Newspaper advertising

[ejmj30]

I'm thinking about putting an ad in 2 small local papers. A friend of mine told me to put in a coupon she gets about 20 back a month. I know everyone on here says no coupons, but maybe I could do free teeth brushing, or nail pawlish, or something like that? I just want to get people in the door cause just the atmosphere at my shop is different than most others.

Also, what's the free story they allow when a new business opens? I know I've heard people talking about it on here, a business something...gosh I can't remember what you called it.

What's everyone's thoughts on Chamber of Commerce? Worth joining or a waste of time and money?

Lastly, has anyone ever contacted local pet related businesses and done a mini pet expo in their area? How'd it go? How many businesses actually responded?

[Soap]

I'm thinking about putting an ad in 2 small local papers. A friend of mine told me to put in a coupon she gets about 20 back a month. I know everyone on here says no coupons, but maybe I could do free teeth brushing, or nail pawlish, or something like that? I just want to get people in the door cause just the atmosphere at my shop is different than most others.

Bandannas. Offer free bandannas!

Also, what's the free story they allow when a new business opens? I know I've heard people talking about it on here, a business something...gosh I can't remember what you called it.

Press release.

What's everyone's thoughts on Chamber of Commerce? Worth joining or a waste of time and money?

It wasn't worth it for me. I am now considering joining a local small business networking group.

Lastly, has anyone ever contacted local pet related businesses and done a mini pet expo in their area? How'd it go? How many businesses actually responded?

No. Never tried.

[scullysmom]

It worked well for us!! We did 3-5 off. People loved it

[Gracy Rose]

We do it all of the time. I usually do 10% off this way if they are only coming in for nails it is only .80 off and also I have found this way you encourage the bath only breeds as well. If you put $3-$5 off of a Full Groom you can lose some good money (Newfoundlands for Bath and Brush-out).

[baddog]

You'll be amazed at how $3 off can get you business~~~"business spotlight" is what they call the articles by me.
Make sure you put this on your coupons:

$3 off any bath/full grooming

Expires 0-00-00, no combining offers,coupons must be presented.


I don't take coupons for nail clipping, it's a waste of time.

[Nettie906]

Coupons

I have always had a very positive experience with coupons.
The last shop I worked at, built her business on them,and she has one of the busiest shops around. Great clients.
I used them when I opened my own shop. They ran for 2 months. (They were mailer coupons.) It helped build my business up rapidly. In 4 months I was making good headway.

You always get the one timers, and the looky-lou's, that want that really GREAT deal. But they are few, and far between.

We have a large retired population here...it really helps them out.

[rapuzzled]

About the coupons, I don't think that it is a bad idea, but I know that instead of money off, we do like what you said which is offer a free tooth brushing...or free oatmeal bath, creme rinse, etc. That way, it will draw people, but you really aren't losing much money.

[dodger]

coupons

I'm not an advocate of discounting my services. I will offer a free gift. Combs, brushes, bottles of shampoo, cologne, anything. These things are all business deductions 100%. But if you offer a percentage off a service you are out of the cash income. You can never recover that loss.

[Poodlefluff]

I agree I give a free ad on service if the client prebooks an appointment the free ad on gets done their next appointment. Ad ons are so much cheaper than $3.00 or 10% off. People love the idea where I am. Like with this new SPA line if you gave out a coupon for a free blueberry facial people would be climbing through the roof. They really like the sound of it. Blueberry Facial it makes me want one.

[baddog]

But if you offer a percentage off a service you are out of the cash income. You can never recover that loss.

What loss? You may be gaining business you never had in the first place, get them in the door and upsell them a deep conditioning treatment for $5 and you've actually made $2 more ! Besides combs, treatments, facials all cost time and money. What if a dog has a freaky reaction to a blueberry facial, and now you have a vet bill to pay???

[Chicken]

We do coupons or specials every week & get a huge return. It's amazing the hoops people will jump thru to save $2.00

I don't do any coupons for money off grooms anymore, but we do $3 off a B&B, or free toothbrushing with a groom, or $2 off cats, etc. We recently did a "Breed of the Week" thing where each week we had a coupon for a different popular B&B dog at a fixed price. People really liked that because it told them exactly how much money it was going to be, instead of saving a few bucks off an unknown price. You take a chance on getting a huge hairy monster in at that price, but we got TONS of new clients.

One week we did "Any dog over 75 pounds, B&B, for $xx.xx" - that week I thought for sure I would die, every monstrous farm dog within 100 miles crawled out of the woodwork! But I'd do it again during slow periods!

[wet noze]

There are pros and cons to this issue....I think it is a toss up but I feel it may be a good idea for a shop. Certainly worth trying once.

It may tempt the person to use your services if they are on the fence about trying a new grooming shop. Yes, you will get the one-timers but so what. It is business you might not have gotten the opportunity to reach. If two or three out of five become your steady customer, I feel that's a success. If these customers tell their friends and neighbors about you, well, there you go!! It's like the food chain!

Yes, you may be out some dollars but if I had a shop I would most likely give it a try. It will, at the very least, get your name out there and will generate some new business for you.

Spending $$$ on advertising is like spending $$ on insurance. You don't really want to but sometimes, it's a very good thing!

[carla]

I would not do a coupon. Maybe a free lead or zanie toy. No money off thpugh

[barknpurr]

Erin,

I started my business in October '03 from scratch. I missed the Yellow Pages my first year. The best return on my advertising dollars was my local paper ad. I ran a 3" X 2" (or something close) ad, with a $5 coupon twice a week for four months. That ad cost me $40 a run. I always booked at least one appointment per run of the ad. The ad paid for itself. Half the time, the clients would not even give me the coupon. They just cut the ad out and pinned it to their refrigerator. Just remember to be consistent with the ad. People will see the ad and not need it until they need to get their dogs groomed. But when they need it, it is in the same spot of the paper. I say, go for it. Give the ad a couple of months of run time and you should see results. Also, I was written up in the newspaper, only after advertising with the consistently for four months.

[SpikeyTheYorkie]

One week we did "Any dog over 75 pounds, B&B, for $xx.xx" - that week I thought for sure I would die, every monstrous farm dog within 100 miles crawled out of the woodwork! But I'd do it again during slow periods!

At first when I read this, I thought you were a glutton for punishment. Then I thought about it again and thought you were crazy. After thinking about it a final time, I just realized YOU'RE ON A MISSION FROM GOD!! LOL

Tammy in Utah