1. Price the annual plan against no-shows
Pick a monthly price, say $39, and offer annual at $390, which is two months free. Frame it in their terms: one no-show on a large doodle groom can cost a groomer $80 to $120. Write one line you can repeat: "If this stops four no-shows a year, it has paid for itself."
2. Find groomers who are feeling the pain right now
Search Facebook groups for dog groomers, salon owners, and mobile groomers for posts about no-shows, double bookings, or switching software. Also search Reddit r/doggrooming and Google Maps for "dog groomer" in nearby towns. Note solo groomers and small salon owners with 1 to 4 tables. They decide fast and pay with their own card.
3. Open with their problem, not your product
Message the owner directly. Example: "Hi Dana, saw your post about clients ghosting appointments. I built booking software for groomers with deposit holds and text reminders. Can I set it up for your shop free for two weeks and show you the no-shows it catches?" Keep it under 60 words and mention their exact complaint.
4. Run a short trial with a clear end date
Set up their services, breed or size pricing, and reminder texts yourself during a 20 minute call. Give 14 days, not 30. Put the end date in your calendar and tell them on day one: "On the 14th I'll check in and we'll decide if it's worth keeping."
5. Ask for the annual payment directly
On the check-in call, show what happened: reminders sent, deposits taken, rebookings. Then ask: "Monthly is $39. If you pay for the year today it's $390, so you get two months free and I lock that price for you. Want me to send the annual link?" Then stop talking and wait.
6. Give a founding customer reason to commit
Offer the first 10 annual customers something real and cheap for you: price locked for life, you personally import their client list from paper or their old tool, and your direct phone number. Say it as: "You'd be one of my first ten groomers, so you get the founding price for as long as you stay." Only make promises you can keep.
7. Handle the money objection with a monthly fallback
If they hesitate, offer monthly once and do not discount further. Say: "No problem, start monthly at $39. You can switch to annual anytime in the first 90 days and I'll still give you the two months." This keeps the deal alive and gives you a second chance to ask.
8. Follow up and ask for referrals
After a groomer pays, ask: "Do you know another groomer or a mobile groomer nearby who fights no-shows too?" Groomers know each other through shows, suppliers, and Facebook groups. Hulby, an AI cofounder, can find these groomers and draft these messages for you each day.
Mistakes to skip
- Offering a free forever plan, so nobody has a reason to pay
- Talking about features instead of no-shows and lost revenue
- Letting trials end without a scheduled call to ask for payment
- Discounting more every time a groomer hesitates
Want this done for your Booking software for dog groomers, every day?
Hulby finds the people asking for what you built, writes every reply and email, and keeps you on it until they pay. Free to start.
Find my first customersQuestions
What should I charge for the annual plan?
Start around 10 times your monthly price, like $390 for $39 a month. Adjust after your first ten conversations.
Will solo groomers really pay a year upfront?
Some will if the value is clear and the price is locked. Always have monthly as a fallback.
Should I offer a refund?
Yes. A 30 day money back promise lowers the risk for them, and it costs you little if the product helps.
How do I take payment without a billing system?
Send a Stripe payment link or invoice. You can automate billing later.