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Groomers for Hire – What to Look For in Job Candidates

Hiring pet bathers, groomers and stylists is one of the most challenging responsibilities a pet salon owner must face. But rest assured you’ll eventually find them. Even if you are desperate, don’t hire just anybody. In the long run — it will hurt you way more than it will help you. Trust me on that one!

Even though they are difficult to locate – they can be found. Ideally, you would be looking for someone experienced in dogs – and better yet – grooming dogs. All shapes and sizes.

But that’s just the starting point. You’re also looking for someone who is reliable, punctual, compassionate, honest, and a team player. Ideally you are looking for someone who enjoys both people and pets. Plus, they have to have a personality that will help your salon attract more clients.

With a very specific job market that has few candidates, it makes the hunt even more difficult. It would be wonderful if you had an entire file of resumes of experienced groomers to choose from. However, in our field, it just doesn’t happen very often. Most likely you’re going to fill the position with someone who will need training. You will need to teach them and mold them into your ideal employee.

So what do you look for? Here are four things I look for when seeking a new pet grooming enthusiast to join the team.

#1. Compassion & Passion – No matter how talented a person may be, without compassion and passion, they she won’t be much of an asset for your salon. Look for someone who can easily identify with your business goals and its mission.

#2. Commitment – Seek out a pet enthusiast who is eager to learn more about the grooming industry. Do you see the potential in that person to be dedicated and committed to his job? This is a field where learning can be never ending. Are they receptive to increasing their skill level?

#3. Problem Solver – All businesses face problems every day. Your grooming salon is definitely not an exception. Hire someone who can be relied on to analyze, address and solve problems effectively.

#4. Professionalism – Do they present an image of professionalism in their personal appearance, their mannerisms and their speech?

Here are a few items that always impressed me when I’m interviewing prospective groomers.

They are punctual. They show up five minutes prior to the interview.

They present a well pulled together look. It doesn’t need to be fancy but it does need to be well thought out.

They smile and shake my hand firmly as we introduce ourselves.

They supply a full resume of their experience including references.

They have brought a photo portfolio of their work. Is it well presented?

If they’re a recent graduate, they supply copies of their certificate, report card, and attendance records from grooming school.

They have a proven track record of applying themselves.

They are prepared to discuss their abilities and goals at the interview instead of just reciting it from the resume.

In most cases you’ll have to do a three-step process when interviewing candidates. If a candidate does not meet your expectations at any point during the interview process, do not move on to the next step.

The first step is generally a telephone interview focusing on basic topics about the person.
The next phase would include a personal in-depth interview.
The final phase would be a practical demonstration of basic skills including; handling, prepping, bathing, drying, and executing a simple haircut on a small to medium-sized dog.

Hiring is never easy. It takes time and effort to find the right candidate for your team.

As you’re going through the hiring process always remember this. Here is most important element to look for when hiring. Look for someone who is compassionate and passionate. No matter how talented a person may be, without compassion and passion, he or she will not be much of an asset to your grooming business.

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

Updating Logos

How many of you have been in business for more than 10 years? How about 20? When is the last time you took a good hard look at your company’s logo? Is it out of date? Tired? Could it use an update? Logos can become dated just like fashion trends or hairstyles. Sometimes you just need to go through your closet and clean house….

My logos were certainly dated. I was guilty of every one of those questions for my educational companies. I have four companies that fall under that heading.

The Paragon School of Pet Grooming
Melissa Verplank.com
White Dog Enterprises
Learn2GroomDogs.com

Not only were my logos dated, but I had an identity crisis as well. Whenever we would register for a trade show booth, I never knew who we were. When we filled out the paperwork for trade shows, the show promoter would always ask. “What company was the booth going to be registered as?” I was always a stumbling block for me… “What company do I choose?” Out of the four educational companies, there is no right or wrong answer but I had to choose one.

On a personal level, I’m very much a creature of habit. I don’t like change. (My husband is rolling his eyes with this one and nodding his head in agreement!) When it was suggested that I hire an outside party to help us re-brand the companies, I was less than enthusiastic. However, I knew it was a necessary process. It was time.

When our graphic designer asked me, “When was the last time I had updated one of the logos, I sheepishly hung my head?” The Paragon School of Pet Grooming logo had not been changed in over 23 years! The White Dog Enterprises logo was over 10 years old and never had a facelift. L2GD was still relatively new but the logo itself was very busy. And Melissa Verplank.com never had a logo.

A nutshell, here are eight key items that you need to think about whether you’re creating a new logo or revising old one.

Is it easy to identify
Is the font style easy to read
Is the design balanced
What order of the design is your eye drawn to 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd
How is the logo going to be utilized
Is the design versatile for multiple applications
What is the color palette
Does it convey in an instant what you represent

Julie, our graphic designer, did a great job leading us through the process — at times it was far from easy! We’ve never worked with her before. She had to gather quite a bit of information before the process was complete. The more information she was able to gather, the closer she got to creating fresh logos that truly represented each company.

To compound our identity issue, Julie had to come up with multiple logo designs that all worked in harmony with one another — or they could stand on their own solo. Not an easy feat.

At the Atlanta Pet Fair 2014, we will be at the show with our new identity — and a new booth! As difficult as the process was, I’m really pleased with the outcome. If you’re at APF, please stop by the booth and check our new look.

Here are samples of the before and after logos. We think Julie hit the nail on the head. The revised logos don’t lose the essence of what they were in the past. Yet they are fresh and bold. And they all play nicely in one sandbox together! Bonus!! What do you think?

Happy Trimming!

~ Melissa

Melissa’s Top 4 Tips for Getting Through Your Holidays with Ease

flower If you live in the United States, you have just gone through the first phase of the grooming marathon for the holiday season: Thanksgiving.

How did it go? Smooth as silk? Or would you like to make improvements as you move into Phase 2 – Christmas and Hanukkah?

Most of us are involved with the pet industry are here because the passion. We simply love working with the pets. However, even the most passionate groomer can feel the pressures of the holidays.

If you are one of those professionals who felt the pressures of the Thanksgiving crunch, take heart. It’s time to review what you did right and focus on the areas that could use some improvement. For many of us, that’s time management in the grooming salon.

Here are My Top 4 Tips for Getting Through Your Day with Ease

Mental Control

Stay focused. Pay close attention to what you are doing at all times. You’re working with live animals and sharp instruments. Chatter between your coworkers and pets breaks your focus. You lose time and you make mistakes when you don’t stay focused on the pet.

Always practice the three C’s; stay calm, stay cool, and stay collected. When you’re working with a pet, you want to be friendly but aloof. You want to correct any undesirable action before it becomes a major problem. Frustration and anger have no place in a professional salon setting. If you feel yourself getting frustrated, take a break. Breathe. Step back to the grooming table when you have regained your composure.

Work methodically with all pets. Don’t get flustered. Set an even and steady pace when it comes to handling, bathing, drying, brushing, clipping, and scissoring. Set time goals for every step of the grooming process and strive to achieve them.

Invest in Yourself and Your Equipment

What is the condition of your equipment? Are you working with top-quality equipment?

It’s amazing how much time you can save when your equipment is in top condition. Or when you splurge on that new pair of blenders that cut like butter. Or you have a high velocity dryer that has plenty of punch. Oh, and when all of your shears and blades have sharp edges on them, right? There’s nothing more frustrating than working with dull and ineffective equipment when crunch time is on. And right now you’re in crunch time.

Organization in the Salon

Do you have a smooth process for client check-in and checkout? If you’re computerized, is it easy to pull up client records in a flash? If you’re still working with a card file, are all the records pulled for the pets that are scheduled for that day?

Most stylists in a salon setting find working a minimum of three or four-hour blocks of time can be highly advantageous to time management. The more you stop to check in or check out clients, the more you lose your focus on the pet that is on the table. By working in blocks of time, you can check multiple pets in and out in tight time windows.

Do you have a method to track all the collars and leads that accompany the pets? This is no time to be looking for that lost collar or lead! Do you have a bright assortment of pre-made bows? Do you have festive bandannas cut and ready to go on the dog?

Mental & Nutritional Stamina

When the rush is on, you need to be at your peak — mentally, physically, and nutritionally.

You’re not going to be at your peak if you’re not getting enough sleep. I know, I know – with all the demands between work, family, and holiday festivities, slumber can be hard to come by. Normally, a professional groomer is so physically exhausted that when your head does hit the pillow — sleep comes easily. Just make sure you’re getting enough hours each night so you can perform at high levels the next day.

With the holidays upon us, most salons find themselves overrun with holiday treats from their clients. Be careful with this one. Personally, I learned the hard way you are not going to feel your best if you consume those goodies all day long!

I learned in my early 20’s to pack healthy food options to keep me nourished all day long. I was mobile, so in between every client my reward was to eat. If I had healthy options at my fingertips, it was easy to keep my energy level in high gear. In a salon setting, this might be a little bit more challenging. Still, eating healthy on a regular basis is the best way to keep you both mentally and physically fit.

Pack a nutritional lunch plus snacks. Or do a potluck with your staff. We’ve done this for years at the Paragon School of Pet Grooming with great success. The rule is: healthy, quick food options, only. No sweets. No desserts. Our clients do a great job with that. The potluck is set up so everybody can grab a bite in between dogs quickly and easily.

If you’re not a cook – have a stack of local takeout menus available. If they deliver – BONUS!

The holidays are a great time to really test your skills. You’ll find out quickly just how successful you are. If you have a full book and are struggling to fit just one more pet into each day, you know you have arrived. Be thankful for creating a service that your customers desire. If you take care of them well — they’ll take care of you. That’s what successful customer service is all about!

Happy trimming and happy Thanksgiving!

~Melissa

If you need a brush up on any time management lessons, here are a few titles from Learn2GroomDogs.com that could help you.

Video Title
Building a Grooming Code – the Card Game (Melissa Verplank)

Preparing for the Holiday Rush (Melissa Verplank)

Speed & Efficiency — Monster Sized Dog in 76 Minutes (Lisa Leady)

Speed & Efficiency — Daisy Dog in Less Than 45 Minutes (Suesan Watson)

Speed & Efficiency – Shih Tzu in 45 Minutes (Suesan Watson)

Anything from the ‘queen’ of Gettin’ er Done (Judy Hudson)

Melissa’s Best Time Saving Tips (Melissa Verplank)

Tails from Holidays Past (Suesan Watson, Lisa Leady, Marc Lafleur, Melissa Verplank)

What I Know for Sure – this one will just make you feel good! – (Judy Hudson)

Are You Prepared?

We were headed out of Michigan on our three week annual fall ride with our horses last week. Our big horse trailer and truck were packed to the limit. (Horses have LOTS of stuff!) Our passion is to horse camp and explore trails around the Tennessee area. We’ve made this trek every fall for the past 12 years. We love it.

So we’re cruising down I-75. We’re somewhere near the border of Kentucky and Tennessee. It’s getting mountainous. The sun is shining. The truck is humming along like a champ. Our book on CD is getting to a really good spot. My hubby and I are really starting to relax even before we’ve hit our destination.

Then we hear it… it sounded like an explosion behind us. Crap. We’d just blown a tire on the horse trailer. On I-75. In the mountains. On a hill. This wasn’t good.

We get the rig as far off the expressway as possible and hit the flashers. We go back to verify what we fear. Yep. Blown tire. Marc, my hubby, was a Boy Scout. He goes to work. This man lives by the Boy Scout motto: Be prepared. Out of that monster silver box in the bed of the truck come the tools we need. Flashing warning triangles, trailer lift wedge, hydraulic jack, tire iron… whatever he needed, he had it. In less than 40 minutes, we were back on the road.

I’ve changed my share of flat tires over the years. But I was thankful. Marc was NOT going to let me deal with this one. Believe me – I was totally OK with that! Instead I had the opportunity to watch and worry about the traffic that was zooming by at a very high speed. I stood in admiration with each snafu he ran into yet had a solution. I thought back to the last time I had to change a tire and was I as prepared as he was??

During my mobile grooming days, I changed a lot of tires. With a fleet of six units, flat tires just happened. So do water pumps, electrical issues, broken clippers, high velocity dryers and a whole host of other items. If it’s mechanical or a piece of equipment, at some time it’s going to stop working correctly for you.

In our field, time is money. Do you have the tools, replacement items and knowledge to correct the problem on the fly?

At one point in my life, I didn’t. The way I fixed problems was to call a repair company. After a couple of times of doing that – I learned quickly if I was going to stay on time and keep my appointments for the day, calling a repairman for basic problems wasn’t the best answer. I needed to live by that Boy Scout motto: Be prepared.

It doesn’t matter if you are in a mobile grooming unit or in a high end salon. Stuff breaks. Are you prepared? Can you finish your day with barely missing a beat? Here is a short list to get you thinking about some of the basic items that can cease working for you at the most inappropriate time. If they are not working – you are not working:

Clippers: If you don’t have spare pair with you at all times, you are dead in the water if your primary pair give out on you.

Shears & Blades: They go dull and stop cutting at the most untimely opportunity. Or worse yet, they fall to the floor and are rendered useless until they go to the sharpener. You need a full back up collection of most of your sharp tools.

High Velocity Dryers: What would happen if yours stopped working in the middle of an eight dog day – and one of those dogs is a Newfoundland? Do you have a back-up HV dryer that can be put into service?

Basic Electrical Knowledge: I’m not talking full-fledged electrical issues – I’m talking the basics. Stuff you could find in any home repair book. Like how to replace a cord? Or a plug? Or how much power each electrical items draws when in use. What your breakers are rated for? You can’t plug a powerful dryer into a 15 amp plug. You are going to blow the breaker every time.

Mobile Groomers – you have a whole host of added items. You have to consider all the above, plus:

Water Pumps: There can only be a couple things wrong if your water stops flowing. Every water pump that I’ve seen comes with a great troubleshooting guide. Memorize it. Carry a spare pump. My first water pump took me over two hours to change out and a lot of tears of frustration. However, before too long I could instantly identify pump problems at a glance (or a listen) and know the solution – including flipping out non-working pump for a new one in less than 10 minutes (and no tears!).

Generators: Maintenance – maintenance – maintenance. If your generator goes out, have a back-up plan. Normally that would be a landline power source that plugs into your van. When all else fails – carry a long power cord. Run it from the client’s house to your van. At least then you can power the key items you need to groom the dog by plugging is directly to the extension cord. (A power strip in the van is also very helpful) It may not be ideal, but you can get the dog(s) done while you seek professional help on your generator.

Mechanic: Again, maintenance – maintenance – maintenance. Personally I LOVED having a mobile mechanic. I only had to have vans towed to a service center a few times for big stuff. Everything else was fixed at the base or roadside by a mobile mechanic service.

Jumper Cables: It’s inevitable – at some point your battery is going to be dead. It’s a lot easier to get a jump if you have cables with you and/or a battery charger to keep a tired battery going until you can get a replacement.

Tires: If you drive a vehicle – it’s going to happen to you. Flat tires come with the territory. #1: do you KNOW how to change a flat tire? #2: Do you have all the times you NEED to change a flat tire? #3: Do you have the safety gear to put out in the event your flat tire happens in a high traffic area to warn other drivers you are stopped?

Anyone that has been in the grooming business for any amount of time knows the value of being prepared. Time is money. Dull, broken or non-functioning equipment cost us not only time – but money.

If you abide by the Boy Scouts motto, you’ll be back at the grooming table in no time – just like we were last week on I-75 with our flat tire and horse trailer!

Happy Trimming!

~Melissa

Are You Working Your Rear Off But ‘Just Getting By’?

I was having lunch the other day with a couple of groomers. One of them was complaining about how hard she was working yet she barely made enough money to scrape by. Does this sound like you?

I was puzzled by this. She has a Standard Poodle that she shows in confirmation. She’s been in the competition pet styling ring and won. She was a talented stylist. Her clients loved her. She had a full roster of pets every week. She was totally immersed in grooming.

Then I asked her a key question,” How much do you charge for a Standard Poodle?” She told me, “Somewhere between $70 and $80.” I cocked my head and asked, “Is that for a shave off for something more stylish with hand scissoring?” She very proudly responded, “Oh no, that’s a full and scissor job.” I then asked her how long it took to groom the Standard Poodle on average. She told me she normally works on them for about 3 to 3 ½ hours. I thought to myself, “Wow, her clients are getting a great deal.”

I then went on to ask her how much you charge to groom an average Shih Tzu in her salon. Her response was, about $45. OK… I then asked, “How long does it take you to groom an average Shih Tzu?” She responded with, “About an hour.”

Hmm… I saw the problem. She loved the Standard Poodles so much, she simply enjoyed grooming them – and she did a knockout job with them. The word spread. She had no shortage of Standard Poodles in her clientele. However, her pricing was way too low for Standard Poodles. She could easily groom three Shih Tzus in the time it took her to do one Standard Poodle. Yet she charged between $70 and $80 for Standard Poodle while she got about $45 for the little Shih Tzu. Her math wasn’t working.

For that same block of time, she would earn about $135 for three Shih Tzus to one Standard Poodle at $80. No wonder she was barely making ends meet! Her eyes grew huge as the light bulb went off in her own head. When presented in this manner, the problem was crystal clear — even to her. Her prices were way too low for a Standard Poodle! And considering she did at least one Standard Poodle a day, she was losing a considerable amount of money each week. No wonder she was working her rear off and just getting by. Sound familiar?

What I suggested to her was not to charge by the hour but to look at her work overall. Have an idea of how long it takes to groom each dog in an ideal setting without interruptions. Set a pricing structure that parallels that ideal time. She knew the Shih Tzus took about an hour to groom and she earned $45 for each of them. If she were to carry that same pricing structure through to her larger dogs like Standard Poodles and Doodles, she should be getting approximately $135 for each one of those dogs.

Most proficient pet groomers and stylists can turn a small and medium-size dog in about an hour or less when working solo. That’s bath, dry and haircut. Standard Poodles take between 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours to complete.

Your rates might be different but you get the idea of how the system works. If you’re one of those professional groomers that has a full roster of pets every week (25-30 pets) yet barely making enough to pay your bills — I strongly suggest you look at your pricing structure. My guess is that it needs some tweaking to make it fair to both the client and to you. If you can’t groom a pet profitably, why groom them at all? There is nothing wrong with getting a fair wage in exchange for your skills!

Happy Trimming!

– Melissa

If you’d like more information about price setting, check out the full video called Establishing Pricing and Times for Grooming at Learn2GroomDogs.com. For just $42 a month, you’ll have full access to the video library of over 350 lessons for the professional pet groomer. All videos stream directly to your computer or mobile device.

Where To Get the Most Economical Towels for Your Shop

In a professional grooming salon, I think my favorite tool is a humble towel. I just never have enough.

I love the big oversized bath sheets for monster dogs. Large, thick bath towels are great for moderate sized dogs. The large towels are also fabulous for wrapping a wet pet after the bath too. Smaller sized and towels are super for more delicate areas, toy dogs or puppies. And once a towel loses its moisture absorbing abilities -they earn a second life being rags. In most grooming salons, having an unlimited supply of cleaning rags is always useful!

With my upbringing, I was taught to be extremely conscience of budgets. I love having an abundance of thick terry towels at my fingertips when grooming dogs. During the years that we were the busiest at the Paragon School of Pet Grooming, we were grooming anywhere from 60 to 100 pets a day. That’s a lot of dogs. That’s a lot of towels. I had a huge dilemma. My thrifty side hated spending the money on quality towels.

With a last name like Verplank – it’s pretty clear that I’m a Dutch. In fact, much of West Michigan is influenced by the Dutch heritage. One of the common threads that run through the Dutch gene pool is that we are pretty frugal group. We’re also extremely creative when it comes to pinching pennies.

I came up with a plan. We posted a sign on our front counter at the school. The sign said, “$.50 Off Your Next Grooming for Every Towel You Bring to The Paragon School.” Oh my gosh… the sign worked like a charm!! Okay, I figured we get a few clients cleaning out their linen closet. I thought we’d get a handful of towels. Was I ever mistaken.
Not only were clients cleaning out their own personal linen closets, they were also on the hunt for old towels. Friends. Family members. Neighbors. Coworkers. They weren’t shy. They’d ask anybody. Once they exhausted their immediate sources, they hit the streets. Little did I know, our clientele were avid garage and estate sale junkies!!

Before long, our regular clients were working for us salvaging worn and tired towels from the entire west Michigan area. They didn’t come in with a small pile of towels. Oh no. They come with garbage sacks full! Beach towels, bath towels, hand towels — gorgeous towels, thick towels, tired towels. They came in all shapes and sizes. And the best part. We were NOT picky.

The dogs didn’t care what color their towel was or how fluffy it was. If it was an absorbing piece of terry, we honor the $.50 off per towel offer to our clients. We could certainly use them all.

Our clients got so good at keeping us supplied with towels, we could only post the sign once or twice a year. Heck, some of the towels were so nice, they rivaled what I had in my own bathroom!

Honestly, where can you find towels for your grooming salon at $.50 apiece? Even if the towel was threadbare, we never quibbled with the clients. It all averaged out. In the end, this resource has always worked for us. We’ve been using this trick for almost 20 years. It’s the most economical way to keep our grooming salon stocked with high quality towels. Hopefully it will work for you too!

Happy Trimming,
~ Melissa

Melissa’s Top 10 Ways to Build a Strong Clientele

melissa verplank teaches you how to build a better groom clientele

Are you looking to open a new shop where there isn’t a grooming salon? Expanding into a new market area with your mobile unit? Or are you worried about the new super store that just opened up down the street? Maybe you are concerned about what will happen if you raise your prices.

Branching into a new market or new area? You are probably giddy with excitement over the prospect of all those new clients. Watching that superstore getting ready for its grand opening? You are probably worried beyond belief that you’ll lose clients. Are you fretting over how much to raise your prices? You are probably agonizing over how many clients will look for other options to get their dogs groomed.

Real worries.

Your current clients have four options. And your prospective clients have four options. Here they are:
1. Use your service
2. Use a competitors service
3. Do it themselves
4. Not do it at all

Sometimes the biggest challenge you have with building a clientele is not your competitors. It’s your prospects.

So how do you win clients over? How do you encourage them to patronize YOUR place of business? Simple. Stand out in a positive way!

My Top Ten List of items you can do to start winning clients today.

1. Build Trust Through Compassion Towards the Pets & Their Owners
2. Look & Act in a Professional Manner
3. Cleanliness & Organization Skills Speaks Volumes in Every Area: Visually, Scent and Hear
4. Always Do More for the Client Than They Can Do For Themselves
5. Build Your Skill Level in Every Aspect of Grooming and Styling
6. Always Work with Safety at the Forefront of Every Action
7. Have Comprehensive Service Menu with Fair Pricing (that does not mean cheap!)
8. Be Consistent with Everything You Do
9. Have a Strong Presence with Your Website and Social Media Outlets
10. Smile – It’s the Best Sales Tool You Have – It’s Even Better When You Make the Client Smile!

Think about each of the 10 items listed. How can you put a positive spin on them? How can you make them unique to YOU? Each one of us is an individual. We all have strengths and weakness. The key to success is to play upon your strengths.

When you are a solo stylist, owning your own business, you have to be good at everything. Once you start to grow, that generally means hiring help. When you hire someone, don’t look for a carbon copy of yourself. Instead, look for someone that can complement your personality and work ethic. They will play off your strengths and offset your weakness.

No matter how well you do your job, the client needs to perceive the value of the grooming they receive on their pet. It does not matter if YOU thing YOU are giving great service – the client has to KNOW that.

They have to value that great service. If they don’t – then they will look elsewhere to get their needs met. And many times, that means you are competing with the prospect themselves.

Play to the Senses

eye-blog

Sight is probably the most developed sense in humans. Next is hearing, followed by smell. When you’re client walks through the door of your business, what do they see, hear and smell?

What type of image you present to your customers? Do you project a professional image? Do you project an air of authority as the expert? Your clients and perspective clients gain confidence in your ability by the clues should give them through sight, sound and smell. Will you handle their dog with compassion? Will the pet be safe in your care? Will you be able to provide a quality haircut that they love? People will automatically question your ability to perform at a professional level if what they see, hear and smell are not up to their standards.

A busy pet care facility can be extremely hectic. Sometimes we get so lost in our daily tasks, we lose track of what our clients see, hear and smell as they walk through our doors. If you’re immersed in the chaos, your senses can become dulled. It’s time to pull back and take a good look at what makes a first impression to your customers.

In Judy Hudson’s Learn2GroomDogs.com video called “What I Know for Sure,” she shares a great story told by a very wise grandmother. She said. “It doesn’t cost a lot of money to be clean. It doesn’t cost a lot of money to be neat and tidy. It does take a little elbow grease.”

Take a good hard look at yourself. Take a good hard look at your support staff. Take a good hard look at your salon. What could be done to present a more professional image to your customers? If customers can’t trust you — they’re won’t be coming back to you.

Start with yourself first. Are you freshly showered? Is your deodorant working well? Is your hair neat and tidy? Is it clean? Is it styled? If it’s long, is it neatly tied back? What about your clothing? Are you neatly groomed yourself in hair repellent clothing? Is it wrinkle free? What about that sandwich at lunch? Is it still stuck between your teeth? If you’re not neatly groomed, what kind of message does that send to your customer? Ask same types of questions of your staff. What kind of image do they present?

What condition is your lobby in? Is it old and tired or bright and fresh? If you have retail, do you keep the stock freshly turned? How organized is your registration area? What about the front entrance of the shop? Is there fur and dust bunnies collecting not only on the floor – but on the pictures on the wall too? It’s amazing what fresh coat of paint can do combined with regular dusting and mopping. If you are mobile, when was the last time you washed the outside of your van?

What do your clients hear when they walk through the door or if the phone is set down without putting them officially on hold? Are you fighting to communicate with the customer over the sound of a vacuum or high velocity dryer? Or are yapping dogs making it so distracting you can barely converse with your client? Worse yet — is somebody in the back room screaming at a dog? Some of these sounds can be controlled — some are just the nature of the business. However, you do have options to minimize the offensive noises through organization and salon policies.

When your customers walk through the door, what do they smell? Wet dog? Urine? Feces? Cigarette smoke? Anything offensive? Bottom line, if a salon doesn’t smell pleasant — it’s dirty. Working with animals is great. But what a lot of people don’t realize when they get into the business, you need to spend a great deal of time cleaning up after our furry friends. I don’t care what kind of animal is — animals create a mess! Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, biannually, and annual cleaning duties all need to be addressed on a regular basis. Not only do you need to deal with all of those, but you’ll also need ongoing cleanup as your day progresses.

That’s just the nature of the beast. A little bit of awareness and a lot of elbow grease will keep your salon looking — and smelling – professional.
You can gain a great deal of trust by paying attention to first impressions. These first impressions are going to be highly influenced by; sight, sound and smell. Clients and prospective customers look clues about a service. If they don’t sense you have what it takes to provide a quality service and build their trust, they look to other grooming services that do have them. So provide clues that will keep customers returning.

Independent Contractor or Employee – Who Do You Hire?

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I’m just like most of you. My first business was a mobile van. I was extremely successful. Within less than a year I needed a second van. I needed someone to run that unit. I didn’t want it complicated. I just needed help. I figured the easiest route to go was to find the person that could groom and send them out in a second rig. I didn’t need to file all that mumbo-jumbo with the government. Heck, this person was going to run solo — it was the perfect situation for an independent contractor. After all, everybody else was doing it!

Fast forward three years. I now had four rigs. I had hired an accountant. My accountant suggested I hire a CPA to do my taxes. Throughout the years I knew in my heart I was running close to the wire with my independent contractors. My father had been harping on me. My accountant was concerned. My new CPA really set me straight using a very effective tactic — fear.

If you work with independent contractors within your grooming organization, do you really know the current tax laws? The IRS is very strict with its rulings concerning employees vs. independent contractors. Being naïve is no excuse. If you are ever caught, it will be the IRS that makes the ruling on whether you actually have an employee or an independent contractor.

There are a number of different ways to get caught. It might be an audit of your business or one of your workers files an unemployment claim, a disgruntled worker simply turns you in are a few of the common ways but there are many more.

I know — I know. You can’t afford to hire employees. All those taxes you have to take out of the employee’s paycheck and all the taxes that you need to pay into the government both state and federal plus Social Security and Medicare for each employee. Whew – it’s a paperwork and budget nightmare.

But trust me, if you have your workers misclassified, you can’t afford not to have them as employees if that’s what they truly are. The IRS has no qualms about coming in, slapping you with heavy fines and penalties equal to the amount of all the back taxes owed plus all the interest on those back taxes. Plus, the IRS may turn you in to your state government as well. In one single sweep, your business and your livelihood can be destroyed.

Shortly after I switched from independent contractors to employees I started hearing real life horror stories from within our own industry. One of my personal idols virtually lost everything due to incorrectly filing with the IRS. They lost their business, their home, their personal relationship — everything. They confirmed the fear that placed into me by my CPA years before. The IRS will – and can – destroy your life if you do not play by their rules. The stories that were shared much later only reaffirmed I had made the right decision years before.

So here’s the scoop. The laws are complex, subjective, and inconsistently applied, but knowing the rules can keep you and your workers safe. So here they are, in a nutshell: Under United States common law, a worker is an employee if the person for whom he or she works has the right to direct and control the way he or she works, both as to the final result and as to the details of when, where, how, and in which sequence the work is to be done. It is the IRS’ view that the employer need not actually exercise control. It is sufficient that it has the right to do so.

Here’s a list of 20 questions the IRS uses to determine if a worker is an independent contractor or an employee. A ‘yes’ answer to any of the questions except #16 may indicate your worker is truly an employee. Take a look. Be honest with yourself — you can’t afford not to. (and yes did raise my grooming prices!)

IRS 20 Questions: Independent Contractor OR Employee

Is the worker required to comply with instructions about when, where and how the work is done?
Is the worker provided training that would enable him/her to perform a job in a particular method or manner?
Are the services provided by the worker an integral part of the business’ operations?
Must the services be rendered personally?
Does the business hire, supervise, or pay assistants to help the worker on the job?
Is there a continuing relationship between the worker and the person for whom the services are performed?
Does the recipient of the services set the work schedule?
Is the worker required to devote his/her full time to the person he/she performs services for?
Is the work performed at the place of business of the company or at specific places set by the company?
Does the recipient of the services direct the sequence in which the work must be done?
Are regular oral or written reports required to be submitted by the worker?
Is the method of payment hourly, weekly, monthly (as opposed to commission or by the job?)
Are business and/or traveling expenses reimbursed?
Does the company furnish tools and materials used by the worker?
Has the worker failed to invest in equipment or facilities used to provide the services?
Does the arrangement put the person in a position or realizing either a profit or loss on the work?
Does the worker perform services exclusively for the company rather than working for a number of companies at the same time?
Does the worker in fact make his/her services regularly available to the general public?
Is the worker subject to dismissal for reasons other than non-performance of the contract specifications?
Can the worker terminate his/her relationship without incurring a liability for failure to complete the job?

Marketing Your Salon in a Fun & Colorful Manner

A well-made, brightly colored bow or bandanna is one of your best marketing tools. The eye is naturally attracted to bright colors. No matter how beautiful the grooming, a pet will attract attention faster if it is sporting a bright color.

Applying bows or bandannas as a finishing touch on a fabulous groom is a sure way to generate interest. Interest, that is, in you, the person who got that animal looking so fine in the first place.

The number one sales tool for any business is referrals from word of mouth advertising!

flower bows I learned this when I was very young, with our family’s first dog. When we traveled, we’d send our Golden Retriever to a local kennel. Upon picking her up, she’d always be freshly bathed and wearing a simple piece of felt fabric attached to her collar in the form of a bow. The color would change with the seasons, but this simple bow was there every time.

In our small community, everyone walked their dogs. As we stopped and chatted, people always noticed the felt bow. That was the opening we needed to share the name of the kennel and how wonderful their services were. If that basic little bow was not there, the kennel name would never have been mentioned and a marketing opportunity missed.

I carried this lesson over into my grooming business. No dog ever stepped out of my salon or mobile van without a bright finishing touch. (Unless a client requested “No Bows.” But that didn’t happen very often.) The bows were always subtle and very tastefully made.

Successful people know paying attention to minor details is critical. Bows and finishing touches are part of the entire service package.

colorful bows add a great finishing touch Making attractive bows does require some finesse. It takes a bit of time to learn. But once you figure out a method that works well for you, you will be limited only by your own creative spirit and time.

Many professional groomers and stylists use down time to create bows. They use this time the same way that many people use knitting or crocheting to relax. However, if basic bow tying just isn’t for you, there are many companies that specialize in wonderful, ready-to-use bows. I encourage you to use them!

There are thousands of ways to market yourself as a professional pet groomer. The number one rule of any marketing campaign is to capture potential clients’ attention in a fun and tasteful way.

Choosing to accessorize a freshly groomed dog with a bow or bandana is a highly successful marketing opportunity. Adding a spark of color to a pet can be the perfect way to get owners talking about your pet service business.