Podcast Summary: "Convos with Course Creators: Feat. Dog Trainer, Janna Markir"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Shiny New Clients!
• Host: Jenna Warriner
• Episode: Convos with Course Creators: Feat. Dog Trainer, Janna Markir
• Release Date: November 25, 2024
• Description: Shiny New Clients! is a marketing podcast dedicated to helping service-based business owners attract new clients through social media, strategic marketing, and engaging content—all within 20 minutes or less. Whether you’re a coach, stylist, or wedding planner, this show is designed to fill your calendar with perfect clients.

Introduction to the Series: Convos with Course Creators

In this episode, Jenna Warriner introduces a new series within Shiny New Clients! titled "Convos with Course Creators." This series aims to delve into the journeys of successful course creators, exploring how they developed their courses, scaled their businesses, and achieved success. Jenna emphasizes the importance of teaching and scaling knowledge instead of solely providing services.

Jenna Warriner (00:00):

"I quickly realized I could serve way more people by teaching a woman to fish, right, instead of giving a woman a fish."

Guest Introduction: Janna Markir and Jana's Pack K9 Training

Jenna welcomes Janna Markir, the owner and lead trainer at Jana's Pack K9 Training, a dog training company based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Janna has been in the dog training business for over a year, focusing on behavior cases involving difficult, reactive, aggressive, and highly anxious dogs.

Jenna Warriner (03:59):

“I surround myself in Jenna's and Jenna's and Gina's. It's like my whole life that, that.”

Janna Markir (04:00):

"Hi Jenna."

Janna’s Journey into Dog Training

Janna shares her personal story of becoming a dog trainer, highlighting the challenges she faced with her first dog. Despite seeking traditional training methods, her dog exhibited severe behavioral issues that traditional obedience training couldn't resolve. This struggle inspired her to pursue a specialized approach to dog training.

Janna Markir (04:40):

"When I got started with my own dog as a first-time dog mom, I was blessed with the dog that I didn't exactly want but you need kind of thing and she was quite difficult herself."

She describes the transition from being a dog owner struggling with her pet's aggression to becoming a professional trainer dedicated to helping others with similar challenges.

Janna Markir (06:06):

"It was dangerous, frankly. After about a year of all of that, we were at the training center still for about 10 months total..."

Building Her Client Base: From Meetup to Instagram

Janna discusses her initial strategies for attracting clients. She started by creating a local community pack walk on Meetup, which allowed her to connect with dog owners facing similar challenges. This grassroots approach helped her build trust and establish a client base.

Janna Markir (07:06):

"I went on meetup and I started a local community pack walk for free for, you know, difficult, reactive dogs."

Recognizing the power of social media, Janna leveraged Instagram to document her training process, offering free training sessions to gain trust and showcase her expertise. This dual approach of in-person community building and online presence was pivotal in her business growth.

Janna Markir (07:06):

"I offered her free training and I started documenting it on Instagram. That's pretty much where it started."

Differentiating in the Market: Authentic Engagement Over Tips and Tricks

A significant portion of the conversation focuses on Janna's marketing philosophy. She criticizes the prevalent "tips and tricks" approach in her industry, arguing that it often leads to superficial engagement without addressing deeper behavioral issues.

Janna Markir (10:35):

"It's like leading people to think that any tip or trick alone is going to be enough to get you over the finish line on something big and serious..."

Jenna Warriner echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of authentic and differentiated content that resonates deeply with the target audience.

Jenna Warriner (08:30):

"Finding a community of real humans that you can connect with out in public... that's huge."

Janna highlights the necessity of standing out by offering unique solutions and building genuine relationships, rather than merely mimicking competitors.

Refining Messaging: Targeting the Ideal Client

Janna delves into the essentials of effective messaging, stressing the importance of speaking directly to a single target persona. By honing her message to address specific pain points and offering tailored solutions, she has been able to build authority and trust with her audience.

Janna Markir (14:03):

"What has been working for me is sitting down and looking at what differentiates me... speaking directly to the person who's looking for a dog trainer to stop difficult, unwanted behavior..."

She explains how this focused approach not only enhances client acquisition but also fosters a deeper connection with her audience.

Jenna Warriner (15:47):

"Picking the one person was hard... being able to speak about all of the things to that one person that they need to know to make a choice that's going to be good for them..."

This strategy aligns with broader marketing psychology principles, emphasizing clarity and specificity to attract and retain ideal clients.

Continuous Improvement: Evolving Through Client Feedback

Janna discusses the iterative process of refining her services and messaging based on client interactions and feedback. By continuously engaging with her clients and adjusting her approach, she ensures that her offerings remain relevant and effective.

Janna Markir (19:08):

"You start to realize that this is going to be the type of client you're serving over and over and over again... let me double down."

This commitment to adapting and improving based on real-world interactions exemplifies her dedication to providing valuable and impactful training services.

Conclusion and Resources

Towards the end of the episode, Jenna invites listeners to connect with Janna and explore her programs further. Janna provides her Instagram handle and offers a free behavior assessment and consultation, alongside a special discount for listeners.

Janna Markir (21:24):

"You can go directly to my Instagram anaspact. That's J A N N A S P A C K at Jana's Pack. And if you're interested in finding out if the program would be a good fit for you, I'd be happy to do a free behavior assessment and consultation."

Jenna Warriner (21:49):

"Awesome. Thank you, Jenna."

Key Takeaways

1. Start Local and Authentic: Building a client base begins with connecting authentically with your immediate community before scaling online.
2. Differentiate Your Approach: Avoid generic tips and focus on unique, in-depth solutions that address specific client needs.
3. Refine Your Messaging: Clearly identify and speak directly to your ideal client to create deeper connections and trust.
4. Continuous Improvement: Use client feedback to continually refine and improve your services and marketing strategies.
5. Leverage Social Media Strategically: Documenting real-life success stories on platforms like Instagram can be a powerful tool for establishing authority and attracting clients.

Notable Quotes

• Jenna Warriner (00:00):

  "Can you even fathom the number 60 billion? ... I don't want to talk down to you, but like 16 billion is a massive number and that is what the online course industry is expected to be valued at in 2025."

• Janna Markir (10:35):

  "It's like leading people to think that any tip or trick alone is going to be enough to get you over the finish line on something big and serious..."

• Jenna Warriner (15:47):

  "Picking the one person was hard... being able to speak about all of the things to that one person that they need to know to make a choice that's going to be good for them..."

• Janna Markir (19:55):

  "Once you see the numbers start to turn and all it's like, okay, great, let me double down."

This episode of Shiny New Clients! offers invaluable insights into building a specialized service-based business through authentic engagement, targeted messaging, and strategic use of social media. Janna Markir's journey exemplifies how passion, dedication, and smart marketing can lead to significant business growth and client impact.