Professional dog breeders who keep in touch with past customers know it’s a business-building practice—even if it may appear at first to be counter-intuitive. After all, customers are already enjoying one of your puppies and most likely won’t want another for a while, right? So why is it valuable for dog breeders to keep that channel of communication open? Here are three reasons why it’s a best-practice along with the best ways to reach out.

3 Reasons Why Dog Breeders Should Keep in Touch

1. Buyer feedback helps you assess your breeding program

 By encouraging customers to post or send pictures you can personally witness the growth of your puppies. In addition to physical characteristics, you can receive feedback about the dogs’ health and temperament as they grow. All of this can provide valuable first-hand data for the successes and weak points of your breeding program.

2. You become an expert resource to your customers

 Especially if they own both the sire and the dam, professional dog breeders know the DNA of their puppies even better than your customer’s vet. You are your customer’s best resource for questions about personality, inherited traits like color and coat curl, and more. If the customer cannot keep the puppy for any reason, they need to feel comfortable calling you if it needs to be rehomed.

 3. They will refer you to their family and friends

 Being accessible, friendly, and willing to help after puppy purchase can have a very real financial benefit. Past customers are much more likely to refer their friends to dog breeders who provide outstanding service—along with the very best and cutest puppies, of course.

3 Best Ways Dog Breeders Can Keep in Touch with Past Customers

These three ways to advertise your dog-breeding business are very basic, but they’re also extremely effective and do not come at a high cost. DDC is happy to support responsible breeders and their businesses by offering the very best in low-cost, high-quality dog DNA testing and 5-star customer service.

1. Facebook and Instagram

Encourage your buyers to follow you on social media and—most importantly—follow them back. Posting gorgeous pictures of your dogs and videos of everyday life or special events is an easy way for dog breeders to keep their business front of mind with past customers. Be sure to have frequent “Show and Tell” posts on Facebook that encourage buyers to show off the puppies they got from you. If you’re really into social, create a Facebook Group and make a community of past buyers.

2. Texting or WhatsApp

Texts are a personal and very direct way of reaching somebody. It is highly-likely to be opened by its recipient. It’s a great way to announce an upcoming litter to past customers, for example, in case they or someone they know is interested.

3. Emails

Emails aren’t as likely to be opened as texts, but you can go into greater detail with content. You may include one or more big, beautiful pictures of a new litter, for example. It’s a very visual means of communication that is more direct than social media, and you can make it as short or detailed as you like. Just be sure to personalize each email with a line or two at the beginning to keep it real.

The Tip of the Tail

There really is no right or wrong way for dog breeders to keep those valuable lines of communication open—there is only what works best for you and your business. If you feel like your business could use a little boost, why not try a new way of staying in touch?