Every horse business owner’s goal is to get people talking. Nothing drives in the customers like word of mouth advertising, and your business’s future rests on the shoulders of your ability to inspire spontaneous testimonials.
Easier said than done, right? First of all, the horse business is a relatively small niche, servicing a comparably tiny percentage of the overall population. Second, you don’t have any direct control over what people talk about, which means that this must be a covert, indirect operation.
In my experience, there are three proven ways to get people talking, and only two of those are advisable. If you want your horse business to flourish, however, you’re going to need to master all three.
Method 1: Screw Up
There’s no such thing as bad press, right? Actually, there is, and too much bad publicity will leave you filing for bankruptcy. Whenever you screw up, count on others being there to witness your devastating debacle, and know they’re going to tell others about it.
The good news is that screw-ups can make you a better horse business owner—a better riding instructor, a better horse trainer, a better stable manager, whatever. Screw-ups teach you not only that you are capable of failure, but also how to recover from said screw-ups and come out a better equestrian professional.
I’ll give you an example. Several years ago, I had the bright idea to leave a group of thirteen- and fourteen-year-old riders at the barn by themselves while I ran a few errands. I thought: “These kids baby-sit for their neighbors all the time. They’ll be fine.”
Two hours later, I returned to find six loose horses and one teenager with a broken arm. I’m still not entirely clear on the events that led up to this result, but I can tell you I never left any kids at the barn alone again.
However, I did not hide from my mistake. Instead, I called a meeting with all my students and their parents, and we discussed the safety rules at the barn. I explained what had happened, and assured the parents that my mistake would not recur.
In the end, my students’ parents were grateful for my honesty and pleased by my commitment to safety. They had all made parenting mistakes in the past and knew I wasn’t ordinarily negligent.
The point here is that you should avoid screwing up, but if you do make a mistake, turn it around to your advantage. Be a professional and admit your shortcomings, then take steps to ensure future success. Your clients will appreciate your veracity and it just might get people talking.
Method 2: Do Something Incredible
Far preferable to screwing up, the second proven way to get people talking is to do something incredible. Make such a splash in the horse business that people can’t ignore you even if they try.
As mentioned above, this is harder to do in a tiny niche like the horse industry, but it’s far from impossible. How many people have seen Stacy Westfall’s championship run? Whenever I start to forget my purpose in the horse world, I watch it and remember.
Can you do something amazing for your students? For your community? How can you contribute to the lives of others? These questions will usually lead you to an amazing feat, but don’t think of it that way. Instead, concentrate on making life better for someone else.
People talk about heroism. They talk about people who aren’t afraid to buck the system now and again, who take pleasure in accomplishing seemingly impossible goals. If you want to succeed in the horse business, you can’t just be good or talented or skilled—you have to be incredible.
Method 3: Create a Forum
People are very self-centered as a whole. They like to talk about things that affect them, that have some bearing on their lives, even if it’s only fleeting. When you provide a forum, you can be sure you’ll get people talking.
When I first took the Feature Writer position at Suite101.com, people came out of the woodwork. I not only wrote articles about horses, horsemanship and the horse business, but I provided answers to probing questions and a way for readers to talk back to me.
I receive about 30 questions per week through Suite101, and another 20-30 from this web site. People like to be able to talk, to interact, and you can provide that opportunity one way or another.
In the horse business, it always pays to solicit feedback. Ask your clients to provide, either in person or anonymously, a list of the things they love and hate about your services. Ask them to tell you what they would like to see change, ask them about services they might want you to perform—in other words, give them a voice.
If you give people a chance to talk, they will. Too many horse business owners are closed off in their own little world, oblivious to their surroundings. They become far too me-focused to generate any word-of-mouth advertising.
Because the thing is, if people can talk in your forum, they’ll tell others about it too. We seek community on a daily basis, new ways to connect. So just give the people what they want.
There are other ways to generate word-of-mouth advertising, but these are the most effective in my experience. Let me know in the comments section if you have a better idea, or if you’ve had any success with these particular suggestions.
You might also like:
- 50 Ways to Use Your Horse Business Web Site
- 7 Ways to Spruce Up the Barn
- Selling Horses:
Talking to Buyers Part 2—The Introduction - Selling Horses:
Talking to Buyers Part 1—The Initial Meeting - Selling Horses:
Talking to Buyers Part 4—The Follow-Through
About the Author: Laura Jane Thompson is the Chief Equestrian Officer of Riding Instructor University and the Feature writer for the horses section at Suite101. She believes that any horse business can succeed provided its owner practices smart strategy.
