If you are searching on the internet for “tips to improve my kennel directory listing”, we’ve got all the information you need. As a breeder, learning how to improve your kennel directory listing should be quite high on your wishlist. Kennel directory listings are like the yellow pages of the dog community. Different breeders list their kennels on their respective kennel club‘s listing to make it easy for prospective buyers to find them.
Improving the directory listing for a kennel is not rocket science. There are certain easy steps you can take to ensure your listing ranks high. Some of these steps are as easy as updating your contact number while others are adding a description with a little more depth. So, without further ado, here are the steps you need to take to improve your kennel directory listing.
Tips to Improve Kennel Directory Listings
Figuring out kennel directory listings doesn’t require a lot of research. If you look at some good listings, you will find out that they have a lot of things in common. And these are exactly the things you need to implement.
1. Add Your Address
You won’t believe how many people overlook this. Always add your address with your kennel listing. There is a pretty good reason for it. You see, people often search on the internet for finding a dog breeder in their area. If your listing has an address, they will eventually find your kennel as well. When people know where to find you, they will be a little more trusting and consequently, your business will get more traction.
2. Mention Your Hours of Operation
A sign of a legitimate business that cares for its customers is that it aims to minimize the overhead. That means the business gives customers what they need to know with the listing. So, for doing that in your listing, in addition to adding all the relevant details, also add the hours of operation. As a side note: When and if your hours of operation change, be sure to update that listing as well.
3. Explain Appointment Requirements
Keep in mind the point about minimizing overhead because it certainly does apply here. Let’s get one thing out of the way: As a business, your primary goal should be to provide value to the customer.
Whether you are operating a dog daycare, a dog boarding business or are simply a breeder, facilitating the customer should always be your first priority. Consequently, whenever a person lands on your listing, they should know how to make an appointment. And it is your responsibility to detail these steps. So, clearly state the appointment requirements and spare no detail.
4. Add a Link to Your Website
In your directory listing, add a link to your website. And if you don’t have a website then you should consider getting one. A website is more than a modern custom; it is practically the modern method of doing business. A professionally designed website is an indicator that you care about your business and customers love that. In short, get a website and make sure your directory listing is linked to it.
5. Provide Your Contact Number
Next up in the list of ‘important things most people don’t do’ is the lack of a contact number, or at least a working one. If you are one of these people, your listing is going nowhere. On the flip side, if you want your listing to go up, add a working contact number. Customers trust a business that is easily accessible, so make sure yours is.
6. Add a Description
Do make sure your potential customer understands the kind of business you run, or more appropriately, the motivation and the idea behind your business. Customers are more likely to engage in business with someone they feel a connection to.
Write a pure, heartfelt description of your business and why you do what you do. This is the thing that will help you stand out in a sea of increasingly similar offerings. Consequently, the main focus of a description is not to entice customers but rather to tell them what your kennel does that others don’t. Add a description to your listing that tells others about you and your business as if you were telling a friend.
7. Provide Pictures
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. While designing your kennel directory listing, add a bunch of high-quality pictures of your kennel. So, the next time a potential customer browses through the listing and comes across yours, they will be able to see what your business looks like. Advertising a business with pictures shows an openness and confidence that customers are looking for. No pictures can worry someone into believing you have something to hide.
8. Share Testimonials
Once you have a few satisfied customers, get their testimonials, and add them these to your kennel listing. This is the quickest way to increase your customers. When people know that your kennel has a history of satisfied customers, and it can be trusted, they wouldn’t hesitate to come to you. This is how businesses grow.
But if your business is new and you don’t have customer testimonials yet, make them your goal and work towards them. Customer satisfaction is the thing that keeps a business going.
Improving Kennel Directory Listings – FAQs
The following are some questions people ask all over the internet. They have been answered here for your convenience.
How do You get a Kennel Name?
To get a kennel name, the person wishing to obtain the name must register with the AKC or the kennel club of his choice. For registration, however, that person must be an active participant in the dog breeding community. For the AKC, showing you are an active member of the community requires the following things:
- The person applying to get a kennel name must have participated in some AKC events with the breeds they are applying for
- They must also have registered 5 AKC litters in the past five years or a minimum of 1 litter in the last 5 years
All of these things are mandatory if you want to get a kennel name.
What is a Kennel Affix?
A kennel affix is added to the dog’s name to identify its breed. It is similar to how companies usually add to the names of their product to highlight new features. When you register a kennel name, your dog gets a unique identifier. This identifier helps to identify a particular bloodline. Similarly, this affix also comes in handy during events and dog shows.
Consequently, choosing a unique and catchy kennel affix is a sure-fire way to catch people’s eyes. And when people know about your kennel your business will go up considerably.
How do I Register my AKC Kennel Name?
Registering a kennel name is the first step in protecting your kennel’s bloodline. For that, you need to be registered with the AKC as a breeder and exhibitor and meet their kennel name registration requirements. Registering a name with the AKC is easy, provided you meet all the requirements detailed above. Once you are certain you meet the requirements, you need to fill out the application form to initiate the process.
What is FCI Registered?
When a kennel name is FCI registered, it means that the breeds that carry that affix recognized by the kennel clubs of 98 countries around the globe. The FCI, Fédération Cynologique International, is the international federation of national kennel clubs of 98 countries. While kennel clubs of the US, the UK, and Canada are not members of the FCI, most clubs in these countries maintain active communication with FCI regarding new breeds and breed standards. As you can tell, getting FCI registration for your kennel name carries quite a big incentive.
What do Kennel Club Names mean?
A kennel club name is also called a ‘breeder signature’. The reason it is called a breeder signature is that it describes the breed and the kennel that produced this breed. When your puppy has a kennel affix in its name, anyone taking interest in that puppy will know immediately about the kennel the breed belongs to. Consequently, because kennel names serve such an important purpose, there are strict rules to follow if you wish to get yours.
Follow these eight tips and see how quickly your kennel begins to gain popularity. If you have the drive and the dedication, make these small changes in your kennel directory to get the notice you deserve!