Hi everyone. My name is Erin and I am starting a dog treat business. Everyone that I have told my idea to thinks that is is a great idea. I have also looked and it seems to be a very high demand business. People these days treats there pets like children. They only buy there pets the best in everything from food, treats, and toys.

I am kind of at a dead end wall in all aspects of the business. I have all this great advice and feedback from everyone. But all of ths sudden I am starting to think that even thoough it is a business in high demand right now that I will not have a high enough or regualar customer base to make it worth my whilte.

I have tons of questions, and would like all sorts of opinions on many different things. I guess I am just looking for someone to talk business with, if you would like to help me out please E-mail me!!

I know my boyfriend and family can only take so much hearing about all of this.

Thanks for your time, look forward to hearing from you!!!

Hi there,

Since you've done your research and got things moving, but are worried about losing demand or your customer base, take some time each day to work on those two things. I find that working directly on what I'm worried about makes me think clearer about it. With a clear head, you may find it's nothing to worry about.

Trust your gut. If it's saying "create demand with education for potential customers" and "prepare to expand customer awareness effort", then listen

Just brainstorming, and I don't know what you have so far, but for increasing demand maybe your packaging could educate your customers with a little more explanation of the value of your treats compared to mass-manufactured treats: Fresher ingredients? Special ingredients? Better flavor? Handmade? Locally made? More affordable than other gourmet treats? Loved by your own dogs?

For expanding your customer base, free samples could be good. A 1/2 or 1/3 size pack of treats with your contact information is a great thing to hand out, or make available, at the SPCA, pet adoption events, at the dog park, at the regular park, etc. Handed out in pairs so they'll have one to share could have a viral effect.

Hope this helps!

Crystal
Digital Curator
http://bigbrightbulb.com
Advice, ideas, answers, and inspiration for the smallest businesses with the smallest budgets

Yeah that is a good idea. Here I will explain my thinking to you. I get to a point where I either feel that there is nothing to do or so much to do I don't know where to start. I am totaly new and the whole having your own business thing of course. Both my mom and my dad each owned there own companies...

So here is where I am..maybe you can clear my head out for me, it really helps when I talk to someone else

I am in the middle of making a website, which needs work
I need to make treats to weigh them to price them so that I can put them on the website.
I want to seel bandandas, toys and blankets. I have made a few toys and the pictures are posted on my website.
I want to start advertising but I am not sure if that is a good idea if i am not regiestered as a business yet and I dont have insurance. But then again my thought was to start to see if there will be a great enough demand and then get those things a little later down the road.

I have been told to drop my treats of in dog stores, animals sheleters, little shops ect...but I am afraid that they will say not or not be interested and on top of that again i am not a complete legal business yet.

Then I have thought about putting flyers up in apartments, houses, cars, stores, shops ect...

But even before I do that I feel that I should make a few more types of treats ( we already have 4 or 5 differnt kinds) to get more of a choice out there for the customers, but right now i am short on money and dont have any cash to buy all of the ingredients to keep those 4 or 5 types of treats in stock

sorry for writing a book, what do you think. I am so overwhelemed my brain is on overload please help THANKS!

No problem at all! Those all sound like healthy concerns of a Business Woman In Action. Probably the first thing to do is prioritize your list and take them one at a time. Here are my suggestions:

1. Register your business
I suggest doing this first (and real soon) because you mentioned more than once that not being registered was holding you back from a critical marketing/promotion task (advertising and give-aways). The business won't move forward if it's kept secret I don't know what time it is there, but get this started today if you can, even if just a phone call to see how.

2. Bring your website to a close (for the moment)
It does take a lot to create content for a website, but the nice thing is you don't have to finish every bit before you can launch it. Most importantly, make, weigh, and price treats to sell because they're your main product.

The bandanas, toys, and blankets are a great idea, but put them aside for now. They will be a great extra when you've got everything running well, but you have enough to focus on with registration, the website, and spreading the word. Take them off or put "coming soon" next to those so folks will know they'll be available sometime.

3. Spread the word
You seem hesitant to get out there and distribute your treats, which is understandable. No one wants to be turned down or away! But secret businesses don't succeed, so figure out some ways to spread the word that you are comfortable with.

For example, if you're uncomfortable with introducing yourself, send a postcard** introducing your product and saying you'll be dropping by soon with freebies they can share with their customers. That way they'll already expect you, you'll feel less of a stranger, and 'Free' is always welcome!

Hanging flyers is another good idea, but don't give up on face-to-face contact with those super-valuable folks at the shelters, stores, and shops.

** Don't send a letter, they may not open it, but just about everyone reads the back of postcards!


One thing for certain, I don't think you need more than 4 or 5 kinds, especially if you're already tight on cash. Too many choices can be overwhelming for your customers anyway, so stick to the goodies you have and focus on getting legal, finishing your site, and spreading the word.

You're doing great, keep going!


Crystal
Digital Curator
http://bigbrightbulb.com
Advice, ideas, answers, and inspiration for the smallest businesses with the smallest budgets

Wow thanks for all the advise that really helped claer up my mind. sometimes i just can;t do it on my own heheh..

I don't really want to put out the large amount of cash right now to register the business and get insurance and everything I would perfer todo that down the road but how important do you really think it is right now?

I mean yes anyone can get in trouble but I kind of want to wait as long as possible but i dont know

what are your thoughts on this?? still should be the first thing that I do?

so what i think i am going to do is stick to the few treats that we have stock up on them and go from there with weight ect...and put that info on the website and then like you said i will send out some postcards. but the reason that i wanted to add a few more treats to the list was becuase i really wanted to do ones that were yogurt or carbob dipped and them i had alot of people ask about wheat free so i would like to offer atleast one wheat free treat

My pleasure, it really does help to get another person churning on an idea. You can brainstorm with just one brain, but you can get a real downpour when you have two or more brains stormin'

I suggested doing the business registration first because you mentioned (twice) that it was keeping you from telling people about your business. That made it really important to do.

But if it's not affordable right now, do just like you said: focus on finishing the website, building up your stock, and sending out postcards with your website address while you save up for the registration fees.

I'm wondering...if you haven't already, find out the absolute minimum you need to get legal to sell? I'm sorry I don't have advice to offer on this, but I don't sell products. For a service business in my state, I only needed a $25 trade name registration to get started. Hopefully someone with retail experience will contribute to the convo...

One thing for certain, if folks are asking for wheat-free, then make them! Adding that to your stock, you could drop the least popular flavor of what you carry now to keep the same number of kinds...less overwhelm.

So cool that customers are excited about your product that they're making requests! I bet they will be tickled to see that you honored their request.

You're rolling! Good luck!


Crystal
Digital Curator
http://bigbrightbulb.com
Advice, ideas, answers, and inspiration for the smallest businesses with the smallest budgets

Well now that I am talking about it again I will look in to it...I think its 55.00 but i am not completely sure on all the legal aspects of it, I think that i just need to register my business and that is it...so i will look in to that and get back to you and let you know!!

Looking forward to it!


Crystal
Digital Curator
http://bigbrightbulb.com
Advice, ideas, answers, and inspiration for the smallest businesses with the smallest budgets

Yay I am so excited lol. I found out that I do not have to have a licenese i just need to apply for what i believe is called a home occupation permit and reg my business name for 50.00!!

So thats relaxing, now i feel like things are really moving along!!

Hey, that's awesome! What a big step forward for not too much money! And the best part is, no more barriers to getting the word out and sharing what you have.

Sorry I didn't your message last week, I only saw other people's responses when I came back.

Congratulations!!


Crystal
Digital Curator
http://bigbrightbulb.com
Advice, ideas, answers, and inspiration for the smallest businesses with the smallest budgets

hehehehe thanks so much

I don't think it's a concern yet, but you might want to check with the FDA to see if they have begun to regulate dog foods yet. They've been talking about it since the Chinese dog food scandal last year.

T

>Well now that I am talking about it again I will look in to
>it...I think its 55.00 but i am not completely sure on all the
>legal aspects of it, I think that i just need to register my
>business and that is it...so i will look in to that and get
>back to you and let you know!!


Tina Brooks, VP Marketing
Brooks Pepperfire Foods, Inc.
Makers of Peppermaster Hot Sauces
http://www.peppermaster.com

Eat more peppers!

Check with them even if I am not selling the food, I am only selling treats, and all ingredients are listed on the website and the package. and all of the ingredients are things that you and I eat everyday. such as flour, eggs, butter, cheese, oatmeal, peanut butter..ect nothing you can not pronouce and have never heard of before

>Check with them even if I am not selling the food, I am only
>selling treats, and all ingredients are listed on the website
>and the package. and all of the ingredients are things that
>you and I eat everyday. such as flour, eggs, butter, cheese,
>oatmeal, peanut butter..ect nothing you can not pronouce and
>have never heard of before

A dog treat is food. If the FDA decides they're going to finally put dog food regulations into place, yes, treats will be covered.

T

Tina Brooks, VP Marketing
Brooks Pepperfire Foods, Inc.
Makers of Peppermaster Hot Sauces
http://www.peppermaster.com

Eat more peppers!

ok well i will do that when I here that it goes into place