A Guide To Thriving During The Slow “J” Months

Have you ever heard of the concept of the “J” months as a pet business owner? 

Basically– the “J” months, January, June, and July, are typically slower for business. 

If that is something you’ve ever heard of or experienced firsthand, we’re here to fill you in on a secret… 

A slow down during the “J” months only happens if you let it! 

With some prep work, planning, and getting back to marketing basics, you can ensure that you don’t see a dip in your revenue! 

As we get deeper into June and prep for July, we wanted to feature some amazing ideas from our Pet Boss Club members who are pulling out the stops to make sure the “J” months are no less successful than the rest of the year. 

But first, here’s a quick recap of your basics. Now is a good time to renew, refresh, and make sure your team is ready to take on the summer months.

1. Budget wisely/watch expenses.

A new season is always a good reminder to check in on your budgets and expenses and see where you can make minor tweaks that will have a big impact. 

2. Get visible with fresh content.

Social media, website, blog, emails, lives – get out there and get seen during the “slower” months! Make your content relevant to the season. For example, feature some of your summer items that will keep pets cooled off and happy in the heat. 

3. Commit to sending more emails to your customers.

Make sure you’re not ghosting your subscriber list, and challenge yourself to send even MORE emails to generate interest in your latest sales and deals. 

4. Reconnect with a potential partnership opportunity.

Have a new potential partner you haven’t found the time to collaborate with yet? The “J” months might be the perfect time to commit to making something happen! 

5. Contact shoppers or clients you haven’t seen since January, and offer them a “J” month deal! 

They’ll appreciate the clever reconnection AND the savings they can’t refuse. 

6. Upsell, upsell, upsell! 

Hyperfocus with your team on adding just one more item or service. Give them script ideas like, “Do you need to add some poop bags to your shopping order today?” or, “Our treat bar is buy two get one free today. Would you like to check that out before I ring you up?” Keep a list of upsell suggestions by the register as a reminder for your team members.

Now that you’ve reviewed the basics, let’s check out what our Pet Boss Club members are doing to keep the customers rolling in during the “J” months this year! 

Jen from Two Dogs Pet Services is creating a pupsicle bar! Customers can purchase pre-measured ingredients for a ready-to-freeze treat that dogs will go bonkers for.

Jen also suggested scoops for the dogs! You could do this in-store, or encourage curbside pick-up for a delicious dog-friendly summery treat. BONUS idea: Create a special surrounding the scoops! For example, customers receive one free scoop per X amount of dollars spent while shopping. Your customers (but especially their dogs) will appreciate the added incentive!

John and Michelle of A Dog’s Best Friend are hosting POOL PARTIES! You can purchase plastic kiddie pools, and even fill them with water AND floating play toys for dogs to splash about in. This is a great opportunity to create a sense of community amongst your customers, as well as generate foot traffic in your stores during the “J” months. So much summer fun!

Patricia from Animal Connection is hosting a Summer Tiki party complete with pool activities, grass skirts, adoptable dogs, tiki-inspired human drinks, AND a hula hoop contest– for both dogs AND humans. There’s just no way your customers are going to pass up on this kind of fun during the “J” months.

Carly, owner of House of Paws Pet Boutique hosts a fun event surrounding her own dog’s birthday! Last year they hosted a two-day birthday bash that was very well received and was loads of fun for her customers.

Jennifer from Lucky Dog Pet Grocery & Bakery took a less summer-focused approach, but still had an AMAZING theme… Harry Pawtter! Here’s what she had to say about her successful Summer event: “Events in the summer help us. We typically do a Hairy Pawtter event at the end of July. We have a talking sorting hat, all staff dressed in costume, Diagon Alley for shopping, games, and a school picture!”

We hope these Pet Boss ideas get your creative juices flowing. Your pet business does not have to experience a slow down during the “J” months. You just have to be ready, be aware, and think outside of the box! If you do host an event, check out our blog about different pet-friendly games you can play!

Learn more with us!

• Need 1:1 support to make massive action now? Book a discovery call with us to see if working 1:1 with Candace is the right fit for you.

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