Episode 163: How To Get Your Community To Know About Your Pet Sitting Business

Picture this... there's a huge gala going on in your community. Everyone is dressed to the nines and it's a very high ticket event. There are local celebrities there and while at dinner they're talking about their pets, imagine if your company's name came up. Here's another example, you're in a local Facebook group and someone is about to go on vacation, but they forgot to book a pet sitter until the last minute. They were so focused on creating a great trip and their normal pet sitter isn't available. They ask the group who they use for pet care, wouldn't it be amazing if your company came up overwhelmingly in the comments? What would you do if your entire community knew about your pet sitting or dog walking services? How would that change the face of your business? Today, I want to talk to you all about how to get your community to know about your business. Biggest Takeaway You Don’t Want To Miss Getting known has to do with getting clear on what you want to be known for. Often times this isn’t the facts or what you do, but it is how you do it that matters. There is no doubting the fact that our clients are on Facebook. Instagram is close behind. You want to be the thought leader or expert in your community, but if you have no unique presence online it's going to be hard to accomplish. Each month you should be writing blogs, creating graphics and videos, sending emails, sharing IG stories, and more. That might seem overwhelming, but Better Marketing With Bella can actually provide those things for your business with your branding, ready to post each month. Show Highlights What is one of the biggest challenges for you and your business? [4:40] What sets you apart from your competitors? [6:15] How can you stand out on social media? [8:30] What should you be posting each month? [11:40] How can you use Better Marketing With Bella to help? [17:20] Links Episode 125 with Jennifer Diepstraten: jumpconsulting.net/episode-125-quantum-benefits/ Mark Schafer's KNOWN: KNOWN: The handbook for building and unleashing your personal brand in the digital age Mari Smith: marismith.com Jenn Herman: jennstrends.com Better Marketing With Bella: jumpconsulting.com/waitlist  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 163 of Bella in Your Business. Does creating graphics and videos for your business just make you want to bang your head against the wall? Or maybe you actually really like doing it, but by the end of the day you have no more creative juices in your brain or just seem to always be running out of time. Well, I've got a solution for you today. Because for a very select few of my clients, every month I give them Instagram stories, graphics that come with captions, square videos to post on their social media, cover videos every month for their Facebook page, video outlines so they know what to say or what to write in a blog, two emails to send to their clients, a content calendar showing them exactly when to post it all, and group and private coaching sessions. This program is called Better Marketing with Bella and has been proven to help so many pet businesses. Fill out an application at jumpconsulting.net/bella-marketing. That’s jumpconsulting.net/bella-marketing. Hope to see you there. Hi there, I’m Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you’ve seen me speak on stage or read my book The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you’re about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin’ in this next episode of Bella in Your Business. So what do you say? Let’s get ready and jump! Picture this: there’s a big gala going on in your area. It’s nighttime, everyone’s dressed to the nines, and there are some local celebrities there. It’s a high-ticket event where people are spending thousands of dollars to have a table. These are the movers and shakers, the affluent pet lovers in your area. They’re sitting around the table at dinner, and someone starts talking about their pet sitter or their pets. Imagine if your company’s name came up. Or think about this: you’re in a Facebook group—maybe a mom’s group or a local community group—and someone posts, “Hey, winter vacation’s coming up, and I totally forgot about the dog. I was so focused on airfare, hotels, and activities that I forgot I need a dog sitter.” Their typical go-to option isn’t available, so they ask, “Who do you use for pet care?” Now imagine your company’s name comes up not just once, but overwhelmingly in the comments. Or maybe your potential client is at a soccer game. Parents are hanging out, waiting for the kids to finish practice, chatting about work, grocery shopping, and life’s busyness. Someone mentions how guilty they feel leaving the dog alone for so long. Imagine if one of those parents mentioned your business. Or perhaps there’s a big local office—say, Honeywell, Intel, or Amazon—where colleagues share recommendations for services, and your name comes up. What would happen if your entire community knew about your pet sitting or dog walking services? How would that change your business? Would it allow you to hire more people or increase revenue? Today, I want to talk about how to get your community to know about your pet sitting or dog walking business. One of the biggest challenges marketers face is getting their community to know about their services. You don’t need the entire world to know—just the people geographically closest to you. You want them so excited that you’re the first name that comes to mind when they or someone they know needs pet care. And when I say “excited,” I mean emotionally connected. People might not remember exactly what you say, but they’ll remember how you made them feel. That’s the emotion that gets people talking. Getting known starts with being clear on what you want to be known for. What makes your business unique? There are probably hundreds of pet care providers in your area—vets, groomers, daycares, hobby sitters, big box stores—but what sets you apart? It’s usually not what you do but how you do it. If you’re struggling to define this, listen to my past episode with Jennifer Dipstrapin, where she explains “quantum benefits.” It’s about identifying the things that make your business so distinct that someone couldn’t copy and paste your website and make it their own. Think of three to five things your competitors can’t say that you can. Maybe it’s your story, your name, your logo, your operations, or your pricing structure. Use those elements in your marketing. Make them part of your story—the story only you can tell. Mark Schaefer, author of Known: How to Build and Unleash Your Personal Brand in the Digital Age, gave a great presentation in our Mastermind group that pushed us to think differently about how to stand out. He challenged us to create space for pet parents to belong in our businesses—to make our brands something people feel connected to. So how can you stand out on social media to be known in your community? That’s the million-dollar question. Did you know that 68% of Americans use Facebook—and that the same percentage, 68%, also own pets? That means your clients are definitely there. Instagram is close behind, with over 70% of users under 35 years old—a demographic with major buying power. We need to stay current with social media trends, connect with others, and create content people want to share. Even as Instagram and Facebook experiment with hiding likes, engagement still matters. The goal isn’t to get a drive-by glance—it’s to become the destination people stop for. Imagine being the go-to pet resource in your community. What if people called you saying, “I know you don’t offer this service, but you’re the pet expert, so I thought you’d know someone who does”? That level of trust turns you into a thought leader in your area. To get there, you need a professional, engaging online presence. That means strong graphics, great captions, and active engagement. Scheduling posts is great, but it’s your job to show up and interact when people respond. Here’s what to post each month to stand out: Write two meaningful blogs each month, and follow each with a Facebook Live about the topic. Make them local—don’t compete with generic holiday articles that everyone else is writing. Post 8–10 professional graphics featuring your logo and colors. Keep the graphics simple—just enough to stop the scroll—then use your captions to engage. Create weekly videos. Post a square version on Instagram and a vertical one on Facebook—vertical performs best right now. Keep them short, relevant, and not overly branded. Update your Facebook cover video monthly to reflect the season or highlight something new. Send regular emails. If Rover sends weekly emails, you should send at least two per month. Make them personal and conversational—avoid too many links or heavy designs that look like spam. Use Instagram and Facebook Stories. Story viewership is growing fast, and ad competition there is still low. Stories let you connect casually while showcasing your brand. Follow social media thought leaders like Mari Smith (Facebook) and Jen Herman (Instagram). They’re always up to date on changes so you can adjust your strategy accordingly. Do this consistently, and you’ll stay ahead of your competitors. You’ll be seen as a trusted, active thought leader in your community. Collaborate with other influencers—local vets, dog trainers, or even realtors—by sharing and supporting each other’s content. If this all sounds overwhelming,