Converting potential clients into loyal customers is a critical aspect of any business’s success. However, many businesses struggle to achieve high conversion rates. Often, the barriers to conversion stem from common but avoidable mistakes. By recognizing and addressing these pitfalls, you can enhance your approach and improve your conversion outcomes. Here are six mistakes that may be keeping you from converting clients effectively.

Mistake #1: Not being reachable

If I called 10 random dog walking businesses right now, I bet at least half wouldn’t answer the phone. Instead, I’d get a standard voicemail asking for a name, phone number, and message. That’s just not good enough for a professional business.

Ideally, you’d have someone answering calls during business hours. But I get it—many of you are solopreneurs, and picking up the phone while you’re out walking dogs or driving isn’t practical. In that case, it’s better to have a professional voicemail that directs potential clients to fill out a form on your website. Getting them started on the process right away is so important for people who are serious about finding the right service.

Mistake #2: Wrong Pricing Strategy

Setting your prices too high or too low can really turn off potential clients and make them leave your site immediately. If your prices are too low, they might not take you seriously and worry about the quality of care their pet will receive. On the other hand, if your prices are too high, it can look like you haven’t done enough to justify the cost, such as gathering great reviews on Google.

I suggest starting with prices that are in the middle range of what others charge. As your business grows and you establish yourself as a top-tier service, you can gradually increase your rates.

(If you want to learn more about setting your rates correctly, be sure to check out my Pricing Yourself Right Crash Course.)

Mistake #3: Poor Website User Experience

 Your website is usually the first place potential clients interact with your business. If your site is hard to navigate, people get frustrated. If it’s slow, they get impatient. And if it doesn’t look good, it can give a bad impression of your business.

Make sure your website has a modern design, loads quickly, and is easy to navigate. Most importantly, make it easy for potential clients to do two things:

1. Find the information they need
2. Contact you easily

If you’re not tech-savvy, get someone to build the website for you. Ideally, they’ll also give you easy steps to maintain and update it as needed.

Mistake #4: Lack of Social Proof

When someone visits your site, you want them to see glowing reviews from your clients right away. But first, you need to gather those reviews, and you should start from day one. Make sure those reviews are featured prominently on your homepage to build trust, which is crucial for converting potential clients into actual clients.

Sometimes, potential clients will want to talk to current clients directly. It’s tempting to direct them to your excellent Google reviews, but sometimes they just want to talk to someone and ease their concerns. It’s natural, and if you provide high-quality pet care, most of your current clients will be happy to chat with potential ones.

Here’s what I suggest if someone asks for a reference:

1. Reach out to five clients via email and ask if they’d be willing to provide a reference. Ask if it’s okay to share their phone numbers and when would be the best time for them to be contacted.
2. Make sure the clients you ask are using the same services the potential client is interested in.
3. Once you have three willing references, send their contact information to your potential client along with the best times to reach them.

    

Mistake #5: Failure to respond fast enough

Imagine you need to book professional services. You reach out to a few businesses for help. One responds within 12 hours with all the info you need, while the other one takes two days. Which one are you more likely to choose?

From the moment they contact you, I recommend giving potential clients immediate feedback. Whether it’s through a voicemail or an auto-responder email. After that follow up with them within 12 business hours.

This quick response helps build trust and shows that you’ll be a good communicator throughout the business relationship.

(If you need help crafting professional emails and autoresponders, check out my Complete Client Templates Vault.)

Mistake #6: Poor Communication

Whether you’re sending a response without addressing the person by name, skipping a proper signature, or using poor grammar, it can all impact your client conversion rate. You need to show potential clients that you’re the best care choice for their pet, and it all starts with great emails and ends with top-notch care.

When I first started my business, I used to write every email from scratch, and it took forever. Eventually, I got smart and started using my old emails as a base to create a set of templates. Now, I just dive into my template folder and pick the right one based on the number and type of pets a potential client has. There are also templates for other scenarios, like if someone’s out of my service area or if my roster is too full.

This approach not only saves me time but also helps maintain a high standard of communication. By using proven email templates and personalizing them, I ensure that every client gets a professional and thoughtful response.