How to Be a Pet Sitter

By MacDonald

Instructions

Step 1:
Go to your city or county offices and get a tax ID number and register a business name. Purchase pet sitting insurance. It is usually quite inexpensive. Consider getting bonded as well as insured. Have business cards made up including both your phone number and email.
Step 2:
Write a professional press release and send it to every media outlet, large veterinary office, pet shelter and other animal related business you can think of. To become in demand you need to get the business first. Investigate all the online pet sitting bulletin boards and advertise there as well. If you have a website, even better. Post it everywhere you can.
Step 3:
Have simple flyers printed up and take them around to local vets, grooming salons and other pet-related businesses. Introduce yourself to the vets and business owners and let them know about your services. Take some of their cards and promotional materials, too. It's not just about promoting your business, it's about networking with other pet professionals,
Step 4:
You will get many calls if you follow the above steps. Many of these people are merely inquiring about cost. In every call, stress that you are insured. Point out that in the owner's absence, you will walk their dogs, care for plants, take in mail and newspapers, do everything you can to make their home look secure and occupied and will clean litter boxes and yard waste. Highlight your experience with pets. Ask the caller questions about their own pets. You want to both point out why your services are a very good deal and make a connection with the caller.
Step 5:
On your first job, of course you will take extra care of the pets and property. Leave a written log of each visit, detailing what you did and how the pets were doing. If the owner is out of town, offer to send them photos of their pets and email updates.
Step 6:
Leave several business cards at the end of your gig so your client can easily refer you. Make sure everything is as clean and tidy as when you first walked in the door. Sweep up the kitty litter area, make sure the yard is cleaned up, clean muddy pawprints from the floor and wash the pet bowls. You want the house to look just as nice at the end of the visit as when you first walked in the door. Bonus points if the house is even cleaner when you leave.
Step 7:
Leave a small nicely wrapped bag of dog or cat treats on the counter for your client. Have photos of their pets printed up and leave them with little refrigerator magnet frames. If they have a lot of plants, leave a small, pretty (non-toxic) plant for them. These small gestures cost you very little and will mean a lot to your clients. It will make them feel special and you are more likely to get referrals.

Tips & Warnings

Join professional pet sitting organizations, there are many that can be found online.
Fuel costs can cut into your profit so it's best if you have a fuel-efficient vehicle.

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