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Who knew there was so much to be learned from Yahoo’s struggling past?

I just came across an article that lists 3 reasons why Yahoo is loosing the search game, and couldn’t help but see a similar lesson for pet sitters.

Whether you have plenty of clients, some clients, or no clients, you must constantly find ways to remain visible and ‘in the game.’

There are so many competing messages, services and options thrown at your potential clients that it helps to find ways to get your target market to take notice (possible, but not an easy task).

Here Is What Yahoo’s Been Doing

Danny Wong of Blank Label cited 3 things causing Yahoo to lose steam.

See if you can’t apply the same principals to your pet sitting business.

1. It’s becoming less innovative in the search game.

Are you remaining innovative in your pet sitting business?  Our very own Paul Franklin recently published an article on that very topic.

While the word may sound intimidating to some, Innovation can come in many shapes and sizes.

2. It’s becoming less prominent a company.

No one thinks about Yahoo much anymore because Yahoo’s not doing much of anything that’s interesting, or applicable to our everyday lives.

Prominent is define as ‘outstanding: having a quality that thrusts itself into attention.’

What are you doing every day (either online or in person) to remain prominent?  To make yourself outstanding?

3. As a media company, they’re not doing anything special.

See a running theme here?

We are exposed to SO much information on the web, on TV, in magazines, on billboards, in our mailbox… that our brains can only respond to the messages that hit us over the head.

And that doesn’t necessarily mean the biggest or loudest voice, but it does mean the voice (message) that speaks directly to your audience.

The message that gets her to stop in her tracks and thank her lucky stars that she may have just found exactly what she’s been looking for.

A message that speaks her language and is the exact solution to her problem.

Problem = Potential client desperately needs a reliable, trustworthy and loving person to care for her pet.

Solution = Your awesome, amazing pet sitting business.

Action Plan

This is not about making your website look prettier, or better, or different.

This is simply about making sure your website (and all your communication outlets) speaks to your market.

It’s about being innovative, prominent, and doing something special.

So, what can you do to get noticed by your potential clients?  What is special about you that your audience should know?

Start with this…

Ask your best clients (not friends, not family) what it is they like most about you and your business?  Ask them why they choose to stay with you?

And while you’re at it, ask them if there is anything you can change, adjust or improve on to make their lives easier. (That last part is key!)

It is not easy in the least to snap your fingers and ‘be innovative.’  This entire business is an ongoing process.

Take things step by step with a short term and long term goal in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to the best pet sitting business in town.

Comment Below: Why do your clients stick with you?  What do you currently bring to the table? (These answers should represent what your clients say about you.)