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2 Months Later

Date: 11/17/2023

Strange title for a blog post. Do you realize it’s been 2 months since the aPaws Pooper Scooper Convention in Myrtle Beach? As I was reviewing the videos of the convention, I heard Brian say something to the effect of “After a convention, people tend to go back to their normal routine”. Have you gone back to your normal routine? OR, have you actually implemented some of the ideas and strategies that were discussed? Not only from our guest speakers, but from your “competitors” in the field.

There was a lot to soak in, so I thought I’d challenge you a bit and let you see for yourself if you’re on a new track, or the same road. Let’s start with the question:

Have you scheduled a free zoom call with Brian? https://linktr.ee/baconguy C’mon! It’s FREE! (For aPaws members) Why would you not take advantage of this offer.

Have you joined the Community Association Institute? The CAI. I have, and I’m finding a slew of resources for helping me build the commercial side of the scooping business. I’ve chatted with a few property managers already, and I just found out that I can write a blog post on their community website. I have a few articles all set to go.

Have you made a whole new website solely for your commercial endeavors? Yup! You guessed it, I have. It is quite a bit different from the fun, cartoony residential site. It is more professional and focuses more on communities and HOAs. It’s just a quick site I slapped together right after the convention. I know you’re curious, so here it is.

Ok, this next one was a little tough for me. Did you start or ramp up your LinkedIn profile? And did you make a business page and link yourself to it? If you’re really on the ball, have you convinced your employees, if you have them, to do the same? I’m still working on that one. I’ve had a profile for about 9 years, but never really paid much attention to it. And I never had a business page, until now.

Have you outlined the 6 strategic steps to success for your own business? Let me remind you:

  1. Optimize LinkedIn profile & page – check!
  2. Identify your business – check!
  3. Connect with people – check! Well, I started to. This one may take some time.
  4. Post client-centered content – check! Gotta keep doing that though.
  5. Interact and engage – che, well, maybe not as much as I should.
  6. Implement advertising – not yet.

If you’re in the market for some quality team members, have you researched a Vocational Rehabilitation Agency in your area? This may be a great way to ease into becoming an employer instead of a solopreneur. At first, I thought hiring someone with a disability would be too slow, or not productive enough. But after Kathleen & Sarah’s talk, I realize that speed does not matter. And think of the marketing aspects of it. Helping employ a community that wants to work and may not have as many opportunities to do so. I bet many people would be willing to hire a differently abled person, who normally would not even consider hiring a pooper scooper service.

How about your business diversification? When I first started Scoop Masters, I also delivered dog food. You know, take care of both ends of the equation. Of course, I ventured off into the pet waste station sales instead. I even dabbled in pet sitting for many years. Only current clients and only when they had no other options, which was always around the holidays. When you’re first starting out in the scooping business, you tend to have more time to provide additional services, like dog walking, pet sitting, pet transportation. Or even leaf raking. Anything to help make the pet owner’s life more tolerable.

There are many more steps to take in building your pooper scooper business and taking it to the next level. All the videos from the convention are available for the asking. We’ll even try to make them available on the aPaws site in the member’s section along with the power points. All you have to do is ask. More importantly, all you have to do is do.

Need some accountability? Maybe a little pick me up from other scoopers? Stayed tuned for some upcoming Master Mind opportunities. If you don’t know what a master mind is, google it! Wait, I’ll save you the hassle. A master mind is a small group of like minded business owners who get together and discuss specific topics and help each other grow in their business. Sometimes a drinking buddy or old college roommate just doesn’t cut it when it comes to getting industry specific questions answered. That’s a master mind!