Bella In Your Business: Pet Sitting and Dog Walking Podcast

It's no secret that Instagram can be a powerhouse social media platform for your business - but I see so many business owners that are just NOT using it to its fullest potential. If you've been wanting to dive deep into the inner working of Instagram and learn useful Instagram secrets, then today is your day!

Jenn Herman is a social media consultant, speaker, and globally recognized Instagram expert. She is the forefront blogger on Instagram marketing and her blog, Jenn’s Trends, has won the title of a Top 10 Social Media Blog in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Through her blog, consulting, and speaking Jenn provides tips, resources, and training for small to medium sized businesses that need to structure their social media strategies. Her business background includes Administration, Sales, Human Resources, and Marketing and she enjoys bringing all these skills together to help you grow your business. Jenn has been featured in Inc., Fox News, Yahoo Finance, HuffPost, The Verge, CBS Radio LA, and numerous other podcasts and publications. She is the author of “Instagram for Business for Dummies”, "The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Instagram" and "Stop Guessing: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Social Media Strategy". Learn more about Jenn on her website http://jennstrends.com.

Biggest Takeaway You Don't Want To Miss

Above all, you have to have a consistent strategy. Being active and taking the time to implement the strategy you develop is key.  Your processes will drive the results that get you clients, regardless if you have 50 followers or 50,000 followers. What matters is who's going to find you and bring you business. Build an amazing community of the followers you have and use strategic efforts (i.e. hashtags, stories, following events) to turn that into business.

Show Highlights

Who Is Jenn Herman? [1:00]

Why Do I Need Instagram In MY Business? [3:00]

What Are The Different Ways Consumers Can Use Instagram? [5:30]

How Do We Figure Out HOW Our Audience Consumes Instagram? [9:00]

What Tactics On Instagram Can We Use To Build Our Local Following? [11:45]

Should You Always Use A Location Tag? [16:00]

What Kind Of Strategies Can I Use For Hashtags? [17:00]

How Often Should You Post On Instagram? [25:00]

Why Should I Have A Kick-Butt Instagram Page? [28:00]

Special Offer

Pick up a copy of Jenn's book, Instagram For Business For Dummies, on Amazon here: http://bit.ly/IGBizDummies

Share The Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 116 of Bella in Your Business. Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready—Bella’s got your chute. Let’s jump.

Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting, and today we’re talking everything Instagram. So if you’ve been wondering about why you should be on Instagram, how you should be on Instagram, what to post on Instagram, or just how to actually use it for your business, today is your day. Today I’ve got my awesome friend, Jenn Herman, with me, and she is just an Instagram expert. Honestly, if you wanted to know anything about Instagram, Jenn is your girl. She is a go-to expert in so many different social circles. I am so excited to have her here, and it’s off the coattails of her actually coming in and being our expert in the Jump Mastermind. We had fangirls over her—she’s so fun, and I’m so excited to have you here. Jenn, welcome to the show.

Jenn: Thank you! I’m so excited to be back with you again and to this group this time. I’m so excited.

Bella: For sure. Why don’t you give us a quick background of who you are, how you became this—I'm gonna call you the Instagram queen—and let us know for those who might not know you yet.

Jenn: Perfect, yeah. I will take the title Instagram queen. I will not bestow it upon myself, but I will gladly wear the tiara with pride. So I’m Jenn Herman—it’s Jenn with two N’s. I was born in 1980 with a bazillion other Jennifers, so I’ve always been Jenn with two N’s as a way to differentiate myself. I started a blog about five and a half years ago based on social media, and six months into that, I decided to figure out how Instagram worked. I fell in love with it as a platform, but nobody was really teaching it from a marketing perspective. So I just started sharing things on my blog, building up all these tests and theories, and blogging about it. At the time, I was writing three blog posts a week, one of them dedicated to Instagram, so I was creating a lot of content. Within about six months, I was starting to get invited to do interviews, podcasts, and speaking gigs because I became the person everyone turned to for Instagram content—especially in a blogging format. It’s just continued to evolve from there. I love Instagram. I love the community and the platform. I love photography, so for me, it’s a great environment, but I really love seeing businesses be successful with it because it’s not a traditional marketing platform. It’s not Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn where you’re dropping links and blasting information. People have to be creative, strategic, and unique—it’s a really fun platform that way.

Bella: That’s so cool because you’re not just teaching tactics, you’re actually thinking psychologically—how we can work it and create a strategy. Because anything in our business needs a strategy or plan, right?

Jenn: Exactly.

Bella: Can you give us a little perspective? Instagram’s exploding right now, and I know you have predictions when they reach new milestones. But tell us about Instagram’s growth and how anyone listening who thinks “my clients aren’t on Instagram” might be wrong.

Jenn: I can totally break it down. That’s my favorite excuse—“my clients aren’t on Instagram.” And to that I say BS, because they are. I don’t care who your client is—they’re on Instagram. They may not be as active as on another platform, but they’re there. I live by the mantra that any business can use Instagram. That doesn’t mean every business should, but your audience is there. They just cracked a billion monthly active users about a month and a half, maybe two months ago. If you don’t count YouTube, because there’s debate on whether it’s social media, then Instagram is number two only behind their parent Facebook, and they blow everyone else out of the water.

If you look at demographics, people think Instagram’s for millennials. Well, millennials are now in their mid-to-late 30s—they’re career professionals, buying homes and cars, starting families, and making big life changes. Then there’s Gen X and baby boomers—50- and 60-year-olds are on Instagram. Statistically, there are more people over 45 on Instagram than on Twitter. So if your audience is on Twitter, they’re definitely on Instagram. The key is understanding how they’re using it.

Bella: So tell me the different ways a consumer would use it, and then we’ll talk about how a business can complement that.

Jenn: As consumers, people interact in multiple areas. The primary is the feed—the normal home feed with photos, videos, and carousels. People scroll rapidly and double-tap to like. It’s fast, like the visual version of Twitter. Then there are Stories—the bubbles at the top. These are 24-hour raw content pieces. Stories are where people are authentic and real. Instagram’s main feed has become more curated and edited, while Stories go back to the raw, instant side of Instagram.

Then there’s Instagram Live—live video that also lasts 24 hours. Plus, direct messages with live video chat are built in, so you can talk or do customer service right inside the app. And now, IGTV adds another content layer. It’s constantly growing. People use these spaces differently, and as a business, you have to figure out which parts your audience engages with most.

Bella: That’s fascinating! So how would one figure out where their audience is most active?

Jenn: A lot of it comes down to testing. Start somewhere—post regular content, announce that you’ll use Stories more, and see where you get engagement. Analytics will tell you where people come from—hashtags, home feed, or profile clicks.

Bella: But Instagram analytics are simple, right?

Jenn: Totally. Instagram analytics are built into the app, super clear, and easy to read. It literally says how many came from hashtags, how many clicked links, etc. You can pick two or three key metrics—whether it’s audience growth, engagement, or traffic—and focus on those.

Bella: I know so many pet sitters and dog walkers killing it on Instagram. And I’d even say if you’re overwhelmed or short on time, Instagram might be the easiest platform. Most of our listeners are dog walkers and pet sitters with a 10–20 mile client radius. What tactics can they use to attract local people?

Jenn: Definitely use Instagram Stories—they’re raw, fun, and quick. Use boomerangs and rewinds to show dogs walking or jumping into pools. Tag your exact location, not just your city. If you tag “City Hall,” you might show up in City Hall’s location search and the city search. Smaller tags can appear in broader searches, but not vice versa. And use local hashtags—#DogsOfSanDiego, for example. You can also follow hashtags so that content shows up in your feed. Like and engage with local posts. When people see your profile and realize you’re a local dog walker, they might reach out.

Bella: So it’s like, never post without location tags or local hashtags.

Jenn: Exactly. Maybe not every single post, but most of the time you should. Always include hashtags and geographic tags for better visibility. Just don’t tag your home address!

Bella: Okay,...

Carrie Wallick is the owner iCare4pets. She has been in business for 4 years and started using employees for almost a year and a half. Carrie was a former teacher for 8 years until she decided she wanted a career change and began brainstorming ways she could use her passion for animals to support her life goals. 2-3 months later, Carrie was using Facebook groups and word of mouth to get pet sitting clients, and her business was born. Learn more about Carrie's business at icare4pets.com

Biggest Takeaways You Don't Want To Miss:

When first starting your business, it's really important to determine a set service area. You want to know if your model is going to be expansion vs. saturation. Expansion would mean that you cover many different areas of the city (or even multiple cities). Saturation would imply focusing on one specific city or even area within a city and honing in your marketing efforts to that region. Carrie describes how that after driving for hours on end every day for months, that she quickly decided that saturation and micro-targeting an area was going to be the best fit to support her life goals. Which model do you think would support yours?

Sometime it can pay to be picky! We often think that we have to say yes to every person that calls or emails us - but this is not the case. In fact, a lot of the times you will be spending MORE time and energy on "problem clients" than you're gaining. Be picky not just geographically, but make sure your clients fit your client avatar/buyer persona. Accepting only the clients that fit your business model will end up being MUCH more worth it in the long run.

Show Highlights

Who is Carrie Wallick and how did she start iCare4Pets? [1:00]

What were your initial goals for your business? [3:00]

What was a typical day when you first started your business? [4:00]

How did you decide that covering a huge area wasn't an option for you? [6:00]

What advice would you give to yourself when you were first starting out? [9:00]

How did the stress of starting out affect your home life? [10:00]

Why didn't the IC route work for you? [14:00]

How do you fight and push past your demons? [18:00]

What was it like adopting your new baby? [20:00]

How did your business adjust during Hurricane Irma? [22:00]

Share The Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 115 of Bella in Your Business. The next series is going to be a bunch of interviews with amazing pet sitters that I know that will also motivate and inspire you and your business. From time to time, I interview incredible pet sitters who have been through or faced some really amazing challenges that have inspired me, therefore I know will inspire you. If you know of anyone who has an amazing story to share, who is a pet sitting or dog walking business owner, I'd love to hear from you. Just go ahead and email me at [email protected]. Until then, enjoy this next episode.

Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready, Bella’s got your chute. Let's jump.

Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting, and today I have Kari Wallach with me. She is a pet sitter in Florida and the owner of I Care for Pets. We’ve known each other for quite a few years now, and Kari’s story has been really interesting and inspiring to me as I’ve seen her grow and change through so many different life changes. I really wanted to bring her on because I know there are many people listening who will connect to her story.

Kari: Thank you. Glad to be a part of the show.

Bella: Why don’t we start from the beginning? Tell me where you're located and what made you start this business.

Kari: I am just outside of Orlando in Longwood, a little suburb. I was a teacher for eight years and wanted to get out of teaching but didn’t know what to do. I figured I’d find a way to use my passion for animals and live off of it. After going on vacation a few times and using my brother to take care of my dogs, I thought there had to be a way to give this service to people because it just wasn’t working with family. I wanted to be able to trust someone and provide that for others.

Bella: Awesome. So how did you get started? Did you start putting flyers up, get a website? How did it all work?

Kari: I started with community websites and Facebook groups. We had a big one—15,000 members—in my town and the one nearby. I started there, then moved to Thumbtack, and it grew from there. Word of mouth became big. When I moved, I started my own Facebook group since there wasn’t one. We’re now at 3,000 members, and I literally got three clients from it just yesterday.

Bella: So when it started growing, you were running around by yourself. Tell us about home life—kids, family—and how that influenced your goals.

Kari: At the time, I had an eight-year-old stepson. I started by substitute teaching while building the business, but that lasted only two months because I couldn’t do both. My visits were in the middle of the day. Eventually, I could take summers off to be with him. It was hard at first trying to balance work and family, but I knew I wanted another child. We ended up adopting a baby last October.

Bella: Nine months ago—congratulations! So when you left substitute teaching to go full time, what were your days like?

Kari: Really hectic. I was putting about 500 miles a week on my car. We were living in one city, temporarily in another, and moving to a third. I was taking clients in all three places. I’d be gone from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Driving took most of the day. I spent my whole day driving even though I didn’t have that many clients. But I knew I needed to build where I was moving. I made connections with pet sitters in different areas, which helped, but I learned quickly that I didn’t want that lifestyle.

Bella: What about it got old?

Kari: The driving, the rushing, trying to make it to clients 25 or 35 minutes apart. That was why I left teaching—too stressful to enjoy. I decided to keep clients in one area so I could maintain quality. I once got a call from a potential client in downtown Orlando, 35 minutes away, who said she’d pay anything. But I told her no—it wouldn’t be fair to her or my other clients. That was when I realized I needed to get more done in less time, not less done in more time.

Bella: So it sounds like the first step was realizing you weren’t enjoying it anymore and needed to narrow your area.

Kari: Exactly. And I’ve learned to say no—to hoarding situations, poor pet conditions, or clients with unrealistic expectations. We can be picky now. We have a reputation, and these animals depend on us. Not just geographically picky, but also about the clients we take.

Bella: If you could give yourself advice back then, what would it be?

Kari: I’d focus on building in the area we knew we wanted to move to instead of spreading myself thin. But I learned a lot from that time—different types of dogs, different situations. There’s no substitute for experience. You can tell people “don’t go outside your boundary” or “don’t lower your prices,” but sometimes you have to live it to learn it.

Bella: When you were living that 500-mile-a-week lifestyle, what did that do to your home life?

Kari: It was stressful financially, but my wife was very supportive. We still managed vacations. The hardest part was my own dogs being home alone more. The money stress was tough, and we couldn’t even think about having a child until I brought in a certain amount of income, which seemed impossible at first.

Bella: There was a crossroad where you decided enough was enough—you were going to hire. Hiring isn’t easy, but you did it. Tell me how that happened.

Kari: My biggest motivation was wanting to have kids and survive financially. I first tried using independent contractors, but that didn’t go well. Florida’s one of the top states for audits, and I was terrified of misclassifying workers, payroll, insurance—all of it. But once I figured it out, it wasn’t scary. My accountant handles payroll, and I got the handbooks from you. I realized that, weirdly, when you hire more employees, you get more clients.

Bella: Exactly—every person you hire represents growth potential.

Kari: Right. Once I realized that, it made sense. I started with employees to cover vacations, and it grew from there. My first big test was my honeymoon to Costa Rica. I had one or two employees, and even with spotty reception, it worked. That success made me confident.

Bella: I love that. So you learned that delegating gave you freedom. Your mindset seems really strong. How do you stay positive?

Kari: I just refuse to be stuck. I’ve seen people stay miserable in jobs because they’re afraid to change. If something’s not working, you fix it. If you have a goal, figure it out—no one else will do it for you.

Bella: That’s powerful. Let’s talk about adopting Bodhi. You didn’t even have nine months to prepare—you had a few days!

Kari: We started the adoption process in September, after Hurricane Irma. We got approved in October and were told it would take six months to a year. Less than 30 days later, we got a call—there was a baby in Arizona. They called Wednesday; we were in Arizona by Thursday morning. We stayed 10 days while waiting for approval to leave the state. I was in the NICU taking business calls and passing clients to another local sitter for coverage. Having those connections was a lifesaver.

Bella: That’s amazing. I want mompreneurs to hear that—you can do it. Balance is a mythical unicorn, but you make it work. Speaking of the hurricane,...

Imagine if you could have the town talking about your business? Or if you could have other pet businesses contacting you to work with you and partner with your pet business?

Maybe the local pet store having a flyer in every bag that leaves their store with a purchase and your company's name on the tip of the tongue of the local vets, trainers, and groomers? Wouldn't it be nice if your business was the business always popping out the best and most valuable and relevant news.

Today we are going to show you exactly how to become the talk of the town and start partnering with people to help elevate your level of “expert” in your community and become known.

What Businesses Should I Partner With?

The first thing you'll want to do is look on a prospective business's social media pages. You want them to have a social media following that you can leverage. It is a partnership, which means you BOTH have to pull your weight. I would almost go as far to say that if they don't take social media seriously, you shouldn't try to partner with them.

BELLA TIP: The book "Known" by Mark Schaefer will help explain all of this in greater depth.

How Do We Approach A Business I Want To Partner With?

It can be scary approaching a potential business that you want to partner with, especially if you are a smaller company or not that well known (yet!). The first thing you can do is to like, comment, and share their content on social media. You can also message their business page and ask questions. Try to find out WHO is controlling their social media (this is often their designated media person). Use what Erika and I did as an example! :)

How Can I Offer Value In A Partnership?

One idea is that you can offer to interview them on either your business page or their's. It will help them get more exposure while you are providing a valuable resource for your audience! You can also pitch them to be a guest blogger on your website, or you to be a guest blogger on their website. Again - gets you exposure and you are providing value to your community. Lastly, don't be afraid to simply just ask them what their needs are. Maybe they want more advertising, clients, or employees. Whatever it may be, find out and brainstorm some ways you can help! Don't be afraid to pitch ideas of how they can partner with your pet business.

Share The Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 114 of Bella in Your Business. The next series of episodes are from a previously recorded live event training series that Erica Goodwin and I did together. The following is a past recording, but the information is just as juicy. I hope you enjoy it.

Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready—Bella’s got your chute. Let’s jump.

Good morning, everybody! Welcome to the Jump into Marketing show. I am your host, Bella, and I'm here with my girl, Phat. Today we're going to talk to you about figuring out how to actually connect with people in your community on social media. Why is this a big deal? Because when you actually can connect with these other pet stores, groomers, veterinarians, bloggers, newspapers, local pubs, and bar and grills—when you can connect with them—you are now able to provide an enormous amount of value to your entire following, not just your clients. Through that, it makes you look popular. It makes it look like people really want to hang out and be your friend. So why not join your company? That’s what we’re diving into today.

First, I want you guys to say what’s up below. Hi, Chloe! Thank you for joining us. We're already live here on Instagram. Thanks for joining us on Instagram, everyone. On Instagram, we're on the Barketing Blog Instagram Live, so if you’re out walking a dog and that’s easier for you, go ahead and put that on—or join our Facebook Live here, too. So, Erica, I’m going to hand this over to you. Why don’t you introduce yourself?

Erica: Hi, so for everybody who’s new, my name is Erica. I’m the co-founder of ProPet Software—kennel management software—and also the owner of Barketing Solutions, pet business website management. Basically, we build your website, host your website, and take care of your website moving forward so you can focus on your pet business.

Bella: Awesome. And I love your websites. They’re beautiful, responsive, and mobile. Every time I tell someone about your website and they actually get it, I get thank-you notes. So thank you for making me look good.

We’re going to be talking a lot about that today, Erica, because we are prime examples of how you're able to partner together with someone to make your business more fruitful. But allow me to introduce myself for those who don’t know. My name is Bella Vasta with Jump Consulting. I’ve been a pet business consultant for the past ten or eleven years, since 2007. I have a mastermind group, I provide marketing for pet sitters in six-month periods, and I really love to pour into you. I also have a podcast called Bella in Your Business.

This show has been sponsored by my company and Erica’s company because, without realizing it, there are about twenty-five steps to post- and pre-production that go on. In fact, Erica, I don’t know if our audience understands, but there’s actually more work to do after the show than there is before the show. And to help offset those costs—because there are costs to it—we have our sponsors.

Erica: The show is sponsored by Barketing Solutions, as I mentioned earlier—website design and monthly management for pet businesses.

Bella: Which is fantastic. And the Jump Mastermind, where we have about fifty business owners killing it with goals, being held accountable, and learning from experts who stand on stages for tens of thousands of dollars. If you need a little hip-hip-hooray and people that get you, join the Mastermind and use coupon code BELLA25 for $25 off.

Erica: Bella’s giving me more work! These clients grow so much, they need their websites updated so often.

Bella: True! That’s actually a good story because we do have two people in there right now. We’re helping them figure out what their messaging on their website should say to stand out. It’s like you’ve got this whole extended posse of people who have your back and tell you the truth, not just “it looks pretty.”

So today, I want to tell you—if you’re not already—go follow my good friend Mark Schaefer. The man is amazing. I’ve hung out with him in person, consulted with him, read his books, and seen him speak. He’s such a great influencer—almost doesn’t even describe it. He has this book called Known, and he talks about the difference between celebrity, like Kim Kardashian, and being known for what you do—and how you as a small business can do it. I highly recommend checking out Known by Mark Schaefer.

So, as a pet business, who do you partner with? Isn’t that always the million-dollar question? You might say, “I tried partnering with a vet, Bella, and it didn’t work.” That’s okay—some won’t. It’s like dating. Some stick, some don’t. So qualify them.

When I first found Erica, I saw that she was killing it on Instagram. Every time she posted, she had great engagement. What she was posting was relevant and amazing. I also noticed that while she was in the pet industry, she was in a different lane—websites, software, and she was in Canada. She was interesting to me, so I started following her, learning about her, and then said, “Hey, let’s get on a call and see if we jive.”

When you look for someone to partner with, look at their social media. If you want to partner with them publicly, and publicly these days means online, they need to have a following. I would not partner with Erica if she weren’t on social media or had two followers—because I’d be bringing all the party, and she wouldn’t bring any food.

You don’t want to partner with someone unless you know more about them—their reputation, their character. The last thing you want is someone who might damage your company. But don’t let fear stop you from partnering. They can only damage your company if you allow it.

When you’re just getting to know someone, say, “I recently discovered Erica and have been impressed watching her. I haven’t personally tried her out, but you might want to check her out and see if she’s a good fit.” That way you’re not risking your reputation yet.

When you have partners, you can then have events. When I had my Mutt & Mingles (yappy hours), Bow-Wow Breakfasts, Pups on the Patio, or Dog Walking Club, it was easy to say, “Hey, pet store, I need twelve items for the doggy bags,” or “Hey, bar, I’m bringing people—can we get a round of free drinks?” When you have partners who respect you, it makes your desire to create events or bring the community together much easier.

When you’re hunting for partners, look at their website, reviews, and social media. Start occasionally liking their posts—not stalker level, just a few times a week. Post thoughtful comments or questions, share their stuff with your take on it, and message them. Find out who does their social media—it might be the owner, manager, or an external company. Then get in front of them face to face.

We’ve gotten so used to screens, but when you can feel someone’s energy and see the whites of their eyes—not through a screen—it’s powerful. Especially when you’re caring for their precious pets, being face-to-face builds trust.

Erica: What if you’re really small and not well known? How do you gain credibility?

Bella: You make it about them. Ask how you can help them. What are they looking for? Do they need more boarding?...

Social proof can be an excellent way to establish trust and credibility for you and your pet sitting business. When we talk about social proof, we mean borrowing third-party influence to sway/persuade potential customers. Today, Erika & I will discuss the different types of social proof, the pro's and con's of each, and how you can use social proof to enhance your pet business!

Biggest Takeaways You Don't Want To Miss

What Is Social Proof?

Social proof is borrowing third-party influence to sway/persuade potential customers. Some examples of social proof would be Bella's endorsement on Barketing.co, testimonials on your website from influencers, or even a testimonial from someone who had the same problem as a prospective customer that you solved for them. Social proof helps consumers connect to your business at an emotional level as well as gain trust and confidence, which then helps them make a purchasing decision. Genuine reviews on native platforms are the best. If friends and family have used your services and tell people how trustworthy you are and how they had peace of mind while away, that's money right there!

What Is Negative Social Proof?

Negative social proof is something you NEVER want to use. It means that you don't publicly bash another company. Focus on your pro's and not other companies' cons. Focus on why you need a professional pet sitter instead of why you shouldn't use a tech company (i.e. Rover or Wag!). Be positive! The negativity towards a competitor can actually be damaging to you.

Six Types Of Social Proof:

1. Mini Case Studies 

This is when you tell a story that hits potential clients emotionally. Did you save someone's house from a flood? Maybe you stopped a break-in? Did you go above and beyond? Do your daily dog walks keep dogs healthier? You'll want to talk about the outcome the customer had with you and what the outcome would have been without your services. If you have facts to back it up, that's even better! Mini case studies are an especially powerful tool for dog trainers.

2. Testimonials/Reviews.

This is when you ask your clients to reviews your services on websites such as Google, Facebook, and Yelp. Don't be afraid to ask for reviews! A happy client will happily write you a review. Be sure to add a link to review websites in your thank you emails that you send out post-service. Use these reviews on your website and add them to your social media strategy (with the clients' permission of course!). Be sure to use images when you're posting on your website and to link to the original review to show it's real. Feature your happy customers on your website. This can also display what type of pets you accept (and if you offer retail, this is a great tool!). You'll never, ever want to use fake testimonials or review your own services. Use quotes that are short, specific about the value of your service/product, include a picture, and make sure they match your buyer personas!

3. Social Media 

When customers share your business with their Facebook friends or on Instagram, that is another form of social proof! Monitor and save all of this positive promotion (can you say free marketing!?). Encourage social proof on social media by posting photos of pets in your care and tagging/telling their pet parents. There's a good chance they will share the photos so make sure you add your watermark! Encourage sharing. Other ways social media can serve as social proof is through a referral program, leveraging local Facebook groups, encouraging geotagging on Instagram, adding social sharing icons to your blog posts, and finding ambassadors that will recommend you to their friends, family, and groups on social media!

4. Trust Icons

Trust icons are a form of social proof that makes sense sometimes but not always. If you have special certifications, won an award, or were mentioned in a well-known publication, this can help boost social proof. Do you have recommendations from a trusted Vet, real estate agent, or divorce lawyer? Publish them and play it up to your advantage! Use quotes from influencers (that your customers know) about the importance of professional pet sitting. If you have any media mentions or even a celebrity client that endorses you, that could be huge. Try to think like your customer and ask yourself if it would influence your buying decision (i.e. Chamber of Commerce might not impact your decision but being certified in Pet CPR or being insurance and bonded just might!)

5. Data/Numbers/Facts 

A single number can be worth a thousand words. What makes you stand out? Have you walked over 100,000 dogs? That shows something - experience! More examples would be 25,000 tired dogs when parents get back from holiday vacations, being a top-ranked service for the past 10 years, an official service provider for the airport, or helping avoid euthanization of 153 dogs because you trained them from aggressive to pet-friendly.

6. Other Social Proof Ideas 

Promoting limited availability can be a great tool. Using language like "only a few spots left for the long weekend!" This shows you are an in-demand service and instantly increases your reputation. Waiting lists also make your service sound exclusive. You can also ask your clients to send post-service videos or photos to show a job well done (or change in behavior). Last but not least, use urgency, fear of missing out (FOMO), and time clickers for special offers

Share The Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode of Bella in Your Business. The next series of episodes are from a previously recorded live event training series that Erica Goodwin and I did together. The following is a past recording, but the information is just as juicy. I hope you enjoy it.

Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready—Bella’s got your chute. Let’s jump.

The Jump into Marketing Talk Show. This is our talk show where we actually give you 12 live trainings, and I believe this is show 10. My co-host Erica is up in Canada. Erica, how are you? You guys good? How are you? Good. And today we're going to be talking about social proof and how you can use social proof to actually catapult your pet business. Erica, have you ever been out there before, looking for a service, and you see one service that has maybe one five-star review and another that has a hundred—and you’re automatically drawn to the one with a hundred, right?

Absolutely. And pet businesses are just like that. Everyone is wondering, “Who should I trust? Are they good?” It’s a big deal—how to get more reviews, but also how to take all of that amazing praise we get and turn it into social proof that gets more clients. I'm so excited about this show today.

Erica: Awesome. So my name is Erica Godwin. I am the co-founder of ProPet Software, kennel management software. I’m also the owner of Marketing Solutions, which provides pet business websites. We do your entire website from start to finish, and we do all of your monthly hosting, support, and maintenance.

Bella: I just love your websites. I send so many of my coaching clients to you. I’m a pet business coach who helps people all around the world, and your websites—the caliber, the beauty—just can’t be beat. Combined with the price, it’s hands down the best thing out there. My name is Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. I run a mastermind, and I kind of had an entrepreneurial seizure last week. I don’t know if you saw it, but I decided that since I was going to a conference in Connecticut, I might as well see my grandmother in Boston, and while I’m there, host a workshop. We’re already half sold out, and we’re doing fourth-quarter marketing so that everyone can know exactly what to do in October, November, and December—and reuse it every year.

So, Erica, why don’t you tell us what social proof actually is?

Erica: Essentially, social proof is borrowing third-party influence to persuade people to buy your product or use your service. For example, if you take a look at my website, I have a testimonial review from Bella saying our websites are awesome and that she recommends them. That right there is social proof. For the pet industry, having an influencer on your website recommending your services is a strong example of it. Other examples are reviews—on Google or Facebook—where people can see who wrote them. Those are very powerful. Having reviews only on your website isn’t enough because you could have written those yourself, but Facebook, Yelp, and Google don’t lie.

Bella: Now, is there such a thing as negative social proof?

Erica: Yes, there is, and that’s when you bash other companies. For example, if you’re a professional pet sitter, don’t go out and say “Rover is awful.” That’s negative social proof. While you might think it supports your business, it actually gives people a bad impression. So instead, spin it positively and avoid trashing competitors.

Bella: That makes sense. Now, it’s not just about reviews, right? There are lots of different types of social proof.

Erica: Yes, there are five or six major types. Let’s go through a few. One is the mini case study. Even though pet sitters aren’t tech companies, you can use your clients’ problems and frustrations to tell a story about how you solved their problem. For example, maybe you showed up to a client’s home and found their basement flooding—you saved them from more damage. Telling that story shows your impact. Or, if you’re a dog trainer, you could tell how you saved a dog from being put down by retraining it. These are stories that emotionally connect and demonstrate value.

Bella: I love that....

Facebook Competitions can be proven to be a very useful tool in your business for becoming active in your community and even signing on new clients. However, It’s important to realize that when you run a competition you are not going to get 100’s of new customer inquiries. What you will get though is an increase in your following and brand awareness.

It’s then your job to convert those new followers into customers in the future.

Biggest Takeaways You Don't Want To Miss

Why Run Competitions on Facebook?

Facebook competitions are a great way to increase your visibility in your area. If you are trying to build your Facebook following, then competitions can be a great way to get in front of new people that perhaps would not have heard of you. People tend to share competitions with friends and family, so it’s a great way to get more people to see your business.

They can also help you create a loyal following. If people enter your competitions’ there are lots of ways to then get them to follow more of your channels and content. You could collect email addresses, invite them to like your page or invite them over to another social channel.

Facebook contests are a cheap way to grow your audience. Running a good competition can be a relatively cheap way of growing your following. If you collaborate with another brand, then you are tapping into an audience you would otherwise have to pay for. Also, people tend to share competitions more freely than they do blog posts or ads for your services. So, this can be great for brand awareness.

The Best Type of Competitions On Facebook

Caption This

Spot the Difference

Guess The….Breed/Location etc?

Share a Picture/Story

Annual Competition

Should You Always Give Away A Prize?

I wouldn’t advise giving away a prize every time you run a competition. If you do, then your page will attract people who enter every competition online regardless of the product/Service/Brand. These people are probably not your ideal customers. You could decide that maybe you will run a number of small competitions each week/fortnight and then have one larger competition with a prize every month/quarter/year. Don’t be tempted to run competitions where you give away things like iPads or non-pet related gift vouchers. Again, you will attract the wrong type of person.

Instead, think of people you can collaborate with you have a larger audience you can leverage. For example, there might be a popular pet store in town that would be happy to share your competition on their Facebook Page in exchange for promotion with your client base. It also means you share the cost of the prize.

How to Convert Entrants to Customers

Invite them to like your page

Every time someone likes your post you can go into that post and invite them to like your page. If you do this as soon as they have liked the competition post it’s likely that they will like your page.

If you continue to create interesting and engaging content, then it’s likely they will continue to follow you and engage with more of your content.

Create a downloadable freebie that is related to the competition

Can you create something that people can sign up to after the competition, so you can capture their email address? For example, if you were doing a competition about baking for your pets could you create an ebook full of recipes or them. Gather email addresses for larger competitions. If you are running a large competition, then you should get people to provide an email address for entry so that you can market your services to them afterward. Make sure you are clear that you are going to be sending them emails when they enter.

Resources:

Podcast with Kate telling about her competition:

/episode-77-competition-consistency-kate-mcquillan/

Kate's contest: https://www.facebook.com/noseoftralee/

Kate's page: https://www.facebook.com/PetSittersIreland/

Pictures for the competition: https://petbusinessowners.com/facebookcompetitions/

Transcript:

This is episode 112 of Bella in Your Business. The next series of episodes are from a previously recorded live event training series that Erica Goodwin and I did together. The following is a past recording, but the information is just as juicy. I hope you enjoy it.

Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready—Bella's got your chute. Let's jump.

Have you ever seen all these Facebook competitions and wondered if it's actually right for you? Have you seen other people be really good at them and thought, “That’s so not for me”? Well, today we're going to break that down and show you exactly how you can do it—with tried and tested proven results. I'm so excited to bring on my co-host today. You might notice she looks a little different and has a different accent because my normal co-host, Erica, up in Canada, is now spending time laying on the beach in Jamaica. But we have Kate McQuillan, one of my really great friends from Ireland, joining us.

Kate: Hi! I'm fantastic. It's not quite as warm here as it is there with you. A bit of rain today, but good, yeah, really good.

Bella: I'm so excited for you to help us on this show today and really just explode your zone of genius. I've watched you grow from a couple thousand followers on your Facebook page to more engagement than Walmart—rocking it with getting people from Facebook to your website and gaining media publicity because of your competitions. At first, I was a naysayer—I thought, “Kate, you're just special; it’s Ireland.” But I’ve seen you do it with so many pet sitters here in the States. I cannot wait to share that with everyone. So Kate, tell us a little bit about who you are, where you're located, and what you do.

Kate: As Bella said, I'm here in Ireland. I live in the southeast, about an hour south of Dublin. I have a pet sitting and dog walking business that operates nationwide here in Ireland. Two years ago, I started franchising it. It's a big business doing very well, and a lot of the publicity we've gotten has come from marketing, blogging, and Facebook. I also help other small pet sitting businesses—mainly in the US and UK—with their marketing so they can do similar things.

Bella: I love it! And you and I have known each other for years. We’ve met in person, hugged, laughed, and learned each other’s fun phrases like “quid” and “go for a Wanda.” I don't think I've laughed as much as I do with you. For those who don’t know me, I’m Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting—a pet business consultant, speaker, and author. I also have a mastermind group. Each show takes about $200 to produce, and we’re fortunate to bring these trainings to you for free for 12 weeks. Today’s show is sponsored by the Jump Mastermind and also Kate’s amazing Pet Business Owners Place.

Kate: Basically, I help other pet business owners with marketing and blogging—whatever helps them get more customers. I run blogging boot camps, a Facebook boot camp, and now an Instagram one, plus a membership site for one-on-one help.

Bella: I’m a firm believer in everything Kate does. Go check her out at petbusinessowners.com.

Kate: The Jump Mastermind is such a safe place to grow your business, be challenged, and learn from experts.

Bella: Without further ado, let’s get back to the problem we’re solving today—Facebook competitions. Put us in the right mindset so we’re set up for success.

Kate: The biggest thing to remember is that running a competition doesn’t mean you’ll get hundreds of new customers. It’s a brand-building exercise. It’s great if you’re new or want to grow—cheap, relatively speaking—but it won’t automatically bring 50 clients in a month. It’s about getting your name out there and creating awareness.

Bella: That’s such a good point. Marketing is about building. You don’t build a house with one hammer and nail—it takes many bricks.

Kate: Exactly. It’s harder and harder to get engagement on Facebook now. Gone are the days where you could just post quotes or blog links and expect results. Competitions are great because people love them, especially when they’re targeted toward your ideal customers. People are more likely to share or tag a friend in a competition than a blog post. It’s cheap, easy to run, and gets more engagement for less money.

Bella: I love that it’s a cheap way to build a loyal following.

Kate: Right, but make sure it’s relevant. Don’t give away an iPad—everyone will enter, but they won’t necessarily have pets or be your target audience. It’s better to have fewer targeted entries than thousands of random ones. Quality over quantity.

Bella: So true. What are some of the best types of competitions to run?

Kate: Most of the competitions I run don’t have prizes. That might surprise people. Competitions can simply invite participation—like “Caption this.” Post a funny pet picture and ask followers to caption it. Dublin Zoo does this really well with visitor photos. You don’t need to give a prize; just post the winning caption later. People love participating for fun and recognition.

Bella: That’s a great idea—and fun for mompreneurs too.

Kate: Exactly! The next one is “Spot the Difference.” I had a few made on Fiverr and ran them over a week, themed for “Walk Your Dog Week.” People got really competitive tagging friends. One tip—don’t make them too hard. Make it fun, not frustrating.

Bella: That’s brilliant.

Kate: Another fun one is “Guess the Breed.” Show a cropped image of a paw or tail and have people guess. Or “Guess the Location”—we’ve done that too. When we had ads on bins throughout Dublin, people had to guess where they were. They got really into it!

Bella: I love this. These contests are fun, not spammy.

Kate: Exactly. It doesn’t always have to be serious or involve tagging 60 friends. The key is to make it fun and engaging. One of my biggest ones is “Share a Picture of Your Pet....

It's difficult to start marketing for your business if you don't know who you're selling to. This is where buyer personas come in, a.k.a your "dream client." In this episode, Erika & I sit down to discuss all things buyer personas such as what they are, how to make them, and how you can use them for your business advantage!

Biggest Takeaways You Don't Want To Miss

 

What Are Buyer Personas?

Buyer personas are fictional, generalized representations of your ideal customers within your target audience. Think of it like a sketch of a key segment of your target audience. BUT, be sure to keep it realistic. Buyer personas can be used to help you understand your customers, prospects, and who you should be focusing your time on targeting. They can help you tailor content to fill the needs, behaviors, concerns, and triggers of different target audience groups.

How Do You Make A Buyer Persona?

First, you'll have to do some market research and gain insights from your current customer base. Start small. The number of personas you have should depend on the size of your business. Specific targeting allows you to target to get more out of your marketing efforts. You can do research, send out surveys, and interview your target audience. Remember to define from your client's perspective when creating buyer personas.

What Are Negative Personas?

Negative personas are fictional, generalized representations of individuals that you DON'T want as customers. This will help you "get over" people who don't fit so you can move on. They allow you to not beat yourself up when you pass on a potential client and when new clients try and bargain your rates. In other words, negative personas will save you time! Knowing the type of person you don't want as a customer is sometimes more important than knowing your customer.

How Can You Use A Persona?

Personas allow you to personalize and target your marketing to better relate to segments. For best results, use your buyer personas to create content for your prospective clients to hit them at different stops along their buyer's journey. For example, you won't want to use the same messaging to a persona who is in the awareness stage and another who is in the decision stage. Other things to try are:

Try segmenting your email marketing. Create campaigns targeted at different personas at each stage of the buyer's journey.

Make a newsletter for each persona.

Create Ads and create audiences on Facebook and boost the ads to the appropriate

Use negative personas to filter out those who are a bad fit to lower your clicks from ‘bad leads’

 

To Set Up Your Persona...

You'll need to give them a:

Name & Photo.

Background

"A Day In The Life" Story

Goals, Hopes, & Dreams

Challenges, Worries, & Fears

Digital/Online Habits

Biggest Influencers

How Your Company Can Help Your Persona

Common Objections

Real Quotes

Marketing Messaging & Elevator Pitch

Share The Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 111 of Bella in Your Business. The next series of episodes are from a previously recorded live event training series that Erica Goodwin and I did together. The following is a past recording, but the information is just as juicy. I hope you enjoy it.

Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready—Bella's got your chute. Let's jump.

Welcome to the Jump into Marketing Show. My name is Bella Vasta and I am here with Erica Goodwin. Today, we are going to talk to you all about buyer personas. They’re also called avatars—the one, two, or three types of people that you really want to attract in your business. So if you have ever sat at the computer and wondered what to write, what to put on your website, what to put in an advertisement, how to get the perfect kind of employee or client, or if you’re attracting the wrong people, we’re going to talk all about that today.

Erica, I’m so excited because at the end, you’re going to put people through a workshop where they get to leave this training knowing exactly how to do it. If you have your laptop, iPad, or a piece of paper, you can literally make a persona as we walk you through the process.

Erica: For those that don’t know, my name is Erica Godwin and I am a co-founder of ProPet Software, which is a kennel management software. I’m also the owner of Marketing Solutions, pet business websites.

Bella: I am Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. I’m a pet business coach who helps people from $200,000 to a million scale their business and really be able to walk away from it when they want. This show is also sponsored by my program, the Jump Mastermind. If you’re looking for accountability, motivation, and support, the Jump Mastermind is the place for you.

Erica: Today’s topic fits perfectly with that. We’re talking all about customer service, and you even have Joey Coleman coming to talk to your members.

Bella: Yes! He’s worked with NASA, Deloitte, and Touche, and even the White House. He’s one of the most amazing speakers, and he’s coming to our small group to talk one-on-one.

So Erica, let’s get straight into it. What the heck are buyer personas?

Erica: Think of a buyer persona as a fictional representation of who you want your ideal customer to be. When you’re successful enough that you only want specific people—not those who haggle or complain—you start identifying patterns among your favorite clients. Those are your personas. Creating these helps you understand your customers on a deeper level so your marketing speaks directly to them.

Bella: But what if I just want people who love their pets? Isn’t that enough?

Erica: Not really. “Loving pets” is too broad. They might love their pet but live outside your service area or not have disposable income. They might buy cheap products or say they love pets but not invest in their care. It’s too vague. You need to narrow it down.

Bella: So how do we actually make these personas?

Erica: Start with research. Talk to your customers. Learn their hobbies, interests, commutes, and online habits. Do surveys to find out demographics—age, location, income, lifestyle. You can use Google Forms or SurveyMonkey for that. And if you don’t want to cold-call, just send an email saying you’re improving your business and want more customers like them.

Bella: I’ve done that before! Sometimes I just call my favorite clients to thank them and ask, “What drew you to us? What keeps you coming back?” Open-ended questions work great.

Erica: Exactly. Those informal chats can give you gold. And you can use this for both positive and negative personas.

Bella: Negative personas?

Erica: Yes, people you don’t want to work with. Maybe they’re rude, late, or cost you more time than they’re worth. Negative personas help you identify red flags before onboarding clients that aren’t a good fit. For instance, at ProPet, if a potential customer is super low-tech, they might cost us more in setup and support than they pay us. That helps us make better business decisions.

Bella: That’s brilliant. Same thing with pet sitters—if you make your software and online scheduling process visible, the people who don’t want to use it will weed themselves out automatically. It saves time and money.

Erica: Exactly.

Bella: So how can we use these personas once we have them?

Erica: Most businesses have a few—maybe a young millennial couple with a dog, and maybe empty nesters in their 60s. They have different habits and communication preferences. You can tailor your messaging to each. For example, in Mailchimp, you can create segmented email lists so your messages connect better with each type.

Bella: Yes! Like in my email list—people who download the employee handbook are usually ready to hire, so I tag them differently from those just starting out. That’s segmentation.

Erica: Exactly. And Facebook gives you tons of insights too. You can see follower demographics, interests, and popular pages they like. That data shows who you’re actually attracting and helps you refine your audience.

Bella: So true. You can check your Facebook Page Insights or Ads Manager and see who’s following you—by gender, age, city, and even what other pages they like.

Erica: Once you’ve done that, it’s time to actually build your persona. Give them a name and a photo so your team can visualize them. Avoid naming them after someone you know—it makes you biased. Instead, use something like “Anxious Annie” or “Busy Ben.”

Bella: I love that. I’ve named mine after real people before, and it definitely made me biased.

Erica: Next, outline their background—job, age, family, income, spending habits, and location. Are they stressed or relaxed? Do they live in a city or rural area? What’s their demeanor like? The more you know, the better.

Bella: That’s amazing. I used to resist doing this because I didn’t want to limit myself, but you can actually have more than one—two or three tops.

Erica: Yes, not too many. And their career path matters too. If someone’s a young executive moving up the ranks, they’ll have growing needs—dog walking now, boarding later. Understanding their progression helps you grow with them.

Bella: Totally. In Scottsdale, many of my clients moved here for high-level jobs. They’d work long hours and need flexible, reliable pet care. That’s a lifestyle choice, and it’s part of their persona.

Erica: Exactly. You can even map out a “day in their life.” Do they wake up early, commute long distances, have kids, or work shifts? Understanding their daily routine helps you tailor your services and messaging.

Bella: That’s so good. For example,...

Facebook Groups are a powerful tool on social media that can serve a number of different purposes to help your pet sitting company. They can be an asset in finding new clients, networking with other local businesses, and becoming a driving force in your community. This week, Erika and I take a deep-dive into all things Facebook Groups to discuss how they can be used to grow your pet sitting company.

Biggest Takeaways You Don't Want To Miss

Before setting up any Facebook Group, we always want to consider the logistics of the group and how you plan on running/growing it. Think about what type of community you want to build and nurture. Is it "Pet Lovers of CITY," "Pet Mom's & Dad's of CITY," or something else? Give some thought to what the description of the group is. Why should people join? What are the rules? Do you allow advertising, pets for sales, and/or negative talk about other businesses?

Next, it's time to actually create the group. You'll need to click in the top right of your Facebook browser and select "Create Group." From there, simply enter in your group name, add group members, and then choose the privacy setting of the group. Be sure to pick an icon and upload a cover profile as well. Click "Create" and you are up and running!

How To Grow & Leverage Your Facebook Group

So now you have your Facebook group - but how do you grow the group? When you are just getting started, I would only invite people that you know personally until you get it built up. Get your grounding and feel comfortable. You should have this in no more than a week! You'll then want to start thinking about the types of people you want in your group. It might be easier to attract businesses who already have a great following on Facebook in your community, and then ask them to invite THEIR community.

How can you leverage the group? Use it as a conversation starter at networking meetings. You can also use it as a way to break the ice and connect with pivotal people in your city. It's also an opportunity to do Facebook Live videos where you interview people in your community on split screen. Lastly, it's also a place where you can post lead generations.

Do Your Research

An important step that you don't want to forget is to research who has large Facebook pages with good engagement in your community. The best way to do this is to type your city name into the search box on Facebook, click "Pages," and then click on "Groups." When you find a group you're interested in, click the page/group, and add the administrator as a Facebook friend. Try to get to know them personally whether it be through a phone call, email, or even over coffee. Share the intent of your group and ask if they would want to help by promoting your group or even becoming a moderator. In return, you might offer them a free plug of their business once a month.

There are a few things that you want to beware of when running your Facebook group. It is critical that you lead the group and check in at least once or twice a day. Always respond to everyone in the group, and feel free to find some other Moderators to help you. Try to plan content in advance and schedule it to post (I suggest a minimum of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). You may have to ban people that don't follow the rules or create drama. Be willing to be a leader and keep the group on track.

Share The Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 110 of Bella In Your Business. The next series of episodes are from a previously recorded live event training series that Erica Goodwin and I did together. The following is a past recording, but the information is just as juicy. I hope you enjoy it.

Welcome to Bella In Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready—Bella's got your chute. Let's jump.

Welcome everybody to the Jump into Marketing Show. Today we're going to be talking about what if there was a feature on Facebook that you actually could get more clients and get more employees. I'm sure you've heard about Facebook groups, but you're wondering, why do I need to have a Facebook group and what can that do for my business? Today, Erica and I are here to show you exactly how you can do that and highlight three pet sitters who have actually been very successful doing this.

My name is Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. I'm a pet business coach all around the world, and I help people expand their companies.

Erica: My name is Erica Godwin. I am the co-founder of ProPet Software, Kennel Management Software, and also the owner of Marketing Solutions, which is pet business websites.

Bella: That actually goes really well into who sponsors this show because you guys, whether you realize it or not, it takes at least $200 of Erica and I’s money to launch each one of these episodes for you. We are not charging you for them, but because of that, we do have to have sponsors and some incredible products that allow us to do that.

Erica: We now have four templates that you can choose from. We have different levels depending on your customization needs, and essentially we build and manage your website for you every month.

Bella: Starting in January, I launched the Jump Mastermind. It’s a small group of pet sitting professionals all over the world with goals, and they're achieving them and growing personally and professionally. Some have said they got more done in three weeks than they have all year. Many report that their businesses are up by over 50%. If you're ready to get out of the “I'll do it tomorrow” mode and actually say “I did it,” check out the Jump Mastermind at jumpconsulting.net/jump-mastermind.

Erica, I know you have a Facebook group or two or three now, right?

Erica: I do, because they work. I started my group back in 2012. I was one of the first to start one that said, “Own a pet sitting company with staff,” because before that, it was just all pet sitting groups. Groups are a great way to reach specific people that you want.

Bella: That’s amazing. Mark Zuckerberg actually directed product teams to focus on helping people find meaningful social interactions. Where do you actually have the most interactions on Facebook? Is it on a page or inside groups? For me, it’s groups. I follow companies, but I mostly engage inside their groups.

Now I want to tell you about three people who have used this successfully. One says she keeps a close eye on her group every day. If anyone asks something, she answers immediately—either with a blog related to their question or directly. She also does a search every day for “pet sitting,” “cat sitting,” or “dog walking” to make sure she doesn’t miss any posts. She has group rules that say if you’re promoting a business, you must be insured. That keeps out unqualified people.

Another sitter said that starting a local Facebook group was a game changer. She created a hub for all things pets in her area and positioned her company as the go-to for animal-related information. People ask her for recommendations now, and she’s built brand recognition—even among people who aren’t her clients.

The third sitter said she started a community group as a way to reach out in a fun, non-selling way. It built relationships and brand recognition among people who know others who need her services.

These are perfect examples of how to grow awareness without being salesy.

Erica: Exactly. It’s like the old days when people joined meetup.com groups for dog breeds or activities—this is the same, just virtual.

Bella: Before you start, you need to decide what type of community you want. Is it for your town? For example, I could do “Pet Lovers of Scottsdale” or “Scottsdale Families and Pets.” You could also have a general “Scottsdale Community Page sponsored by XYZ Pet Sitting Company.” It’s like launching a mini business—you need a plan and clear intentions.

Erica: You could even focus on a local dog park. In Ottawa, every dog park has its own group moderated by pet owners. They share advice and recommendations for services all the time.

Bella: I love that. When I used to take Rocco to the park, that’s the first thing I looked for—a Facebook group for that park. But if you want to include businesses and local partners, make sure your group name reflects that too.

You’ll also need to write a good description and decide on the rules. Will you allow posts about adoptions? Sales? Criticism of other businesses? Will you require that anyone promoting a service be insured? Write those clearly in the description so it’s consistent.

Erica: You also need time to moderate.

Bella: Absolutely. You should be active in your group every day, or have someone help you.

Jessica asked whether to create a group owned by your business page or personal account. You can link it to your business page, but it has to be owned by you. Cherry asked whether it should be closed or secret—I recommend “closed.” You want people to find it, but still control membership.

Now, how do you actually create a group? Go to Facebook, click the little downward arrow in the top right, select “Create Group,” name it, add members, choose “Closed,” click “Create,” and then set up your cover photo and icon. Choose “Community” as the category.

Once you have a group, how do you grow it? Don’t just add people randomly—it’s offensive. Add close contacts first, then invite local connectors. Partner with vets, groomers, or other businesses with active followings. Ask them to share it on their pages. That helps growth exponentially.

Erica: And make sure to engage those partners personally—call them, email them, offer to feature their posts or blogs in your gr

Are you hearing that Instagram is a great way to get more followers and customers but just confused as all heck on how to use it? Maybe you started using it but have no idea how you can convert your time and energy in the platform into tangible success? Do you just blindly post without a strategy and see little engagement from local pet owners? Is your follower based more other businesses instead of pet owners?

If any of these questions resonate with you, then you'll definitely want to tune in to this episode as Erika and I break down exactly how you can organically grow your following on Instagram for your pet sitting or dog walking business.

Biggest Takeaways You Don't Want to Miss:

How Do I Get More Instagram Followers?

The number one question that business owners ask is how do I get more followers? Before we can get into that, it's important that we make the distinction between relevant and irrelevant followers. It is much better to have just 250 followers of local pet owners following your account rather than 1,000 random accounts from around the world that will never use your service. Therefore, it's not the quantity of followers that is most important, but the quality!

How Do I Grow My Local Audience On Instagram?

First and foremost, you want to make sure you are using a business profile that is set up and optimized. This means using a professional username (tip: try to keep it as close to your URL as possible), linking your website, and using a high-quality logo as your profile photo.

Next, you want to start following local pet owners - like and comment on their photos! Although it will take time, eventually they will start to notice you and will remember you when they need your service. But, don't be annoying! You can also follow local hashtags that your prospective clients follow and search location tags in your area to look for pet owners. Search for nearby businesses, parks, etc. and follow/engage with their followers who are pet owners. Also be sure to see what your current clients post and the hashtags that they use.

Use this same technique by partnering with local businesses that share the same target audience. You can run contests that will help boost engagement!

 On your own profile, you have to put time and effort into consistent posting and be engaging. You can extend your reach with Instagram ads when you have a promotion.

Lastly, you can check out Instagram accounts for a local business that's a competitor. Try to study what they're posting and see what's working for them. It doesn't hurt to follow their ideas, but perhaps you can think of even better ideas. Brainstorm with your employees as well! Also, if your competitors have followers, they might be more likely to follow you back since they already like the same type of business.

What Hashtags Should I Use?

First, you'll need to find the hashtags that your clients are following so you can appear in their feed when they are browsing. Leverage these local hashtags and ask engaging questions!

You can use the notepad on your phone to save a few groups of hashtags to copy and paste into the comments section easily.

Once you're following a good amount of Instagram users in your area, be sure to like their photos! Continue to like their photos and comment. Eventually, the local Instagram users you follow will follow you back and interact with you. It does take time and you need to be persistent. But don't act desperate or pushy!

 

Should I Buy Followers Or Use An Engagement Bot?

Absolutely, NOT! Scheduling software is okay but never, ever, ever buy followers or use an engagement bot that auto-likes or auto-comments.

 

How Can I Get People To Actually Contact Me On Instagram?

The number one way is to publish relevant, interesting content that affects prospective clients emotionally. You don't want to sell and you don't want to overpost either. Avoid unthoughtful comments that might be mistaken for a bot.

Engage with local pet owners. Be human and be genuine! Interact and respond to comments, messages etc.

Lastly, create a pattern and use Instagram stories!

How Can We Use Instagram Stories To Generate Leads?

Show your business! Have your staff record videos of playing with pets, walking dogs etc. Show off what makes you AWESOME!

Be sure to touch on pain points your are solving (think trust and security).

Make people want to care about what you are saying by sharing valuable information. Show people you are trustworthy, reliable, and knowledgeable!

Resources & Links

Agora Pulse

Wave.video

Visual Content Marketing Strategy

Share The Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 109 of Bella in Your Business. The next series of episodes are from a previously recorded live event training series that Erica Goodwin and I did together. The following is a past recording, but the information is just as juicy. I hope you enjoy it.

Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready—Bella's got your chute. Let's jump.

Hi everybody. Have you guys ever been wondering about all this Instagram stuff going on? Everyone talks about Instagram and how it's the second largest, most popular social media tool, but you have no idea how to use it, or you just post a picture of a cute dog and think, what is this even for? What am I doing? Today we’re going to help you with everything you need to know about how to organically grow your Instagram following locally so you can grow your business.

My name is Bella Vasta, and I am the owner of Jump Consulting, and my co-host here—I'll let her introduce herself.

Erica: My name is Erica Godwin, and I am the co-founder of ProPet Software and the owner of Barketing Solutions.

Bella: Incredible. And so today, Erica, I am so excited to actually have you teach us all about Instagram, myself included, because what our audience might not know is that the reason why we connected is because you were killing it on Instagram. I love what you’re doing and the engagement you get. It’s not just likes—you actually get people to talk to you. I think it’s incredible. So I want to dive deep with you today and have you teach all of us everything we need to know.

Before we get into it, I want to remind our audience that these shows take a ton of work, time, and money to put out, whether you realize it or not. We have teams helping us launch the show notes and the bots and everything, and the only way we can do that is because of our sponsors, which happen to be two of our products.

Erica: Barketing Solutions websites are templated websites. We actually just relaunched our products to have different levels so you can choose from a template website, and if you want more customizations, we have higher levels where you can get that. We also take care of your monthly maintenance, support, and updates with premium plugins added as we grow.

Bella: You can check that out—it’s incredible. I also have the Jump Mastermind, where pet sitters are really changing their business and personal lives by getting accountability, goal tracking, and learning from experts. If you’re a business that needs a kick in the butt and accountability, check out the Jump Consulting Mastermind Group.

So without further ado, let’s get into this. Erica, break it down for me—what’s really important on Instagram? Everyone’s trying to get 10,000 followers so they can use the swipe-up feature, but what’s the difference between that and relevant followers?

Erica: I’d love to have 10,000 followers for the swipe-up, but I’m not going to buy followers—it’s a waste of money and hurts your brand. I see pet accounts that are brand new and suddenly have 2,000 followers but only get five likes per photo. If that’s you, get rid of your fake followers. It’s only hurting you.

Bella: So it’s just like Facebook then—it doesn’t matter how many people like your page, it’s about the algorithm and engagement, right?

Erica: Exactly. You should be getting people engaging with your content. It’s not about who follows you—it’s better to have 50 engaged followers than 2,000 who don’t even know you exist. Engagement is key.

Bella: That makes total sense. So how do we actually grow that local audience? Is there a difference between my personal profile and a business profile?

Erica: Yes. Once Instagram was purchased by Facebook, they introduced business profiles. If you’re not using one, switch now. It gives you insights (analytics), lets you add contact buttons, and connect to Facebook. The insights show which content performs best so you can adjust your strategy.

Bella: But some people say switching to a business profile hurts your visibility. What do you think?

Erica: I’ve never had issues. It’s all about content, not the type of account. If you’re posting random dog photos without a story, people won’t engage, regardless of account type.

Bella: Earlier, you mentioned following and engaging with people to build top-of-mind awareness. Isn’t that a little stalker-ish?

Erica: Kind of—but in a good way. Both my companies started from this strategy. It’s non-creepy stalking. Find people who might be interested in your services. Use geotags like dog parks in your area. For example, here in Ottawa, there’s Bruce Pit and Conroy Pit. Everyone posts dog photos there. Those are potential clients! Follow them, like their photos, and leave genuine comments—not bot-like ones.

Bella: That’s incredible.

Erica: Don’t do it once and stop. Keep engaging consistently. Also, go through your feed and interact with your followers—you’ll stay visible and

For most of us, Facebook is one of (if not THE) #1 social media websites that we use in our business. It's such a useful tool for so many things including getting our businesses out there, finding new clients, and even finding new staff. Plus, it's a great way to network with other local businesses in your community to establish those critical relationships. In this week's podcast, I sit down with Erika to discuss 8 things you MUST do well on your business's Facebook page in order to grow your business.

Biggest Takeaways You Don't Want To Miss:

Facebook is ever-changing, but there are a few aspects of the website that will always stay the same. Facebook will always be focused on community and interaction. Understand that Facebook is meant for people who already know and are following your business - it's not really designed for first-time visitors. Don't forget that Facebook is "borrowed land" - in other words, you need your own website as well!

 

 

One of the biggest questions pet business owners ask me is "how do I start more conversations on my Facebook page?" Or, "how do I get more people on my Facebook page?" First and foremost, respond to everyone! You wouldn't like it if you started a conversation with someone and they didn't answer, so don't do it to your Facebook page visitors. Next, invite people to like your page. There are loads of potential people that you could be inviting to like your page.

 

Aside from our businesses Facebook page, there is another way that you can get more eyes on your brand and content. The best way to do this is to join Facebook groups in your area. Mom groups are especially powerful for pet businesses. Some ideas of useful content to post might be:

School bus etiquette for the dog

What to do when the dog loses his playmate for school

School vacations

Kid & dog-friendly restaurants

 

 

 

The biggest mistake business owners make on their Facebook page is not using enough pictures! You absolutely must add a picture to everything you post on your page. Social Media Examiner reports that 74% of social media marketers use visual assets in their social media marketing, ahead of blogs (68%) and videos (60%). BrainRules.net states that "When people here information, they're likely to remember only 10% of that information three days later. However, if a relevant image is paired with that same information, people retain 65% of the information three days later." A final statistics show that "People following directions with text and illustrations do 323% better than people following directions without illustrations."

Resources & Links

Adobe Spark

iMovie

Wave.video

Visual Content Marketing Statistics

Share The Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 108 of Bella In Your Business. The next series of episodes are from a previously recorded live event training series that Erica Goodwin and I did together. The following is a past recording, but the information is just as juicy. I hope you enjoy it.

Welcome to Bella In Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready—Bella’s got your chute. Let’s jump.

This is the Jump Marketing Training. We're your hosts, Erica Goodwin from Marketing Blog and Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. Erica is the co-founder of ProPet Software, a kennel management software and pet industry marketing and website professional.

Erica: ProPet Software. I know it happens all the time, but it’s okay.

Bella: So say it one more time—ProPet Software, not PetPro. Panel management software. And Bella over here is a Pet Business Consultant, speaker, and author, and she’s been helping pet businesses since 2007.

Erica: You should see some of the companies she’s worked with—it’s pretty awesome.

Bella: Thank you. You guys, typically this training that we’re doing, I mean, Erica and I would probably charge at least a hundred dollars an hour to do this, but it’s actually all coming to you completely free because it’s sponsored by both of our companies. It takes over $200 an episode to produce the show, which sounds crazy, but just trust me when I say that.

So I want to thank the fact that we both have these successful businesses providing these awesome services to people. Erica, why don’t you tell them about yours?

Erica: Marketing Solutions is my newer company. It’s basically websites for pet businesses. We offer templates at an affordable cost, and then we offer maintenance support on an ongoing monthly fee.

Bella: Incredible. Erica also offers a ton of support to her clients, which is one of the ways I got connected with her because my Better Marketing with Bella clients were having her post the blogs that I was giving them. With Better Marketing with Bella, you get Facebook cover videos, square videos, blog posts, emails, branded graphics, coaching calls, and professional editorial photos every single month.

This program goes for six months at a time, and you can go to jumpconsulting.net/marketing. For those just joining us, we’re going to talk about the eight things you must be doing well on Facebook to grow your business.

You guys might have all heard about this “Facebook apocalypse” that’s been happening and all the algorithm changes. What do we, as pet business owners, need to know? Should we be worried?

Erica: Here’s the thing—be calm and Facebook on.

Bella: There are two major things Facebook is never going to change—community and interaction. They want you to be building community and for people to be engaging. If you can make those two things happen, you’re golden.

Erica: I love that.

Bella: When I gave this in Pasadena, people were overwhelmed, but I want you to think of one thing you can walk away with today and actually implement. Then once you get that one done, move on to the others.

So, number one: respond to everyone. Erica, how are you today?

Erica: I’m good. How are you?

Bella: Someone behind you there? What are you doing, ignoring me? I totally just ignored you because that’s what people do online all the time. People ask questions and maybe if they’re good, they’ll hit “like,” but they never engage. What I mean by engage is not just press “like” but comment with a question—get that conversation going.

Erica: I’ve been noticing people using commenting bots, and you can tell when it’s not natural. Facebook and Instagram know that too, so you probably get punished.

Bella: Exactly. You don’t have to be glued to it all day. If you just sit down for five minutes a day and actually reply, it’ll make a difference.

Number two: invite people to like your page.

Erica: Most people don’t realize that if someone likes your photo or post but hasn’t liked your page, you can invite them right there.

Bella: If you’re trying to get likes on your page, don’t go into Facebook groups and ask other pet sitters to like your page. That’ll tank your engagement because they won’t comment daily. Instead, invite people who have already liked your posts.

Number three: join groups in your area.

Erica: There are groups for every dog park, and they’re always asking for sitters or groomers.

Bella: Yes! And some sitters like Maureen and Katie even created their own city pet groups. They made them about the whole community—not just themselves—and built trust.

If you’re not ready to start your own group, at least get involved in others. You can even connect with the admins, offer to guest blog, or provide helpful resources.

Erica: People buy from those they like and trust.

Bella: Exactly.

Anna asked if you can join these groups under your business page. No—you need to use your personal account. You can post as your business in your own group, but people want to interact with you, not a logo.

Jay said he has a Cat Lovers group that works great for him—awesome example.

Now, what’s the one thing people neglect when they post on Facebook? Add a picture!

Here’s the hierarchy of Facebook: video is number one, then pictures, then text.

Erica: Posting blog links has dropped in visibility. I now post a photo with the link in the caption—it performs way better.

Bella: Exactly. Facebook doesn’t want you dragging people back to your blog anymore. Use video.

Erica: Upload directly to Facebook, not YouTube links.

Bella: And video cover profiles are another game changer—they make you stand out. I created mine in 15 minutes using Wave.video, splicing together stock clips. You can use Adobe Spark, Wave.video, or iMovie.

Erica: It’s a great way to show behind-the-scenes of your business and make a strong first impression.

Bella: Exactly.

Next, let’s talk about bots. Bots can be super helpful—even a simple autoresponder that says, “Hey, our hands are full, but for a quicker response, email us.” Or, you can set up an interactive bot campaign offering free PDFs like “10 Best Dog Hiking Trails in Our City.” Bots have a 70–80% open rate—crazy good!

Erica: And they feel more personal than emails because they appear like a message.

Bella: Exactly.

Now, reviews. Don’t be afraid to ask for them. If a client messages you saying, “You’re amazing,” reply, “Thank you so much! Would you mind copying that into our Facebook or Google reviews?”

Erica: We include that in thank-you emails too—it works. And Google reviews also help with SEO.

Bella: You can also screenshot messages and post them as authentic testimonials on your page—people love reading them.

Now, creating videos. You don’t have to be on camera. You can use Facebook or Instagram stories, or fun ideas like “Guess what time this dog will poop” to win a free walk....

This week, Erika Godwin and I sat down to discuss all things relating to your website! I like to say that this is your 24/7 business card, so it is important that it's always in tip-top shape. Today we'll talk about site design, how to tell if your website needs an upgrade, why you should upgrade, how to upgrade, and more!

Biggest Takeaways You Don't Want to Miss:

Does My Website Need An Upgrade?

There are quite a few tell-tale signs to figure out if your website needs an upgrade. Take a look at your website and then ask yourself the following questions:

Is my website unresponsive? Is it mobile-friendly?

Has my website been updated within the last few years? Does it look dated and old?

Am I using low-quality photos?

Do I use old SEO techniques (being sales-y vs. informative)?

Does it have a frustrating user experience and is it difficult to navigate?

Am I using out-of-date information and plugins (i.e. contact info, staff members, prices, services, etc.)?

Do I use a free template?

Am I doing ongoing daily/weekly monitoring and maintenance?

 

Why Should I Update My Website If I Have Enough Clients?

At this point, you may have determined that your website needs an upgrade. Let's talk about why you should update your website, EVEN IF you have enough clients currently. One of the reasons is that you'll want to make a good first impression when a potential customer lands on your website. A good first impression can lead to increased conversions from organic and paid search traffic. Plus, you'll want to keep current with the constantly changing search algorithms to make sure your website comes up on the first page of Google. From a security side, an up to date website ensures your customer's data is kept securely AND ensures that your website itself is protected. Last but not least, a great website can really help you stand out from your competition!

 

How Can I Update My Website?

When you're ready to refresh your website, there are a couple of key things you can do to get the ball rolling. The first thing is to make sure that all of your content is current. This means removing old employee data and updating them with your most current employee biographies and photos. Next, you'll want to replace any low-resolution photos with web-optimized high-quality images. Be sure that your phone number, hours of operation, policies, prices, email addresses, etc. are all current as well.

 

Why Do I Need Frequent Website Monitoring?

So now that you learned why you should update your website and how you can do so, let's discuss why you need frequent website monitoring. The biggest reason first and foremost is security. You don't want to leave your website prone to virus, vulnerabilities, and threats. Frequent website monitoring also allows your website to undergo routine maintenance, as well as staying up to date on your tracking, analytics, and optimization of your content for SEO! But you shouldn't do all of this yourself as a busy business owner. Hiring someone to manage your site monthly prevents your website from becoming a one-time purchase that gets ignored. If you're not technical, hiring someone also gives you one less thing to worry about!

 

Share The Show

Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review!

Click this link – Bella In Your Business

Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork

Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section

Click on ‘Write a Review’

Transcript:

This is episode 107 of Bella In Your Business. The next series of episodes are from a previously recorded live event training series that Erica Goodwin and I did together. The following is a past recording, but the information is just as juicy. I hope you enjoy it.

Welcome to Bella In Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready—Bella's got your chute. Let's jump.

Welcome to the Jump into Marketing Training with your hosts, Erica Goodwin from the Marketing Blog and me from Jump Consulting. Erica is the co-founder of Pet Pro Software, a kennel management software in the pet industry and a website professional. And Bella is a pet business consultant, speaker, and author who has been helping pet businesses since 2007. Each week, we'll take turns going over the airwaves, downloading the biggest secrets to grow your pet business.

Today, we are going to tell you about the importance of design usability and frequent monitoring of your pet website. On Instagram, I want to say what's up to A Dog’s Life, Yanny, Midwood Pet Sitting, Debbie, and Happy Tales Pet Sitting. On Facebook, I want to say what's up to Asha, Rose, Chloe, Darcy, Sarah, Jennifer, Danielle, and Cheryl. Remember, this is also an interactive show, so go ahead and ask your questions. If we can get to them on air, we will. If we can’t, we’ll answer you personally when the show is over.

This show is sponsored by Marketing Solutions Website and by Better Marketing with Bella.

Erica: Marketing Solutions basically builds templates for pet sitters, dog walkers, and pet businesses. They’re not generic templates—they’re built specifically for the pet industry. You can purchase a template, send us your branding and content, and we customize it for you. We also offer web hosting, maintenance, and support services so you don’t have to worry about your website anymore.

Bella: Every single one of my Better Marketing with Bella clients that have gotten her website has sent me a thank-you note for turning them on to Erica. So it’s definitely worth checking out. Go to marketing.co to find out more.

The other sponsor is my program, Better Marketing with Bella. What is it? Fifteen lucky pet sitters every month get a video Facebook cover, two square videos, two unique blog posts, two emails, four to six branded graphics, two coaching calls, and four group Zoom coaching calls. You also get professional editorial photos every month. The only way to get in is to apply at jumpconsulting.net/bella-marketing.

Now that we got that out of the way, let’s get into it. The reason why we’re all here—Erica, you are so knowledgeable about websites. How do we even know if our website needs an upgrade?

Erica: There are tons of reasons. A lot of our clients’ websites were out of date or not secure. Some had completely separate mobile and desktop sites that weren’t even linked. Others had outdated information. That’s when I realized there was a void in the industry. One of the biggest signs your site needs an update is if it’s not responsive.

If you grab the side of your browser and make it smaller, and the website doesn’t adjust, it’s not responsive. Google has moved to mobile-first indexing, so if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, it will be penalized.

Bella: Can you explain the difference between “mobile” and “responsive”?

Erica: Responsive means your website adjusts automatically to different screen sizes—like iPads, phones, or monitors—using code. A separate “mobile” version is a completely different website, which can cause indexing problems. Responsive websites keep the same design and functionality across all devices.

Bella: Got it. What about those who say, “My website’s fine. I don’t need an upgrade”?

Erica: That’s like walking into a store that hasn’t been updated in ten years—it doesn’t inspire confidence. Even if you’re not trying to get new customers, an outdated site can cause issues like wrong pricing or poor security. Also, if you ever want to sell your business, a strong online presence increases its value.

Bella: That makes sense. So what can we do to refresh our website?

Erica: Start with security. Get an SSL certificate to make sure your site is encrypted. If your site isn’t secure, hackers can intercept client info submitted through forms. SSL scrambles the data so it’s unreadable if intercepted.

Bella: That’s great advice. Okay, let’s talk about frequent website monitoring.

I had a bad experience once—my website was hacked to sell Viagra because I kept updating plugins without knowing what I was doing. It broke something and made my site vulnerable. So now I always have someone who manages it for me.

Erica: Exactly. Think of your website like a car—it needs regular maintenance. You have to update plugins, monitor for security threats, and keep backups. Updates fix vulnerabilities, and ignoring them can lead to hacks. You also need someone to monitor your keywords and traffic, so you can adjust your SEO strategy.

Bella: So having someone manage your site is like having a moat around your castle—they keep it safe.

Erica: Right. Plus, it saves time. If an employee leaves, you can just email your web person to remove them. They can also post blogs, check analytics, and update your contact info.

Bella: That’s a big help, especially for pet sitters who don’t have time to mess with tech stuff.

Erica: Exactly. You should also check your website every few weeks to make sure info, emails, and images are current. Pixelated or stretched photos look unprofessional—replace them with high-quality ones. And please, if your photo is on your site, take off your sunglasses!

Bella: Yes! We’re selling trust and connection, not hiding behind shades.

Erica: Also, check for grammar and spelling errors. They make your business look careless. Broken links are another red flag—fix or remove them. If your website was built years ago, make sure you’re not using outdated SEO tactics like keyword stuffing, which Google penalizes now.

Bella: Great point. What about usability?

Erica: The biggest thing is user experience. Make sure visitors can find what they’re looking for without clicking through endless menus. Have one clear call-to-action on your homepage—like “Book Now” or “Request a Consultation.” Keep your layout simple, use plenty of white space, and write scannable content....