Nowadays, more pet parents are resorting to mobile grooming services to treat their pets without having to leave the convenience of their homes. This bodes well for those who are thinking about the leap to the mobile grooming train (or instead, the mobile grooming van). Follow the steps below to make sure you have everything necessary to start a mobile pet grooming business.

Have a passion for animals and grooming

As a pet groomer, it’s essential to be passionate about offering your furry customers the quality care they need. But you should also be ready for the physical demands of the job.

The grooming process encompasses bathing and drying, hair cutting, brushing and styling, cleaning ears and eyes, trimming nails, brushing teeth, and if required, expressing anal glands. With several customers a day, this means hours on your feet, not to mention the extra endurance you’ll need to keep up with your often energetic customers.

And don’t forget about your heavier customers. Large breeds—like German Shepherds or Sheepdogs—need more time to groom, as well as more stamina to maneuver.

Does this mean a mobile salon will feel cramped?

Not at all! This is not the case as long as some of them offer mobile grooming vehicles with roughly seven-foot ceilings. That’s about the height of three German Shepherds piled on top of each other! Plus, these vehicles include full-size tubs to conveniently accommodate even the fleshiest dogs without compromising on floor space.

Although pet grooming can be physically formidable, if you’re an animal-lover, the look on the faces of your gratified customers makes the job more than worthwhile. 

Build a business plan

Before you fund your mobile grooming vehicle, it’s very useful to build a comprehensive business plan. Doing this will help you prevent any financial problems during the process.

Start by considering what local business licenses or permits you need to run a mobile grooming salon in your area. To further safe keep your investment, you should also figure out what type of insurance you need.

This can help you respond to all the related questions and offer you a comprehensive mobile pet grooming business success guide to help guarantee your success.

Do research

Understandably, you’re avid to get to the part with sudsy dog bathes and glad puppy kisses, but doing research is an imperative step in developing your mobile pet grooming business plan. By knowing the potential for customers in your area, as well as your local competition, you can better guarantee a successful business. That means puppy kisses for years to come!

One way to specify your potential for customers is by contacting local vets and pet shops. You can also go door-to-door in your neighbourhood or visit dog parks to ask pet parents if they’d be interested in the comfort of a mobile grooming salon.

A quick Google search can also give you insight into what other grooming choices are there in your area. By collecting this information, you’ll be able to decide how to make your business stand out, as well as how to price your services competitively.

Understand your costs

A strong business plan will also incorporate a detailed list of your expenses. Apart from the pet grooming vehicle itself, your usual costs as a mobile pet groomer will include:

• Grooming supplies like clippers, shears, brushes, and shampoos
• Vehicle and generator fuel
• Vehicle maintenance, such as oil changes
• Insurance and permits
• Advertising
• Phone bill costs

Once you find out your monthly overhead, you can specify how much income you need to obtain to cover these expenses. But operating a really successful business means bringing in a profit.

Consider your financial situation

After processing the numbers, consider your financial situation. Although commencing a mobile pet grooming business is more affordable than starting a brick-and-mortar grooming salon, you may still need to get a loan to help cover the expense of buying a pet grooming vehicle while you build your customers. Leasing a pet grooming vehicle could be another choice to think about.

Another option to help with financing is to go into business with a partner. By dividing the start-up costs, you can save money. However, this also means dividing the profits, so consider what your long-term goals are before starting a business partnership.

Build your brand

With a profitable business plan established, it’s time to go to the fun part—building your brand! As the boss, you determine how your mobile pet grooming business will look, feel, and run

To get started, consider the following:

• What do you want to name your business? – You may select to encourage smiles with a puppy pun, or keep it easy by naming the business after yourself, or a beloved pet. Whatever you select, the name of your business is how clients will come to know you, so take your time making this crucial decision.
• Will you groom dogs, cats, or both? – While dog groomers are more in demand, expanding your business to feline friends can help increase your profits.
• How will you advertise? – To best market your services, you can design a website, post on social media platforms, or hand out flyers at local dog parks.

Consider businesses that can help you

Many franchise businesses claim they can assist you to find success in the mobile pet grooming business, but their contracts and expenses make it visible that they’re more concerned about their bottom line. Wouldn’t you rather work with a business that really supports your effort, without costing you a paw and a tail?

Get your engine revving!

The demand for mobile pet grooming services is on the rise. So get your engine revving and begin your journey toward becoming your own boss in the highly lucrative—and highly estimable—world of mobile pet grooming.