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DOG OWNERS: Love your dog -- hate poop?
Help is here at last!
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 Seventy-Two
Jon
Just starting out. Please help
Mon Nov 12 22:22:53 2001
I am thinking about opening a scooping and pet sitting business in Oklahoma City. I have just started my research on the business and would like any help on start-up marketing ideas. This business is still unknown in OKC. How did you all get the word out in your city about this business when you started up. Also, how do you keep track of your schedule and who is due to be scooped when???? Is there a helpful computer program out there or is the old pen and paper the most reliable? Any help would be greatly appreciated with these or any other start-up suggestions.
Thanks,
Jon - OKC
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CA Mike
Re: Just starting out. Please help
Thu Nov 15 00:24:12 2001
Jon - Welcome to the wonderful world of scooping. Two good places for information are Matthew's book and the archives of this site. Almost any question you can think of has been discussed and is available to you.
When I started about 9 months ago, I created a general advertising campaign - direct mail, display advertising, contacting veterinarians, shelters and animal hospitals, etc. It works, but it is slow starting up.
I run the business on Quickbooks Pro. I download customer information to Excel and have created a spreadsheet to keep track of the days to service my customers. It works great for me, but a pen and paper will probably be fine for the first six months or so.
Good luck.
Mike
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Catherine
Starting out
Mon Nov 12 23:37:35 2001
Hi Jon,
Matthew's book is a great place to start. It will answer allot of your questions. Have you checked the International Directory listed on this site? It shows two other scooper business' listed in OKC. They may have come and gone by now though. Keep in mind that this business can be slow to grow, so don't quit your day job right away. Good luck!
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MEL
WELCOME E.O.M.
Tue Nov 13 08:31:02 2001
The only way to start is to get the book and do some fact finding in articles of the past.and the furture of this growing business. Don't quit your day job yet it is very slow to grow. MEL
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Leslie
discouraging
Tue Nov 13 10:39:06 2001
I was discouraged to read that if a town has less than 100 000 that the business may not be successful. Could anyone tell me the size of their town and the number of clients they have? How long did it take you to get this number of clients? Thanks!
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Pete
Re: discouraging
Sat Nov 17 10:55:17 2001
A town of 50,000 that is basically a bedroom community for a larger city should be a god market. The more rural the traditions, the less likely people will accept your idea.
Then again, how do you define success?
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Red
I Love "god" markets, they're heavenly! :) eom
Sat Nov 17 14:09:03 2001
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Catherine
population/customers
Tue Nov 13 12:54:55 2001
Leslie,
Those figures being given are not neccessarily etched in stone.I feel one big factor missing is the percentage of pets in any particular town. Some towns are greatly different on that then others I feel. Is it 10% or 30% or ?% Run the math and the figures come out very different on that. The other issue is the word 'successful'. We all have different goals on that one. Maybe you only want a one'man' show vs employees and many trucks on the road. I am too new for my figures to be of any use to your questions.
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dogpile patrol -florida
also discouraging news / in fla, what now????
Tue Nov 13 12:16:13 2001
i recieved this email from a govenment office that said
At one time licensing information was available to citizens or companies through the Florida Sunshine Law which makes government records public. However, since that time i Florida has passed an exemption for the information you are requesting in Florida Statute 828.30 (5). As a result this information is no longer public record and cannot be provided as you have requested. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me again or call me at 352-796-5062. I wish you success in your business venture.
Sincerely,
Liana Teague
Customer Service Representative II
what now????
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minesweepers
IDEA FOR EVERYONE
Tue Nov 13 18:00:49 2001
SORRY I HAD TO USE THE PRIEVIOUS ARTICLE AS A LAUCH PAD.I HAD NO NEW POST BUTTON ON MY SCREEN.sorry for yelling while we are all out and about on the net if you see a site about peys or really anything else that accepts free links .by all means link the directory your not only helping yourself but everyone on the directory have fun
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mark richards
How Many Clients Do You Have?
Tue Nov 13 14:36:47 2001
Hi i'm new to the biz and was wondering how many clients other companies have and how long they have been in business. Thanks In Advance!
Regards
Mark
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Yucko Debbie
T-Shirt Exchange... Interested?
Wed Nov 14 20:14:39 2001
Anyone interested in exchanging t-shirts?
Laura from Nimby's and I our exchanging T-shirts, Any One else Interested?
Yucko's
3027 Charmbrook Lane
St. Louis, Mo. 63043
(I like XXL)
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the bomb squad
Re: T-Shirt Exchange... Interested?
Mon Nov 19 13:58:07 2001
I'd like to swap shirts too...I only have L & XL to choose from but they're mens sizes and run big.
If you want to buy one (Red) it's $12, including shipping.
I wear L.
~Melinda
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Pete
2002 PET BUTLER calendar
Sat Nov 17 10:51:31 2001
I don't have a shirt to swap, but I'll trade a 2002 PET BUTLER calendar featuring our customers' dogs.
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Anonymous
what a cool idea, a calendar
Sun Nov 18 11:10:49 2001
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Red
Count me in!
Sat Nov 17 14:07:36 2001
That rocks!
How much for one?
I've got my credit card ready - really Pete, I'd like one.
Just let me know,
-Red
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P
Just 10 bucks
Mon Nov 19 08:10:48 2001
$10 includes tax (where applicable) shipping and handling.
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Pooch's
T-shirt exchange
Thu Nov 15 20:32:49 2001
Debbie,
I would be interested in exchanging t-shirts.
Jerry
Pooch's Poop Removal
3802 Lawrenceville Dr.
Springfield,Ohio 45504
I like xxl or xxxl
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Yucko Debbie
send me a shirt
Thu Nov 15 22:23:24 2001
Jerry,
Sounds good, send me a shirt and I'll put one in the mail for you
Debbie
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pets
t-shirts
Wed Nov 14 22:14:08 2001
sure-great I have one from highschool I've been dying to get ride -of hope you dont mind alot of holes in it :))
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Nimby
Radio
Wed Nov 14 23:14:44 2001
I was up last night trying to get a scooper to show up at a radio staion in Virginia that was having a Dog Poop contest. Biggest poop, grossest poop, etc.... Well, It was late here so it was even later in Virginia. I ended up calling the radio station today and I did get on the air... I hope that this Nationally Syndicated show got a few people wondering about the services we all have to offer! If anyone tells you they heard it on the Don and Mike show... you know where it came from! Laura
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Do-Dee
Re: Radio
Sun Nov 18 20:03:02 2001
The ladies form Yucko called me and let me know about the show. I called the station and left my number with them. I am glad that you were able to get on the air!
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mel
don and mike
Thu Nov 15 20:42:58 2001
i ride with my son sometimes and he always has them on the radio. they are a sick but funny guys. my son wants to call up sometimes but i never let him i think i will let him now. happy scooping mel
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minesweepers
radio
Sun Nov 18 10:54:32 2001
try opie and anthony,BUT KEEP YOUR VOLUME DOWN AND YOUR MIND OPEN
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minesweepers
don amd mike
Thu Nov 15 16:27:55 2001
i guess your the reason i never got through.well at least one of ys did .although i never heard you on the air .did you mention the directory?????
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nimby
Re: don amd mike
Fri Nov 16 02:20:52 2001
They didn't give me a chance to! PetSmart had donated the tools for them to do the cleanup, so they put a plug in for them, however, I did mention the term Professional Pooper Scooper twice, so if people are interested, at least they heard we are out here, somewhere...
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pets
poop
Thu Nov 15 10:43:55 2001
do tell do tell tell us more about your little radio adventure:0
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Nimby
Re: poop
Fri Nov 16 02:28:44 2001
Well, as I said they were having a contest for dog poop. So I called and asked them if they had hired a professional scooper to clean up the yuck. They then put a plug in for PetSmart, which donated a bunch of tools for the cause. I Then explaned that I was a professional scooper, and it would be a fun gig to do. They joked and said, "I bet you don't bite your nails" I told them no I wear gloves, they asked if I was well compensated for my line of work (yes) I then told them My business stinks but is always picking up... they then cut me off, while laughing.. then said, (after I was off the air) Can you imagine picking up crap for a living...laughs, and comercial break. That was it. Just a blurb, but like I said, national show, some exposure, no matter how minor, more people know we exist! Laura
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pets
niceeee!eom
Fri Nov 16 20:24:06 2001
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Red
Re: Radio
Wed Nov 14 23:45:44 2001
Gee wiz, I don't have a t-shirt to trade! :(
I should just bite the bullet and buy one from each of you - any discounts for your fellow scoopers? :)
Shirtless,
-Red
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Pooch's Poop Removal
Shirts
Thu Nov 15 20:25:27 2001
Red,
I would be more than happy to send you one of my shirts,
they have become quite the "IN" item here in Springfield,
Ohio much to my suprise. Just send me your mailing address
and I'll get one out to you.
Jerry
Pooch's Poop Removal
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minesweepers
dog waste (hhmm what else could it be)
Thu Nov 15 17:04:36 2001
someone, somewhere, at some time said something about some one who might be interested in buying a certain something from some other certain people any idea who that might be.
P.S AS YOU CAN SEE I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.SO BAISICLLY "WHO BUYS "%$#%"...IF YOU UNDERSTAND THIS WRITE BACK AND EXPLAIN IT TO ME!!!!
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Pooch Pal
Crafts Fair
Fri Nov 16 20:25:05 2001
Well I mentioned about a month ago that we were going to try to get into a holiday crafts fair with pet bandanas, as a way to promote our scooping business. We've been sewing 6 hours a day for the last 3 weeks and we have 375 bandanas to sell. Tomorrow is the fair! Last year it drew about 4000 people. We're hoping to get a few new customers and make a bunch of money too.
We're just starting to get winter cancellations although both say they want to continue in the spring. Any tips from you pros on how you sell the cancellees on monthly or bi-weekly service? Also, for those of you in snowy places, is it worth it to do a monthly job where you spend 3X as long hacking the poop out of snow?
Judy
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