If these are the equestrian marketing questions you’ve been asking, you’re headed in the right direction.
Welcome to the show notes! Remember, this is a brief summary from the How to Market Your Horse Business podcast. You'll want to listen to the entire episode for all the good stuff!
You’re here to learn about marketing, right? In this episode, we’re doing a deep dive into your most commonly asked equestrian marketing questions.
These questions come up on the regular in regards to marketing your horse business, whether I’m in a clarity coaching call or hanging out in Facebook groups where equestrian entrepreneurs are gathering.
And, I’m always here for the questions. It’s smart for equestrian entrepreneurs to question things before jumping into something. You need to understand why you’re doing it and if it really works within the goals you have for yourself and your business. That’s true for everything in your horse business.
So, let’s dive into some marketing Q&A time!
Answers to Your Top 3 Marketing Questions
Question #1: How do I get people on my email list?
You’re convinced email marketing could work for you. So, now what? Here are 5 things you can do to get people on your email list.
1. Provide value in exchange.
Give them an incentive to give you their email address such as a lead magnet, discount, or coupon. The key here is value—your people need to see it as valuable. It’s not a “create it and it’s done” scenario. Regularly promote your incentive everywhere you go.
2. Connect your list-building strategy to all of your marketing.
For example, when you have a booth at an equestrian event, do relevant giveaways in exchange for email addresses. Also, be sure that all customers are on your email marketing list
3. Make your list exclusive.
Do something for your email list that makes it the place to be. “First to know about sales” or “I only send this to my email friends” are great ways to make it stand out.
4. Get outside of your circle or bubble to build new connections.
Rather than waiting for your email list to grow by just being available, be intentional to get yourself in front of new audiences and then invite them in. Guest articles, podcast guesting, clinic presentations, are all ways to not just build your brand but also build your list.
5. Have realistic expectations with advertising.
Of course, paid ads, especially on social media, are an option. Just remember: you should Be willing to invest in getting the data that will help you get in front of the right people. In other words, a $10 boosted ad is not the thing that’s going to make your email list explode overnight.
Question #2: Do I really need a website?
Yes!
News flash: When you rely solely on social media to market your business, you’re building your property on rented land. That means you can lose access to it—and the audience you’ve worked so hard to build up—at any time.
Social media is a wonderful marketing tool, but it should not be the only way or place your potential customers can connect with you or have the opportunity to become an actual customer.
So, is a website optional for the equestrian entrepreneur who wants to grow your business? The short answer: no.
Question 3: What’s the key to selling on social media?
Just because you have thousands of followers doesn’t mean money in the bank. So, how do you convert followers to customers? Start with these 3 keys to selling on social media.
1. Be more concerned about the right people following you vs. everyone following you.
It’s hard, I know! That follower count just beckons to be the measure of success. But remember, you’re going after sales which takes more than just followers.
When you are clear on your audience, who you are for, and what products or services you have to help them, then you will attract people who are actually your potential customers. The right people will value your work—and, they’re willing to invest.
2. Create content with the buyer’s journey in mind.
Your content should meet your buyer at all three points of the journey: awareness, consideration, and decision
I did an entire training outlining the content for each stage of the buyer’s journey in Episode #123. Check it out here.
The key is to meet the buyer where he or she is at with your content. Objections, benefits, questions—all of that is social media content that will help you make the sale.
3. Invite them to go past social media.
Get them to your website and, ultimately, your email list.
Social media is the front porch of your equestrian business.
It’s a place for potential customers to learn who you are and what you do. Through social media, your potential customers and clients can learn the basics of your business and they can even engage with you directly through comments and messages.
But what if they are interested in learning even more about your business? What if they are looking for the details of the products and services you provide?
Some people may stop and ask but most people just want to visit your website and learn more on their own terms. They are looking to go past the front porch and into your living room.
That’s where your website comes in!
Just like bringing a guest into your home gives you the chance to get to know each other better, your website gives your potential customers the opportunity to get to know you and your business better.
A great website will guide your right people on the journey to becoming your customers.
Your audience and messaging, social media, email marketing, website – those are the four requirements for marketing your horse business online.
And that’s the basic outline of my Saddle Up & Go framework I walk you through step-by-step in Take the Reins, my 1:1 coaching program.
Which brings me to your bonus question …
BONUS 4. How is coaching different from hiring you to do it for me?
You have 3 options available to you when it comes to your marketing:
DIY
Done for you
Done with you (THIS is coaching.)
With 1:1 coaching, you are equipped with what you need as I walk you through my Saddle Up & Go framework. Plus, you have access to me for education, resources, tools, and support. I’m supporting you with what you need, answering your questions, equipping you along the way. And, you are the one prepared to implement the plan at the end of the program.
It is an investment, yes. And, so is paying someone $500/month to do your social media (AKA done for you) – that’s $6,000 EVERY YEAR. And, if they have no clarity on who you are for, then you’ll be hard-pressed to get real results.
Copying what everyone else is doing or hiring someone to do it for you without doing the work of honing in on your best-fit audience and clarifying your messaging will not work to build your equestrian business.
You need a clear path to follow that’s centered around the goals you have for your horse business—a strategy to build connections with the right people online and turn them into your customers.
That’s why I created Take the Reins.
Of course, you'll want to listen to the full episode to dig into each of the insights shared and discover how you can apply each one in your horse business!
Links Mentioned In This Episode
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