Facebook Live Webinar by Ines McNeil and Megan Wallace (Dogs Deciphered), Transcribed by Gem Sheps
However, some trainers find themselves struggling with adapting their communication to the new status quo. Effective online communication is an important skill for everyone to learn nowadays, and Megan Wallace B.S., CPDT-KA, CNWI, owner of Dogs Deciphered, joined me again this week to discuss how communication online is different than in person.
Be Direct
You have to be able to clearly describe what you need your client to do when training online. In person you have the opportunity to demonstrate physically, but that can actually become a crutch. Online, you have to be able to give step-by-step, detailed instructions about the mechanics of dog training.
“One of the reasons dog trainers struggle with online communication is because they think it’s going to be wildly different than training in person,” Wallace said. “There are differences, but we have to remember that we know a lot of this stuff already. Clearly explaining training methods takes practice, but it’s a skill we can all improve on over time.”
Find New Ways to Explain Training Mechanics
One of the biggest challenges in general for dog training clients is learning the mechanics. Communicating online can feel like a major barrier between your client and successful training. You have to be specific and explain step by step what you need your client to do in online lessons.
“When I started teaching nosework I didn’t have descriptive terms ready to explain things like a search area to clients,” Wallace said. “I was able to physically point out the boundaries. But since transitioning to online training, I’ve had to practice describing things to clients without being able to point things out in person. If you find that people are confused by what you’re saying, take the time to think about what you could say differently.”
Finding the right descriptive terms takes time as well, so don’t be afraid to reach out to other trainers and watch their webinars. You may hear an explanation that would work better for your clients or even makes more sense to you!
Find Substitutes for Body Language
We know as people who work with dogs that body language is a huge part of communication. In person we use body language to make ourselves more approachable, and you can do the same thing online.
Communicating online can feel alienating at first, so you need to use other ‘body language’ tools to make clients feel more comfortable. For example — emojis! Adding facial expressions to the sentence you’re trying to explain can help clients interpret your writing and make it more relatable. Where it’s appropriate, add emojis to your content; this includes social media, texts, and even email.
“It is important to be aware of what does and doesn’t work in text,” Wallace said. “I’m someone who likes to use humor to lighten the mood, but in an email it may not come off the way I intended. Especially if you’re approaching a serious topic, consider writing out what you need to say and then sit on it; leave it in your drafts for a few hours, then come back and read it again — preferably out loud. You might come to find that something you think is funny written down may not translate well out loud, and your client can pick up on those nuances. Written humor can come off as flippant or sarcastic, which is risky.”
Over-Communication is Key
You need to be more thorough in explaining things online, especially in written conversation. In order to feel confident in training, clients may need direct links to products they should purchase, or for you to explain how to set up their training space.
“Your client may not have any of the skills in their arsenal that you expect them to have,” Wallace said. “Over-communicate online. Never assume that your client understands even the most basic concepts without talking to them first, even if it feels repetitive.”
Of course, use your best judgement with each client. Some people can get agitated by being over-communicated to if they feel they understand the concept. However, those who need the extra reminders and suggestions will be grateful.
“It’s easy to get distracted from training when the trainer isn’t in the room, and staying focused on technology can be hard,” Wallace said. “Rather than explaining a concept once and risking your client missing a bit, bring the concept up throughout lessons and make sure they have a higher chance of succeeding.”
Improve Your Dog Training Business
Master communication so that clients literally love you, never ask for refunds, and can’t stop talking about you to their friends. Learn from this month’s guest, Megan Wallace B.S., CPDT-KA, CNWI, about how to communicate confidently for better results in your dog training business.
As all dog trainers eventually discover, dog training is more about training their humans; and good communication is critical to ensuring your human clients are set up for success.
Facebook Live Webinar by Ines McNeil and Megan Wallace (Dogs Deciphered), Transcribed by Gem Sheps
I’m joined again this week by Megan Wallace B.S., CPDT-KA, CNWI, owner of Dogs Deciphered to discuss one of her personal specialties — communication!
1. Human Training Requires Stellar Communication
“If your goal is to help a lot of dogs,” Wallace said, “then you have to help their people. When you hit a wall with a client and you start to feel frustrated, you need to keep in mind that someone else’s behavior is not in your control. You can, however, control your response, which is often more important.”
Manage Your Expectations to Remove Roadblocks to Client Success
Communicating your expectations and the value of the work you’re assigning are all crucial to success in training. Your human clients need to understand what you’re teaching even more than your dog clients in order for the dog to progress in training.
“One of my early mentors told me that if you give clients exercises that they can’t accomplish, you haven’t helped their dog at all,” Wallace said. “You’ve spent both parties’ time and nothing has happened because, for whatever reason, the client feels like they can’t follow your instructions. And that comes back to how you communicate and manage your expectations. Try to remember that there’s a reason they aren’t professional dog trainers; if you manage your expectations for clients, then you won’t feel as disappointed if their progress looks different than expected. Are they happily living with their dog, do they feel less frustrated on a daily basis? Those should be your real goals.”
The way you communicate and the space that you set up for your client to reciprocate that communication is important in order for the dog to excel.
“If your client says that they just haven’t been able to practice, try to get to the root of the problem,” Wallace said. “Sometimes I just ask clients directly, ‘what do you think is getting in the way of you practicing?’ If they say they’re busy, find a way to fit short one to three minute lessons into their schedule; if they say they’re afraid they won’t do it right, find a new way to explain the exercise to them to increase their confidence. Instead of getting frustrated, help them adapt!”
Create successes for your clients; if you have to back a concept up ten steps because the client can’t succeed at it yet, think about how you’d do the same thing for a dog that struggles with understanding. Make them feel great about accomplishing tasks that may feel tiny to you. A lot of this is second nature to us; don’t make clients feel self-conscious because they haven’t handled hundreds of dogs over the years.
2. Unclear Communication Leads to a Training Standstill
“It’s important to recognize that even what we consider to be the most basic management tasks can be too much for your client to handle up front,” Wallace said. “If you want them to use a crate and they’ve never touched one before, you have to take a few steps backward for them to succeed. Otherwise, you’ve potentially given them too much to think about and the overwhelming feeling can lead to them simply not doing the training.”
Being able to explain your methodology can also help clients to overcome personal barriers to success like conflicting beliefs. What kind of assumptions or fears does the client have about your management technique? Do they understand what the result could be if they decide not to follow your instructions?
“Communicating consequences in a professional way is also incredibly important,” Wallace said. “You don’t want to use scare tactics or hyperbole — just be honest and clear. These are the things that could happen if your dog continues to escape out the front door, or jump on guests; they need to be able to hear and understand what is potentially at stake. That way, they learn that what you’re requesting of them isn’t arbitrary or simply a personal belief — it’s a crucial part of altering their dog’s behavior.”
Additionally, giving your clients an alternative if they feel they aren’t making progress can be incredibly helpful. Often, we make the assumption that clients will reach out to us if they’re struggling, but that’s not true.
They may be falling back on old habits or taking advice from less-experienced friends — give them a path to follow if things aren’t working! If you don’t give them specific expectations and guidelines for how and when to contact you, they may assume they aren’t allowed to, or that they’d be pushy or intrusive for reaching out.
“I often give my clients a specific amount of time to practice,” Wallace said. “Try this for X amount of time and if you’re not seeing progress, let’s re-evaluate. One of the reasons people stop trying is because they think the training method isn’t working. Let them know by when they should start seeing change — not that the problem will be fixed in that amount of time, but that they should notice specific (if small) behavior changes by that time. And, if they don’t, then it’s time to re-evaluate, not give up.”
How Do You Make Sure Training is Progressing?
“One of the only great things to come from this time of social distancing is that now, almost everyone knows how to communicate digitally,” Wallace said. “Video calls are an excellent platform for check-in sessions that only have to last 15 minutes. It gives me an opportunity to make sure that things are progressing, and if not, provide the client an alternative in a timely manner. I definitely intend to keep doing video check-ins once this is over.”
Of course, properly communicating the purpose for the check-ins is equally important — you don’t want clients to feel like you’re doing it because you don’t trust them, you want them to know you’re checking in because you want them to succeed. Let them know during lessons that you’ll be doing regular check-ins.
How Often Should You Check In?
There’s no specific interval you should set for every client. Instead, ask your clients how often they’d like you to check in.
“I’ll see what they prefer — are they the kind of person that wants accountability?” Wallace said. “I’ll check in with them every few days. Are they a self-starter and more independent? I’ll give them the space they need to be successful. As you get to know your clients and get more comfortable talking with them, talk to them about what they prefer in terms of an instructor.”
3. Being Up-Front With Expectations Reduces Confusion
Good communication of your expectations is critical for your client’s experience with you as a customer. You want clients to know what to expect from you logistically during training, and how to encourage them to give word-of-mouth referrals, leave reviews, and buy another package once lessons are over.
“If you’re not clear on what you want,” Wallace said, “how can you possibly expect someone to know what information they’re supposed to be giving you? It’s important to do that self-reflection and know what you expect of your clients and yourself, and then you can set up expectations in the beginning of the client relationship.”
Consider Your Client’s Expectations
“The client’s experience is crucial to take into account,” Wallace said. “We as trainers need to remember that oftentimes when a client comes to us, they’re going through something troubling. They had a different image in their mind of what living with a dog would be like and this isn’t it. Jean Donaldson nailed it when she said that people have this ‘Disney Dog’ in mind when imagining life with a dog. And sometimes dogs really subvert that expectation. We have to take this into account when we communicate with clients.”
Acknowledge Outside Factors That Affect Progress
Navigating family relationships is also something dog trainers need to learn to do. Unless the client you’re working with is a single dog owner, you’re going to communicate with more than one person. A lot of people are stressed out when they decide to sign up for dog training. Understanding what additional factors your client is navigating in their home life can be a major piece of the puzzle that is their dog’s behavior.
“Keep in mind, however, that changing the home dynamic is not your job,” Wallace warns. “ It’s okay to discuss with them that everyone will need to be on the same page, but sometimes we get too much in our minds about what success has to look like. I’ve seen trainers who say they’ll only work with a family if everyone can be at every session, but that can be so hard for people to schedule at times. It makes training inaccessible. Whereas if you’re flexible, usually one person is usually willing to step up and take on the majority of the training responsibility and teach it to their family and you may be able to train everyone together every few lessons instead of every lesson.”
People’s lives are complicated — be flexible!
Looking for a way to strengthen or freshen up your digital communication skills? Join Ines McNeil and Megan Wallace on May 27th at 7 P.M. EDT for their upcoming FREE webinar: Communicate With Confidence Online! Register today to receive a copy of the recording (even if you can’t attend live)!Unsure of how to apply your communication skills to your digital marketing technique? Sign up for The Modern Dog Trainer Academy’s “Clicks to Clients” social media marketing course!
Learning to prioritize as a dog trainer isn’t always an easy feat. Dog trainers get into business because we love what we do. Our clients are bouncy little furballs of fun — and sometimes their owners are equally as special. Because our work can become so personal to us, there’s a widespread assumption that every project you take on and commitment you make are equally important.
Facebook Live Webinar by Ines McNeil and Megan Wallace (Dogs Deciphered), Transcribed by Gem Sheps
Luckily for you, Dogs Deciphered owner Megan Wallace B.S., CPDT-KA, CNWI joined me this week to talk about prioritizing tasks that bring revenue to and add value to your business in the long run.
Respect the Hierarchy
There is an identifiable hierarchy when it comes to the importance of tasks you take on as a business owner. Money-making tasks that bring in revenue and help you pay the bills should be your top priority. And while writing your curriculum and planning lessons are important parts of a dog training business, you need to be focusing on how you’re going to bring clients in and make money.
Continue Your BUSINESS Education
Continuing education is important — and I’m not going to tell you to stop attending dog training seminars — but gaining dog training knowledge isn’t necessarily going to better your business. Will it make you a better dog trainer? Certainly. But following LIMA protocols won’t help you increase your reach on social media and bring in clients.
You need to consider the return on your investment; even if you start teaching more as a result of your continued dog training education, it’s not immediately going to drive more income to you.
Consider Your Mental Workload
As you continue to grow as a trainer and gain a positive reputation, you’ll also find people coming to you with projects. Awesome — being great at what you do means more people will want to work with you! But the workload that comes along with taking on extra clients and volunteering to jump on projects can grow exponentially.
Juggling clients, projects, and business tasks takes up a lot of mental real estate. Ruthless prioritization is your best friend. The tasks that take you away from the most important things in your life — like your family and friends — should be worth your time.
“Being able to say no to things that aren’t forwarding your specific mission is crucial,” Wallace said. “People look at you as the dog expert that they know — which is a great place to be — but at the same time, it doesn’t mean you have time to dedicate to every project that’s suggested to you. You’ll end up spreading yourself too thin. Even on the subject of continuing education, if you come back from a seminar having decided you’re going to offer five new classes, you’re probably going to be pushing yourself and won’t end up providing the service you actually want to provide. Just because you’re excited about that kind of training doesn’t mean it’s going to be valuable to your clientele.”
This, of course, doesn’t mean that you can’t get continuing education that you enjoy even if it isn’t directly related to the services you offer. You can derive value from all different kinds of education, you just have to be smart about how you apply it. Learn to distinguish between seminars that you’re attending for fun from education you’re getting to improve your business. You can’t teach everything to everyone ever.
Networking is Worth Your Time!
Professional development is a good thing to prioritize. Networking is invaluable! Get to know the other trainers in your area; that’s absolutely worth spending time on. That way, you have a reliable network that you can refer clients to when they need services that you can’t provide.
Social media allows you to create groups for networking. Take the time to put together a Facebook group of all the trainers in your area that you’ve connected with. Not only will you have people to refer clients to, you’ll have other trainers to learn from and you might even make some friends.
“It’s great to get together with other trainers and talk shop,” Wallace said. “You know, most of us don’t work in an office setting where we can chat about our individual cases and gush over the dogs together. Get together with other trainers and share your experiences; banter, talk about your work life, and get advice on tough clients.”
And, aside from being fun, networking can actually further your business in an immediate way. Once other trainers get to know you and your services, they’ll start returning the favor of client referrals.
Learn to Ruthlessly Prioritize
Marketing and sales tasks are high on the list of things you should be prioritizing. Everything else can be done later; this is learning to productively procrastinate. Don’t do things because you feel you should, or because they make you feel productive but don’t drive income your way.
“Evaluate the value of what you’re doing,” Wallace said. “Ask yourself ‘how will this bring me income?’ whenever you perform a task. If you can’t answer that question, it probably shouldn’t be at the top of your priority list.”
Always ask that question; it can be answered in many different ways! It can bring clarity to your prioritization and help you decide whether or not you have a strategy behind what you’re doing.
Don’t Forget to Prioritize Communication
Once you’ve decided to say no, you need to communicate it effectively. You don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable, and the easiest way to do that is simply to be authentic. Be honest with people; communicate why you’re saying no — you don’t have to make excuses. You can say something as simple as “right now, this doesn’t fit with my personal mission,” and if you know someone you can refer them to, do it.
Getting focused on what your goals will propel you forward. When someone does eventually come to you with a project that aligns with your mission, you’ll be able to strategize how to work it into your schedule.
“Be true to yourself,” Wallace said. “Don’t be afraid to tell the truth behind the reason you have to pass up an opportunity.”
Improve Your Dog Training Business
Check out our programs and downloads to spend this time on money-making or business-growing activities. We offer a variety of content to help you grow your business with better marketing and operational systems that save you time!
This is the end of “professionalism” as we know it.
News anchors are working from home with their kids as their co-hosts. Conference calls have kids screaming or dogs barking in the background.
The only way to continue working right now is by working from home. The speed at which these circumstances happened has left people unprepared to create proper set ups and with the kids home from school or daycare and no in-home childcare as an option, it’s almost impossible to keep work and personal lives separate right now.
It’s momentarily uncomfortable, but this will break down barriers. People are showing their true selves online like never before. The era of pristine professionalism is finally over.
Maybe you’re hosting classes and lessons from your living room virtually. You clients are dealing with their dogs and their kids at the same time.
Growing up, I was taught that I had to keep my true self to myself, true opinions private, and certainly not post anything I’d “regret” on the internet. *gasp*
With parents that are in Human Resources and Engineering – being professional was taught as a requirement to being a part of the “real world.” And it’s only in the last few years that I’ve started to break down those beliefs. If you’re part of my Facebook Group, you’ve seen me step up this past year and teach loads of live trainings on Facebook Lives. I’ve been slowly letting the world get to know who I am as a human, not just a business coach/teacher/educator.
I’m not going to lie – its been uncomfortable, but I’m thankful these efforts have been mostly met with open arms. And I’ve created real, offline relationships with people because of it!
People need connection. And while it’s easy to fake your personality online, it’s becoming more and more acceptable, expected and welcome to show your true self – flaws and all – online. I believe it is actually bringing us all closer together as everyone is realizing that everyone else is human, too! And that’s it’s okay to be yourself.
What I’ve learned, and what I want you to realize too, is that you can be yourself AND be regarded as an expert AND be friends with clients. That is the future of work that is sustainable, fulfilling, and flexible. Sure, you absolutely have to have policies and boundaries to protect your mental space, but the walls are being torn down – especially right now.
Being overly professional, like I used to be, is now – for certain – a thing of the past. People need connection and just because you’re there to help their dogs doesn’t mean you can ignore the human relationship. People will want to work with you now and in the future because of their relationship with you – not for what you can do for their dogs.
As a service-based, dog business owner, you’re in your client’s daily or weekly network and community. The world can be a lonely place and we all have seen how dogs can bring people together. Take careful consideration of this as you grow your presence online or in-person when we’re able to do so again.
You still have to be a skilled expert in your field. People can easily tell if you know what you’re talking about, but what I’m saying here is that that isn’t the only thing that matters anymore.
Let me know in the comments – what is it that your clients love most about you?! (Find out if you don’t know…)
The world is a pretty scary place right now. With popular events, festivals, and concerts being cancelled over Coronavirus concerns and schools and workplaces shutting down preventatively, it feels like everything is out of control. Many dog trainers are experiencing cancellations and reschedulings left and right due to fears of Coronavirus.
During this time of panic over loss of income, I’m urging you to do the opposite! Virtual dog training could be the solution to all your problems.
Yes — between the stock market and the spread of Coronavirus, it’s clear that we’ve hit a recession. But I’ve got good news for you: the pet care industry is recession-proof.
What does this mean? That in the last two US recessions, spending on pets actually increased. During the 2001 recession spending on pets went up by 29 percent, and during the 2008 to 2009 recession it went up 17 percent.
Our pets make us happy, so it makes sense that during times of stress we do things to increase their happiness (thereby making us happier in turn).
Just because people are staying inside to avoid getting sick doesn’t mean you can’t maintain or even boost your income.
This is by no means a time for panic; it’s time to be smart and proactive about your business model and marketing.
The Virtual Dog Training Revolution
Offering virtual dog training lessons — done via video conferencing — is a great way to stay healthy and expand your service area without traveling.
A Standard on Your Service Menu
There are a ton of reasons besides Coronavirus to have virtual lessons on your service menu:
Traveling, but need to keep earning income
Moving, but clients in your current city want to continue working with you
Want to offer assistance to people outside your local service area
Want to reduce your workload by taking some of the commute out of your day
Even if your particular locality is struggling, offering online services expands your reach and gives you an opportunity to boost your income.
Capitalize on Quarantine
A little macabre, I know, but hear me out.
With the general public being advised to practice social distancing, dog trainers are concerned about losing income to mass droves of cancellations. Offering virtual dog training services during this time is a great business move.
People are going to be stuck at home with their dogs; not only will they have more time for training, they may even notice new behaviors in their dogs they were unaware of before!
There are a number of options to consider when offering online services; private lessons, classes, resource centers, and each one works differently and provides a unique value.
Be a Leader in Your Community
Empower yourself and your community. People are scared and as a leader in your community, you should be there to guide them. Use your online platform to share factual information, spread truths, and provide strength to others.
Think Like a CEO
You’re your own boss, and you have to think like a CEO and how one would respond in this time. Serve your clients in a new, creative way.
Being flexible and providing virtual services is a strategic move that will keep you ahead of the recession. You have to be disciplined, stick to your routine, and market yourself for this to work!
Develop Your Virtual Dog Training Education
There’s a lot to learn when it comes to offering virtual services; how to price, how to run your lessons and classes, what technology to use, and more.
Unsure of how to get started? I’ve got you covered. I hosted a live Virtual Dog Training Lessons Workshop so you can run virtual lessons your clients will love! The recording + slides + discussion forum + bonuses are now available for you! It’s currently 35% off so don’t wait to snag this amazing deal…
The workshop includes info on how to run virtual lessons and classes, what technology to use, free tools, dos and don’ts, and more. It also comes with scripts and templates for you to utilize for a smooth transition into offering virtual services.
The world is chaotic enough as is — you shouldn’t have to worry about income in addition to navigating a pandemic and a recession. Be proactive for yourself and your business and get your virtual dog training up and running!
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Unsure what steps to take to keep yourself, your employees, and your clients safe during the Coronavirus outbreak? Here’s our need-to-know COVID-19 guide.
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Coronavirus — it’s on everyone’s mind and at the forefront of almost all media outlets. This respiratory illness originated in China and quickly spread internationally. Coronavirus was officially categorized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020.
As Coronavirus spreads, health and government authorities are recommending social distancing. Unfortunately, though this is better for the sake of the general public, it means dog trainers are facing waves of rescheduling and cancellations.
Things are looking rocky ahead, but you don’t have to completely close up shop while this pandemic is being monitored. There are a myriad of ways for you to keep training and not lose your income!
Go ahead and let out a sigh of relief, because at this time it’s believed that dogs (and cats!) are not at risk for contracting Coronavirus.
A Pomeranian in Hong Kong “weakly tested positive” for COVID-19 in early March. This worried pet owners with the idea that they may be able to infect their animals or vice-versa. However, as Alex Oldenburg (CPDT-KA and soon-to-be MPH) explains, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) says there’s no need to worry about your pets getting sick yet.
There is a canine Coronavirus, but it’s an intestinal disease — and there’s a vaccination for it (whew!).
At this time Coronavirus is spreading from person-to-person, so the main concern for dog trainers should be their human clients and themselves. Many trainers have started their own businesses to have flexible work schedules to accommodate personal health challenges — including chronic illnesses — and may be more susceptible to a virus like this.
Avoid touching eyes/mouth/face with unwashed hands
Use hand sanitizer when soap and water are not readily available
Clean and disinfect touched surfaces daily
Avoid close proximity with other people, especially in large groups
Stay home if you’re sick
Taking all this info into account, there are a number of measures you can take to reassure your clients, staff, and yourself during this stressful time.
Preliminary Research Results on the Coronavirus
The SARS-CoV-2 virus is a new mutation of Coronavirus; a virus genetically related to the virus that caused SARS in 2002. There aren’t a lot of solid answers from health and science authorities on where the virus came from, how it works, and how to kill it and prevent it.
One study, looking at how long the virus can be transmitted through the air or on surfaces, found that virus particles could be measured in the air up to three hours after being sprayed, up to four hours on copper surfaces, 24 hours on cardboard surfaces, and up to three days on plastic and stainless steel surfaces.
This research is not yet peer reviewed. However, it gives an idea of why social distancing and proper cleaning and disinfecting are important, and starts to explain how the virus spreads.
Precautionary Measures for Coronavirus
In addition to making sure you don’t lose out on business, this is overall important information to make sure you and everyone who utilizes your services or works for you stays healthy.
Extra Cleaning
The CDC is recommending frequent cleaning of touched surfaces. This includes doorknobs, handles, light switches, countertops, desks, chairs, tables, appliances, phones, computers, keyboards, faucets, toilets, etc.
In a dog training facility, trainers should make sure they also clean play and training equipment, clickers, registers/payment technology, treat jars/tupperware, rubber mats, and so on.
Communication is an important part of any dog training service. But during this time, it’s especially important to encourage your clients and staff to communicate openly with you if they’re showing signs of illness.
Make sure everyone knows how to reach you for cancellations, and remind them that you’d rather they stay home and get better than risk their own and everyone else’s health. Consider sending out an email blast with this information as a reminder, or make a post on your Facebook page like Summit Dog Training.
Take Sick Days
This one gets the biggest groan from dog trainers. None of us like to stop working, whether out of financial need or passion, but a pandemic is no joke.
Take your sick days. Even if you just have a cold, make yourself stay home. Having any kind of communicable illness at this time is dangerous for two reasons; colds and flus lower your immune system which makes you more susceptible to COVID-19, and spreading illness to others puts them at the same risk.
Someone you know and love is likely immunocompromised. Keep them safe, and keep yourself safe.
Additionally, look into short-term disability insurance. This is a great safety net for independent dog trainers who don’t have insurance through an employer. Short-term disability insurance ensures you still have at least some income when illness and accidents take you out of work.
Revisit Cancellation Policies
Have a rigid cancellation policy? It might be time to temporarily suspend it.
Last-minute reschedules and cancellations can be frustrating to deal with, and it’s completely understandable to have a policy to handle them. However, during this time of heightened stress and illness, people may need to cancel more suddenly than usual.
Would you rather someone call you the night before class to cancel because they were exposed to someone with COVID-19, or risk them coming to class anyway to avoid conflict/fees?
Consider Virtual Dog Training Lessons
One thing that a lot of trainers fail to consider in general is serving their clients with virtual dog training lessons, and now is a great time to turn this scare into an opportunity.
There are a ton of reasons besides Coronavirus to have virtual lessons on your service menu:
Traveling, but need to keep earning income
Moving, but clients in your current city want to continue working with you
Want to offer assistance to people outside your local service area
Want to reduce your workload by taking some of the commute out of your day
Facing a global pandemic (turns out, weirder things have happened!)
Virtual lessons can easily be a staple of your dog training business, and they benefit you in a multitude of ways. We have the gift of technology — why not use it to its fullest?
This Saturday, March 14th, Ines McNeil, CPDT-KA, will be hosting a LIVE Virtual Dog Training Lessons Workshop designed to help prevent loss of income, even grow your income, and increase your reach as a dog trainer. Learn everything you need to know about pricing your virtual lessons, necessary communication, structure, dos and don’ts, technology, and much more.
In short, though the Coronavirus pandemic is rapidly changing and a little scary, it shouldn’t affect your business and livelihood. Keep calm, wash your hands, and carry on.
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There’s no one right way to become a dog trainer. Some aspiring trainers enroll in a formal education course (either online or in-person), but not all beginners have the resources to afford this kind of education.
Another popular and far less expensive method is to find a mentor to apprentice under. But how do you find a mentor, and how do you know you’re getting the education you were originally seeking?
Facebook Live Webinar by Ines McNeil, Transcribed by Gem Sheps
Take a Training Class with Your Own Dog
Chances are if you’re an aspiring dog trainer, you’ve got a dog of your own. Taking classes with a trainer in your area is a great way to start learning basic training methods and familiarize yourself with dog body language and social activity.
It’s courteous to be up-front with the trainer you want to take a class with — let them know that you want to be a dog trainer and taking one of their classes would be a good opportunity to get an idea of what classes look like and how things are run.
Lots of people spend time exploring industries before diving in deeper and the trainer will probably give you extra information about the process during classes if they’re aware.
If the trainer doesn’t want you in their class, that’s okay. All that means is that they’re someone you probably don’t want to spend time with anyway. Trainers who are more worried about competition than helping educate others aren’t the trainers you want to learn from.
Attend Local Seminars and Network
Seminars themselves are wonderful learning opportunities; you get to hear unique perspectives from fantastic trainers and potentially even participate in a workshop. But the end of the event is when the networking begins.
Usually, trainers go out for drinks after events! Just like other professionals, dog trainers like to sit down with a beer and some food and share stories and experiences with each other. They also tend to recap what they learned at the event and how they’re going to apply it to their own clients.
Get in on some after-event shop talk. This stuff is priceless; I’ve had such incredible experiences with trainers from all over the nation. You get to hear amazing stories, both good and bad, and it’s a great glimpse into the life of a dog trainer.
Directly Contact Local Trainers
If you’ve heard good things about a trainer in town or you’ve been following a local trainer online and you like the way they work, reach out to them and ask to shadow.
A lot of the time, a trainer would be glad to take on an apprentice because it also benefits them. Apprentices can help out by walking a demo dog or a stuffed animal while the trainer counter-conditions a reactive dog. Apprentices can act as the “stranger” for dogs who have stranger danger problems. While you’re gaining an education, your mentor is getting free assistance.
Make sure you look to see what training methods they practice before reaching out. Wanting to be an R+ trainer and learning from someone who uses different methods won’t work out well.
When it comes to basic dog handling and training mechanics, one especially popular and extremely unique resource I love is the Fenzi Dog Sports Academy. Depending on what “level” course you purchase, you get to fully participate — you take videos of yourself training and submit them, and then receive critiques.
It’s a great experience, and once you complete a course you get access to the Facebook alumni group. There you have access to hundreds of other trainers and their experiences, shared learning opportunities, and more. It’s also nice to socialize with other people in the industry without talking shop — you can make new connections through the group and find a place in the community.
Cultivating relationships with other trainers can be intimidating, especially for people who get along better with dogs than humans. Don’t be scared — industry veterans sometimes seem aloof, but they’re just people who want to make sure newbies are being taught well. If they have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the community by guiding new trainers, then it’s a win-win situation.
Know of any other ways to find a great mentor as a new dog trainer? Let us know in the comments.
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When you’re considering hiring someone that you’re going to bring into your home — like a housekeeper, plumber, or even a dog trainer — it can make you nervous. You’re letting someone into your home and personal life in the hopes that they will provide a solution to your problem. You want to make sure they’re trustworthy and the right fit for the job.
Facebook Live Webinar by Ines McNeil, Transcribed by Gem Sheps
Why Do I Need Testimonials?
One of the first things people do nowadays when searching for a service is hop on Google or Facebook and check out the reviews.
Here are some tips on how to collect testimonials for your website and social media profiles. Trust me — your potential customers will be looking for them. The more (positive) reviews you have, the quicker someone will be convinced to hire you.
Ask Clients to Submit Video Testimonials
Nowadays, it’s a little too easy to “buy” followers and five-star reviews. There are people for hire who will create batches of bot accounts that you can then purchase to add to follower count or alter their average star rating.
One of the best methods for trust-building with future clients is to request that existing and former clients send in video testimonials. Most people — if they’re happy with the work you’ve done — will be eager to help out!
Be sure to give them a heads-up during your second to last in-person meeting and plan to shoot the video at the last session so they have time to put their thoughts together. If you spring a sudden video shoot on them, they may not be as comfortable with you recording them.
Ask Questions for Them to Answer
To get the best results from your video testimonials, plan on asking your client these two questions:
What motivated you to hire me specifically as your dog trainer?
What would you tell a friend that was considering hiring me?
By asking those questions, you guide them toward getting the best material for your video testimonial.
Brag About Your Accomplishments on Social Media
When a client has had a good experience with the results they hoped to achieve, brag about it! Share your client success stories on your website, Facebook, Instagram, and wherever else you’re active.
For example, right before your last lesson with a client you could say “I think we’ve made awesome progress and I’d love to feature your dog on my website (or social media profiles) with a review from you.”
The client will likely be just as excited to share their satisfaction with the solution you provided to their problem.
Send Out Emails
One of the easiest ways to get written testimonials is to send emails to your last 10 clients following this script:
“Hi! I’m looking to add some fresh material to my [website and/or social media]. I would love to feature [client’s dog]! Would you be able to send over a couple of sentences about what it was like to work with me and how our time together impacted you?”
Say your “thank yous” and “look forward to hearing back from yous” at the end, sign your name, and send it off! Once a month you can follow up with your latest clients and collect their testimonials.
It may feel odd in the beginning, but requesting testimonials is a big part of marketing your services! Don’t be afraid to show off your good reviews.
What if you knew exactly what to say, sell, and do, to work less, earn more per client,get better results, have happier clients?
What if you knew exactly what to say, sell, and do, to work less, earn more per client, get better results, have happier clients?
Know exactly what to post, what to say, how to sell, and how to deliver a high-value, high-impact dog training program in the next 30 days.
This includes all of the sales, marketing, and program design information you need to get jump started into selling high-value dog training programs as a science-based professional dog trainer.
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.
Facebook Live Webinar by Ines McNeil, Transcribed by Gem Sheps
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.
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 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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With experience, you’ll quickly learn not to take people at their word. It isn’t that clients try to lie to you, it’s simply that they don’t know better or make the assumption that some details about their dog’s lives don’t apply to their dog’s behavior issues.
Asking the right questions can help you dig up the information that could be critical to the success of your training program.
These are five questions I strongly recommend you ask every new dog training client no matter why they reached out to your for training help.
1. How much and how often does your dog eat?
And be SPECIFIC! Don’t be afraid to ask to see the food container and the measuring scoop.
If your client says “one cup of food twice a day” don’t assume one measuring cup. I’ve had clients show me their “cup” for measuring dog food and it turned out to be a 20oz plastic cup from a restaurant. No wonder the dog was picky about working for food! It was being over served free food twice a day.
2. What medications is your dog currently taking or has taken in the past?
Some people might look at you funny when you ask this question because they’re bringing you in to address a behavior, not a medical issue.
What they aren’t considering is that often behavior issues are triggered by medical issues.
Asking this question is helpful because:
You might discover medications or health issues that could be negatively impacting the dog’s behavior.
You could discover that the dog has taken pain medication related to a traumatic event such as an attack from another animal.
It will help you open up the conversation around health issues that the dog may have experienced in the past or is currently experiencing.
3. Has your dog ever growled, snipped, or bitten anyone for any reason?
This question is meant to open up a can of worms.
I always recommend asking this question no matter who you’re working with or why they are bringing in a professional dog trainer. Your priority should be safety!
Some people have brought me into work on their dog’s “obedience,” but come to find out – they have a dog that resource guards the couch and has snapped at people over it. Some people call this behavior “disobedient” and believe obedience training will solve their problems.
One particular situation comes to mind. A young couple brought me in to work on their dog’s recall and leash skills. Seemed simple enough! After a few questions and a thorough new client questionnaire, I discovered they had been court ordered to hire a dog trainer because it had gotten out and attacked their neighbors dog.
You just never know what you might uncover when you ask the right questions. The couple simply did not grasp the severity of the issue at hand and had unsuspectingly downplayed their needs.
This question is meant to dig up the details around why someone is bringing you in for help. You don’t want them to make assumptions on what behavior is most important to work on – that’s your job as a professional dog trainer.
4. How does your dog respond to new people in the home?
This might seem like an obvious question to ask future clients, but I rarely see dog trainers asking it. As a dog trainer, you’ll be entering many homes for private lesson training and safety should be a top priority.
Asking this questions can help you prepare and open up the conversation around how you’d like the owner to handle the dog before and during your entrance into the home. Come up with a policy you ask all dog owners to follow to avoid singling people out and making them feel judged for their dog’s behavior – and set yourself up to be successful!
5. What would you like to accomplish through training with us?
Making assumptions about why someone might be hiring you will not set you up to be successful. Every client has their own reasons for taking the steps to hire a dog trainer.
Each client will have a different definition and vision of what success looks like and this question helps you all be on the same page. Knowing what they determine to be the goal of their dog training program will help you adjust their expectations and create a better plan to reach their goals.
Asking clients this question can also help you learn more about what they care about. You can then turn around and use this information in your marketing to attract clients that value your services for the right reasons. Learning about the way they see your services and their relationships with their dog can help you better position yourself in the marketplace.
New Dog Training Client Intake Forms & More
Ready to arm yourself with a thorough and structured new client onboarding process?
These questions and many, many more are included in my “New Dog Training Client Onboarding Bundle” that includes 10 customizable form and email templates and a webinar explaining the best ways to use the templates to onboard your new clients successfully.
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