There aren’t many things pet owners love as much as their little furry friends. There is a whole market for pets, including professional dog training services and dog grooming, not to mention the varied treats and other accessories that are available. Additionally, as a pet care business owner, you know that people want and need more pet education in order to take better care of their animals. Creating high-quality online courses is a great way to reach out to a large audience and expand your current business.
By 2027, the global pet industry will reach the 358.62 billion mark. No matter how popular you are in your local area, online courses can give you even more exposure and take your business to the next level. Here’s how you can start creating online courses for your pet care business.
Why create online courses as a pet care business owner?
With the pet industry growing rapidly, creating online courses for your pet care business can be very profitable. Let’s look at some reasons to create online courses that pet lovers will enjoy:
- Additional stream of income - pet owners are willing to pay large amounts of money to learn how to properly look after their furry friends;
- Flexible environment - your physical business might require you to be there based on a schedule, but online courses demand less of your time and zero physical presence;
- Great exposure - you have all you need to reach the right audience by using a learning platform with embedded marketing tools. You don’t have to limit yourself to your own city, state or country;
- Become a pet education expert - even if you don’t have time to host face-to-face courses, you can promote your pet business brand through high-quality online courses;
- Convenient learning - your learners can take courses at their own pace, no matter how busy they are.
Read more: How to grow your e-learning business as a freelancer, entrepreneur or solopreneur
Five ideas that pet care business owners can turn into online courses
Creating your first online course might be daunting, especially if you’re unsure of how they will be received by your potential learners. So, here are five online course ideas that you can tap into as a pet care business owner:
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Create courses for a specific type of pet
There are many subtopics for each pet type, such as house training, feeding, breeding, health care, and more. Since creating a course for every type of pet can take a long time, the first step involves deciding on a pet type.
For example, if you already own a dog training business, it would make sense to start creating online courses and sharing your knowledge on this topic. While some people want to go directly to a special dog training school, others would rather learn everything online (especially if they can’t afford training) so they are your main audience.
Then, you can even target a specific niche, such as taking care of German Shepherds or educating people on how to choose a breed that will go well with their current lifestyle.
Read more: How to create and sell an evergreen online course
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Build an online academy
Having the most recent and relevant certifications is a great way to position yourself as an expert in your field and stand out from the crowd. However, offering certification courses is also a great way to teach others how to become pet groomers, dog walkers, cat or dog trainers, etc. This is a great selling point since most people do expect them to have some sort of education, even if it’s online.
For example, your learners won’t need any formal education or certification to become a dog trainer. However, you can create your own online dog training academy, with relevant courses and offer a completion certificate if learners do all the work, including getting good assessment scores. They can learn from your experience as well as the experience of others, if you decide to co-create courses.
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Create niche courses
Dog grooming is a popular pet care skill many people would like to learn. Let’s say that someone just got a dog and they want to learn how to take proper care of it. They will look for an online course to teach them the basics. They are more likely to choose a course that goes in-depth about this topic instead of courses that present pet grooming as a general concept. Also, they probably don’t want to get a dog groomer certification, so a shorter course that addresses their needs as a pet owner is better than a lengthy course.
Each section of your online course can talk about a specific topic, such as “Introduction to dog grooming,” A groomer’s toolkit,” “Bathing, brushing and drying,” and more.
Your learning platform allows you to include video recordings in your courses so you can better explain specific details. People who still have questions can send you a private message or get insights from other dog owners in a dedicated learner group.
Read more: 10 Tips on finding your niche in the knowledge commerce industry
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Teach people how to operate their own pet business
Through online courses, you can teach your learners how to start a pet care business. One of the most important aspects is your professional experience as a pet business owner, no matter how small it is.
You need to make it clear in your courses that people will only pay for services with proven experience. Even for a dog-sitting business, they need to gather reviews from their previous customers.
For example, you can teach them how to prepare a business plan, how to get a certificate (if required), how to create a list of services, how much to charge for their products or services and, last but not least, how to market their business.
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Solve a big problem for pet lovers
You can go with a topic such as pet sitting or pet behavior. However, they can be too general sometimes, depending on how in-depth you need to go.
That’s why if you’re really good at something, you can solve a specific problem. For example, first aid for dogs is a very important skill that few really know how to do well, if at all. Other topics can include dealing with a pet with separation anxiety, how to care for an older pet, or tips for rescuing pets.
It’s always a good idea to see what people are searching for online when they want to learn these things. Then, validate your online course idea through websites such as Google Trends or Buzzsumo.
Time to expand your pet care business
There are many ways to expand your pet care business through online courses. From creating niche courses to giving useful pointers on how people can run a successful pet business, this is an exciting opportunity to educate people and have an additional stream of income.
