Contacting the competetion

[eli]

Got out the phone book today & called local 3 mobilers.

1) Receptionist answers. Told her who I was. She was friendly. Low prices.

2) Voicemail says she's not doing mobile or something like that. I left a message. She called me back & we talked for an hour. Very nice! Said mobile wasn't for her. She now has a shop. She gave me some tips about mobiling & I told her about this site. She didn't know this place was here. ROTFL!!! She must be the only one!!! JK. Boy does SHE have a lot of readin' to do! Whoa!! Anyhow! Great contact.

3) I've called her before when I saw her unit going down the road. No response.

Well worth it!
Erica

[RoosMom]

Good for you! It can be really intimidating to call competitors.... this is, unfortunately, a bit of a cut-throat business when it comes to people being in the same area. Wonderful when you get such a nice response for your efforts. :-)

[Aussheplady]

There was a very ambitious new groomer a few years ago that decided to contact as many mobile groomers in the Dallas and surrounding area and try to get them together. Our first get together, we had about 20 of us all showed up with our grooming units for all to check out. It was a BLAST! She collected cards from everyone and email addresses and then put together a roster with everyone on it, the areas they worked and contact information. We all use that chart now. If people call from out of our area, we know just who to refer them to. I have even gotten clients that were referred to me by someone out of my area that I referred to someone else! They remembered where I did work and since that is where their friend lived, they suggested me. It has worked out so well. We get together now and then and chat about both the positives and negatives of mobile as well as where to go for service repair and get the best price. I am very glad that it isn't cut throat in our area. Even those of us that do work the same areas refer to each other. If I am booked 4+ weeks out, and a client needs their pet groomed sooner, why shouldn't I be kind and refer them to a fellow mobile groomer in the area? They aren't going to book with me anyway if I can't get to them sooner.

[eli]

What a great attitude Carol!

I'm hoping this will be a great ongoing relationship with this girl. She was very willing to share many of her mistakes to help me from making the same ones.
In the beginning she said she worked sometimes until 11 at night just to keep up with her dirt cheap grooming cause she thought that's what she had to do to keep customers. Now she says she regularly raises prices. I was writing as fast as I could!!

I have said "There are enough dogs".
It's too bad many feel the opposite. One groomer I know of thinks she has to groom all of them. Not me.

I have learned soooo much form all of you!! And want to continue to do so.

Thanks to everyone who so generously shares on here & locally as well.
Erica

[doggiegroomer]

I think its great to have contact with other groomers. Its wonderful to exchange info and bounce ideas off of! My best friend is a mobile groomer and I am a shop groomer and it works out great. We live about an hour apart but its nice to know there is someone you can call and they will understand your grooming gripes!!! Every once in a while I will go and help her in the mobile unit or she'll help out in the salon! It's great, but sometimes all we talk about is grooming and 'business', that gets old sometimes. Sometimes we'll be out to dinner and finally I will say okay NO MORE work talk!!!

[Meesh]

Us too in North Virginia!

A bunch of us mobiles in VA do the same thing, referring back and forth. It's been nice. We got together last summer, I think I may try to do that again, but later in the season, life a bit overwhelming at the moment!

There are so many dogs to go around there's no need to be cut throat. So much more pleasant to help each other out. Win win!!

Meesh

[Aussheplady]

I think that is where most people new to mobile make their worst mistake-not pricing themselves high enough. The first thing EVERY business owner should do is find out what their overhead expenses are. In grooming, you divide that amount into what your expenses are/month then divide that by your available appointments to know what each appointment costs you regardless if it is filled or not. Then add on what you need to make for the work involved and that should be your price base. Working 10-12 or more hour days trying to do as many dogs as you can cram into a day because your prices are too low to make a living otherwise is simply insane and a fast track to burn out or your body falling apart.
Grooming is hard enough on our bodies without taking it to an extreme.
I am one of the highest priced mobile groomers in the area and I am usually booked 3-5 weeks out at a time so I am really picky about what new clients I take, the rest I refer to another mobile groomer that started in my area. My referrals kept her busy long before any of her advertising made it out. Now, she is even sending people to yet another new mobiler to the area and she has only been in this area for a year herself.

[RevWind]

I contacted a couple of the locals when I was researching mobile. They were both great and I've talked to a few other since. There are a couple that I just can't get ahold of though. I'd love to have a mobile get together around here.