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As a fellow pet business owner, I know exactly what your day looks like. You’re amazing at what you do — whether that’s making pups look fabulous or visiting sweet little kitties while their humans are away. But getting your clients to actually write those glowing reviews? Sometimes that just feels a little above our pay grade.
After running my pet business for 10 years and helping countless others with their marketing, I’ve learned a thing or two about getting those precious five stars. And no, it doesn’t involve bribing clients with treats (which can get you into more than just mildly warm bath water, more on that later).
The thing is, every pet business starts out at the same place. When I started my pet sitting business, I had exactly zero reviews. My mum offered to write one, but even I knew that was pushing it.
The truth is, pet parents are just like me and you — they just want proof their dear friends will be in good hands. If you’re anything like me, the first thing you’re going to do for something so incredibly important as the care of your dear ones, is to find out what others have to say about the care they provided.
Here are just a few of the benefits good reviews can have on your business:
According to Harvard Business School professor Gerald Zaltman, 95% of our purchase decisions take place unconsciously. Due to the strong emotional connection people have to their pets, I would say that figure is even higher in the pet care industry. Reviews provide the social proof that help people get really excited about working with you, and is one of the more influential steps in your overall onboarding process.
First things first — you need to get your Google Business Profile sorted. Yes, I know. Add that to the already overflowing to-do list. Check out my GMB game plan here to make your life a bit easier when it comes to creating a highly optimised profile.
Google My Business is by far the most important place to build your reviews. This is because reviews are a ranking factor for Google, and if you play your cards right, you may end up in that coveted top three spot. I give a bunch of other tips in the article mentioned above to ensure you’re best set up to have that happen for your business.
Make sure you’re also on Facebook too, so you can be recommended there. Although not as important, it can’t hurt to be in both places. I know, social media can be a time suck. Just visiting can lead you down the rabbit hole, and not the kind my adventure dogs like. Also, as an introvert, the idea of sharing my life online makes me want to crawl under my desk and stay there.
But here’s the thing. Every time I wrench myself out of my comfort zone and actually post regularly, I end up fielding a flood of enquiries. So, even if you’re like me and would rather cuddle cats than create captions, you can’t ignore those results.
I’ve seen it all. Free nail trims, discount codes, “special VIP status,” and even free shipping in exchange for five star reviews. Yes, it’s totally possibly to bribe clients to leave reviews. But is it ethical? Not on my watch.
Here’s the thing — besides being against Google’s rules and running the risk of a $50,000 fine from the FTC, it’s just not a great look for your pet business.
Picture this: You’re looking for someone to watch your beloved senior cat who needs daily medication. You read a glowing review about how amazing this pet sitter is with special needs cats. Later, you get an email asking for a review in return for a free visit. You realise they only wrote that review to get their booking for free. Feels just a little bit icky, right?
I had a client tell me recently how she felt cheated after discovering her favourite local raw pet food store had been offering 25% off for reviews. She showed up and there was a giant sign on the counter offering a discount if they placed a review then and there. “I drove an extra 20 minutes to that store because of those reviews,” she said. “Now I don’t know if they’re actually good or if people just wanted the discount.”
I don’t know about you, but I feel like a genuine review from someone who truly values your service is worth way more than a five-star review written to score a discount. (Plus, you get to keep your Google Business Profile, which is always a bonus).
Let’s talk about the nasty business of negative reviews. They happen. And I’ve seen them for things so incredibly unfair. Like people not answering the phone, or responding to emails in a timely manner (we’re out caring for pets, people!!).
Here’s how I handle reviews:
Your reviews are like little marketing goldmines. I use mine everywhere:
Here’s my secret weapon: a simple business sized review card with a QR code. I started out offering this as a reputation management service for local businesses, and it worked for clients like a charm. I’ve used it in my own businesses since then.
I hand these cards out right after a service when the client is happiest. For my dog walking clients, it’s when their pup is tired and happy. For grooming clients for example, it would be when they’re admiring their freshly beautified friend.
Another thing I do that works really well (and timing is crucial in this instance too), is having a signature line in your client software when they receive messages from you after a service. As my business is dog adventures and pet sitting, I use Doggylogs and Time to Pet. When clients receive a bunch of photos from you in via the software, they are more likely to post a review when they’re full of the good feelings they get after seeing pictures of their precious pets having fun.
Q: How many reviews should I have?
A: More than your competition (I’m kidding — aim for at least 10 to start)
Q: When’s the best time to ask?
A: Right after you’ve made their pet happy (not when they’re paying the bill)
Q: Can I give people treats for reviews?
A: Nope – that’s against the rules. Save the treats for the dogs.
Ready to get those reviews rolling in? Here’s what you need to do today:
Remember, getting reviews is like training a puppy — it takes patience, consistency, and lots of positive reinforcement. And just like that puppy will eventually learn to sit, your clients will learn to leave reviews.
Need help with your pet business marketing? I’ve got heaps of tips and templates here at Pet Biz Studio. And yes, I’d love a review if you find them helpful (see what I did there?).
Hello! My name is Lesley, and I am the founder of Pet Biz Studio. It’s nice to virtually meet you!
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