6 Costly Social Media Mistakes That Are Holding Back Your Equine Business
- Denise Alvarez
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
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!
If you’re showing up on social media but not seeing results in your horse business, you’re not alone—and you’re not doing it wrong; you just need a better plan.
In this episode, we’ll uncover 6 costly mistakes equestrian entrepreneurs often make that are keeping their content from turning followers into paying clients.
You’ll walk away with simple, practical shifts you can make to finally see your marketing efforts start to work for your business—not just your algorithm.
6 Costly Social Media Mistakes Holding Back Your Equine Business
Mistake # 1: Not showing up consistently.
If you post for 7 days in a row and then don’t post for 3 months, then post again for 7 days in a row, what kind of results do you expect?
On the other hand, if you post 3 times a week for 3 months, you’re more likely see a return on your investment of time.
Of course, the content you’re posting has a lot to do with the results in terms of bookings. But, you can see your reach potential and engagement potential are much higher when you show up consistently.
Remember: You won’t get fruit from work you don’t do. In other words, you can’t complain about the results you didn’t get from the work you didn’t do.
Do this instead:
Post on a consistent cadence that you can commit to so you show up regularly rather than intermittently.
Mistake # 2: Not putting your energy into one platform.
In other words, you are a little bit of here, there, and everywhere, giving a little bit to each platform where you have a presence and wondering why it’s not working.
This one can be scary. Fear sets in pretty quickly when I tell you to put your energy into one platform to see maximum results.
Let’s be honest about the stage and season of your business right now. I am not saying to never be on multiple platforms. But, if you’re listening to this episode, you’re struggling to see results on a particular platform. My question then becomes, is your energy and attention divided?
Do this instead:
Give yourself permission to pick one platform and focus on that.
Mistake # 3: Not creating with your best-fit audience in mind
News flash – you are not for anybody and everybody, or any horse and every horse.
Even if your method can technically work for everyone, or your saddle is so versatile or your products are created for every horse. That doesn’t mean every horse owner is your right buyer. They may not align with your philosophies, they may have not like your teaching style, they may not agree with you, etc.
So, if you want to build your horse business using social media, you have to stop talking to everyone in your messaging.
Do this instead:
Spend 15 minutes writing down everything you know about your best-fit audience. Get specific and allow yourself to really niche down.
Mistake # 4: Not making the ask
One of the reasons you’re likely struggling to book clients and customers or sell products using social media is you’re forgetting to invite your followers to buy, book, apply, etc.
Valuable and engaging content is key to building your quine business on social media. But, if all you ever do is educate and you don’t provide an easy way for them to work with you, then it makes sense that you aren’t getting the bookings or sales you’d hoped for.
Do this instead:
Sell 20% of the time; serve 80%.
Mistake # 5: Not moving followers onto your email list.
I’m going to open this mistake with an important reminder: You do not own anything when it comes to social media.
You don’t own access to your followers.
You don’t own the content you upload or create on the platforms.
You don’t get to decide if, when, or how your account is hacked or shut down.
Social media is a great tool for your equine business, don’t get me wrong. But, if you want to build a sustainable equine business, you should not be relying 100% on social media for your marketing and long-term strategy planning.
Do this instead:
Provide something of value in exchange for email addresses AND post about it on social media at least once a month.
Mistake # 6: Not measuring what matters
You’re measuring the wrong things when it comes to social media.
Follower count can be meaningful when it comes to building your horse business online. Looking back at those organic numbers. If you have 1000 followers, you will likely get less views than someone with 10,000 followers. But, follower count alone is not a meaningful measurement.
And as I’m coaching clients in Take the Reins, I’m quick to remind them of this principle as we create their customized marketing dashboard.
Do this instead:
Measure what you can control, and what you know is related to your success on social media.
Reminder: How you feel matters too.
If you're posting 5 days a week and feel burned out and as if you spend half your life on social media, and you’re missing out on other parts of the business that you love and enjoy, that matters!
Social media marketing is an important component of your overall marketing strategy. But it should not be the whole of it. And, if it’s impacting your level of joy in your business, it doesn’t mean you have to throw in the towel. Stop, evaluate, and consider getting a business coach to help you strategize so you can make this most of this powerful tool while building a sustainable business.
If that sounds like something you need, let’s chat. Applications are open for Take the Reins, my 6-month 1:1 coaching program.
Ditch the marketing overwhelm, get the clarity you crave, and create a cohesive marketing strategy for your equine business.
Ready to set your equine business up for long-term success? Take the Reins 1:1 Coaching will give you a step-by-step roadmap to get there.
Links Mentioned In This Episode
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