Whether you’re just starting up your dog training business or you’re looking for ways to improve your current business, you need to know how to set boundaries for your clients and yourself.
For Clients
Almost everyone out there has had to deal with an overbearing, pushy, ignorant, or just plain rude client. It’s aggravating, but a lot of the time these clients just aren’t aware of your policies. Making sure that they know coming in how you run things is critical to preventing repeat negative interactions with clients.
Lay Down the Law Prior to Your First Session
Set your clients (and yourself) up for success by making sure everyone clearly understands your policies.
If you have a welcome packet for clients it should have your contact information and hours clients can reach you, what training tools you do and do not allow, and other things your clients absolutely need to know.
Don’t have a welcome packet or new client onboarding packet? Check out the one we’ve already created for you!
Limit Client Communication After the Fact
You also want to make sure you limit the amount of access your client has to you after the training package is over.
Once they’ve completed the program, you don’t have to continue talking to them in the same respect.
You don’t want to allow former clients to “pick your brain” over email or text for ongoing help when you could be meeting up with them to have the discussion and charging for your services.
Boundaries to Set for Yourself
Setting boundaries for yourself is often far harder for people than setting boundaries with clients. As a business owner, you have to be able to hold yourself accountable and lay out boundaries to make running everything as smooth a process as possible.
Treat Your Business Like a Business
Something that I’ve noticed during strategy sessions is that many trainers need to build the discipline to treat their dog training business like a business.
You have to have policies, you have to have processes, marketing, sales—and as the business owner, you’re the one who has to do it all.
You have to be disciplined in all aspects of your business. It will allow you to be successful long term and not go back to working another job.
Set all of your policies, processes, packages and pricing, and stick to it.
Stand Your Ground
Many trainers are worried about having to negotiate their pricing with their customers, but you’re a professional and professionals don’t haggle.
If you take yourself seriously, your clients will do the same. You have to stand your ground or clients will take advantage where they can.
Be an Advocate for Yourself
If you don’t document your processes, you’re losing valuable information to help you build your business. Be an advocate for yourself and record how lessons went, whether clients found what you told them easy to understand, and cut elements that aren’t working for you.
If you want to run a dog training business that is sustainable and successful, you have to have the willpower and discipline to set boundaries for your clients and yourself.
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