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You want to run a house-sitting business, but you’re worried about how to get it off the ground. We’ve got you covered. In this blog post, I’ll review the best strategies for marketing your house-sitting business. If you already have a business running, these tips can still help improve your current strategies and save time.
Marketing strategies are important for every business. With lots of competition around, you must be ready to establish the brand. To stand out from the crowd, you need to adopt effective strategies. How can house-sitting services improve their market share? What are some key marketing strategies? Read on to find out!
Why House-Sitting Service is a Unique Business
Profitable side-income stream
It’s easy to get started, and it can be a very lucrative business model. House sitting provides benefits that other small businesses don’t have, including instant authority, instant flexibility, and instant startup costs.
Flexibility
House sitting allows you to move as much or as little as you like. Many people choose to travel for long periods, either within their own country or abroad. Others may choose to stay put in one place for longer periods. Either way, house sitting gives you the freedom to move when and where you want.
Lucrative
Many pet owners will pay substantial amounts of money in exchange for peace of mind while they’re away on vacation or at work traveling for business. House sitters can charge anywhere from $15 per day to $200 per day, depending on the area in which you live and the type of pets you’ll be caring for.
Stay at someone else’s place while they are away
You can stay at someone else’s place while they are away (vacation, business trip, etc.) and pay no rent or any other living expenses like food and utilities. This will help you save money on your living expenses.
Get a chance to stay in an expensive city
By staying in an expensive city you can save hundreds of dollars per month when compared to the cost of renting an apartment there. In addition, if you know friends or family who live in any such city then you can get a place to stay from them without paying any rent or any other fees as well!
No overhead costs
When most people start they spend thousands on advertising and overhead costs trying to get their businesses off the ground. With a house-sitting service business, there are no overhead costs because the business is based out of your home. You can comfortably run it from your living room. If you do not have time for managing your sitter, it is important to hire a sitter who is trustworthy and honest enough to handle your home when you are away.
A growing industry
People are always traveling and, in many cases, do not trust strangers with their houses or belongings while they are away so there is always going to be a need for house sitters.
House sitting businesses are not seasonal
Most people that leave their homes for an extended period are going on an extended vacation or visiting family for the holidays. This means that there is always work available for house sitters. Even if clients don’t need your services today, they might need them tomorrow or next week, or the week after that.
Cleaning and maintenance
If you’ve never cared for someone else’s home before, this can be one of the biggest challenges of running a house-sitting business. Even if you enjoy cleaning (or even if you don’t), it can be hard to keep up with another person’s standards when you aren’t staying in the home permanently.
Responsibilities and liabilities
What happens if a tropical storm hits during your assignment and destroys part of the property as well as something you own?
Tension
Running a house-sitting service business can be stressful if you let it get the best of you. Your job is to provide the best service possible for your clients, and if you’re not careful, you can take that too seriously. House-sitting isn’t rocket science, but it can be challenging if you take it too seriously. You need to make sure that you don’t obsess over every little thing in your business; if something goes wrong, just fix it and move on.
House-Sitting Service Business Challenges
You may struggle with getting paid for your work
If you’re working for an individual, then it is likely that they will want to pay via cash. This means that you’ll have to keep your records and make sure that they are correct as well as keeping track of expenses such as petrol, toll roads, and car washes which are all legitimate business expenses.
Lack of control
As a house sitter, you don’t have direct control over the long-term outcome of your business. You might love your clients but it’s up to them whether they want to employ your services again or not. If this doesn’t bother you then by all means go ahead and set up as much work as possible!
Time commitment
Although it is a home-based job, you will still have to be available to watch over the home when people are away. You will most likely have to take care of pets and plants, as well. This is one of the biggest drawbacks of this type of business because it can take up a lot of time.
Pros and Cons of House-Sitting Service
Pros
- You can use this opportunity to enjoy vacations for free!
Cons
- Getting your name out there.
- Finding your first clients.
- You may be lonely.
- There will be days when you’ll have to clean up other people’s messes.
Best House-Sitting Service Marketing Strategies
Build an app
If you’ve decided to offer an app for your house-sitting service, here are some tips on how to build and promote it. Treat your app as a business in its own right.
That means setting goals and strategies, just as you would with any other marketing activity. An app is a powerful tool, but it can take time to achieve results.
Build as much functionality into the app as possible. This can include:
1. An instant chat feature that enables users to get in touch with you immediately when they spot something amiss on a property.
2. A GPS tracking function that enables you to see on a map exactly where the client is and the location of their property. If the client notices a problem, they can send you photos or even live video from their phone so that you can assess the situation instantly and decide whether to visit the property or not.
3. A messaging system that enables users to communicate securely with each other via the app. This could be particularly useful if more than one sitter is looking after a property at one time — for example, if someone’s on holiday and someone else is looking after their pets while they’re away. You could use this messaging system to coordinate your approach and make sure there are no problems during the house sitting period.
4. Time-tracking functionality.
5. Client agreement and contract stored in the app so that both parties can view at any time.
6. A simple way for clients to request services from your company and vice versa.
7. An easy way for clients to pay for services on-the-spot via PayPal or credit card, eliminating the need for checks or cash exchanges between the client and house sitter.
Join forums
Joining forums is an extremely useful marketing strategy for promoting your house-sitting service. The best part is that it’s a “no-cost” strategy (for the most part).
Forums are places where people come to talk about various topics. If you can find a forum where people are talking about the problems you solve, then by all means jump in and provide your valuable content.
It may feel slightly uncomfortable at first, but after you’ve done it a few times you’ll get used to it.
Here’s a list of steps that will help you become a successful forum member:
1. Sign up for a forum.
2. Introduce yourself and describe your business.
3. Share some of your experiences or expertise.
4. Build relationships over time with relevant members.
5. When you’re ready to offer your services, start with a well-researched question or concern that benefits the community. Avoid advertising your services unless someone explicitly asks for them.
6. Be helpful! Reply to questions and provide ongoing value to the forum participants, rather than self-promoting too much at first.
Guerrilla marketing
Guerilla marketing is a strategy used by small businesses and entrepreneurs to get their products and services noticed. According to the Small Business Encyclopedia, guerrilla marketing is “marketing that involves low cost, imaginative concepts implemented at little or no cost.”
The purpose of this type of marketing is to get your name out there and make people notice you.
Guerrilla marketing can be an effective house-sitting service marketing strategy because it’s inexpensive and can be done quickly. You need to decide which form of guerrilla marketing best suits your product or service.
There are many ways you can use guerrilla marketing for your house-sitting business. Below are some ideas to help give you an idea:
Street signs: If you do not want to start from scratch, you can make use of street signs. Create a small signboard with your company name and logo on it, and then attach it underneath the existing street signs for a more permanent look.
Cards: Design some small greeting cards with your company’s information on them, then leave them around in public places like outdoor tables at restaurants or cafes and other seating areas.
Flyers: Place flyers in local stores and businesses. You could place flyers in local coffee shops or restaurants which usually allow posters on their walls. This is an excellent way of getting the word out about your house-sitting service.
Decals: Decals are another great way to market your house-sitting business. Decals can be placed on windows, doors, and car windows.
Yard signs: Yard signs are one of the most cost-effective ways to market your house-sitting business. Yard signs act as a physical reminder for your customers and also help them remember your name, phone number, or website address. These yard signs can be placed on every street in your neighborhood or in front of every house where you have sat in the past.
Create a website or blog
Websites and blogs are great tools for this type of business because they allow you to reach out to many people at once. Writing an article about the type of work that you do as a house-sitter will help others find out about your business.
By writing your articles and posting them on a website, you will be able to show off your unique skills in this field. Do not feel like you need to become an expert blogger, but know that it is something that will boost your credibility if you are interested in becoming more professional with house-sitting.
When creating a website or blog, remember that it is not necessary to have high-powered graphics or anything fancy to get the job done. It is also recommended that you include information that shows other people how they can get in touch with you as well as contact information so they can inquire about any questions they may have regarding your services.
Here are a few tips from our team on how to create a website or blog as your house-sitting service marketing strategy:
1. Create a WordPress website or blog
You can start with a free WordPress.com account and then upgrade to the paid version if you want (it’s $35 a year). You’ll need to set up hosting, which is pretty inexpensive at $3 to $10 per month (for shared hosting).
2. Pick a name and design for your website or blog
For your business name, use something simple that makes sense for your business. If you’re not great with web design, don’t worry! There are many free website templates available for WordPress.
3. Start blogging about your house-sitting services
Write about topics that will appeal to homeowners and share strategies on how you can help them keep their homes safe while they’re away. Share pictures of homes you’ve sat in, interesting things you’ve seen in other people’s homes, and any home-related stories you have to tell.
4. Include information about your house-sitting services in each blog post
Include links that point back to your website where people can learn more about your business. Make it easy for them to get in touch with you.
Rent a PO box
PO boxes are a great way to receive and send mail on behalf of your house-sitting clients.
Here’s how you can use PO boxes to promote your house sitting business:
Step 1: Get a PO box that includes mailbox and parcel services.
Step 2: Set up online bill payment so your clients can pay you electronically.
Step 3: Offer free double-sided notepaper with your contact information printed on the back.
Step 4: Include your cell phone number in your email signature. This allows people to call you immediately if they have any issues while you’re caring for their home.
Tailoring lead generation campaigns
Tailoring your lead generation campaigns as your house-sitting service marketing strategy is all about creating a win-win situation for homeowners and pet owners.
With the following tips, you can take your business to the next level:
Optimize your website for high-quality leads. Keep your website up to date with fresh content that is relevant to what your target customers are looking for on Google.
Optimize all of your marketing materials. The same goes for social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Create a drip-email campaign. Include an irresistible offer that will convince prospects to give you their contact information right away.
Make sure that all of your appointments are followed up with. In this industry, one lost appointment could mean losing business for good. Remember, no news is good news!
Offer more than just sitting services
Offering more than just sitting services as your house-sitting service marketing strategy is a way to make sure that you are maximizing your opportunities of getting paying customers. When you offer these services, you can be assured that they will be very happy and satisfied with your services and they will recommend you to other people who need house sitters.
Become a pet sitter: People are always on the lookout for good pet sitters especially for their pets when they are going to be away for a long time. You would want to keep your pet in a healthy place like your home and provide them with food, water, and love just like in the case of any human. If you can put in the effort then you should go ahead and offer this service because people will pay for it.
Be available for interior designing: Decorating and interior designing are some of the most interesting things about home remodeling. People do not have the time or skill to do all the work by themselves but hiring professional designers can be expensive. With your knowledge of interior design, it is better to offer this service so that homeowners can save some money and get the job done properly.
Go green with gardening: If you’re looking to provide a service that’s both useful and easy to execute, water plants are it. You can easily find out what plants need watering by reading through homeowner notes or by asking them upfront. Also, plant watering can be scheduled for any day or time during the week so homeowners don’t have to worry about having things done on their schedule. Plus, it’s easy for homeowners to see if someone has watered their plants because they’ll be green and healthy-looking!
Mail collection: Many people get packages sent directly to their front door or office during the workweek. These packages usually contain something that was purchased online or something that was ordered through a catalog. You can save time for homeowners by collecting these packages.
Cleaning: Many homeowners aren’t comfortable leaving their home dirty if they’re not able to clean it before they leave. Although this can be an added cost for them, most recognize the need for it and enjoy knowing that someone will be looking after their home while they’re away.
Using social media effectively
Though many people see social media as a colossal waste of time, it can be a valuable tool for house-sitting services. You can use this marketing strategy to attract clients, create interest in your services and build long-term relationships with customers. It’s important to remember, though, that social media isn’t the best avenue for all aspects of your business.
Social media is an excellent way to give potential clients a glimpse into the life you lead while taking care of their homes. Rather than simply describe how you handle their pets and plants, you can share photos or video clips on your various platforms. Be sure to include captions that explain what’s going on, so that viewers can understand what they’re seeing.
Here are some tips for how to use social media effectively for house-sitting:
1) Post photos of yourself interacting with the animals in your care.
2) Provide your followers with an inside look at what it’s like to live in the client’s home and neighborhood.
3) Comment on how well cared for the animals and plants seem to be – if the client has taken good care of their things, they will naturally want to continue working with you.
4) Use video or picture captions to tell stories about your experiences. This way, people get attached to you and learn something about house-sitting in general!
Final Thoughts
Below, we’ve taken a look at some of the brighter marketing strategies we’ve seen. You might be able to glean a few ideas from these examples that you can use for your house-sitting marketing.
