Get Ahead Of The Curve In 2024 With These Pet Sitting Business Trends

Everything about the pet industry is continuously evolving– including the pet sitting niche! At Pet Boss Nation®, we keep a pulse on the latest trends for you and give tips for how you can adapt as they keep flying your way.

But the thing about trends is that some of them end up being “fads.”

What are the trends that’ll STICK in the pet sitting industry in 2024 and beyond? 🤔

Here are six pet sitting trends you should pay close attention to in 2024:

1. Embracing automation in your pet sitting business for a memorable customer experience.

Billing, contracts, reminders, new client onboarding, communication with sitters, client details and needs, routing…

Who KNEW you’d be taking all of this on when you decided to start a pet sitting business? 

Picture a system where client onboarding is seamless, schedules are effortlessly managed and easily navigated by your customers, and billing is automated. Not only will these automations make it easier for your customers to do business with you. But they’ll also enhance your efficiency and reduce manual errors. Your days will be more streamlined, bringing your stress levels down and your customer experience rating UP.

2. White glove service and personalization are KEY to premium pet care.

What makes you stand out in a crowded pet sitting market? 

Your attention to personalization and detail! 

What communication strategies will resonate with your individual clients? How can you cater to the unique preferences and needs of each pet and their owner? And how can you make doing business with YOU more memorable, fun, and trustworthy?

Providing regular updates with cute photos is great, but start looking for ways to take it to the next level in your pet business. Are pet spa treatments something you can offer to your pet parents who appreciate a clean pet? How about tracking a pet’s specialized diet on a calendar you share with the pet parent so they can rest easy knowing you have it covered? Could you play doggy matchmaker and arrange pet playdates?

There’s a new level of attentiveness on the horizon, and it will only continue to strengthen the bond between the pet sitter and their client! 

3. Build a robust referral network within your pet sitting clients.

A happy pet parent is your ideal form of advertising!

Woof-of-mouth (whoops, word-of-mouth) referrals are a potent tool for business growth in the pet sitting industry, so if you don’t have your referral network strategy in place, 2024 is the year to make it happen. 

This might look like developing a referral program with incentives, such as discounts or complimentary services for both the referee and the referred, or offering incentives for social media shares, tags, etc. to organically extend your reach to qualified customers. 

Let your unbeatable services be the main reason behind your clients’ motivation to spread the word… but don’t be afraid to throw a bonus in to make sure they get around to doing it!

4. Unite your pet sitting business with other community businesses.

These last few years taught us that relying on one revenue stream can be crippling. 

Enter: Business relationships. 

Take, for example, the mysterious dog flu that showed up and rocked the end of 2023 in parts of the pet industry. What if a pet sitter was partnered with a local boarding facility, and each business referred to the other when they saw fit? Incentives could be involved, depending on the agreement, but just make sure that everyone wins. 

The boarding facility can refer out to the pet sitter in that example. But when things are normal (AKA no mysterious dog flu going around), and a pet sitter is not meeting an energetic dog’s needs with daily walks, they can return the favor by referring the pet to utilize daycare services. 

Think local pet-related businesses like veterinary clinics, pet stores, dog daycares, grooming salons, and MORE. Community > Competition can be the real game-changer.

5. Tend to the kitty market in your pet sitting business.

In our blog, “6 Game-Changing 2024 Trends For Pet Retailers,”  we touched on the fact that Gen Z and Millennials are trending toward starting families and purchasing homes later in life, and therefore have more money to spend spoiling their pets.

That trend is important to mention here, too, because Gen Z and Millennials lead in pet ownership, and cats make up 49% of their pets.

While dog sitting often dominates the pet care market, there’s a growing demand for services catering to cats and other pets. Make sure you’re diversifying your offerings to include personalized white glove cat sitting services (and maybe services for other animals) too! It might just be an underserved market in your area, and it’s worth paying attention to.

6. Establish sustainable practices and eco-friendly solutions in your pet sitting business.

Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to consumers (especially Gen Z and Millennials!) 

Do you use biodegradable waste bags?

Offer organic and locally sourced pet treats? 

Use natural cleaning products? 

Get involved in community clean-ups or eco-friendly initiatives?

You’ll make a name for yourself as the responsible and forward-thinking go-to pet sitter, not to mention… you’ll be taking care of the environment. A real win-win for everyone!

2024 is YOUR year, Pet Boss! By embracing automation, offering white glove service, building a referral network, accommodating the changing demographics of pet parents, and adding sustainable practices to your pet business, you’re gearing up for a big year of transformation– with a little help from Pet Boss Nation along the way, of course!

Speaking of→ The Pet Boss Club is OPEN through January 31st, 2024! Click here to join and gain the ongoing support you’ve been craving as you grow your pet business!

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