Santa Paws – Festive SMS Marketing Ideas for Dog Grooming Parlours

At a special time of year like Christmas, it is important that the whole family look and feel their very best for the traditional festive gatherings – and pooch is no exception. In fact, it is reported that UK families are spending more than ever on their four-legged friends, and for Britain’s many dog grooming parlours this means that there is money to be made. The most recent reports by Pet Business World indicate that expenditure on domestic pets has increased by as much as 25% since 2010 and now exceeds £7 billion annually.One survey even indicated that over half of dog owners would be more willing to spend on their pet’s well-being than their own. Of course a pet is not just for Christmas, and neither is a good pampering – so make use of the season of giving to encourage clients to book early for the new year too and get your grooming business off to the right start.

9 Easy to Action Seasonal SMS Marketing Ideas

1. Christmas Special Offers

Consumer businesses in every sector are wooing clients with special offers at Christmas and it is proven to get results – so why miss out on the opportunity? Package up a special offer such as a Christmas special session for pooch with a little seasonal magic added in such as a festive bow-tie, a special scented finish or even consider teaming up with a local photographer for some festive photo shoots. With some creative thinking, you can turn your Christmas grooming sessions into a unique and memorable gift for pet and owner alike.

2. Loyalty Scheme

Why not come up with a loyalty scheme that rewards customers for regular visits? To increase custom during December and January, consider offering bonus points or an additional reward as a Christmas gift to your customers.

3. Christmas Opening Hours

To maximise bookings during your festive period, use SMS Marketing to make sure your customers know exactly when they can bring their pets in and remind them of the need to book in advance to avoid disappointment – this always creates a sense of urgency which is known to increase conversions.

4. Christmas Competitions

Engage pet owners by announcing a Christmas competition such as the most festive pet photo. This is a great way to increase customer engagement and remind them about your services, as well as generating excellent content for your social media marketing. As well as announcing the competition, use SMS Marketing to inform customers when the competition is approaching its deadline, and of course be sure to announce when the results are out and where the winners can be seen online – remember, SMS Marketing supports links which can be opened directly in most modern smartphones.

5. Reminders

SMS Marketing is a great way to remind pet owners that their furry friends are overdue for a bit of pampering. Send them a friendly message that you haven’t seen doggy for a while and wouldn’t want him/her to be missing out this Christmas. Of course, the same strategy works all year round.

6. Booking Confirmations

When a client books a grooming session for their dog, send them an SMS confirmation. Not only do many people find this to be the handiest form of reminder, it also keeps you at the forefront of their thoughts and makes sure you’ll be the first parlour they think of if anybody asks them for suggestions.

7. Pampering Products

If you stock a range of pet products such as shampoos and scents, why not offer these as a Christmas suggestion for your customers? You could even put together a ‘hamper’ bundle and run a prize draw, or invite customers to pop by for a sample, leading to opportunities for increasing revenue through product sales as well as potential cross-sells and up-sells.

8. Pet care Tips and Tricks

Even if customers don’t have time to get their pets in for a festive pampering, you can still share useful tips and tricks to help them have pooch looking (and smelling) the part this Christmas and New Year. Short tips can be sent within the 459 character SMS limit, whilst more detailed tips can be prepared on your webpage or a social media profile and the link shared by SMS.

9. Recommend a Friend

Another effective way to increase business, especially in the new year, is to encourage customers to recommend a friend who might not have discovered the fantastic services you offer. Incentivise customers old and new to engage with a reward scheme and introductory offer that is time limited to ensure maximum ROI.

For best results, remember that your SMS Marketing should be as personal as possible – with both pet and owner in mind. To present a really pet-centred approach, be sure to use the animal’s name wherever possible and be sure to refer correctly to the pet as he or she rather than sending out generic messages. Intersperse your communications with some evocative, canine language and most of all, make sure that it is clear how much your company loves its four-legged clients.

To get started with SMS Marketing today, call our expert customer services team now on 0800 954 5305 and we’ll have you set up in seconds. Questions? Our award-winning team will be more than happy to help.