So, you’re an expert in the world of dog training and have decided it’s time to start a dog training business. You know you have the skills and the passion, but you’re unsure how to get your own dog training business up and running. Well, you’ll need to have a business plan before launching your company. This guide walks you through how to write a dog training business plan.
7 Steps on How to Write a Dog Training Business Plan
1. Write an Executive Summary
All business plans start with an executive summary, which is like a quick rundown of your entire business plan. The executive summary should be brief yet detailed enough to give the reader a general understanding of how you hope to run a successful dog training business.
An executive summary includes:
- Your mission statement and company goals
- A summary of your company plans
- An outline of your company’s business structure
- A look into your business strategy, such as your competitive advantage and target customers
- An overview of your financial plans
2. Describe Your Company
Next, you’ll want to describe your new dog training business and discuss what makes it different from other dog training businesses.
You’ll want to provide technical details, such as:
- The business address and the location of your dog training center
- The business website URL
- The business registered name and business license number
- The hierarchy of the management team and any unique skills they have
3. Describe Your Services and Products
Go into detail on all the dog training services you’ll be offering. As a dog training business, you may provide:
- Dog training for individual dog owners
- Dog training classes for other dog trainers
- Training for dog walkers
- Dog training certifications
- Sub-services, such as dog sitting and dog grooming
Additionally, use this section to answer some questions about your service offering: Will you provide puppy training services? Will you offer group or private lessons or a combination of the two? Will you sell dog training books and other products to supplement your services?
4. Industry and Competitive Analysis
A business plan isn’t complete without some thorough market research into the industry you plan to enter. The dog training industry and pet industry can be quite competitive, so it’s important to know what you’re getting into. This section should cover the following:
- How big is the dog training industry in terms of annual revenue?
- Is the dog training industry projected to grow or decrease in the next 5, 10 or 15 years, and by how much?
- Who are the main competitors in your area, and how much market share do they own?
- How much market share do you think is available for you to take over?
- What are the trends impacting the industry?
- What is your competitive advantage to stand out?
- Are there needs in the market that aren’t being met?
- How will your pricing compare to others in the market?
5. Marketing Plan
Your marketing strategy is what’s going to get new and returning customers in the door. You’ll need to identify your target market and how you’ll reach these potential customers.
A dog training marketing plan should include the following:
- Your detailed marketing spend
- How you’ll spend your marketing budget
- The ROI on your marketing budget
- The social media platforms you’ll have a presence on
6. Financial Plan
Lastly, you’ll need to include a financial plan to show you understand the costs involved in running your business. Your financial plan should be detailed, showing you did thorough research into all expenses, such as the costs of dog training business insurance, rental space and more. Identify your start-up expenses and where the money would be coming from. For example, your personal savings may cover a portion of the start-up costs, while a business loan might cover the rest.
Include relevant financial statements in this section, such as:
- Cash flow statement
- Sales forecast
- Income statement
- Balance sheet
- Financial projections
- Statement of shareholders’ equity
7. Review
After you finish your business plan, have a few people review it. It’s always helpful to get a fresh perspective on your plans so people can contribute their ideas and help you feel more confident in your plan going forward.
The Dog Wizard
As a dog training franchise based business, The Dog Wizard currently has 36 locations and is growing rapidly. If you’re interested in starting your own business training dogs, The Dog Wizard might be your solution. To find out more, call (877) 585-9727 today.
