Do you love pooches, kittens, fishes, and birds? If you love all things furred, feathered and finned, then why not open a business catering to the needs of pets?
There are a lot of options when it comes to opening a business providing for the needs of pets. You could open a pet supplies shop that also sells pet accessories and allied pet products. Or you could consider opening a pet grooming shop. You could even be a dog walker, considering the needs of working people who own dogs but are unable to walk their pets properly. Other options include dog daycare, pet sitting services, gourmet pet food service, pet toys and pet care products services.
1. Decide What You Want
No matter whether you are interested in selling pet products like toys, pet supplies, pet care products, food, and treats, or providing hands-on pet care for your favorite kind of pet, the prospects for success in a pet-care business are excellent, provided you do a thorough research of the market beforehand. There is still a huge gap in the pet business in India, so identify your niche and plan accordingly.
2.Develop a Business Plan
Developing a pet business plan is a good start. What would be your pet business about? How big do you want it to be? Is it a product or a service you want to provide? Do you plan on hiring workers for your business? What will you call your business? What is your marketing plan? What is your brand strategy? Where would you be a located? Would it an online business or a retail store? How do you plan to fund your business? You could also approach a business consulting services company for help with your pet business plan and execution of your plan. As you develop your business plan, you can think about the resources available to you. Be sure to look at your local and federal requirements for running your pet business.
3. Find A Location That Fits Your Plan
Whether you’re planning to open a pet grooming shop or a shop that sells pet supplies like pet accessories, pet care produces and allied pet products or sell an online service, you will need to find a space that fits your business needs. Make a list of similar businesses and study their business model. Look out for the pet lovers and study the demographic—this will not only help in knowing exactly where you want your business to be located but also what business you should start.
If you are choosing a physical location, make sure you have a viable customer base near you. It should be big enough to sustain your business. It is important to identify your customer base and competition around your location. This will help with your marketing plans and brand positioning.
4. Financing Your Business
How do you plan to fund your business? Do you plan to bootstrap your business? Or take out a business loan? Do you need to negotiate a lease for your store? Do you have a plan for insurance costs? Calculate how much start-up capital you will need and figure out how you will raise it. Determine how much of the cost you can put up from your own pocket and look at other financing options to fund your business.
5. Certifications Requirement
Not every pet business requires certifications, but some do. For instance, if you plan to open a pet training service, then you need to have some level of education or certification. Research on required certifications and permits, and how to obtain them.
6. Outline Your Work Policies and Pricing
Are you thinking about a 24/7 pet care service? How do you want your workflow to be? Set competitive, but sustainable prices. Make sure not to sell yourself cheap. Spell out liability and other legal clauses in your contract. Decide how you will handle payments. Create an emergency and contingency plan.
7. Get Your Business License and Inspections
Register your business name and obtain your TIN number. Obtain the required warrants, permits, authorizations and licenses as mandated by the local and federal laws. Get your business inspected. Authorization, license requirements, fees, and inspections might vary from state to state in India.
8. Start Selling
Regardless of the kind of business model, you plan to launch, having an established online presence before launching your business helps. It helps to reach out to a greater number of potential customers, and market your business. It also helps to establish your brand. Utilize social media platforms to your advantage. Spell out how you are different from other businesses. Start selling yourself!
9. Have A Marketing Strategy
Having a marketing strategy is important if you want your business to succeed and flourish. Online marketing is a powerful tool that can help you reach out to a large number of customers as opposed to traditional marketing. Consider both traditional and online marketing. Have a marketing strategy for both. You could use social media platforms to your advantage as part of online marketing and create brochures and fliers as part of your traditional marketing strategy. You can choose your target audience and create campaigns tailored to their needs.
Ourbusinessladder.com is a Business Consulting Services Company in India, specializing in business advisory and market research. We are also among the leading market research company in Pune. Want to know more about opening your own pet business or starting a pet store business plan? Do you need help with unique pet business ideas? Contact us today!
