| If you rely on your horses for income, you are | | | | 4.) Know how to write a good advertisement. |
| going to have to have good marketing skills just | | | | How you come across to your potential |
| like any other business. That's right, horses don't | | | | customers will make all the difference in the world |
| sell themselves! If you are a breeder, riding | | | | when it comes to whether or not they will |
| instructor, trainer, boarding facility, or horse dealer, | | | | choose your products and services over those of |
| you are going to need to reach and impress your | | | | a competitor. Be creative and give your ads a |
| potential customers in order to sell them your | | | | little zing! Make them memorable. Let's say you |
| products and services. How do you do that? Just | | | | are selling a horse. Instead of writing an ad that |
| follow the steps illustrated below and you'll be well | | | | only tells the horse's color, size, breed, and |
| on your way to enjoying a successful | | | | discipline, try adding impressive bloodlines if |
| horse-related business! | | | | appropriate, accolades won, and personality traits |
| 1.) Know who your customers are. Who needs | | | | that you think your customers will appreciate. An |
| your products and services? If you are a training | | | | ad that is personal and tells the audience more |
| facility, then people with untrained horses need | | | | than just the dry details is sure to get a lot of |
| you. If you are a boarding facility, then horse | | | | response. |
| owners who don't have space at home for their | | | | 5.) Set yourself apart by giving away some |
| horses need you. If you are a riding instructor, | | | | "freebies." Give something away for free, and the |
| then your potential customers are anyone who | | | | customers will come to you. Your give-away can |
| wants to learn how to ride horses. You get the | | | | be as simple and cost-effective as an open barn |
| picture! A big part of making sure your horse | | | | day that allows the community to come and |
| business works is identifying your customers. | | | | enjoy your facility, or your could go large-scale |
| 2.) Find out where your customers hang out. | | | | and sponsor a class at a show. Remember, the |
| Where do horse people congregate? At feed and | | | | goal is to get your name out there in front of |
| tack stores, at horse shows, at online | | | | those who would benefit from your product or |
| horse-related web sites and chat rooms, to name | | | | service. Be creative! |
| just a few. Now break it down even further. Let's | | | | 6.) Know that word of mouth can make you or |
| say you are a breeder of Morgan horses. Sure, | | | | break you. Your current customers are the best |
| you'll find some Morgan enthusiasts at the tack | | | | advertisements you have. Work to retain them, |
| shop and feed store, but you'll likely find them in | | | | and do what you can to make them happy. |
| droves at breed-specific shows. Find out what | | | | They'll tell friends, who will tell more friends, and |
| newspapers and magazines your potential | | | | so on. Run your business with integrity and |
| customers read as well. | | | | honesty, and treat your customers fairly. Always |
| 3.) Advertise! Now that you've done all that | | | | represent your products and services truthfully. |
| research to determine who your customers are, | | | | The old adage "under promise and over deliver" |
| where they hang out, and what they read, it's | | | | works well in the horse world, too! |
| time to put your product and service in front of | | | | Wit h a little marketing knowledge in hand, you'll |
| them! Put ads in magazines and newspapers that | | | | have your horse business up and running in no |
| they read, hang up flyers at tack and feed | | | | time. Good luck! |
| stores, and advertise in show programs. | | | | |