Jessica
- updated: 15/12/2022 Summer is here and Christmas plans are underway. As such, now is the time to prepare your profile and get ready for summer bookings. Here’s how to pimp your profile and stand out to pet owners who need a pet sitter.
Review your prices and cancellation policies
Have a good look at the prices set by other pet sitters in your area. The market in your suburb may have shifted a bit in recent months, so it’s wise to do some research. But be sure to set prices that are also fair for your time and hard work.
Likewise, pet owners are more likely to carefully consider your cancellation policy before booking. Make sure you are happy with yours and are familiar with the details: here is some information on them for you to peruse.
And finally, make sure you are happy offering the services you do. You can remove services from your profile at any time.
Review your prices and services here
Update your calendar
A pet owner wants to know your availability before contacting you. The reason for this is that it can be really frustrating if they discover you are actually not free on the dates they have chosen.
Your Pawshake calendar allows you to easily display your availability for each service. You can also use various features such as 'one client at a time', 'repeat clients only' or 'away mode' if you need a break.
Once you know your plans for the coming months, update your calendar regularly to keep pet owners in the loop.
A perfect profile picture
Your profile picture is the first thing to tempt a pet owner to click on you. Therefore, it’s really important to get it 100% right and market yourself in the best light possible. You only have one chance to make that great first impression!
When selecting a profile picture, choose something completely clear, centered, front-facing and well-lit. A Linkedin profile picture is a good guide, but don’t be daunted: a smartphone picture is totally fine. However avoid selfies, filters, or stickers on the picture.
A smiling image with your eyes visible is also more likely to attract a pet owner. After all, they are more likely to choose someone approachable and friendly to care for their precious pet. And be sure you’re the only one in the picture, so the pet owner knows who you are!
Update your profile picture here
Refresh your gallery
Your gallery allows you to reveal a little more about yourself and your pet care experience. Remember: a picture paints a thousand words. As such, be selective and make sure your pictures are the best you have. This means they are clear, bright, upright, and in-focus.
Remember, pet owners simply love seeing pictures of pets. Therefore, choose plenty of images of your pets, pets you have cared for or friends’ pets you can pose and snuggle with. This will also build confidence with pet owners who will see you can handle animals responsibly and with care.
If you offer home dog boarding or doggy daycare, you must add several images of the spaces where the pets would be staying. This is for pet owners to assess if their pet will be happy and safe in your property, with no chance of escape.
Freshen up your profile description
The key to a great profile description is asking yourself: what would I want to know if I was asking a relative stranger to care for my pet? Pet owners want to get to know your experience and personality, so take a bit of time to introduce yourself. This includes:
- Your hobbies
- Any previous pet care experience
- Current pets you own or care for
- Any study or qualifications that you are undertaking or have finished
- Certificates you have such as a Police Check or Working With Children Check
- Your daily routine or work schedule and how this may affect your availability
- Favourite dog walks or parks nearby
- The layout of your home and any important safety features (such as your garden, or your fences/gates)
It’s also really important to describe your services specifically. How long will your dog walks or home visits be? And what extra services can you offer? This might include dog grooming, administering medication, bringing in the mail or watering plants.
A pro tip: Be sure to include plenty of keywords such as 'pet sitter', 'dog walker', 'pet care' etc.
Final tips
- Log into to Pawshake regularly and refresh your profile often to keep it fresh, active, and relevant. Downloading the Pawshake app allows you to do this really easily and to stay on top of your messages.
- Be sure to ask any pet owners who book your services to leave a review. This allows other pet owners to look at feedback on your great service and feel confident booking you.
- If you need inspiration, search for sitters in your local area to see how they market themselves on the website. You might see something you like that you can adapt to your profile.
- And if you want to increase your odds of getting those bookings rolling in, why not use your sitter marketing materials? These can be found here on your profile dashboard. They are perfect to hand out at dog parks and to your pet-owner friends!
- Here are some more tips and examples of how to make a great profile. Check it out to see exactly what we mean for your profile picture, gallery etc.
Best of luck with your summer pet sitting - and don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need any help!
