Author |
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Friday, December 28, 2007 - 8:53 pm
Jeneane, thanks--great advertising idea! (Heck, I used to write copy for ads, billboards and the sides of buses. Now why didn't I think of that??) Gosh, all you guys are so helpful!

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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Friday, December 28, 2007 - 9:27 pm
DH was thinking about doing something similar... advertising on the car that is.
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Friday, December 28, 2007 - 10:09 pm
Great minds . . .
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Texannie
Member
07-16-2001
| Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 7:23 am
Merrysea, where do you get your clients? I really want to expand my personal assistant business but am hesitant to create a website. I am nervous about going to people's homes that I don't know. I have been using word of mouth, and that's been good, if I want this to stay a nice hobby, but I gotta pay the bills.
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Merrysea
Member
08-13-2004
| Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 2:45 pm
Texannie, initially I joined the Chamber of Commerce and met a lot of people through that, plus they would recommend me if someone asked who could do typing for them. I also have an ad in the Yellow Pages and get most of my new business from that. My biggest client is one who saw my small ad in our local paper back in '93, and I have greatly expanded what I do for him. I've also had people I used to go to church with call me when they need typing done, and I even had someone tell me they got my name from someone in line when they asked at Kinko's if they did typing! (I never did find out who gave them the referral!) It's funny, because I started this business when I was married, and I always said there was no way it would ever be more than a hobby. Then when I got a divorce, everything just seemed to fall into place - I had a client who needed someone several hours a day for a few months, then a couple of competitors moved away and gave me their clients at opportune times! I don't publicize my address, but when people call, I give it to them and have them come to my house. I used to offer free pickup and delivery, but I don't have time to be driving around anymore. Two of my sons live with me and they work opposite shifts, so one of them is almost always home, and now my son's dog is about 60 pounds, so I feel pretty safe when someone does come to the door! But if you don't want people coming to your door, you can always arrange to meet them at the library or a local coffee shop; anyplace public where you can feel safe.
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Babyruth
Member
07-19-2001
| Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 3:03 pm
HP, are you familiar with craigslist? (popular FREE online classifieds). http://www.craigslist.org/about/factsheet.html Here's the page for Delaware, pet dept. I see there are some ads for pet sitting services listed. http://delaware.craigslist.org/pet/
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 4:26 pm
I have known about craigslist for some time now (thanks to Loupup), but, BR, I never knew there was a Delaware Craigslist!! Thanks bunches!!!
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Texannie
Member
07-16-2001
| Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 5:10 pm
Merrysea, part of my business is personal services (running errands, personal chef, organization). it's not so much them coming to my house but me going to their house.
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Merrysea
Member
08-13-2004
| Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 5:25 pm
Texannie, maybe if you meet them in a public place for an interview, you will feel more comfortable going over to their house. If you don't feel comfortable with them, you can always turn down the job. Also, make sure you always have a cell phone with you, and make sure someone knows where you'll be when you're at a new client's house.
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Texannie
Member
07-16-2001
| Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 5:50 pm
That's a good idea about an interview meeting.
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Skootz
Member
07-23-2003
| Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 5:52 pm
No advice here to give you HP, but what a great idea for a new venture for yourself, you will be great at it, and the animals will be greatful to have a walker/caretaker as dedicated as you.

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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Saturday, December 29, 2007 - 9:33 pm
Aww, Skootzy, Hon, you're a sweetheart. I am champing at the bit to get this thing started! Let me tell you, you made my Christmas holiday complete by sending me the photos of your beautiful (inside and out) daughters and posting that photo of Lisa jumping for joy! I love seeing children's happy faces anytime, but it especially warms my heart when I see that special glow of happiness at Christmastime.
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Whoami
Member
08-03-2001
| Sunday, December 30, 2007 - 3:30 pm
I'm not a business expert, but here's some advice from a "potential client's" eyes (things that turned me on/off when searching for a pet sitter years back). You may already know of these groups, but here's some websites of Pet Sitters associations that some sitters advertise membership of.... Pet Sitters International National Association of Professional Pet Sitters If you like the idea of expanding the pet sitting to other animals, train yourself right now to start speaking/typing the concept of PET sitting (even in subsequent posts, you said DOG sitting). Even if you know in your head what you mean, if it sounds like you are specialized only to dogs, your potential clients will hear only dogs. Instant loss of cat owners. Consider even expanding to large animals (horses, pigs, donkeys, etc), if your area has residences that allow such animals. And of course if you're comfortable around animals like that. Consider not only business cards, but business card-sized magnets. Our one and only pet sitting experience was years ago, but her magnet is still on our fridge. So much easier than looking it up again later. I was almost sold on one sitter, until during a phone conversation I started telling of one retaliatory strike a ticked off doggie of ours would do when we left her alone....the potential sitter cut me off and didn't even let me finish (that alone could be a deal breaker with me), and sternly told me dogs were incapable of plotting, planning, and pulling stunts of that nature. In other words, to her a dog was just a dog. All her other shining credentials went right down the toilet in my eyes after that. Like others have pretty much mentioned, see what everyone else in your area offers. Most in my area offer the bringing in mail, watering plants, poop/litter box patrol, etc. If your competetors offer it, and you're not thrilled about adding those services, then be prepared to lose clients. IMHO. If you get a website, and want to "proudly advertise membership" to pet sitting associations, add a link to those websites. The pet sitting website I was at that had those two associations just said they were proud members of PSI and NAPPS, with no links. I had to Google the letters, then filter out all the other non-pet related associations with those same initals before I found the ones I was looking for. If I were really looking for a pet sitter, I wouldn't want to be wasting my browsing time on trying to figure out just what PSI and NAPPS was.
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Monday, December 31, 2007 - 1:19 am
Hiyah, Who! What you shared was very thoughtful and helpful! Very good reminder about the pet sitting terminology. And I really appreciate the note about the links. Excellent idea. Hey, I would never tell a pet owner what their animal was or was not capable of doing! So Rude of that gal. (I hate know-it-alls, anyway.) I did find a pet sitters group that I will want to join once I am ready. Have to compare it with those you listed. Thanks so much, Who!!

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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 1:31 pm
Okay, turns out our state's Business Development Center is closed through today (along with other state offices). But, the progress I have made today includes: 1. Calling SCORE, leaving a message with questions. And registering online for one of their introductory counseling sessions. 2. Getting a callback from SCORE with one answer: how to get bonded. Answer: Go thru an insurance agent. 3. Called our State Farm contact to inquire about the bonding process. She took my information and will be calling me back. Also asked me about liability insurance. (I told her that, as of now, it looked like I would be registering as an LLC, so whatever insurance might be needed for that--given that I won't be having dogs in my home but very well might have them in my car). 4. Saw online that the state's Business Development Center offers free assistance. I will be attending a Start Up Your Business Right session next Tuesday evening for 3 hours--in our new, local library. 5. And I looked online to find out if the name ideas I had were already in use. Yup, all of them. So, now don't laugh like my hubby did. I KNOW no one has this name, so, I think I am going to call it Herckleperckle Pet Sitting and Dog Walking. 6. My son is working on the artwork (I forgot he is good, too) and will be coming to work with me on the website this weekend. I asked for line art only (I am thinking like cuts on a linoleum block kinda look)--cuz I want it simple and clean looking for both the web and the business card. We'll see. If that art doesn't satisfy me, I'll move to Plan 2 or 3. (Plan 2: Loupup or my niece. Plan 3: Contact Smokey to see what her costs might be to do some web and business card art for me!) 7. I am going to sketch out a 1 year and a 5-year business plan, so I have something to go on with respect to the seminar and counseling coming up. 8. I am now gonna tackle my flyer copy. 9. My plans are to, once bonded, to start by passing out the flyers in this development only. Learn pitfalls, etc on this small scale. 10. The website will go live when it is finished. 11. Depending on feedback, only then will I expand by placing a classified ad and joining the Delaware Pet Sitter community (by having an online listing with them on their site). 12. I am wondering if I should/am required to set up a separate bank account (boy, I am counting the money a little ahead of the game, aren't I?) for all monies collected under this business. I am guessing it would make IRS filings a little cleaner. (If I ever make enough to have to file.) I am champing at the bit to get started!!
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Merrysea
Member
08-13-2004
| Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 2:04 pm
It is much easier to have a separate account for your business, not just for the IRS but also for you to know what you are spending versus what you are bringing in. And don't forget, even if you don't make money, you can always take the loss to lower your taxes!
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-31-2000
| Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 2:13 pm
You have to file no matter how much you make. If you lose money even. If people write checks to the name of your business (rather than you personally), you have to have a checking acct in that name to deposit them. If you are filing as an LLC, and people pay you personally instead, you will void your legal protection. So... open a checking account, once you are absolutely sure of your business name!
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 2:46 pm
Oh. Very, very, very good to know! Thanks so much, both of you, Merrysea and Kar!

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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 6:05 pm
My dd (after my hubby did the same) recommended I nix that business name. Too long. Too weird/corny. Okay. Back to the drawing board on that.
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Merrysea
Member
08-13-2004
| Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 7:48 pm
I saw a poster at my vet's today for Kritter Sitters.
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Lumbele
Member
07-12-2002
| Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 8:14 pm
Charlie's groomer also has a daycare for dogs called Friends Fur Life
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Babyruth
Member
07-19-2001
| Wednesday, January 02, 2008 - 10:52 pm
How about "Juju's Pet Sitting and Dog Walking"? 
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 1:18 am
I love them, Merrysea and Lum. How wonderful! (I think I am missing the naming gene.) I love it, BR! I doubt if that name is taken, either! Wouldn't that be a riot?!! Guess my dog artwork would have to have bunny ears. Now you know Juju would have to come visit me and pose by some signage if I did choose that name. (Uh, think she'll expect royalties?)
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Biscottiii
Member
05-29-2004
| Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 1:59 am
Try this one: Herck's Pet Perks One thing, if you do business cards or automobile sign, is the word "Bonded" displayed prominently! Maybe customers assume people are bonded, but people (like ME) are more likely to take a 2nd look and research them, when we see upfront they are bonded. Don't want strange people in our homes, wondering if they are casing the joint. Knowing they are a professional is huge.
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Biscottiii
Member
05-29-2004
| Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 2:56 am
Best advertising, IMO is word of mouth via friends and church or Vet contacts. It grows of its own accord since people take trips at various times, not just the holidays. A lot of people (like ME) hate to inconvenience friends to do this (my best friend burned me out with relentless calls to do the newspaper/mail/garbage routine). But IF they know they can PAY for the service from someone they KNOW (who's not looking for dust bunnies under the bed) they are more likely to give you repeated calls. Just my experience. I've been fortunate to have my friend's pastor's kids taking care of my cats for the last 8 yrs. Kids were varying ages, when one outgrew the job, the next youngster grew into the job. $20/day for 2 cats feeding @ 1/2 hr per day, probably wasn't bad pay for youngsters; plus I would throw in an extra $10-20 for gas to Mom for driving. My neighbor lady did it a couple of times, until she 'sweetly' started pointing out things. I would ULTRA clean for a couple of days before every trip, but then when she needed to point out all the books stacked under my bed (with a dustbunny or two, crap, I knew I missed a spot!) and that I just 'had so much stuff in the garage' (where the kitties were NOT allowed anyways), that was it. Lady was snooping! She kept pressing later, but I kept saying I was helping 'kids college funds'. After that, I got the teenagers and they didn't care how pristine my house with furballs looked (I've heard tho, the kids' own bedrooms were slightly messy, too). Worth the money to feel like I had some privacy, not having to work so hard to meet the petsitter's expectations. Probably I'm the only person here to have a dustbunny under my bed. So embarrassed. What must you all think?
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