One of the key elements to running a dog training business is being able to manage your time efficiently. Time management is a tricky skill that takes time and dedication to learn, and I’ve got some tips to help you develop that skill.
Schedule Your Time Off
Managing your time off is just as important as managing your appointments with clients. Do yourself a favor and schedule your time off in your calendar.
By blocking off time on your calendar for yourself, you’re making it easy for yourself to see that you do not have time to take extra appointments. If a client tries to squeeze into your schedule last minute on your day off, you’ll have a visual reminder of your unavailability.
Making room for extra appointments leaves minimal time in your schedule to take care of yourself, relax, and recharge for your next workday.
You can simply tell clients that you’re booked for the day and offer them an alternative.
Don’t Accommodate “Special Requests”
Sometimes if you’re too flexible for clients in the beginning of your working relationship, they will continue to take advantage of you over time. This can be a big contributor to burnout.
Accommodating the special requests of every single client is unrealistic. No matter what, you can’t make everyone happy — but it’s a lot easier to make others happy once you’ve taken care of yourself.
Schedule your time off and stick to it. Know how many appointments you can comfortably fit into your day without overwhelming yourself. Your future self will thank you for it. (Hint: You don’t necessarily have to work harder to earn more.)
Schedule Your Appointments by Location and Day
For trainers who drive all over the map trying to speed to private lessons, here’s a tip — schedule appointments based on location and day.
For example, try to get all of your clients on the east side of town to schedule for the same day, and schedule west side appointments for another day. Avoid commuting more than working and your schedule will become less hectic.
Communicate Your Availability Proactively
When you reach the end of a session and it’s time to schedule the next one, many trainers ask the client when they would like to schedule the appointment. This, however, doesn’t give them a guide to your availability and makes scheduling more difficult.
Don’t make clients guess when you will and won’t be available — let them know up front. Offer a few time slots you know for a fact are open and let them choose between those.
Write Down Your To-Do List
If you don’t write down what you know you need to do every day, you’re eventually going to forget something important. A client might get left behind. You might forget to pay a bill. You’re juggling a lot as a business owner and trainer. Put everything down on paper and prioritize!
You can use your phone, a notepad, a sticky note, or anything else that works for you. Just jot it down.
Focus on Methods You Know Work
Eliminate things that don’t drive immediate value to your business.
If you’re posting on social media without a real strategy and you aren’t getting clients out of it, then it may not be the best use of your time. Stick to methods that you have had success with bringing in clients.
You don’t have to post on social media every day — or even every week — just because everyone else is doing it. Though social media is a helpful tool, you may be wasting time on it if it isn’t stimulating your business.
Don’t Answer “Can I Pick Your Brain?” Questions
I don’t think I’m alone in saying that sometimes, I don’t want to mention that I’m a dog trainer around new people. Because they always immediately have questions for me.
Here’s a getaway line for you:
“I actually have a policy where I don’t give training or behavioral advice without having a full understanding of the situation, but we could absolutely set up a [free consult, initial phone screening, etc.] so I can get the whole picture.”
This saves you time and it could protect you from giving incomplete advice when you don’t know the full extent of the situation. It also shows a commitment to actually addressing their concerns and the challenges they may be facing.
Discipline is Self Care
Building the discipline that it takes to stick to your work schedule, rest schedule and other policies is self care! You’re taking care of your future self by keeping your business and your home life running smoothly.
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