Business

woman sitting cross-legged on the floor and talking on the phone with a laptop on her lap and a dog on the couch beside her
New Year, New Revenue Opportunities: Attracting Affluent Clients with “E-Ticket” Experiences typography
By Dominic Hodgson
In the 1950s, when Disneyland first opened its gates, visitors were introduced to a brand-new concept: the ticket book. Rather than having just one entry price that allowed access to every ride, each ride or attraction was assigned a letter that corresponded to a different ticket value. Visitors could purchase A, B, C, D or E tickets, with each letter offering access to progressively more exciting attractions. But it was the E Ticket that everyone wanted…

The E Ticket was reserved for the biggest, most exciting attractions—the ones that made people line up and come back again and again. Rides like the Matterhorn Bobsleds, Space Mountain, and Pirates of the Caribbean were all E-Ticket attractions, and they became the cornerstone of Disney’s success. Now when people hear “E Ticket,” they think of top-tier experiences that are worth every penny.

You can create that same buzz in your dog daycare by turning basic services into premium experiences. Custom enrichment programs, sensory-based activities and tailored one-on-one care are more than just nice add-ons—they are E-Ticket daycare attractions!

These more exclusive services elevate your daycare, making it a destination for affluent clients who want the very best for their pets. Just like guests flocked to Disney for the E-Ticket rides, pet owners will seek out your daycare for the exceptional care and experiences you offer.

Whilst they aren’t necessarily better people, affluent dog owners certainly make better customers for you, because they have more disposable income. This means they are protected from inflation, rising living costs, and are more willing and able to invest in your premium add-on services.

Why E-Ticket Services are Key to Future Success

With rising costs from inflation, staffing and overheads, plus ever-increasing competition, running a profitable pet business by offering just basic services is becoming way more difficult. The solution is not to cut corners and try to pile more and more dogs into your facility, it is to offer more value. By shifting to premium, experience-based services, you’ll attract clients who are willing to invest more in their dog’s wellbeing, which means you can make more money, with less dogs.

Whilst they aren’t necessarily better people, affluent dog owners certainly make better customers for you, because they have more disposable income. This means they are protected from inflation, rising living costs, and are more willing and able to invest in your premium add-on services. And they do this because they are used to investing in these premium services for themselves.

How to Find More Affluent Dog Owners
They are actually closer than you think, and you probably already have a small subsection of your client base who are your very best clients. These are people who don’t complain when you increase prices. They invest in your holiday promotions, use all your services and bring their dog to daycare more often than anyone else. They leave five-star Google reviews, give you great testimonials and refer their affluent dog-owning friends.

If you want more clients who are used to paying higher fees and happily invest in upsells, then the first step is to add more E-ticket, affluent-attractive, premium-priced experiences to your service offerings. Affluent dog owners don’t just want a safe place to leave their pets—they want something special; something extra; something exclusive.

Pro Tip: Be like Disney and use storytelling to connect with clients emotionally. Share your daycare’s mission to create more personal client relationships.

How to Create Your Own E-Ticket Experience
To get on the radar of affluent dog owners, we need to align our services with what affluent dog owners are looking for. To do this, we can model some of the common traits of successful, high-end business, like Ritz Carlton, Rolex and, yes, Disney.

  • Ritz-Carlton’s exceptional personalized service stands out, as they maintain detailed guest profiles, remembering preferences and delivering anticipatory service. Guests experience a tailored stay with every visit, which makes them feel uniquely valued.
  • Rolex became a symbol of success by producing limited quantities, setting high prices, and associating its brand with adventure and achievement. Their watches are seen as investments, making them highly desirable.
  • Disney parks and resorts charge a premium but justify it by offering an unmatched level of quality, immersion and guest care. Every detail is meticulously designed, from the themed attractions and park decor to the personalized interactions with cast members, making each visit feel unique and magical.

Pro Tip: Be like Disney and use storytelling to connect with clients emotionally. Share your daycare’s mission to create more personal client relationships.

As you can see, high-end brands excel by providing personalized experiences and anticipating client needs, creating a memorable, individualized experience for each client. And by controlling availability, luxury brands create a sense of scarcity that makes their products more desirable.

Pricing isn’t just about covering costs—it’s a strategic signal of prestige and quality. High pricing reinforces the perception of value and attracts clients who equate price with exclusivity, and premium pricing enables you to invest more in staff, equipment, infrastructure and training.

By applying the same principles of personalization, scarcity and quality seen in these luxury brands, you can turn your daycare into a destination of high-value experiences. Here’s how to make it happen:

  • Personalization: Tailor services to each pet by offering customizable packages that allow owners to add special services, like one-on-one enrichment sessions or custom play activities, so they can create the ideal experience for their pet.
  • Scarcity: Offer limited spots, exclusive programs and time-limited promotions. Consider adding membership-only events for clients willing to invest more in their pet’s experience.
  • Premium Pricing: Justify prices through quality, attention and care, positioning the experience as an investment in their dog’s happiness. Consider an “all-inclusive” luxury package where top-of-the-range pricing covers every detail, such as enrichment activities, spa services and VIP pick-up/drop-off options, making the investment feel more worthwhile.
How to Practically Implement This in Your Facility
You can start by offering your clients a new premium-priced, personalized enrichment experience, like story time, a nature walk or a special one-on-one session in your enrichment space. Then add some scarcity by limiting numbers and creating time-limited “themed” promotions that excite clients, but which also expire each month before a new “theme” is introduced.

Transitioning to an enrichment-focused daycare with more personalized services requires a commitment to delivering these enhanced experiences. The bad news is that it comes with a hard cost, with more staff and one-on-one time with dogs. The good news is that you can more than cover any increased costs by selling personalized canine experiences at a higher price point.

With a simple, excitement-building marketing campaign, affluent clients will start investing $10, $20 or even $30 more each day for their dog to experience these time-limited activities. Make it a resolution to test a new “themed” premium promotion each month, and watch your profits increase.

How to Embrace the E-Ticket Model for Long-Term Success
Each E-Ticket experience strengthens your foothold in a growing premium market. Remember, the key is to focus on quality, scarcity and personalization. As clients begin to see your facility as the ultimate choice for their dog’s wellbeing, you’ll find that they’re willing to invest in the added value you offer.

So, as you start the new year, consider the transformative impact these changes can have. With a commitment to creating E-Ticket experiences, you can drive profits, build lasting relationships and carve out a reputation as a premium pet care provider.

Dom Hodgson is Europe’s leading pet business coach, and is known as the Pet Biz Wiz. His mission is to help pet service providers create superior customer service systems that enable them to build an impactful and profitable pet business. Dom has written over nine books, and is a much in-demand speaker. You can instantly download a free copy of his latest book “How to Disnify Your Doggy Daycare Business” by going to www.petbusinessmarketing.com/daycaremagic