Picking Up Dog Poop Like a Pro

Understanding the Dog Poop Pickup Business

Alright. After a bit of a Google-a-thon, There’s a bit more to this than I first thought. But really, it’s pretty simple at its core.

Client gets a dog.
Client loves their dog.
Client hates picking up their dog’s poop.
Client hates it even more when they stand in their dog’s poop.
Client loves when their dog’s poop magically disappears once a week.

That’s where I come in. The fastest pooper scooper in the West.

Types of Services

After looking at different sites, these are the standard services on offer.

• Regular poop pickup: This is the most common service. You visit the clients’ yards on a regular schedule (usually weekly or bi-weekly) and pick up all the poop.
  
• One-time cleanup: Sometimes, clients just need a one-time cleanup to get their yard back in shape. Maybe they’ve got a fancy party coming up, or they have an open home on. I think I will charge more for this as it’s more work but also time sensitive.
  
• Deodorizing and sanitizing: Some clients also want to deodorize and sanitize their yards after you’ve picked up the poop. I can charge an additional fee for this service and it should help boost the margins.

Equipment and Supplies

To start a dog poop pickup business, I’ll need some basic equipment and supplies.
Here’s what I’ll use:

• Pooper scooper: This is the most critical piece of equipment. I use a sturdy pooper scooper with a long handle to pick up the poop.

• Bags: I use plastic bags to put the poop in. I always bring extra bags, ALWAYS.

• Gloves: I wear gloves to protect my hands from the poop. 

• Disinfectant: After each job, I use a disinfectant spray to sanitize my tools and shoes.
  
• Dog treats: For the dogs, not me.

Pricing Your Services

When pricing my dog poop pickup services, I think I’ll keep things simple. I’ll charge a flat rate per visit based on the number of dogs and the yard size. Here’s how it will work:

• For one dog in a small yard (less than 1/4 acre), I charge $15 per visit.
  
• For two dogs in a small yard, I charge $20 per visit.
  
• For one dog in a medium yard (between 1/4 and 1/2 acre), I charge $20 per visit.
  
• For two dogs in a medium yard, I charge $25 per visit.
  
• For one dog in a large yard (more than 1/2 acre), I charge $25 per visit.
  
• For two dogs in a large yard, I charge $30 per visit.

When I have a nosey around, these rates seem fair and competitive with other dog poop pickup services in my area. Plus, they’re easy for clients to understand and calculate on their own.

Of course, some factors could impact the price of my services. For example, I charge a little extra if a yard is challenging to navigate (lots of obstacles, steep hills, etc.). Or, if a client wants me to come more frequently than once a week, I might offer a discount on the per-visit price.

Overall, I will be flexible and accommodating when it comes to pricing. I want my clients to feel like they’re getting good value for their money while ensuring I’m earning enough to make this side hustle worth my time and effort. I mean, I am picking up dog poop after all.

Identifying My Target Market

I must find the right target market or this whole thing will turn into… dog poop. If my target market is sorted, I can tailor my services to their needs and preferences.

As a dog poop pickup service provider, my target market could be:

• Busy professionals who don’t have time to clean up after their dogs
  
• Elderly or disabled pet owners who may have difficulty bending over or walking long distances
  
• Homeowners associations or property management companies that need regular maintenance of common areas
  
• Pet-friendly businesses, such as dog parks or pet stores that want to keep their premises clean and sanitary

Each part of the market has different expectations. For example, busy professionals may prefer a recurring weekly or bi-weekly pickup schedule, while homeowners associations may need visits more often.

Additionally, pet owners may have specific requests for how their yard is cleaned or where the waste is disposed of.  I will have to be flexible and accommodating to ensure I keep people happy and they spread the word.

If I nail my target market and cater to their needs, I should be able to establish a loyal customer base and grow my dog poop pickup empire.

Setting Up My Business

Properly setting up my business is vital to ensure I’m operating legally and efficiently.
Here are a few things I need to get sorted:

Business Registration

First and foremost, I’ll need to register my business with the state and local government. This involves filling out way too much paperwork and handing over some cash. So I will test the waters first, see if I get any traction, and then once I know I can make some money from this, I’ll fill out the paperwork. No point in having a business registered if I have no business.

Marketing Your Services

To get the word out about my new empire, I need a few ways to grab peoples attention. I’m going to keep it pretty simple. Simple is good. Simple is cheap. Here are some ways I plan to do that:

Social Media

I’ll be using social media to reach out to potential customers. I’ll create a Facebook page and an Instagram account to showcase my services. I’ll post pictures of happy customers and their clean yards and posts about the importance of picking up dog poop. When I’m bringing in some cash, I’ll also run ads on these to reach a wider audience. Who knows, maybe I will start posting a dog poop of the week!

Flyers and Posters

I’ll create some quirky flyers and posters to put up around town. I’ll buy a cheap phone and put the number on the poster and a clear message about what I offer. Something like “Stop standing in your dogs’ poop, get us to scoop”  I’ll put them at local dog parks, pet stores, and veterinary clinics. I’ll post them on community bulletin boards and leave a few in some cafes.

Word of Mouth

Word of mouth is king. It’s free and 100% verifiable. I plan to ask satisfied customers to spread the word about my services. I’ll also offer referral discounts to encourage them to do so. I’ll provide excellent service to every customer, so they’ll happily recommend me to their friends and family.

Using these marketing strategies, I’m confident I can attract plenty of customers and create my new dog poop scoop monopoly.

Providing Excellent Customer Service

I understand the importance of providing excellent customer service. It’s not just about picking up the poop but also about ensuring the customer is satisfied with my service. Here are a few things I can do to ensure I provide excellent customer service:

• Prompt communication: I have to respond to customer inquiries and messages immediately. This shows the client that I value their time and am committed to providing good service.

• Flexible scheduling: My customers may have busy schedules, so I must be flexible when scheduling appointments. This means offering early morning or evening pickups and being willing to reschedule if something comes up.

• Attention to detail: I must take pride in my work and leave the customer’s yard clean and doggy poop free. I will also double-check that I’ve closed all gates properly before leaving the property. Like my Mom would say, “Leave the place better than you found it.”

• Friendly demeanor: Being friendly and approachable is critical to providing good customer service. I will always greet customers with a smile and try to make small talk to build rapport.
• Going above and beyond: Providing excellent customer service sometimes means going above and beyond what’s expected. For example, I might offer to water the customer’s plants while I’m there or leave a thank-you note for their business.

By following these guidelines, I can build a loyal customer base and establish myself as a reliable and trustworthy poop pickup service provider.

Expanding My Business

Once I have built up a loyal customer base and have a steady income stream, it’s time to consider expanding the business. Here are a few ways I could take the dog poop pickup side hustle to the next level:

Hire Employees: As the business grows, I may need help handling the workload. The sooner I can stop picking up the dog poop, the better.

Offer Additional Services: I could increase the revenue by offering additional services. For example, I could offer dog walking or lawn mowing. This will bring in more money and help me build stronger relationships with your customers.

Expand My Service Area: Once I’ve tapped out my block and the ones next to it, I’ll consider expanding my area to reach more potential customers. This will require more time and effort on my part, but it can pay off in the long run. I would need to hire other people before this step.

Partner with Local Businesses: Partnering with local businesses can help me reach a wider audience. For example, I could partner with a dog grooming salon or a pet supply store. Offer their customers a discount on our services and ask them to do the same for me.

Is This The Side Hustle For Me?

Do I think that this could be a side hustle for me? Maybe
Is this going to be the idea that eventually turns me into a Billy? Probably not.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons to see if I think this is worth pursuing any further

Pros

• Cheap to start: I could just start with some bags and my garden shovel in the garage.
  
• Easy to find clients: This town is dog central. There are at least 20 dogs just on our street. It will just be a numbers game.
  
• Good margins: The most expensive part will be getting to the jobs. If I’m working within 2-3 blocks, the margins should be nice and juicy
  
• It’s simple. No quantum physics degree required.

Cons

• Low-value service: This feels a bit like collecting pennies out of the gutter. When you start to think about how much dog poop you need to pick up to make a bit of extra cash. There might be better ways.
  
• Time-consuming: It takes a decent chunk of time to go to someone’s house, pick up dog poop, secure the yard, and then leave. I’m pretty hard-pressed for time after work as it is. I might have time for 1-2 pickups max per night.
  
• Physical work: I can only be in one place at a time. This makes it hard to fit dog poop pickups around my current job. It also means I can’t make money while I sleep.
  
• Dog Poop: To state the obvious, picking up dog poop full-time isn’t the most glamorous job.

I think I can definitely make some money doing this. However,I think at this stage, I want to put this one on the backburner. Not beacuse it’s dog poop. But because I think I can find a better opportunity that isn’t such a time suck.

I think I might start researching some of my online side hustle ideas and see how they compare.