It was a very normal day for Dianne and Dale Neffendorf, a retired couple from Oregon when they decided to talk about their farm and yard. But things started to take a whole new turn when one of them suggested that they rent out their Backyard for dogs to come and play.
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They may have never imagined that silly idea would turn genius and make them earn $3,500 monthly. How exactly did it happen?
Identifying a Need
There was a pandemic, and public dog parks were closed. So, they felt the community needed a safe private space where dogs could come and play.
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This was such a valuable service, and dog owners were happy about it. They started enjoying huge patronage and that was the beginning of their financial success.
Utilizing Existing Resources
“You make do with what you have” never had a better application. Their spacious backyard was their valuable asset and instead of leaving the space unused, they put it to good use.
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They prepared the land, fenced it, and added water stations, shade areas, and benches to improve the comfort and experience for both pets and owners.
Platform Choice
One of their best decisions was to make use of a platform, Sniffspot. This is an online service that connects dog owners with land owners who want to rent out their space for dogs.
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Using this increased their visibility, made them easy to find, and boosted their credibility score, which made dog owners more comfortable with them.
Setting the Right Price
Pricing is a very important aspect of business. Before setting their price, they covered some business grounds and carefully fixed their price at $15 per family. They added an additional $5 per dog for an hour of playtime.
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The couple conducted their market research, identified their value, and calculated the cost. Eventually, they came up with this price as what customers would pay willingly and also be profitable to them.
Marketing Strategy
What’s a business without a good marketing strategy? Your guess is as good as mine. The Neffendorfs promoted their Backyard Dog Park through targeted advertising and community engagement. They also listened to feedback from customers.
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They got referrals from satisfied customers talking about them. Their neighbors also gave personal endorsements about the quality service they were offering.
Customer Experience
Nothing beats a great customer experience in business. If your customers are not satisfied, how will they keep coming back? The Neffendorfs ensured a clean, secure, and enjoyable environment for the dogs and their owners alike.
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They focused on important aspects like the cleanliness, security, and comfort of the park, and made sure nothing harmed the dogs.
Additional Services
As much as the park was already a good one, they added extra features to make their park stand out. Their aim was to enhance the overall park experience for the dogs and their owners.
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They offered water stations, shade areas, toys for the dogs to play with, and seating areas for their owners. This made their space more attractive and functional and guaranteed good business success for them.
Scheduling System
Through the Sniffspot platform they were on, they were able to have a scheduling system where they managed the reservations for their park. This ensured their park ran smoothly, with little administrative problems.
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This level of organization was needed for a good customer experience and effective running of the park. Nobody likes a business that’s run nonchalantly.
Community Engagement
They offered their customers a sense of belonging. They all felt like they were a part of the business. This gave them a chance to build relationships by creating a community around their service.
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This sense of belonging they offered is the lifeblood of service-based businesses. It makes customers always come back and spread good word about your business.
Handling Logistics
Normally, logistics in business is a handful, especially when not done right. But their Sniffspot platform made things a lot easier for them.
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They had automated processes for bookings, reminders, payments, etc. They were able to save time and minimize errors they would have come across if they were handling it manually. It also gave their customers a seamless experience.
Value Offered
As much as they were doing so well and getting increased patronage, they kept looking for ways to increase the value they were offering.
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They considered adding extra features like obstacle courses and training sessions for their customers. They kept providing more reasons for their customers to return, which is a proactive approach to business success. They ensured they weren’t getting new clients only, but also retaining the former.
