7 Step Business Plan for SBA Funding


Pet Store Business Plan


Quotable

"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats."
Albert Schweitzer, scientist and humanitarian
 

 
PET STORE BUSINESS PLAN

Your pet store business plan has a strong, strong advantage:  who can say no to a wagging tail, whether from poodles or fishes?

KEY CONSIDERATION

It's hard to know whether pets are a luxury or a necessity.  Whichever they are, your job is to demonstrate how your pet shop will capture your client base better than The Biggie Store will.

STRONGEST ADVANTAGE

Pets are personal.  KMart may have a lot of doggie stuff, but for personal things for pets, from natural food to hand made collars, it is the smaller store that will prevail.

STRONGEST DISADVANTAGE

Because you cannot compete with KMart et al, you do need to locate in a place where people can afford your specialty.  You may have the most magnificent hand made aquariums in the world, but if your business is in a non-aquarium neighborhood, watch out.

OVERCOMING THE DISADVANTAGE WITH YOUR PET STORE BUSINESS PLAN

Really Promote Your Online Business

The more specialized your product selection, the more important it is to create an online presence that really sizzles. 

And the more "average" your physical location, the more absolutely critical your online business becomes.

You may have trouble shipping your rare koi from country to country (although, in truth, this is probably possible), but any hard product is very shippable. 

In fact, the very strongest way to start your business would be to start the online segment of it first.  This is relatively inexpensive in terms of leases, advertising, etc., and can bring a big return.  If you then want a physical location, you will have a track record of success to set in front of your banker. 

Prove that you have the marketing background and skill to make the pet store successful.

It doesn't matter that you were vice president of finance for a Fortune 500 company.  It does matter that you were manager of pet shop, and successfully so, for several years.  In the alternative, you need to prove your expertise with your online business.

I worked with a lady a number of years ago who was the manager of a large, privately held pet store.  She was incredibly proud of the fact that her sales staff was the best trained staff in the business.  "But", she moaned, "the owners won't give me the money to run the store!"

There was something seriously wrong with her thinking.  The money should be flowing in the other direction.  The store should be giving money to the owners, not vice versa.

Stories like this are much too common in the pet business.  It is a business.  Demonstrate that you recognize it as a business.

OTHER PLUSSES FROM YOUR PET STORE BUSINESS PLAN

You personally will be judged as severely as your business in your business proposal. 

Yes, you need to know your craft.

And, yes, you need to know business skills.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR YOUR PET STORE BUSINESS PLAN AND PET STORE MARKETING PLAN

For traffic information on your retail location, contact the owner/manager of the retail center.  Also go to your city or country planning department where you can get traffic counts and information on housing and construction in that area.  The pet shop business proposal must include strong demographic information (see below for more on demographics) as well as strong financials.

For statistical information on the pet industry for your pet store marketing plan, or on any segment of it, go to BizMiner.  Having solid statistical information is critical in your pet store business plan.  Bankers pretty much assume that you know your pets;  and they also assume you don't know business.

At the home page, for the Search box.  Enter "pet".  You will get a lot of false hits, with petroleum and carpet, etc., so look for the "pet" related fields, such as

  • Animal hospital services, pets and other animal specialties
  • Breeding services, pet and animal specialties
  • Pedigree record services, pet and animal specialties
  • Showing services, pet and animal specialties
  • Training services, pet and animal specialties
  • Grooming services ...
  • Vaccinating services ...
  • Canned pet food
  • Frozen pet food
  • Horse and pet accessories
  • Pet collars, leashes, etc
  • Pet supplies, manufacturing
  • Pet foods
  • Pets and pet supplies, wholesale
  • Pets and pet supplies, retail
  • Health insurance for pets
  • Pet sitting, in home

If your pet shop business plan focuses on a particular type of pet, such as horses, search on that word instead.  Under "horse" you will find

  • Horses and other equines
  • Horse farm
  • Breeding services
  • Training services
  • Horse and pet accessories
  • Horse blankets
  • Boots, horse
  • Feed bags for horses
  • Trailers or vans for transporting horses
  • Horse trailers
  • Carriages, horsedrawn,
  • Hobby horses
  • Rocking horses
  • Horse drawn transportation service
  • Horseshoeing
  • Horse race track operation
  • Racehorse care
  • Dog and horse racing
  • Hose shows
  • Saddlehorse rental

... with lots more under every other kind of pet or animal!

Your pet business plan could focus on goats or emus or tropical fish or cats or kangaroos, and the approach would be the same:  Find the Financial Analysis and the Marketing Research reports that best suit your business. Study the daylights out of them, and incorporate what you can into your pet store business plan.

While you are at BizMiner, be sure to look at the left side of that page for the LOCAL MARKET VITALITY SERIES compiled from US Census statistics.  This is the information that your banker will be working with, so know what it says before you meet your banker.  Incorporate significant findings into your business plan for a pet store.

ONE STEP BEYOND ...

To make a strong impression on your lender, present a business plan for a pet shop worthy of your business.  The creativity and energy that you bring to your pet shop should be reflected in the plan itself.

Finding a business plan template that uses MS Word and MS Excel, programs you already know, is not easy.  But here's one you can depend on:

Your 7-Step Business Plan for a Pet Shop is an excellent source for targeting your business plan specifically for your pet store.  The 100+ page book is not expensive -- you can download it immediately for under $45.  It's great because everything is included, all in one spot.

Click on the book cover for more information

YOUR LIKELY LENDER/INVESTOR

The SBA is a strong lender in the retail field. Depending on the size of your pet shop, you may qualify for a business loan. 

YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE

Just as your pet store will reflect your style, and your business plan will reflect your style, your online presence will reflect your style too.  Customers from near and far will be able to find you, and buy from you.  See best web host for my favorite web hosting company.  And, if you would like help setting up your web site, there is none better than Your SBI Coach.

THE LAST WORD ON YOUR FREE RETAIL FLORIST BUSINESS PLAN

Your creative talent will shine in your new business!  Use this free pet store business plan to its full advantage. 

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Jasmine McAllister,
Retail Business Specialist

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