By Fernando Camacho
ot long ago, we were reviewing results from several pet resorts running dog daycare ads at the same time. The businesses were similar in size, offered many of the same services, and were spending about the same amount on Facebook and Google advertising. Leads were coming in across the board, which is usually where most owners focus their attention. But one resort stood out right away.
While other businesses were converting a fair number of inquiries into daycare visits, this particular multi-service pet resort was converting nearly twice as many leads into actual customers. Naturally, we assumed their ads must be performing better—but they weren’t.
This particular owner made it a priority to respond to new leads quickly and continued reaching back out if they didn’t hear back the first time. And that habit alone made a noticeable difference.
It’s All About Timing
At that moment, they’re motivated. They’re researching options and often contacting more than one facility. The business that responds first has a big advantage because the conversation starts while interest is still fresh.
The pet resort with the more successful ad campaign treated every inquiry like someone had just walked through the front door. Instead of waiting until there was free time later in the day, they replied as soon as possible—often within 15 minutes. That quick response showed the owner they were easy to reach and ready to help.
A quick reply tells them you’re paying attention. A friendly follow-up shows you care enough to stay connected. That early experience often builds trust faster than any marketing messages can.
This pet resort didn’t assume silence meant no interest. If there was no answer or reply, they followed up the next day with a quick, friendly check-in. If there was still no response, they reached out again a few days later. Nothing complicated; just short messages letting the pet owner know they were happy to answer questions or schedule a visit.
A surprising number of daycare enrollments came from these follow-ups. Without them, those leads likely would have been lost even though the owners were genuinely interested.
If two facilities receive the same number of inquiries and one turns twice as many into customers,
the difference usually isn’t the ads—it’s how quickly and consistently they respond.
By simply replying faster and following up more than once, this particular pet resort doubled how many inquiries turned into real daycare dogs without increasing their ad budget.
A quick reply tells them you’re paying attention. A friendly follow-up shows you care enough to stay connected. That early experience often builds trust faster than any marketing message can.
You don’t always need better ads or a bigger marketing plan to grow daycare enrollment. Sometimes the biggest improvement comes from a simple change in habit. Respond quickly, follow up more than once and don’t assume lack of response means lack of interest.
In a crowded market where many facilities offer similar services, the businesses that grow fastest are often the ones that do the basics consistently—especially when it comes to following up with the people who already asked to hear from you.
Fern is the founder of Overdog Digital, a digital marketing & consulting agency that helps dog daycare and boarding facilities attract, convert, and keep more customers by creating winning marketing campaigns and providing the business guidance to build momentum and spark long-term growth. Fern also has programs to train daycare staff, is a dog behavior consultant, and has a dog training business in New Jersey. He is the author of eight books and a popular speaker at national conferences and private events. To join The Dog Daycare Business Think Tank or ask a question, go to: www.facebook.com/groups/dogdaycarethinktank