Hike Doggie Franchisee Shares Secrets of Building Strong Client Relationships
Dog parents are the lifeblood of Hike Doggie’s franchise opportunity and establishing strong relationships with them is tantamount to success in this entrepreneurial venture.
But what does it take to do so? To find out, we turned to a qualifed source – Barrett Marcum – one of our most trusted franchisees. In building out his Hike Doggie business, Barrett earned firsthand experience in how important it is to gain the trust of his clientele. After all, Hike Doggie’s clients all consider their precious pups to be extended members of their family, not just pets. Learning how to appeal to that exact sentiment is the first step in building strong relationships. Here are a few more words of wisdom that Barrett graciously shared with the team for this edition of our Hike Doggie Bloggie…
Meet Our Franchisee, Barrett Marcum
Originally from Knoxville, Barrett Marcum has always been a lifelong animal lover – an extremely important quality we look for here at Hike Doggie. Among the ideal traits of being a Hike Doggie franchise owner is to be what we call “dog obsessed.” Dog obsessed people (like Barrett) believe that every dog is a magical gift, like a child of your own and a soulmate wrapped into one being. And deserving of a life filled with love, security, enrichment, and awesome outdoor experiences like our extended hikes. Among Barrett’s other desirable qualities? Experience. Prior to joining the Hike Doggie team earlier this year, he enjoyed a 13-year career in veterinary medicine – starting at the very bottom of the career ladder – cleaning kennels and prepping surgical equipment. Over time, he eventually worked his way up the chain of command until he was managing 20+ animal hospitals across Colorado. Barrett’s wife, Abby, is a veterinarian and they have two lovely children, two dogs – Moose (a Beagle mix) and Razzy (an Aussiedoodle) – and a cat named Floki, a Siamese Mitted Ragdoll breed. One final important detail to know about Barrett – he has a tremendous love for the outdoors, especially the mountains.
Building Strong Relationships – Networking 101
Networking is an important factor in raising awareness among the local community about the benefits of extended dog hikes. It’s one of the reasons we look for public-facing opportunities, typically pet-related events and outings, to set up a modest booth and distribute literature. Engaging in friendly conversations with dog parents in the area will go a long way towards building a reliable customer base. Visiting all of the public dog parks and passing out business cards also allows franchise owners to “plant the corporate flag,” so to speak. And we always show up in Hike Doggie gear – it’s a great conversation starter! Lastly, establishing solid relationships with local veterinarians and pet store managers is a sure fire way to enhance lead-generation.
Building Strong Relationships – The Hike Doggie Bus
Our safe and secure Ford transport buses play a big role in reassuring clients that our Hike Doggie franchise owners are well-equipped to care for their precious canines. Each doggie is safely secured in their own Zen Den – our euphemism for pet crates – for their round trip adventures. The buses themselves, which we consider our No. 1 marketing tool, are specially designed and outfitted according to precise specifications. And the finishing touch is the custom wrap job with its eye-catching designs. They make our buses stand out and, after a visit or two to one of our dog parent’s homes, their pups begin to take notice the next time it approaches. To doggies, there’s nothing better than seeing the Big Blue Hike Doggie Bus pull into the driveway!
Building Strong Relationships – Mapping the Adventures
Another aspect of the Hike Doggie business that Barrett believes is instrumental in building strong client relationships is to put in the effort to map out future hiking adventures. Hike Doggie isn’t a neighborhood walking service, nor a pet-sitter for hire. We’re a mobile-based business that offers our canine companions a chance to experience the great outdoors – up close and personal. By conducting hiking trail reconnaissance, Barrett can accurately describe the territory and benefits of his Hike Doggie services. And it becomes a very convincing point when clients understand the value they’ll be receiving in return for signing their dogs up for the ultimate day trip.
Now you understand several of the factors that Hike Doggie employs to build strong client relationships. Our business model thrives on providing a superior customer experience – both for our doggie customers and their dog parents. If you’ve been moved by what you’ve read in this edition of our blog, drop us a line and we’ll connect to discuss how Hike Doggie can make your own entrepreneurial dreams a reality.
About Hike Doggie
Hike Doggie was founded in 2016 with a mission to “make dogs as happy as they make us”. The business model is predicated on providing a professional and turnkey dog hiking service. Our vision is to create unforgettable outdoor experiences for dogs, ensuring their physical and emotional well-being while fostering a deep bond between them and their human families. Hike Doggie offers a low barrier to entry, quick conversion, and strong retention rates – not to mention extremely happy clients. To date, Hike Doggie has participated in over 50,000 dog hikes and we’d like to have you help us add to that total. Hit the trail to success and explore franchise ownership with Hike Doggie by reaching out to our franchise development specialists at Franchise Evolution Partners to begin your personal journey. Watch this informative video on YouTube to discover how your life can change as a Hike Doggie owner. And be sure to read our blog, follow us on Instagram, connect with us on LinkedIn, and watch our collection of videos on TikTok.