Summer is upon us, and it may be a time where your pet business is busier than ever, or you could be experiencing a bit of a lull. 

After a year of unpredictable twists and turns due to the pandemic, you may be feeling a little unsure about how to make the best of the summer months ahead. 

So, in this week’s podcast, I’m sharing ideas you might consider to boost your summer revenue, along with tips to help you create fabulous seasonal content.   

You can listen in on the player link below or continue reading the key points as a blog post.

How holidays might affect your business

Traditionally the summer months can be booming fantastic for some pet businesses. 

Pet sitters, boarders, and holiday rentals are typically booked up for months in advance over the summer months. 

Dog trainers, walkers, and some pet product makers will usually find the summertime a little quieter than usual, with pet owners taking off on their holidays abroad.

But this year’s a bit different, isn’t it? 

With many pet owners opting for staycations with their dogs, there may be less appetite for holiday pet care, but don’t panic. 

If you’re a pet brand eCommerce store, then you may recently have been hit with a bit of a slump in sales. 

Rest assured, you are not alone! As everyone embraces the new relaxed social distancing measures, most people are spending a lot less time online right now, but it won’t last forever.  

How we can use holidays to boost our business

If the last year and a half has taught us anything, it’s the power of adapting and discovering new opportunities.  

We have seen so many incredible petpreneurs adapt to make the best of a difficult time. And the months ahead are no different. 

With just a little creativity and the confidence to have a go, you can make the summer months work in your favour. 

So let’s consider how. 

Dog Walkers, Petsitters, and Trainers 

If you’re in the camp of being so busy you can’t catch your breath, now is an ideal time to begin building a waitlist so that you have a database of fans to return to. 

Have a think about whether there are additional needs that your clients have that you could meet. 

With people keen to get out again and dogs less used to being left alone, you could consider offering weekend or evening pet sitting, walking, or daycare services. 

Equally, pet parents may need the help of a trainer to teach their dog to settle in environments like restaurants and pub gardens so that they can take their dogs with them. 

Summer means picnics…. And for a lot of dog owners, that means walks become increasingly difficult to enjoy. 

With more people staying in the country, parks and open spaces will likely be packed, so offering workshops to teach ‘drop,’ ‘leave,’ and perfect recall will be welcomed.

Dog Boarders

While you may not have quite as many of your regular clients booked in for dog boarding, many dog owners will be coming to a town near you for a staycation!

As dog owners, we know that we love to take our dogs with us wherever possible, but often there will be places we’d like to visit that don’t allow dogs. 

Consider marketing daycare or overnight stays for holidaymakers in your area, so they can visit all the fabulous places they want while their dog has a little short break of their own. 

Dog Groomers

The summer months are often mega busy for dog groomers. It’s the time of year when everybody is desperate to get booked in.

Are there any additional services or resources that you could offer to clients between grooms to help them keep their dogs comfortable? 

For example, you could put together a (paid for) webinar teaching your clients how clean dogs between grooms. 

Or you could set up a recurring slot for your clients that they pay for on retainer so that they never miss a groom again. 

This means they know their dog will be seen regularly, their coat won’t get out of hand, and you have the benefit of regular payments and a predictable income. 

Pet Product Makers

We know that summer sales may take a bit of a dip unless you have seasonal products such as cooling mats, coats, or summer prints. 

Can you release some new limited edition summer prints or designs that your existing clients haven’t seen before?  

By making these products limited edition, there is a more instant appetite for your followers to buy now! 

WE love the Peaks and Fells print from Moo Moo and Bear here.

And the Salty Sea Dog from Leo, Charley and Me here.

When it’s too hot to walk our dogs, we are often looking for new enrichment to ease the guilt of ditching the walk. 

Could you put together an enrichment bundle or gift box full of novel items and yummy treats? 

Content ideas for the holidays

You might see seasonal content, which is pretty similar year after year, and decide that there’s already plenty of it. 

But, the reason you see so much of it is because it’s valuable. 

And remember, your audience likely isn’t following quite as many pet-themed accounts as you are. 

So their social media feed isn’t as jam-packed with it as yours might be! 

11 summer content ideas for your pet business

Heatstroke signs and treatment

Help raise awareness of the signs of heatstroke and how to avoid it. What to do if your dog shows symptoms (including seeking urgent veterinary attention). 

How hot is too hot to walk 

This can’t be shared too much. Year after year, we still see well-meaning dog owners exercising their dogs in the heat. If you’re a dog walker, then talk about what you’re doing to keep dogs in your care safe in hot weather. 

Ticks

The warmer weather means more ticks about. Talk to your followers about where they lurk, how to remove them safely, and preventative measures they can try. 

Grass seeds

Another common summer ailment for dogs is grass seeds. Raise awareness of what to look out for, how to treat, and what to avoid. 

Picnic survival tips

Help dog owners with tips or services to solve their summer picnic woes! Create drop and recall content or workshops to help keep their dogs safe and out of mischief!

Shady walking spots, local spots with clean streams or rivers for paddling

When the weather hots up, we are willing to travel with aircon to wooded areas and places with clean water for our dogs to take a dip. Share these on socials or blogs for dog owners in your area. 

Local places to take your dog swimming

This could be hydrotherapy pools, rivers or lakes that allow dogs, or even how to teach your dog to swim in a home pool! 

Wild swimming with dogs

Yes, people are searching for where they can swim with their dogs! Share places or top tips for doing so safely. 

Dog-friendly beaches 

You can cover dog-friendly beaches you know, parking and dog-friendly places to visit nearby, whether stoney beaches are suitable for dogs, what to take with you, etc

Water safety 

You can create content to educate on blue algae, retrieving balls or toys in water, keeping away from wildlife, etc. Content to help pet owners to keep their dogs safe when swimming.

Enrichment games 

Share ideas or products to help dog owners to keep their dog’s entertained at home when it’s too hot to walk. You could share frozen recipes for dogs, DIY enrichment toys, trick training, or product round-ups and reviews. 

What to do if the holidays are a quiet time

If the holidays are a quiet period for you, then it’s a brilliant time to work on creating content to raise your visibility and to ensure that when the holidays are over, you’re ready to pick up with gusto. 

Keep an eye on local Facebook groups to see the kinds of topics and struggles that are coming up and consider whether there is anything you can offer to help. 

If other pet businesses in your area are particularly busy, then consider whether there is anything that you can offer to add to their services.

For example, local dog-friendly holiday lets may be interested in promoting your products or services, or you might find a local trainer could do with an extra pair of hands at classes.

Collaboration is a brilliant way to enhance your pet business – read more here.

Finally, enjoy the holidays yourself. We can spend an awful lot of time working away on our businesses, but downtime is just as important. 

Take some time to recharge and have a fun time with your pets. 

If you found this post helpful, you might like to read Getting started with blogging for your pet business and How to get your pet business found on Google with Rosie Robinson