Summary
Becoming a pet-friendly business has many benefits that range from attracting new customers to creating a welcoming environment for your staff and patrons. To make your barbershop a pet-friendly location, you’ll want to prepare both your physical space and co-workers, then promote the change to the public.
From the goodest of boys to the spunkiest felines, people love their furry best friends. Pets are integral to our culture and the human experience. Nowadays, many people take their pets with them just about everywhere. Whether it’s an evening at the hip new brewery or a quick haircut, pets are included in daily life.
As a barber, your first priority is to make people feel welcomed and comfortable while providing them with the quality barbering services they expect. If you’d like to make your barbershop a pet-friendly location, you’re not alone. Thankfully, it’s easier to make this shift than you might think.
Transform Your Barbershop into a Pet-Friendly Location
Put Your Pet-Friendly Paw Forward
One of the most important shifts when establishing your barbershop as a pet-friendly location is to make your intentions obvious. If people aren’t aware of your pet-friendly policies, they aren’t going to flock to your shop with their pets. You have to attract people with pets by clearly signaling that you welcome them.
If your shop is in a high-traffic area, especially one where people walk by on foot, set a bowl of water outside. This sends a message that you are welcoming of pets, and people will take note of your thoughtfulness. Other tactics, such as posting marketing materials physically on and in your business, as well as digitally on your social media platforms, can inform people about your new pet policy and invite them to take advantage.
Provide a Pet-Safe Environment
When people bring their pets to your barbershop, you’ll want to be prepared to accommodate them. This is a step that many business owners overlook initially, but it can make a significant difference in whether pet-loving patrons choose your shop over another.
There are a handful of key concerns to address before opening your shop to pets and declaring your barber shop a pet-friendly location.
- Make sure that nothing in your barbershop is toxic to animals, including any decorative plants or cleaning products.
- Remove potentially dangerous items from reach, such as small objects that can be swallowed and electrical cords that can be chewed.
- Consider swapping your current furniture for alternatives that are pet-friendly and easy to clean.
- Clean more frequently and emphasize cleaning that accounts for animals, such as removing hair, deodorizing, and reducing allergens.
- Make it clear what types of pets are permitted and in what areas of your shop. Share these policies via posted signs in your barbershop, on your social media channels, and on your website to leave no room for doubt or disagreement.
Prepare Your Co-Workers (and Consider Their Preferences)
Creating a healthy work environment includes taking your co-worker’s preferences and needs into account and giving them a voice when it comes to big changes. Before making the shift to becoming a pet-friendly location, ensure that no one on staff has allergies or reasonable objections to welcoming animals into the shop. Some people don’t like animals in their space, suffer from severe allergies, or have had bad encounters in the past.
If everyone is on board–or at least willing to adapt–take the time to prepare them for the change. From how to interact with animals to what to do in the case of an emergency (such as locating the closest vet), prepping your staff before opening your pet-friendly doors to the public is essential.
Pro tip: if you or someone on your team has a pet, bring them in to help familiarize everyone with the new environment, pinpoint any potential problems, and streamline your pet-friendly approach.
Cater to Pet Parents
Once your shop is prepared for an influx of pet-loving people and their furry friends, it’s time to promote that your business is now a pet-friendly location. While the methods you use to market this new feature of your barbershop are limited only by your imagination, here are a handful of ideas to get you started.
- Update your business listings to designate them as pet-friendly and get listed on directories specifically built for pet-friendly businesses.
- Make your pet-friendly status apparent on your social media platforms, and consider making a dedicated pet-friendly marketing push through those channels.
- Hold special events and get involved in the local pet scene. From adoption days to “bring your pet to work” events, the ways that you can encourage involvement are practically limitless.
