Ep. 96 – The Black Friday Breakdown: How to Boost Dog Daycare Sales Without Torching Your Margins

Are you staring down Black Friday wondering whether you should run a promo… cut a price… add a bonus… or avoid the whole thing entirely?

Ever felt the pressure to “join in” with what other people are doing even when you’re not sure if it will help or harm your business?

And want to know EXACTLY how smart daycare and pet resort owners use Black Friday to generate revenue and lock in long-term clients — without discounting themselves into oblivion?

In this week’s episode, host Dom Hodgson delivers a Black Friday masterclass, sharing how pet care businesses can approach one of the biggest buying weekends of the year without blowing up their margins or creating a January cashflow hangover.

Dom explains the psychology behind Black Friday, the history behind the hype, and the simple maths that proves you shouldn’t blindly slash prices on services you already sell easily. Instead, he shows you how to structure offers that add value, increase long-term spending, and act as cost-effective client acquisition tools.

You’ll also hear from a whole host of Hershey Expo attendees, who share their struggles, breakthroughs, enrichment wins, and their opinion on why expos like this are the spark that keeps owners motivated heading into the busiest season of the year.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

The Real Purpose of Black Friday – Why it exists, how it works psychologically, and why pet services must approach it differently than retail.
How to Avoid Margin Meltdowns – The financial traps most daycare owners fall into — and Dom’s rule for deciding what not to discount.
Value-Add Vs. Price-Cut – Why bundling slow-selling services beats discounting high-demand ones.
Lifetime Value 101 – How to calculate whether a Black Friday offer is worth it based on long-term client spending.
Segmenting Your List for Maximum Profit – Why you should run different offers for new clients and existing clients.

Canine Labs Testing are the amazing sponsors of this episode. Go to CanineLabsTesting to find out more about their fabulous service that keeps your facility parasite free!

Remember, next big Barkleigh event is the inaugural Pet Boarding and Daycare, Barkleigh Pet Pros Cruise in January. Go to BarkleighShows.com to book your cabin!

Want to work with the World Leading Pet Business Coach? Discover if you’re a good fit to work with Dom by going to www.petbusinessmarketing.com/diamondnow

Episode Highlights:

[04:38] – Dom opens his Black Friday Tip Sheet and explains why pet care businesses must approach the weekend differently than retailers.
[05:34] – The history of Black Friday and why the “in the black” myth still drives consumer behaviour.
[06:39] – The discount dilemma: why selling more at lower margins often leaves owners earning less.
[07:49] – A personal story: how Dom once pre-sold services to fix a cashflow gap — and regretted it later.
[13:55] – Hershey attendee interviews: what owners are struggling with, what they’re learning, and why enrichment sells.
[27:00] – Facility owners share how expos “refresh” them, spark ideas, and wake up stagnant teams.
[32:30] – Dom explains the true cost of acquiring a customer — and why Black Friday can be a strategic acquisition tool.
[36:37] – Why it’s worth losing money on the first sale if the long-term value outweighs it.
[38:30] – How to use Black Friday to surface premium pet parents with a high-end service bundle.
[39:06] – The enrichment economy: why selling more to existing clients reduces your need for new ones.
[40:30] – Dom’s back-of-a-napkin Black Friday plan — simple, fast, and massively profitable.

If you want clarity, confidence, and a Black Friday plan that actually strengthens your pet business — this episode is where to start.