(Pictured above: Dan Gallapoo and "Donner the Devil Dog")

"Dear Adam:

Your dog training techniques played a key part in helping me keep my sanity while dealing with puppy behavior! If you're like me and have a new puppy for the first time in your life, or if you've owned a dog for years, I highly recommend Adam Katz, if you're looking to hire a professional dog trainer!' -- Dan Gallapoo, Dayton, Ohio "


Imagine having a whole photo albumn filled with great testimonials like this!

You can (and you should) start building your testimonial book, from Day 1.

It's easy.

All you need to do is:

1. Type up a simple release that says:

"We're seeking comments and testimonials for our marketing efforts. Please tell us about your dog training lessons. Has your dog improved? Was the time and money worth the investment? How has your dog improved?"

At the bottom of the page, type, "I agree to allow [insert company name] unlimited and full use of the above testimonial and accompanying photograph for [company's] advertising and marketing purposes. I offer use of this testimonial and picture freely, and understand that I will receive no financial or other compensation for such usage."

** I am not a lawyer, and this is not meant to substitute for good legal counsel.

2. Get a camera. Take a photo of each client. Preferably a "Before" and "After" photograph. (Remember... seeing IS believing!)

3. Buy a photo albumn and include the photos and testimonials in the albumn.

Once you've compiled an albumn of 30 or 40 testimonials, make Xerox copies of each page and then staple them together. Give these away to prospective clients who need to "Go home and think about it." (Remember to also stress the signing discount, which I talk more about in our Dog Business 101 section).

Also, every month you should mail copies of new testimonials to those veterinary clinics and grooming shops that are on your route. You can even do a "Dogs of the Month" mailer. Office staff will get a kick out of flipping through it to see if any of their clients are inside.

And guess what? I can almost guarantee that none of your competitors are doing this. Can you imagine what a great credibility builder this will be for your business?

As an added benefit, I know of one dog trainer in Northern California who had a Nosey-Rosey watch him training in a local park. Nosey-Rosey didn't happen to see the dog try to bite the owner's child, but she did see the dog trainer give the dog a firm correction. Animal control was called out, and asked to make an appointment with the trainer, who wisely brought his testimonial book along.

After thumbing through 50-60 testimonials with pictures (I can't stress this enough... pictures add tremendous credibility!) ... the animal control offer was so impressed, that she not only dismissed the complaint, but now sends this trainer referrals!

Start building your own testimonial book, today. It may help save your business and reputation some day!