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DOG OWNERS: Love your dog -- hate poop?
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 THE INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF DOG WASTE REMOVAL SERVICES

Scoopers & Friends Discussion Board Archives

Messages archived from the Scoopers & Friends Discussion Board, going back to May of 1998. The discussion board board is an online forum about the business of pet-waste removal. Browse the messages, CLICK HERE TO SEARCH by keyword, or click here to participate in current discussions.

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Page Forty-Three

Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 16-Feb-00 17:53:07

Start Up

I met a great lady over the phone the other day, I had answered one of the discussions on the board and had requested the information she was offering. Her name is Tricia from Tail End Pooper Scoopers. She has a great business going and I wanted to Thank Her for offering the information she has. It is great info. I start cleaning yards later this month and I just want to tell you a little about how I have prepared for start up, etc. I did demographic research on everything imaginable in my area. I ran test ads to see the response in various local media. I had a local college do a market research on it for me to see if it was a profitable idea for my area, so on and so on. I put alot of time in the Research end of this before I jumped in. I now have 75 clients ready to have their yards cleaned. I have these 75 locked in and approximatley 51 more that are on the fence and have not made a decision yet. I have a goal to have 250 customers by May and I will reach it. This business is just like any other. You have to live it, be an expert at it, understand marketing and why it works and why it doesn't work. Business is business-under promise and overdeliver. Do things that make you stand out to you client base, and most of all-follow up on everything-do what you say you are going to do. I have noticed that some of you are still struggling to get started-get commited and do everything imaginable to generate business. Think outside the box and go after it! This is the best business idea I have ever seen-High profit potential and almost no overhead. Good luck to all. Feel free to email me whenever.

Thanks

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Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 17-Feb-00 15:36:06

Re: Start Up

Good for you!

You must also remember that some of us live in communities that haven't heard of Pro pooper scoopers before and are not warming to the idea. You must have the luck to live in a place where this is eagerly accepted. Good luck to you!

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Message Date/Time:
Friday, 18-Feb-00 07:16:24

Re: Start Up

I guess I do not understand this, you have so many customers lock in? You have not started picking up?
This does not makes sense.
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Message Date/Time:
Monday, 21-Feb-00 21:00:54

Re: Re: Start Up

I live in Wisconsin, and am interested in this
business. I actually thought of this idea about
3 years ago, but never took the initiative to do
anything with it. Now that I see there is a market for it, I would like some hints on how you
started your business, and any tips you may have for me.
I appreciate your time.
Thanks

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Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 22-Feb-00 16:33:05

Re: Re: Start Up

pretty simple. I set a start date for my business and have stuck to it. I told them I will start the end of February.

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Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 22-Feb-00 11:26:15

Re: Start Up

I was just curious as to the area/state you are working in. Is it an area already familiar with pooper-scoopers? Where did the majority of your customers hear about your service? THanks.

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Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 17-Feb-00 00:19:40

buying lists

Today I was in some local pet grooming businesses, and I was asking about their customers. I just purchased a list of 7,800 dog owners phone numbers and addresses. What would be the best way to approch these potential customers? Should I just call them up or what?

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Message Date/Time:
Friday, 18-Feb-00 11:08:23

Re: buying lists

I bought a data-base from out local Dog licence dept. for the county and then i sent them by zip codes to the dog owners home. Have had lots of snow on the ground I believe that is the reason for such a low response. During a couple thaws I get the calls reporting the "The poop is rising" I read or heard that if your list you got ahold of has the dogs name on it send it to the DOG and a C/O the owners name. This will give a great response. My lists didn't have the dogs names. Good Luck...

Ms Poop-Scooper E-Mail Spazzycat@iol13.com

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Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 17-Feb-00 15:28:02

Advertising Opportunity

This is Ms. Poop-Scooper in Akron Oh. Recently I placed advertisement in some small local papers. A reporter From Akron main Newspaper- The Akron Beacon Journal- Called to do a story on what i do in the poop-scooping business. Today the reporter and a camera lady came with me scooping poop. The story is also going to include the website poop-scoop.com The reporter had alot of fun looking at the inernational directory of us poop scoopers. I had lots of fun with the interview. I hope to see it in the paper this weekend. I hope it brings lots of business to me. Just needed to share the exitement with you all. bye
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Message Date/Time:
Friday, 18-Feb-00 08:56:15

Re: Advertising Opportunity

That's great! I hope you get lots and lots of clients from the article.
--Diane, Pooper Scoopers
"I want your dog's business to be mine."


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Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 17-Feb-00 20:08:56

WHO WAS THAT ON TV?

Hi. There was a scooper on TV this morning on the Animal Channel. I missed the beginning and missed his name. Does anybody know who that was? Thanks, Diane

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Message Date/Time:
Friday, 18-Feb-00 23:54:51

Peeked my interest!

Hey everyone! I saw the show on Animal Planet about the business. I thought it was unusual, but awesome! Naturally, I laughed at first, but when I really thought about it.... How do I get into this? I blew this service by a neighbor and I think I have my first customer. There's over 100 potential customer's in just my neighborhood. Respond. Please.
Matthew Osborn?.. I checked the local library. You're not there yet!

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Message Date/Time:
Saturday, 19-Feb-00 17:08:12

Re: Peeked my interest!

Not yet, but maybe one of these days....
Although the growth rate of the pooper-scooper service industry seems pretty amazing on a purely mathematical scale (400 percent growth in two years?) -- the whole concept is really still very new. I think most people still have no idea this kind of service even exists; and it will take some time after merely creating awareness before people really get used to the idea and it becomes commonplace to have a scooper service.
You're right about how dog owners really do appreciate what we do, though. Yes, it's unusual, but it's certainly practical and very much needed by many people.
Naturally I recommend my book, "The Professional Pooper-Scooper: How to Start Your Own Low-Cost, High-Profit Dog Waste Removal Service." :) It's based on 10 years of actual experience in the field, from starting up (which in my case began with less than $200 and eventually grew to a company with several employees, a fleet of trucks, and hundreds of regular weekly customers) through publicity, billing, collections, etc., etc., etc.
Also read and participate in the Scoopers & Friends Discussion Board (this message board we're all reading right now). Don't forget to check out the pages of archived messages for plenty of tips, advice, and the benefits of the experience of people doing this business all over the country. This board is really a valuable source of information, encouragement and ideas.
That should get you started.

Best Wishes!

Matthew Osborn
matthew@pooper-scooper.com

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Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 22-Feb-00 16:16:08

Re: Peeked my interest!

Matthews book is great and really all you need to know is in the book.

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Message Date/Time:
Sunday, 20-Feb-00 18:27:36

We are new to poop scooping-look at our website!

Hi we are new to poop scooping only a month old.
I just built a new website, please visit it and give me some input on what you see (or what you might like to!) Thanks!
http://homestead.juno.com/togawh/PooPatrolK9.html

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Message Date/Time:
Monday, 21-Feb-00 22:09:38

Disposal

How many of you actually remove the waste versus double bagging it and leaving it for the client? I haven't checked into my town's regulations but is it really that big a deal to the client? I would think that our job is to clean the yard - we aren't hazardous waste haulers - and I'm going to be doing cats/litter boxes too so... Just trying to figure it out. I know most house cleaners just bag trash and leave it, for instance.

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Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 22-Feb-00 16:13:51

Re: Disposal

I would think that it's ok to leave the poop...but its a matter of how full service you would like for your company to be,alot of folks don't want to deal with the poop at all,they want it gone from their property,dog waste removal I would think implies removing the waste from the property altogether, but if the clients dont mind I guess there's not a problem.

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Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 22-Feb-00 19:48:17

Re: Disposal

If I were you I would take it with you. It will look alot better on you as a business than if you were to just dump it in the can. Anybody can do that. Just double bag it and dispose of it properly.


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Message Date/Time:
Saturday, 26-Feb-00 00:02:37

Re: Re: Disposal

I have some clients that prefer me to take it with me and some that don't. I just make a note of it and dispose of it accordingly. Speaking from experience, I would rather leave it in their trash (double bagged of course). My trash pick-up guys appreciate it. Not to mention the neighbors!

So I suppose it is kind of your preference.

Good luck!

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Message Date/Time:
Monday, 21-Feb-00 23:31:12

Extremely excited

Well here's the Scoop Not only was Ii on the front page of Akrons largest paper but Ii also had the fortune of a major Television Station in Cleveland See the story in the paper and they came down and filmed me on Channel 8 fox channel today. These raised 9 new clients for me just today. I am so excited. Needed to Share the excitement. I am going scooping this week to their yards... gives me a total as of today of 12.
The tempature is to be between the 50's and 60's this whole week. The poop will be a rising. bye Gwen

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Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 22-Feb-00 20:54:48

Re: Extremely excited

Man o Man we're having some good things happening to our scoopers! That's great! Happy Scooping!

Diane, Pooper Scoopers

"I want your dog's business to be mine."

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Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 22-Feb-00 19:45:41

The strangest things...

Hey everybody !!!!!

Yesterday I was at a stop light and this guy stops next to me. He writes down the information on my truck signs and signals to me he will call. I thought maybe in a day or two but no. About a minute later this guy calls and says hey when can you start? He lives in a condo and says that he just wants to do his part in keeping the place clean and he has 2 dogs. Also a couple of weeks ago a newspaper reporter finds my flyer and says she wants to do a feature story on me. WOW!!! So she goes with me and a photographer meets us at my stops. It was supposed to be in last week's paper on Thursday but the editor-in-chief wasn't too sure if it's going to be the main article or a sub article. Well it is going to be in this Thursdays paper (2-24-2000) I was assured on the front page of the Daily Break. Go to www.pilotonline.com and search from there. Talk to you'll soon.

Frank

K-9 Connections

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Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 22-Feb-00 20:52:43

Re: The strangest things...

That IS very exciting! I'm really glad for you. Best of luck in the future.

Diane, Pooper Scoopers

"I want your dog's business to be mine."

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Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 23-Feb-00 22:58:58

Re: The strangest things...

Well Sir that did happen to me I was on the front page of the Akron Beacon Journal and had a major television station see the story and they also put me on tv all in the same day Feb 21, 2000. I only had a few customers and on Feb. 23 i have 50 clients and i am excited and scared and overwhelmed. Be prepared. i also had a condo. call to contract me. I am calling Matthew for advise. Hope im not moving to fast this is a dream come true. Gwen Ms. Poop-Scooper Akron Oh.
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Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 24-Feb-00 10:18:09

UPDATE-Re: The strangest things...

Well it wasn't in todays paper. One of my customers told me the other day when she talked to the reporter that she got the go ahead to make it a feature story on the front page of the Daily Break and not a sub story across the bottom. We shall see. To everyone else good luck and a big CONGRATS to Diane in Akron.

Frank

K-9 Connections

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Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 24-Feb-00 17:51:27

CONFIRMATION

It will be in this Sundays paper. This will make it nicer because of a larger distribution area and for those people who only subscribe to the sunday paper.

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Message Date/Time:
Tuesday, 22-Feb-00 23:40:17

poop scoopin

Can anyone send me a simple sample invoice, I am interested in starting scoppin bus. but i'm not sure how to charge, or if i should include tax.

Can anyone help me, Thank You, Malinda

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Message Date/Time:
Saturday, 26-Feb-00 07:13:39

Re: poop scoopin

Whether you should collect sales tax on your service depends on the state you're working in. I don't know specifically of any states that charge sales tax on this kind of personal service, but to make sure you could call your county clerk or county auditor, whatever local office handles sales tax issues. You should be able to get their number from the "Government" section of your phone book. You might also call your local office of S.C.O.R.E. (Service Corps of Retired Executives), listed under "U.S. Small Business Administration." SCORE is a free program that offers basic information and advice for starting a small business, free one-on-one counseling with experienced business people, and low-cost (but frequently excellent) seminars on starting up, taxes, marketing, etc.
I'll also take this opportunity to mention that you'll find a sample invoice, as well as sample ads, flyers, customer information letters, business cards, and much more in my book, "The Professional Pooper-Scooper: how to start your own low-cost, high-profit dog waste removal service." It's available directly from me for $31.95.

Best Wishes!

Matthew

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Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 23-Feb-00 07:18:33

First Customer

My husband & I just finshed our first yard. She got the the number from the vet (we were told that he was the one that told her she needed to have it done.)

The lady had 5 dogs and the yard had not been cleaned in about 3 months. We just racked the whole yard - leaves and all. Before we left she wanted to make sure that we would be back in a 2 weeks.

A lady that I currently work with has a lawn maint. business that servies the more expensive community in the city I live in. How do I go about asking them to pass out my flyers to their customers. I would think the sample of the fleyer with the $5.00 coupon that was in Matthews book would be the best one to give to her if she agress to help me.

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Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 24-Feb-00 23:29:48

Re: First Customer

While making it as convenient as possible for people to give out flyers for refferals, I made a half page flyer w/coupon (2 per page, cut in half) and I padded them in packs of about 50. Most paper supply store have padding compound and backing board so you can do it yourself. Of course if you can afford it just have any printer do it for you. Anyway, I give the whole pad to every gardening service I can (and mobil groomers) and they simply tear one off when needed and give it to their customer. And yes, I give a $10.00 refferal fee for every new customer. I keep track of all new customer refferals so I can reimburse the refferalee. Hope this helps. Tim

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Message Date/Time:
Saturday, 26-Feb-00 07:07:36

Re: First Customer

Tim's suggestions seem excellent to me! The lawn-care people have an interest in their customers keeping their yards cleaned up, so providing them with the flyers and making it easy for them to pass them out should be straightforward and easy.
As for the specific job you mentioned... Well, first off: Congratulations on getting your first customer! I know that's a great feeling. But for FIVE dogs.... you and your customer may both find that cleaning every two weeks is going to be a real pain. For five dogs, I'd recommend twice-a-week service, or at least once-a-week.
Anyway... good job on getting started, and keep up the good work!

Happy scooping!

Matthew

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Message Date/Time:
Sunday, 27-Feb-00 13:05:08

Re: First Customer

I agree with Matthew, unless the five dogs were extremely small (small pugs or something) I wouldn't consider biweekly service for 5 dogs.
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Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 23-Feb-00 21:43:36

dog litter

Hi All! Thought everyone might be interested in an article that appeared on the front page of The Wall Street Journal today (2/23): Ralston Purina is developing and will soon have on the shelves-Dog Litter. As in Kitty Litter for Dogs! Apparently they want to create a market for dogs like the multi-million dollar one that exists for cat litter sales. It is the same principle-box with absorbent material where dogs are trained to go. Their market is primarily small dog owners (under 35 lbs.) and specifically "city dogs". They feel this will increase dog ownership (and therefore increase their other sales) and also stop dog abandonment by people who cant keep up with cleaning up after their pets (aparently this is the number one reason people abandon dogs-good marketing might be to go to the pound: they could share our services with people who want to get rid of their dog because they cant keep up with the poop!).
I dont know how many of us clean up after dogs that would fit in their category (all of mine are will over 35 lbs.) but it could affect the business if any of you are working in cities or for customers with small dogs. Just thought everyone should be aware. if your customers hear about it and ask you should mention one thing the article said: Owners should clean the box after every poop and it will not clump like kitty litter, it will still be messy! Also, the dogs will have to be trained to go in the box, and as we know: you cant teach an old dog new tricks.
Who knows, we may get more customers who want us to come clean out the box. Email me your fax number if you want a copy of the article and I will try and get one to you within a few days.
Happy scooping.
Ashlee
Doggie Doo Not!
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Message Date/Time:
Saturday, 26-Feb-00 07:03:09

Re: dog litter

That's very interesting -- thanks for posting the information! I've noticed some discussions about dog litter boxes on some of the dog-related newsgroups on the internet recently, and I think there's a growing interest in these things. The same factors that make doggie-litter a likely product for Ralston Purina contribute to the growth of the dog-waste removal business -- less time for busy working people who have better things to do with their time than shovel poop.
I don't think we have anything to worry about with this development, in fact, as you mention, it may very well be helpful for us.

Thanks again,

Matthew

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Message Date/Time:
Wednesday, 23-Feb-00 23:05:04

Update

On Feb. 21 , 2000- I was on the Frontpage of Akron Beacon Jounal and On the Tv Channel 8 news all in one day. As of Feb 23 I now have 50 clients and 1 condo has called to contract me.
Feeling excited, scared, happy, overwhelmed. Couldn't have asked for better advertising and weather or opportunity. Any advise on how to handle allllll of this is apreciated. Gwen

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Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 24-Feb-00 16:55:41

Re: Update

WOW!

Remember the old saying, "Be careful what you ask for..."? LOL. I certainly understand how you could be feeling happy but also overwhelmed. That's an awful lot of new customers all at once! So many first-time jobs are going to be a great deal of work for the next week or two. After that it will be pretty nice!
It took me a couple of years to reach 50 customers, and that's about the time I quit my regular job and went full-time with the poop-scooping.
With so many first-time customers signing up all at once, keep in mind that the first visit takes the longest, so you should keep an eye on your available time and maybe think about starting a waiting list for new customers. 50 brand new customers might be about all one person can handle in a week, maybe even more than one person can do in a week (especially if you have another job). It might be better to tell someone that you'll start service on a date a week or even two weeks away. It's kind of a tough call, since you'll want to get people started as soon as possible, and people won't want to wait. On the other hand, you don't want to schedule so much work that you start missing appointments. It'll be kind of a balancing act.
Also remember that some of these new customers will probably drop off fairly quickly. I would guess that with 50 new customers starting now, maybe 10 of them will drop the service after the first month. Most of them will remain for a long time, so don't worry too much about it; just be aware that it's likely to happen.
Maybe you could get a friend to help out for a week or two, if you really start to get swamped.
And yes.... do try to relax. Even good things can be stressful. But clearly you have the ability to get things done, and you'll handle this just fine.
Oh, and by the way... CONGRATULATIONS!


Matthew


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Message Date/Time:
Thursday, 24-Feb-00 22:50:15

Re: Update

OH MY GOD!!! That's wonderful, scary, fantastic, scary and wonderful! You go girl!

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Message Date/Time:
Friday, 25-Feb-00 14:00:00

Re: Update

Good for you!

Remember to group the addresses and don't over book! Have kids? Have em help! Especially the first time. Some yards may be a bit ("ahem" excuse the pun)POOPY!

Good luck and Congrats!

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