Your Dog Business Clients Won't Forget How You Made Them Feel

I was thinking back to a night out with colleagues a few years ago.

One of our party, a flashy-looking guy in his 30s and very full of himself, was standing next to me in a stylish hotel bar. And yes, I should add, he was completely sober, which somehow makes this worse.

A young man, probably in his early twenties, pleasant enough and still smiling after probably a long shift, handed him his change in pound coins because he had no five-pound notes left.

A bit inconvenient? Yes.

Worth making a fuss over? Absolutely not.

But then the clown next to me (Mr Flash Guy in his pinstripe suit, yes pinstripe suit on a night out) decided to get a little shirty with him.

He actually went on to ask to speak to the manager.

I mean, come on. Really? The poor lad behind the bar was probably on minimum wage and had done absolutely nothing wrong.

I was already preparing to step in, when the bartender spoke in nervous tone..

“The manager has gone home early due to sickness, but I can ask him to give you a call if you wish.”

And then came the line from flash B0****ks

“Do you know who I am?”

Cringe to say the least.

I mean, what an absolute clown.

That’s when I stepped in and reminded my colleague (definitely not a friend) that the young man was simply doing his job.

Thankfully, that seemed to calm him down or maybe it was him catching himself in the bar mirror and checking out his suit.

Anyhow, the truth is, this guy was/is no one special, which made the whole thing even more embarrassing.

Although I stepped in to put an end to it, part of me still wishes I’d gone for the more dramatic option.

Maybe I should have stood on the stool, got the attention of the other (normal) customers, and shouted:

“Can someone call a doctor? We’ve got a man here who doesn’t know who he is!”

Missed a trick there!

Anyhow, there’s a dog business lesson in this too.

How do you think this bartender felt about Mr flash guy? He probably still dreams about smacking him across the face with a wet fish!! Imagine if he launched a business, or service, do you think he would buy from him, even if his offer and product was amazing?

No chance.

People don’t stay loyal to brands or people that make them feel small. They stay loyal to businesses that make them feel respected and understood.

Whether you run a grooming salon, dog walking business, training service, or pet shop selling nail clippers, how you make people feel matters just as much as the service or product you provide.

A little humility, kindness, genuine respect, and going that extra mile for them can build the kind of trust that keeps your clients coming back for years.

Anyway, back to… do you know who I am?

Well, I thought I’d give you a quick breakdown so we can start to get to know each other slightly more.

And rest assured, I’m not someone who looks down on people, unless I’m helping to pick them back up.

So, here goes:

1. I have two wonderful (now grown-up, so they think, 18 and 22) children who I’d do anything for. Including acting as their personal taxi driver and dragging them out of bed so they’re not late for work.

2. I first caught the marketing bug back in 2004 after discovering the Warrior Forum. I spent so much time on there it nearly caused a divorce. If you know, you know.

3. That naturally led me into affiliate marketing and product creation, but by around 2006 it became clear that my real passion was persuasive writing and understanding how people think, which pulled me into copywriting.

4. I started writing for my own blogs, and then for clients.

5. I earned a content marketing certification through Jon Morrow’s Smart Blogger, which was a great inspiration for me. If you don't know Jon Morrow, look up his best articles and be amazed, although, he kind of uses AI now which surprises me because his writing is so good without it.

6. I completed a Creative Writing degree as a mature student and graduated with First Class Honours. (Not saying that to brag… although maybe just a little. I mean I was a mature student, balancing work, kids, family life, and I still got a first class degree. I mean, Do You Know Who I AM? it's a pretty good thing.

7. The dog industry gradually became my niche, driven by a genuine love of dogs and a desire to help both dog owners and dog business owners.

8. I launched Pooch Profits.

And here we are.

You’ll get to know me more over time, but in tomorrow’s email, I’ll share a few reasons why subscribing to the Pooch Profits newsletter could be one of the smartest decisions you make for your dog business.

A small daily read, but potentially a big long-term return.

Until then..

Never ask anyone, “Do you know who I am?” Or you're barred for life.