5 ways to get more pet grooming clients
Fill your appointment book with loyal pet parents who rave about your work.
Why growing your client base matters
Even the best groomers need a steady stream of new clients. People move away, pets pass on, and circumstances change. A healthy grooming business needs new clients to replace natural attrition and to grow.
1. Partner with local vets and pet stores
Veterinary partnerships
Vets see pets that need grooming constantly. Build relationships:
- Drop off business cards and flyers
- Offer a "Vet Referral Discount" for referred clients
- Refer clients to the vet for health concerns (reciprocity)
- Ask if you can leave a small poster in their waiting room
Pet store partnerships
Local pet stores (not big chains) are great partners:
- Cross-promote each other's businesses
- Offer grooming demos at their events
- Leave coupons at checkout
- Collaborate on "new puppy" packages
Rescue and shelter partnerships
Offer discounted or free grooming for:
- Foster pets before adoption events
- Recently adopted pets (first groom free)
This builds goodwill and introduces new pet owners to your business.
2. Build a referral program
Why referrals work
Pet parents trust other pet parents. A personal recommendation beats any ad.
Structure your program
- Give $15 off for each referred friend
- Give the new client $10 off their first groom
- Track referrals in your booking system
Make it easy
- Give clients referral cards to hand out
- Add a referral link to confirmation emails
- Mention it during checkout
Bonus: Refer-a-friend contest
Run quarterly contests:
- Most referrals in 3 months wins free grooming for a year
- Creates urgency and excitement
3. Leverage local SEO and Google Business
Claim your Google Business Profile
This is free and essential:
- Add your business name, address, phone
- Upload photos of your space and groomed dogs
- Set your hours accurately
- Enable online booking through Skhedio
Collect Google reviews
After every groom, ask for a review:
- Send an automated follow-up email with the link
- Respond to every review (positive and negative)
- Aim for 50+ reviews with 4.5+ stars
Local keywords
Optimize your website for local searches:
- "Dog grooming [Your City]"
- "Pet groomer near me"
- "Cat grooming [Your Suburb]"
4. Host community events
Puppy socialization meetups
Partner with a trainer to host puppy meetups at your salon:
- Puppies get used to the grooming environment
- Parents meet you before their first booking
- Great for social media content
Charity grooming days
Once a quarter, donate a portion of proceeds:
- Partner with a local rescue
- Promote heavily on social media
- Builds community goodwill
Open house events
Invite the community to see your salon:
- Give tours
- Offer mini nail trims or demos
- Hand out coupons
- Capture emails for your newsletter
5. Offer convenient booking options
24/7 online booking
Pet parents are busy. Let them book at midnight after the kids are asleep:
- Set up Skhedio online booking
- Link from your website, Google profile, and social media
- Make it mobile-friendly
Same-day and emergency bookings
Reserve slots for last-minute needs:
- Muddy dog emergencies
- Pre-vacation grooms
- Unexpected matting
Charge a premium for same-day convenience.
Rebooking reminders
Keep clients coming back on schedule:
- Send "time for your next groom" reminders at 6-8 weeks
- Offer a small discount for rebooking before leaving
Bonus: Track what works
Monitor your acquisition channels
Ask new clients: "How did you hear about us?"
- Track answers in your booking notes
- Double down on what works
- Stop wasting time on what doesn't
Calculate client lifetime value
A loyal pet owner might groom with you for 10+ years:
- 6 grooms/year x $80/groom = $480/year
- 10 years = $4,800 lifetime value
Investing $50 to acquire that client is well worth it.