3 Mindset Blocks Dog Walkers Need to Overcome During the Coronavirus Crisis

Professional dog walkers are going back to work as regulations relax despite the coronavirus crisis. While getting back to a new type of normal feels good, it may not be smooth sailing for a lot of us. Many dog walkers have had a massive loss of clientele and are now dealing with the stress of working amidst the COVID-19 outbreak.

Understandably, this can leave you feeling defeated, frustrated and unsure of what to do next. One thing I want you to be mindful of as you navigate this challenging time is overcoming mindset blocks that may be hindering your business. At a time when you're facing many obstacles, you don't want to make things even harder on yourself by giving in to mindset blocks. Let's dive in to 3 mindset blocks I've heard dog walkers discussing and break them down.

Mindset Block #1: It's a Bad Time to Market Dog Walking

You might feel like people don't need to hire dog walkers right now. Coronavirus has turned our lifestyles upside down. So it might seem like a bad time to try to get more clients in the door. But you should be doubling down on marketing, not putting it on hold. While demand might be down currently, the marketing you do now will build brand awareness so potential clients will know who you are and what you do, and will benefit you later.

With an uptick in dog adoptions from shelters, rescues and breeders alike during the shutdown, we may see an increase in demand for dog walkers, especially once people are permitted to go back to work. So staying on top of marketing is really important now more than ever! When demand picks back up, you'll have made new connections who may become new clients. 

Mindset Block #2: People Who are Working from Home Don't Need Dog Walkers

I walk dogs for many clients who work from home, so this is not necessarily true. While some people will be pleased to have more time to walk their own dogs, there are others who now find themselves juggling working from home, having kids with them 24/7, tackling household chores and supervising schoolwork on top of that. They still have income and continuing dog walking services takes one thing off their very busy plate. If you've assumed your clients don't need walks because they're working from home, you might be mistaken. Make sure you play up the benefits of how your service can help clients who are working from home with your marketing.

Mindset Block #3: People Can't Afford Dog Walkers Right Now

While some people have been financially impacted by COVID-19, many are still able to work, including those with essential jobs and people who can work from home. In addition, many of these people have an excess of cash right now. With the closure of restaurants and entertainment venues as well as the inability to travel, they're making the same salaries but not eating out as much, not spending money on entertainment, and cancelling expensive travel plans. Spoiling their dogs is something they can afford to do, and it's something that will make them feel good too. So while this mind block may be true for some people, there are others who have more money to spend than usual. 

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