Ensuring your income in difficult times - By Stuart Simons

Ensuring your income in difficult times

2022 has faced us all with some incredibly difficult challenges, professionally, physically and mentally. For some, the whole year has been trying. I have personally struggled mentally and of course this has had a knock on effect to my businesses. Trying to stay upbeat and positive when all you see in social media or news outlets is negative is no mean feat. It seems we have to have superhuman powers to be able to navigate the worlds challenges when it comes to making a living. 

The pet grooming industry needs to come together to protect itself. With thousands more pets in every household and people having to decide whether to heat or eat this winter, it’s no surprise that pets will be the first to miss out on their haircut or grooming schedule. Grooming is seen as a cost that most pets can live without. Of course we know that is not the case. As professional groomers, it’s our job to highlight the benefits to our customers and to explain that continuing with a regular grooming schedule will actually save money in the long run. 

For the most part we base our prices on dogs that are regularly groomed. A regularly groomed dog is likely to be in the salon every six weeks. It’s time for us to charge more for those that go over that time frame and create more work for us pushing us over the allocated time for a groom. Time is money and more work should cost more. It’s unfair for a client who is as regular as clockwork and sees the value of our profession to pay as much as someone who doesn’t. So my first tip is to base our prices on a groom every 6 weeks and to come up with an extra charge for those that go over that time frame. Write it in to the T’s and C’s starting from Jan 1st 2023. New Year, New Rules. 

Of course, some owners may not have the money to spend every six weeks and that’s absolutely fair enough. However, unless they can maintain the coat to an acceptable standard at home, extra charges are inevitable. Why not run a ‘maintaining your pets coat’ workshop? These workshops are usually very well attended and can provide extra income. Charge an attendance fee and ask them to bring their dogs. Demonstrate brushing techniques and hints and tips on managing knots. Highlight the Correct tools and talk through coat types and shampoos and explain things that can be done at home. Remember these things should be unskilled procedures that don’t interfere with what you offer. The last thing we need to be doing at the moment is giving our skills away. If this isn’t an option, a shorter cut is called for. This will last longer and allow for a longer period of time between grooms. 

Add ons are another valuable tool in the salon. A pot of Paw Balm or Ultra Sonic teeth cleaning can be huge money makers and the difference between breaking even and making money, especially when our bills are rocketing as much as they are. My Electricity bill at the salon has gone from £300 per month to £1200 per month. I charge £30 for teeth so if I can get about 8 teeth cleans in a week, I have made the shortfall and haven’t had to put my prices up. My customers are getting an additional service and it can be added in to the grooming time. Everyones a winner and I can sleep at night knowing my bills are affordable. 

Lastly, always have brushes, combs, Leucillin, FURminator and Julie and Jo’s ‘My Groomer Recommends’ Coat Management Spray to sell at the end of the groom. They fly out of any grooming salon. They are essential tools for any dog owner (coat dependant). They are available to buy at wholesale prices and so there is a margin to be made from them. 

If you have any more hints and tips, remember we have a facebook group for members, so why not share your ideas there so that we can all work together in getting through this tough time. 

Lets hope 2023 brings us all a lot more success and happiness than 2022 did. 

Stuart Simons

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