provide CEUs to their attendees anymore. This is a challenging situation to accept for many, but ultimately this will move the dog training industry into a new level of professionalism. If you hold yourself, as a dog trainer, to a high standard of education, then why should the speakers you learn from not do so?
Higher education for all will result in increased public safety and a more professional industry all around.
One new policy that has gone unnoticed is the fact that you can now rollover your extra CEUs into your next renewal time period.
Listen all the way to the end of the podcast to discover some interesting revelations about Brad’s views on licensing within the dog training industry and the CCPDT’s plans for the next 3-5 years.
Dog Training Business Tips
Receive valuable dog training business tips and resources right in your inbox! Subscribe to The Modern Dog Trainer now by submitting your name and email below. Don’t forget to let us know what you want to learn more about!
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![The Modern Dog Trainer Podcast – Ep. 6 Interview with the International Dog Parkour Association]()
by Ines | Jun 14, 2016 | Podcast, Training Methods
In this podcast we talk to Abigail Curtis DVM, one of the founders of the International Dog Parkour Association. We go over how it all began, what you should know before you get started with dog parkour, and how you can leverage this sport with your clients as a professional dog trainer.
Subscribe to The Modern Dog Trainer Podcast on SoundCloud or iTunes. Follow The Modern Dog Trainer Blog on Twitter at @ModernTrainer, on Facebook at The Modern Dog Trainer Blog Page, and on Instagram at @TheModernDogTrainerBlog. We love hearing from our listeners! Please leave us a review on iTunes to help support our podcast!
The International Dog Parkour Association is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 2014 by Karin and Abigail.
To learn more about what dog parkour is and how to get started check out their “What is Dog Parkour” page.
![10 Signs You’re Not Marketing Your Dog Training Business Wisely]()
by Ines | May 9, 2016 | Business
Mistakes You’re Making When Marketing Your Dog Training Business
1. You Pay for Yelp Ads
I’m pretty sure that every business owner in North America has received calls from Yelp to advertise. At first, its seems like a great option because potential customers often check Yelp reviews before calling you. For dog trainers, however, you’re better off spending your marketing budget on Google rather than Yelp.
From my experience, people visiting Yelp already have a trainer in mind and are looking at their reviews for confirmation. On Yelp, your ads may cost more and may not be as targeted as they could be on Google Adwords. Additionally, as Google has introduced their own review systems, Yelp has seen a decline in search rankings within Google.
Yelp is not to be neglected, however. Ensuring you have consistent, positive reviews will encourage potential customers who are doing their research to decide on your business to satisfy their needs. Always remind current and past clients to leave their reviews there or on your Google business page.
Recommended Reading: Why You Should Do Some Market Research Before Starting Your Dog Training Business
2. You Have a Website, But Don’t Know How It Performs in Google
This is common among dog trainers. We all know a website is important, but many don’t quite realize why they’re important. Your website isn’t just a place for potential customers to learn about you before hiring you. Your website is critical to your business’s success. A dog trainer’s website should have a professional feel and should work to get you new clients by getting indexed by Google, showing potential clients your expertise, demonstrating to clients how you can help them in their situation, and making it easy to reach out to you.
If your website is not connected to Google Analytics, you’re missing out on a lot of intelligence about how people navigate to and through your website. If you think you’re all set because you have a website, you’re missing the point of having one in the first place.
An established website should provide you with a wealth of information about your potential clients and is critical to long-term, consistent success as a dog trainer. Your website is one of the best ways prospective clients can find out about you.
3. You’re Considering Paying for Facebook Ads
There’s a right way and a wrong way to advertise on Facebook. If you’re looking to build awareness of your brand or an upcoming event, Facebook is a great way to promote those. However, if you’re trying to fill up a group class by the end of the month, you’re better off advertising on Google which is where people intend to make purchasing decisions.
4. You’re Hoping that Business Cards at a Local Shop Will Generate Interest
If you leave anything at a store in hopes to generate interest in your services, think about what the customer might be interested in reading about. Based on the visitor’s reason for visiting the store and the services you offer, make a flyer, brochure, or hand out that mixes the two together.
Let’s use a pet store for an example. Customers visiting the pet store are most likely there to purchase dog food or dog toys. In this instance, I’d recommend a handout on dog nutrition, best toys to keep dogs busy, or even the benefits of food puzzle toys for dogs. With a catchy title and engaging images, your handout will attract readers. The information you share will demonstrate your knowledge and you’ll have provided value to the reader. The goal is that the reader will think of you the next time they have a training related question. A simple business card just doesn’t cut it anymore.
5. Avoiding Google Adwords Because You’re Scared to Spend Too Much Money
Don’t get me wrong, that is a legitimate concern. Google Adwords can easily take your money and run with it, but being scared of Adwords is not a good excuse. Many successful dog trainers, if not most, use Google Adwords to consistently fill their classes and schedule with new clients. Learning how to target audiences strategically can save you money and bring you new clients on a regular basis. It is definitely worth the time investment to learn how to use Google Adwords if you want to have a successful dog training business.
6. Your Website Doesn’t Have a Purpose or Goal
You know your website is where potential customers go to learn about you. However, have you thought about:
- Is your website easy to navigate?
- Can visitors easily contact you from every page?
- Does your website load quickly on all devices?
- Does your site acknowledge your visitor’s concerns, situation, or objections?
If you’ve forgotten to ask these questions, your website isn’t doing as well as it could be.
7. You’re Forgetting About Your Current or Past Customers
Current or past customers are your greatest resources. It is easier to market to current or past customers than finding new customers. If you don’t have an option for recurring services for your clients, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity and you’re leaving your clients hanging without continued support. Chances are you have several customers who would love an opportunity to continue working with you if you gave them the option.
Ideally, you’ll want to start an email newsletter to keep customers engaged and share new services. Additionally, you want to be top of their mind when their friends mention dog behavior struggles, right?
8. You’re Advertising, Not Marketing
Raise your hand if you like ads online, on TV, or on the radio.
Don’t interrupt people’s lives with pushy advertising. Enough said.
(Check out this eBook on Facebook Marketing Strategies to get the most out of that platform.)
9. You’re Not Demonstrating Your Expertise
A key component to marketing your dog training business is demonstrating your ability to satisfy customers. Testimonials and case studies with images and videos can be impactful. Watching a video testimonial can help someone who’s on the fence about calling you make the decision to reach out.
You can spend a great deal in marketing, but testimonials and case studies can truly seal the deal and help you get new clients. Detailed and structured case studies can be distributed along with other marketing materials to local veterinarians to demonstrate your professionalism and expertise.
10. You Don’t Realize Why People Hire Dog Trainers
What truly drives people to contact a dog trainer? Their dog’s behavior? Nope.
People reach out to dog trainers because their quality of life is suffering. They don’t want to give up on their dog, but they also know they don’t want to continue living the way they are now. Your messaging should address how you’re planning on relieving them of stress, anxiety, and improving their quality of life. It isn’t enough to spout out a message about positive dog training, you must make them confident in your ability to improve their current situation.
Digital Marketing Solutions for Dog Trainers
Digital marketing isn’t a gimmick. I work with professional and amateur dog trainers to bring their businesses up to speed with the goal of generating consistent income. As a dog trainer myself, I’ve experienced the ups and downs of seasonal clientele. I’ve learned digital marketing solutions the hard way and now I’m helping other dog trainers grow their businesses, too.
Let’s see how we can grow your dog training business to the next level. Whether you’re going from part-time to full-time or simply want to get new clients more consistently each month, you can benefit from a course I’m working on.
Check out the courses I’m producing to help dog trainers start and grow their businesses.
