How To Build and Grow Spark Teams

Lorrie Reynolds for Do More With Your Dog!
How To
Build and Grow Your
Spark Team
Y
ou passed your Certified Trick Dog Instructor exam, congratulations! If
you want to create a busy, thriving, fun community with a Spark Team, it is
difficult to know where to start. Hopefully this article will give you some
great ideas!
Below you will find helpful things to do and hints on what to avoid. Building a
Spark Team takes some time and effort, but after some hard work up front, and
with a focus on quality and kindness, it can grow organically without much effort.
1
Where do I start?
The best Spark Teams contain quality content, maintain a fun and friendly
atmosphere, are heavy on information and light on “spammy” posts, and provide
a place for people to learn, grow, and most importantly, have fun with their canine
companions! They are run by dedicated CTDIs who understand that trick training
is about training people, not dogs, and who are committed to understanding the
needs of both halves of the team.
Create Quality Videos

Start with videos that are clear, concise, and organized. Make
sure your environment for taping is not too distracting, you
speak clearly, and you maintain a positive attitude throughout
the video. Smile and look like you are enjoying yourself, and
your group members will keep watching more videos.
Remember that you are teaching the human member of the
team, so show the steps the person needs to follow to get the
dog to learn the trick, and focus less on the dog.
Once you have enough videos to start the group, make

them easy to find! Put them in a playlist on YouTube,
create an Announcement Post and list them all in the
post, or put the links into a file that is easily accessed
from your group.
Set Community Standards

Model the friendly, helpful, and kind behavior you want in the group, and quickly
respond to any rude, bullying, or hurtful behavior. State the group rules clearly,
and be kind but firm. If you need to remove a comment or stop a discussion,
message the person and explain what rules were broken or why the comment was
removed. If people are consistently rude, remove them. Losing one member is
better than having ten members leave because of drama within the group.
Offer Extras When You Can

Stay aware of the activities that the main Do More With Your Dog organization is
promoting, and take advantage of their professional marketing materials to
encourage your students to participate. Participate yourself so that they have a
good example to follow.
2
If you have a specialty trick you are known for, highlight it in your group! If you
have a good understanding of a competitive dog sport, give your group some
extras by relating the foundation tricks in the lower levels to canine sports. Make
lists of tricks for special areas (like puppy-safe tricks) and provide helpful tips for
everyday life with dogs, especially in the novice-level groups. Keep resources on
hand that you can direct your group members to if they have specific questions.
How Do I Get More People?

Once you have created your group, it can seem like it takes a long
time to get people interested. There are a ton of ways to grow
your group without making it feel like advertising.
Do - Use Your Personal Facebook

Account
If you have a dog, you are likely to have friends who
own dogs! Create a post talking about how excited
you are to have passed your CTDI exam, and
encouraging people to look at the group you have
created.
Don’t - Post on Every Dog-Related

Facebook Group
Posting everywhere, where the same people are likely to see it multiple times is
more likely to drive people away than encourage them to join. If you are offering
a special event, advertise the event itself, but don’t post a bunch of “please join
my group” messages. In many groups, self-promotion or “spammy” posts will get
you banned from the group.
Do - Encourage Your Group Members to Invite Friends

Everyone who has dogs has friends, relatives, and co-workers with dogs. While
you don’t want to sound like you are begging for members, a simple post that
says “Just a reminder, you are welcome to invite your friends to join this group
with you - the more the merrier!” can bring a bunch of new people into your
group. It’s like that old commercial: “And they bring two more, and they bring
two more…” Pretty soon, that exponential growth adds up to a very large group!
3
Don’t - Bombard the DMWYD Group

If you go to a car dealership to buy a new car, and are approached eight or ten
times by different salespeople encouraging you to work with them to find the
perfect vehicle, it is very likely that you will run as fast as you can towards
another dealership. Having multiple people respond to a question about spark
teams with links to theirs reflects poorly on the organization and the person
posting.
Do - Answer Questions in DMWYD and Other Groups

If you consistently provide polite answers that show your expertise, support
others when they are proud of their accomplishments, and are generally helpful,
people will look for your name on the Spark Team list and join your group! If you
complain publicly about the program or other CTDIs, people are less likely to join
your group. New people are usually excited and have an “all-in” attitude, and
they want to work with people who are similarly enthusiastic about what they are
doing.
Do - Create a Compelling Photo and Story for Your Team

If you want to stand out on the Spark Team List, you need to create a fantastic
cover photo, clearly spell out your qualifications, and provide people with a good
reason to choose you. If you specialize in a breed, type of trick, or dog sport,
state it in your write-up for your spark team. Keep it brief but inviting so people
will be drawn to your group.
Do - Volunteer at a Dog-Related Event

(Post-COVID) If your town has a “Dog Days of Summer” or “Bark in the Park”
event, get in touch with the organizers and volunteer to set up a booth to do low-
or-no-cost evaluations. Have business cards or flyers ready so after each
evaluation, you can encourage the person to join your group at the next level. Be
4
ready to answer a million questions about the program, how to teach tricks, cost,
etc. when you are working with the general public.
Do - Spread the Word at Dog Sports Competitions

(Post-COVID) When you attend dog events in your area as a competitor, make up
some flyers. Offer to evaluate people on the spot for free (remember to take
forms with you). People who participate in dog sports can often pass the Novice
level with very little effort since they have already taught their dogs so many
things. Those become the people who will join your Intermediate group after you
have given them the opportunity to earn a title!
How Can I Get Help?

The DMWYD organization has a mentoring program. Contact
[email protected] to be paired with an experienced CTDI who will be
happy to help you grow your group!

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Lorrie Reynolds for Do More With Your Dog!

Create Quality Videos

Once you have enough videos to start the group, make

Set Community Standards

Offer Extras When You Can

How Do I Get More People?

Do - Use Your Personal Facebook

Don’t - Post on Every Dog-Related

Do - Encourage Your Group Members to Invite Friends

Don’t - Bombard the DMWYD Group

Do - Answer Questions in DMWYD and Other Groups

Do - Create a Compelling Photo and Story for Your Team

Do - Volunteer at a Dog-Related Event

Do - Spread the Word at Dog Sports Competitions

How Can I Get Help?

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