ummer is a period of three months when pet resorts across America witness a steady stream of reservations as customers set off on extended trips abroad or weekend getaways. Amidst this flurry of activity, taking time away to plan for the forthcoming fall and winter holiday season can seem impossible.

Allow me to share a secret with you: The major players in the pet industry devote significant time and resources to plan for the holiday season, often several months in advance. They establish ambitious financial targets, ready their businesses to handle a surge in customer demand and develop a strategy to maintain their signature five-star customer service.

To achieve success during the holiday season, you must make the time to strategize by following these proven tips:

Maintain Sufficient Supplies

In the course of owning your pet business, you most likely have ordered supplies on a monthly basis, with the stock remaining relatively constant. Occasionally, you may order extra supplies in preparation for increased boarding departures. However, in light of the supply chain crisis we experienced during 2020-2021, it has become clear that preparedness is key to ensuring your business can thrive.

One afternoon, I received a frantic call from a manager at a newly opened location a few months before their first holiday season. They were expecting to be sold out, but had overlooked ordering an adequate supply of water and food bowls. The manager had reached out to large pet supply retailers, only to find that all were on backorder. Fortunately, I was able to resolve the issue by sourcing 100 buckets and bowls from a friend who owned a restaurant supply store. Nonetheless, the cost of these supplies was almost double the standard price, and required an emergency supply run.

Scenarios such as these can be avoided through proactive measures. I recommend taking a moment to identify five supplies that you may run low on and placing an advance order with your distributor for the fall season.

Order Appropriate Retail Inventory

It is not uncommon for single-location business owners to express that retail demands a significant amount of their time, and many haven’t seen satisfactory returns to justify their focus. However, neglecting this sales funnel could lead to the loss of thousands of dollars per month in revenues. The American Pet Products Association is projecting close to $63 billion in pet food and treats sales for 2023 alone.¹

Retail has a considerable profit margin if executed correctly. Customers value convenience, and by offering the products their pets need most, such a specific brand of food, a recurring revenue stream can be secured. Neglecting retail during the holiday season can be especially costly. I have witnessed on numerous occasions the purchase of the wrong seasonal items and, more often, items arriving too late.

Have you ever wondered why major clothing retailers offer bathing suits for sale in February? They are providing a solution to their customers’ needs before the customer is even aware of them. I encourage you to adopt the same strategy for your business.

For instance, if your business hosts a doggie Halloween costume party every year, the costumes should be available for sale by September. Similarly, Christmas treats, toys and stocking stuffers should be released by November. This strategy also applies to pet food and pet treats. Stocking up on extra supplies allows customers to purchase items at your business during check-in. For example, treats placed on the front counter offer customers an opportunity to provide a “gift” to their pet while they are away over the holidays.

As an expert tip, establish a strong relationship with your pet retailer representative. They have data on their best sellers and can assist you in making the best decision for your retail display.

Plan Special Events, Charitable Acts & Customer Appreciation

As a business owner, the holiday season presents a unique opportunity to enhance customer engagement. It is the ideal time of year to recognize and reward customer loyalty while also attracting new clientele, all while giving back to the community.

One way to achieve this is by organizing an annual pet food drive with added business incentives for participating customers. Consider offering a free day of daycare for customers who donate a thirty-pound bag of dry food, or a complimentary blueberry facial with their paid grooming service for a fifteen-pound bag of dry food. Such initiatives have been proven to be successful, with some businesses raising over 2,000 pounds of pet food for multiple community rescue organizations. As a result, they gained a reputation for being active community members and have received significant publicity on social media platforms, local animal rescue sites and other related channels.

Another way to engage your customers during the holidays is to host a photo event where pets can pose with Santa or in front of a festive background for their upcoming holiday cards. This event has been widely successful and has brought in many new customers to businesses.

Additionally, a thoughtful gesture to show appreciation to loyal customers during this period is to order special gifts with personalized notes. Enlisting employees to help write personalized cards adds a special touch that customers appreciate.

To achieve success with these ideas, however, advance planning is crucial. Begin by creating a timeline for the food drive and select three to five animal rescues to benefit from your donations. For your holiday photo event, set a date for the first week of December and secure a photographer as soon as possible since they book up quickly. Finally, determine the gifts you wish to give to your clients and place orders no later than November first to ensure timely delivery.

Managing Your Workforce

As a proactive business owner, it’s important to plan ahead and anticipate potential challenges. While it may seem premature, taking the time to consider your holiday schedule now can prevent major headaches later on. Many of your team members likely have an idea of their holiday plans well in advance, and it’s important to start the planning process early to accommodate their needs while maintaining optimal business operations.

Start by consulting with upper management, such as District Managers or General Managers, to identify who may require time off and how much flexibility is available. Next, speak with Leads and Supervisors to get a better sense of what your seasonal hiring needs may be. In early September, start by sending out a “holiday request form” to all team members, allowing them to indicate their preferred time off and schedule. This information will help you to better understand your core team’s availability and needs, allowing you to begin planning for seasonal hiring well in advance.

It’s essential to prioritize training and hiring in preparation for the busy holiday season, with the hiring and training process beginning no later than the end of September and beginning of October. Your team’s ability to operate efficiently and provide top-notch customer service is crucial during this time, and advanced planning can ensure a successful holiday season for your business.

Setting Seasonal Pricing

It is surprising that many businesses fail to adjust their pricing during the holiday season. A decision like that can result in a significant loss of revenue for a business. Customers expect price increases during peak periods, and it is important to adjust pricing accordingly. This approach is similar to the airline and hotel industry where prices increase during peak periods.

It is recommended you take steps to prepare a calendar outlining price increases for the upcoming year in January; however, it is not too late to start now to implement pricing adjustments for the holiday season. Accurate input of peak pricing is crucial, and you should identify major holidays and local events that increase occupancy for your business. By narrowing down these dates to high peak and peak, you can make internal price adjustments to maximize your financial potential during these periods.

Managing Your Waitlist

To put it simply, you’re waitlisting new and less frequent customers while maximizing your bookings to ensure the most efficient use of your available resources. It is a powerful technique that can significantly increase the revenues of your pet business during peak and high-peak periods.

For example, in this scenario, you have five premium rooms available at $100 per night over a high-peak period of five days. You receive three different reservation requests for two-night stays, resulting in a total revenue of $600. However, if you waitlist these three customers and wait to receive additional reservation requests, you can maximize your revenues. Now, let’s assume you receive three additional reservation requests, two of which are for four-night stays and one for a five-night stay. Now, due to waitlist management, you more than double your revenues to $1,300 over the same five-day period. In addition, by approving two of the three initial two-night stay requests, you could bring your total revenues to $1,700.

The benefits of waitlist management become even more pronounced when applied to larger numbers of rooms and enclosures. As a premier pet business, you owe it to yourself to adopt this powerful revenue-enhancing strategy.

By implementing the proven recommendations outlined above, your business has the opportunity to achieve unprecedented success during the holiday season. Keep in mind that incremental progress can yield significant returns, so it is critical to plan ahead, take decisive action and execute with precision. By doing so, you can position your business for sustained growth and set yourself apart from the competition.

References:

1. Pet Industry Market Size, Trends & Ownership Statistics. APPA. https://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp

Dana Kreutzer is a business owner, investor, and an expert in the pet industry. With over 11 years of experience in the pet industry, she is the founder of Wild Paw Consulting, a firm that offers exceptional advisory services to pet industry business owners. When not busy with work, Dana loves spending quality time with her family, traveling, and exploring the great outdoors with her beloved English bulldog, Rosie. To learn more about the strategies discussed in this article, please visit the official website of Wild Paw Consulting at www.wildpawconsulting.com