Episode 222: 4 Reasons To Be Happy That Rover Partnered with Walmart

Did you hear the news? Rover pet care actually partnered with Walmart. I’m going to tell you why there are four reasons why you as a professional dog walker and pet sitter should actually be happy in this as a pet sitting and dog walking business owner. Biggest Takeaway You Don’t Want To Miss: This will be great exposure for the pet sitting and dog walking industry. First time clients will try a professional dog walker. so make sure your website and sign up process are on point. We are a luxury service that isn't for everyone. They aren't unique, you are. Get education, community support, and endorsement. How to move past the fear of this. Links: News Article About The Partnership Better Marketing with Bella Jump Consulting Mastermind Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review! Are You New Here? Welcome, I am so glad you are here. If you are a dog walker, dog sitter, cat sitter, doggy daycare or kennel owner, then you found the right place. Jump Consulting is the one place on the internet to get all the resources you need for your pet care business. Can I give you some freebies to generate sales and increase revenues for your business? Grab your freebies below. Are you starting out? Been in business for less than two years? Get your startup resources here. Do you own an established pet care business and you want to take it to the next level.? Get Your builder resources here. Transcript: This is episode 222 of Bella in Your Business. 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. Did you hear the news that Rover actually partnered with Walmart? I'm going to tell you what I think about this and four reasons why you should actually be happy about it in this quick live so that you can get your news for the day. My name is Bella Vasta with Jump Consulting. I want to remind you that if you're watching this live or on the replay, go ahead and hit the notifications wherever it is so you know when I go live every single time. You know I don’t go live often unless I have something really helpful to say, and today is just that. So this news came out—Rover and Walmart partnered up. Yep, they partnered up. I could see a lot of feathers getting ruffled or tails not wagging so hard, so I wanted to come to you live and tell you four reasons why this is actually a good thing. The very first big thing is exposure. When I first started my business, we were still fighting the world to let them know that professional pet sitting and dog walking actually existed and was an option. We started our education way back when, and even now, we’re still fighting that. There are still people who don’t realize they can get a professional dog walker or pet sitter. So go on with it, Walmart and Rover. Spend all the money on all the advertising, just like they did last year during that advertising blitz—millions of dollars on billboards, radio ads, commercials, everything. All that does is help tell people about our industry, which is a good thing. It creates more awareness and exposure. So be happy about that. That’s number one. Number two—people are going to try it out, and then they’re not going to like it because people might not show up, or they’ll get tired of having only one person. And when that one person goes on vacation or is unavailable, they’ll have to start over and find someone else. They might not feel the cohesiveness they’d get from a professional company that’s trained. Now, I’m not saying all Rover sitters are bad because they’re not. If Rover was around when I started my business in 2002, I definitely would have been on Rover. It’s an amazing incubator for businesses, and I know many of you started on Rover and then moved off. So, number one is exposure—it’s going to be awesome. This partnership just happened yesterday, and as the news spreads, people will try it out for the first time and then want more. When people want more, what do they do? They grab their phones and start typing “dog sitter Scottsdale” or “pet sitter Scottsdale” or wherever they live. And now it’s up to you—the marketer and the salesperson. Yes, you are both. If you don’t figure out a way to overcome that, you’ll be dead in the water. Before COVID hit, it was raining cats and dogs. You didn’t have to do much. The economy was great, unemployment was low, people were traveling. But now, you have to be a true salesperson and marketer because when people start looking for your service, what are they going to see? Is your website beautiful or does it look like a third grader built it? Yes, I said it. Unfortunately, some people have really bad websites, and that only reflects on them. I tell my Better Marketing with Bella and Mastermind members that marketing is like Cinderella showing up to the ball. You can’t show up in sweatpants with your hair a mess and expect Prince Charming. You have to show up polished and ready. Marketing is the same way. So, the first thing people will look at is your website—assuming it even comes up on Google. They might find you through local blogs too, like “How much does a pet sitter cost in Scottsdale?” If it’s your blog that shows up, congratulations—you just became the expert. But your website has to look good. Your sign-up process and calls to action need to be clear. The copy on your website should talk directly to your audience’s problems. If your site sounds like everyone else’s, you’re no different than Rover. If your secret sauce isn’t there—if you’re not showing your unique value propositions—you’re just another dog walker. Too many sitters make it too hard for people to sign up. Your process should take less than five minutes, even at one in the morning, from your client’s bed. You also need to realize that you’re now a potential threat—people are cautious about who enters their home. So, offer virtual consultations and contactless dog walking. When people want more, that’s what they’ll be looking for. So, reason one: exposure. Reason two: they’ll want more. Now, number three—you are a luxury. It’s awesome that Rover has aligned with Walmart, which is a bargain-based brand. Nothing against Walmart (I shop there too), but I wouldn’t want Walmart coming into my home—it’s too big, not personal. When you go to Walmart’s site and click pet services, it takes you to Rover’s site. That’s great traffic for Rover, but it also attracts bargain shoppers. You, on the other hand, offer trust. Clients give you their keys, let you into their homes, trust you with their pets—and that’s a luxury. Rover can’t do that. You’re part of the community, vouched for, engaged, and personal. Highlight that on your social media, your website, and in your pitch. A Rover sitter takes orders. A professional pet sitter delivers an experience—a complete, thoughtful service that makes clients feel cared for. So, number one: exposure. Number two: people will want more. Number three: luxury—it’s a totally different market. And number four: highlight. Highlight your team—if someone’s sick or on vacation, someone else steps in. Highlight your education—have you done pet first aid or CPR training? Have you taken Pet Care Team Training and earned certification? You can get a pet sitting and dog walking certification in under two hours and pair it with CPR certification. Also, highlight your community involvement. Do you sponsor a local team, host Yappy Hours, or run Santa Paws events? Do you promote local businesses? These are things Rover can’t do. Talk about them on social media. And endorsements—if a local vet endorses you, say it! When I owned my business, a veterinarian endorsed me, so I’d proudly mention that we were locally and nationally award-winning and endorsed by a trusted vet. Those kinds of details make you stand out. So, to recap: exposure, curiosity, luxury, and highlighting your unique value. Don’t get scared—embrace it. Let this fuel your fire to make your business even better. If you hate marketing, if you’re not creating videos consistently, you’re missing out because algorithms love branded video content. Show both your personal and professional side. Share your day-to-day moments and polished branded content. Together, they build trust and recognition. Don’t just share random funny posts—share things that show your brand and values. You have the advantage that you’re not Rover. You have a voice. You can be whatever you want your brand to be. That’s what Better Marketing with Bella helps clients with—giving them 26 pieces of branded content every month so they can stay visible and connected. If you’re interested, there’s one spot left, and I can even offer a discount. This Rover-Walmart thing isn’t bad—it’s about perspective. Our perspective is our reality. So what kind of reality are you going to choose for your business? Don’t forget to turn on notifications so you know every time I go live. Let me know what resonated with you. Had you heard the news before? Do you agree or disagree with me? I’d love to know. I have so much content out there for you—the Bella in Your Business podcast, the Jumpstart Your Pet Business Facebook group (where I’m actually about to go live in five minutes to share a free ad strategy). So, I’ve got to go, but remember: when life gets you down, always keep jumping. So what did you think? Did you love this episode? I sure hope you did because I put a lot of love into this for you. And the best way you can show me that is by going to iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you listen to your podcast and leaving a review.