The Barkroom Chat

Ep 31 - Word-of-Mouth Magic: How to Get Clients Talking About Your Home Salon

• Linda • Episode 31

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0:00 | 19:32

Want more dream clients without spending money on ads or constantly posting online?

In this episode, we’re diving into the magic of word-of-mouth marketing — and how you can intentionally create a home grooming experience that has clients raving about you.

Because here’s the truth:
 The best kind of marketing doesn’t feel like marketing at all… it feels like trust.

You’ll learn how to turn everyday appointments into memorable experiences, how to gently encourage referrals (without feeling awkward), and how to build the kind of client relationships that naturally grow your business.

If you’ve ever wondered how some groomers seem to always be fully booked with perfect clients — this is the episode for you 

🐶 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

  • Why word-of-mouth is the most powerful way to grow your home salon 
  • How to create an experience clients can’t stop talking about 
  • Simple ways to make your grooms more memorable (without spending lots of money) 
  • How to encourage referrals naturally and confidently 
  • Easy, brand-aligned ways to reward loyal clients 
  • The real reason consistency matters more than perfection 
  • How building relationships leads to long-term, loyal clients

💛 Final Thought

 Word-of-mouth doesn’t happen by accident… it happens by design. 

🔗 Next Steps

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you subscribe and share it with another dog groomer who’s building a business with heart.

And if you’re ready to create a more polished, professional, and aligned grooming business—keep an eye out for more resources from Glossy Pup Academy 🐾✨


Resources

SPEAKER_00

Hey there, welcome to the Barcroop Chat Podcast, the show for women who dream of building a thriving dog grooming business from home. Whether you're just starting out, already seeing clients, or somewhere in between, this is your go-to space for real talk practical tips, a little bit of gossip, and a whole lot of encouragement. I'm Linda, the founder of Glassy Pop Academy, a former dog groomer, turned business mentor, and your biggest cheerleader. Let's turn your passion for pups into a profitable, feel-good, successful business that you've always dreamed of. Grab a coppa, get comfy, and let's dive in. Hello and welcome back to the Backroom Chat Podcast. My name is Linda, your host, and today we are talking about something that is honestly pure magic when it comes to growing your business, and that is word of mouth. This month we're focusing on more traditional forms of marketing to market your business because I honestly think so many people focus on social media and just online in general when there are so many more kind of physical traditional forms that you can use, especially when you have a local business. You're not trying to broadcast to the world, you are literally trying to just inform the people in the surrounding area and towns that you have a business and these are your services. So this week we're talking about word of mouth. You know that moment when the client says, My friend recommended you, it instantly builds trust, doesn't it? It skips the awkward getting to know you phase. And the best part, these are usually our dream clients, the ones that already value what you do, because it's usually the clients that value you and that rave about you and that are your fans that recommend you to other people. So word of mouth is a really good way of building up dream clients. But here's the truth word of mouth doesn't just happen by accident, it happens by design. So let's get into how you can create that kind of magic in your salon. So, number one is create an experience worth talking about. You know, people just don't recommend a service, they recommend how it made them feel when they were in there. So think beyond the groom itself. Ask yourself, did that client truly feel welcomed? Because I was a new groomer, I did focus on the experience quite a lot because I knew that I couldn't compete with more established businesses in the local towns and villages and the surrounding areas. I knew that my biggest angle would be the value that I added and the experience that I could create. And I tried to do this throughout the year on regular times of year, like now, or during different holidays, I would try to lean into them and really give the customer something worth talking about, worth thinking about, worth holding on to, worth coming back for. So ask yourself did the client feel truly welcomed? Something I did to try and make sure that happened was to create a welcome pack, and this included a little leaflet of everything. I say leaflet is more like a booklet of all the different policies or anything they needed to know about the business or anything I could help them with. I also included a little collar charm which I got them on bulk on Amazon, and they could put that on their dog. That is also marketing because if anyone goes, Oh, that's a really cute collar charm, they go, Yeah, my groomer gave it to me. Uh Posh Pops, you know, so it's another way of getting people talking about you. In that pack, I also included business cards, a referral card, a loyalty card, and I think someday I am or some week I am going to focus on the welcome pack, maybe including everything that I included in the welcome pack. I might share the booklet that I created that you can then edit for your own business, and yeah, maybe I'll just um go through that one week. But in that I also included a little bag of treats and then the monthly newsletter as well in their welcome pack. Now every dog did get a go home bag, but their first visit they got the welcome pack because that included the extras that they could hold on to then. So yeah, then ask yourself, was their dog treated like a VIP? Now that's hard sometimes, depending on the dog, depending on the day, depending on your motivation. Let's be honest, there's a lot of factors. But as long as you try your best to treat every dog like a little VIP, then you know you're working towards getting that word of mouth recommendation. Ask yourself, did they leave feeling happy, relieved, proud? You know, when they saw their dog with their little spurts of cologne and bandana looking cute and fluffy and happy, were they delighted with the result? If they weren't, did you do everything you could to make sure that they were delighted or they were happy or at least satisfied by the time that they left? It's those little touches that make a difference, you know, greeting them warmly, using the dog's name if you can. I used to have a little whiteboard that I kept in the reception area, but it's all the same room, let's be honest. But I had a little desk, and on that desk I had a little whiteboard, and I had at the top today's posh pops are and then I put the names of the dogs that were coming in that day. And every morning I would take a little photo or video of this, put it up in my stories to welcome that day's posh pops. Not only did it mark my business and show people that I was busy, not only did it make people feel special and valued and like I was looking forward to them, it also made people excited to see maybe my grooms later because they already see the dog's names that are coming in, and then later they will see the dogs with those names that have been finished grooming, and yeah, I think it's just a good you know start to the day. Other little touches would be having a calm, clean, beautiful space, and then of course, you know, having the bandana or bow or little spritz or something at the end, so that when they collect their dog, not only are they collecting a freshly groomed, beautiful, happy dog with a cute little bandana that smells lovely, they're also getting their little go-home bag with their treats and their monthly newsletter in it as well. And yeah, it's just a nice experience, it's like getting a gift. And I always think about the senses as well. And I talk about this mainly in Christmas time, but it's something you should remember kind of throughout the year for your business. Humans heavily rely on the senses, and if you can associate your business positively with as many as possible, you're more likely to be viewed favourably by that person. So, for example, smell does a dog smell good? Touch is a dog you know feeling soft and fluffy or sleek and shiny, sight, we obviously want them to look cute or look the way they should look, the way we want them to look. You know, we can't really put taste in it, obviously. I think that would be weird. But hearing, is a dog happy? Are they panting? Are they wagging their tail? Are they excited? You know, all of this tells the human this is a good experience. And if you add in a little go-home bag, a little treat with that, a monthly newsletter, which is also marketing, which they're going to read, which will also add value, it all points in the direction of talking favorably about your business. Two, give them something to show off. You want people to talk about you, so make it irresistibly easy. So for each groom, take before and after videos or before and after photos, depending on the platform. I used to do both to be honest, and I used to do little reels where I would take a little video of what the dog looked like first, and then at the end, I would take another video of what the dog looked like at the end after the transformation. You can send it to them, post it with their permission, of course, on social media. Because let's be honest, for them, you're not just grooming dogs, for them, you're creating a look at my dog moment. Everybody likes to show off their dog. Let's be honest, it doesn't matter what dog you have, what breed you have, you know, you want to show them off, you want them to be wearing like a cute collar or cute bandana, to be looking shiny and healthy, their coat in good condition, fluffy, soft, you know, cute, adorable. We love all of this as humans, and if you can think of it from their point of view for that, that again is you know creating the opportunity for positive word of mouth because you're giving them what they want. You see, customers want a healthy dog that has a good coat and good skin, however, as much as they want that from a more superficial level, we all want to show off our dogs and be like, oh, how cute and adorable, and we want to snuggle with them on the sofa and cuddle with them in their soft coat and they're smelling so lovely. And yeah, from a superficial level, that's what they actually want. So if you can do your best to create that moment, then that's just working in your favour because they're going to be texting their besties, texting their mom, you know, calling their friends, being like, Look at my dog, just out of the groomer. Oh my god. I mean, I'm a groomer and I get it from my friends when I didn't groom their dogs, you know, because a lot of my friends live too far away when I was a groomer, so I didn't actually groom all my friends' dogs, and now I'm not a groomer anymore, and I still get the messages, oh my god, look how cute my dog is, and yeah, of course, that's what we want. So do your best to remember to create those moments, and you're onto a winner. You're suddenly in front of an entire network and you didn't even pay a penny for it. Number three, just ask, yeah, really. This is a part people often miss, but it's so powerful. Most happy clients are more than willing to recommend you, they just need a little nudge. So you can keep it super simple and just be like, I'm taking on clients at the moment, feel free to pass my name on. I have a referral card or a referral offer, which I did do actually in the beginning. Um, I did a referral offer of five euro off each groom if you were referred by a friend, and then the two friends would get the referral discount. But yeah, you can just ask regardless if you don't want to do that, and just say, Oh yeah, feel free to pass my name on or referrals mean the world to me, or if you know anyone, you know, that kind of thing. But I also think it's a really good idea to build relationships with well, say, complementary businesses in your area. So by this I mean vets, dog walkers, daycare's breeders, you know, uh your local rescue center, swap cards, support each other, it works both ways. That way, if anyone comes to you, they have a veterinary issue, you recommend your vet. If they are looking to get another dog, you can recommend your local rescue or the breeder if the breeder is the particular breed that they're looking for. Um, obviously, only partner with good breeders. I mean, I'd say that goes without saying, but you know, be careful, like, look at who you're recommending because that comes back to you. So always be careful when you partner up with a complimentary business. But remember, this isn't pushy, it's an invitation. You're not demanding anything, you're not saying you have to tell people about me, you're just saying, you know, if someone's looking for a groomer, then I have a few spots available, so please feel free to let them know. Number four, reward referrals without cheapening your brand. So, like I said, this was something I did. You don't need complicated systems or big discounts, just keep it simple and keep it aligned with your brand. So I did five years off each groom, um, but you could also do a free add-on for the next groom if they referred someone, or you could do a small thank you gift. It just turns referrals into something fun and appreciated and not just kind of transactional, you know. Number five, I have be consistently excellent. However, we always talk about on this platform that you don't have to be perfect, and we're never striving to be perfect, we're just striving to be better, we're just striving to improve and to do the best that we can, and as long as we know we do the best that we can, then we don't have to like stress about it, you know. But the real secret to word of mouth does not come from just one great experience, it comes from having consistent great experiences. So that doesn't mean perfection, okay? I just want to say that very clearly. What it means is showing up each time and doing your best each time to create a joyful experience with the groom that's in front of you. So, you know, dogs are like humans in the sense that they have good days, they have bad days, and they have different needs, and the human has different needs, as in their owner has different needs. Maybe one during the summer they want their dog to be shaved short, but in the winter they like to have a thicker coat or a longer coat. You know, you just try to give them the best experience you can based on the groom that's in front of you. When clients trust you, they will stop shopping around, they will become loyal, they will recommend you without even thinking. So consistency will build confidence, and again, I want to reiterate: we're not talking about perfection, you don't have to be like this perfect groomer who's just better than everyone else. No, you have to be the person that they rely on to do their best, and they trust you because of that. You have their pets and their best interest at heart, and as long as they're aware of that and you're doing your best, you will have people coming back to you time and time again. Number six, build relationships, not just appointments. So your clients aren't just names in your diary, they're people who adore their dogs. So take a moment to remember the details, and like I said last time, our brains are not supposed to remember every single thing about every single person dog or anything, every single thing that's ever happened in our lives. So do what I did and take notes. I created sheets for each client that were groomer notes, and after each groom, I would write in any notes, details, and things significant so that the next time I would be able to find them and I wouldn't just have to remember things because look, you know, sometimes the brain fog is real. In fact, just on this point, last week I did say that this week we'd be talking about sustainability again because we were doing that all month, and I forgot that this week is actually the start of the next month, and we're actually talking about traditional media all this month, so yeah, um, I think it's because I am currently battling a low iron um issue that I'm fixing, I'm in the process of fixing. Um, but yeah, so sometimes the brain fog is real and you can't be expected to remember everything, so just write them down. Ask how their dog has been. So when they come in, if they've had anything come up recently that you know about, or from the last groom, just ask them how have they been, celebrate milestones, birthdays, first grooms, you know, make people feel seen, be a part of the community, you know, be a valued member of part of the community. You'll be walking down the street and you're gonna see all your clients and you just wave or give them a little, you know, scratch behind the ear if they're close enough. The dogs, obviously, not the humans. I feel like that should go without saying, but just in case, we ain't scratching people's ears around here. But yeah, when you make people feel seen, they talk about you differently. It's not just oh she's a good groomer, it's you have to go to her, she's amazing, and that's what you want. You want to create raving fans, and they're never going to turn no one's ever gonna turn around and say she's perfect. So there you have it. Six tips for encouraging word of mouth moments. And here's the truth: you don't have to have a huge following, you really don't. When it's a local business, it is more important to be a part of the community and to be well known in the local area than having this huge following on Instagram or Facebook or anything like that. You don't need to be everywhere online. Now it's good to have online because that is the first place someone's going to look when they get a recommendation about you. I know that's what I would do if someone recommended a grimmer to me. The first thing I do is go online. So it is good to have it, but I just wouldn't worry about follower count, I wouldn't worry about views, I wouldn't worry about any of that because your focus should only be online if you're trying to get to the masses, we say, you know, like all over your country. I was gonna I was gonna say Ireland, but like all over your country or all internationally, then your focus should be on the internet because you're reaching a wider audience. Your social media, in my opinion, for being a local business, is more like a portfolio, it's more like a check-in spot where people can get information about your business so they can call by the next day or so they can give you a call. So that's why you need important information on it because it's more of a check-in spot and a portfolio to see your work to see if you know you would click with them, um, rather than actually trying to get people to follow you, like you, you know, all of that. You know, we're not trying to be influencers. You really just need happy clients, thoughtful touches, and a memorable experience because when you create something truly special, people will talk, and we all know that people like to talk about bad stuff more than they like to talk about good stuff, so you kind of have to push that little extra bit forward when it comes to the experience in order to get that ball rolling, get people talking about you, and that's how your home salon grows, not through noise, but through trust. So, if you loved this episode, I'd absolutely love it if you shared it with a fellow groomer. And until next time, my friends, remember you don't have to just wait for word of mouth to happen, you can actively encourage it to build a client list of dream customers. So that's it from me today. And remember, as always, together we can change the world one dog at a time. Bye, friends. Thank you so much for tuning in to the Bark Room Chat Podcast. If today's episode gave you a little boost or a new idea, I'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it with a fellow groomer who needs to hear it. And don't forget, you can grab my free resources and join the Glassybump Academy group anytime for more support on your journey. Until next time, keep going, keep growing. You've got this. I'm cheering you on every step of the way, and remember, together we can change the world. One dog at a time.