2 Major Marketing Mistakes Equestrian Entrepreneurs Should Avoid
You hear all the time about what you should be doing when marketing your horse business. But, is there anything you should avoid? Well, yes!
There are actually plenty of things we could dive into that you should avoid. But I want to share the two things I see over and over as I’m working with equestrian entrepreneurs. And honestly, they’re things I’ve learned along my personal business-building journey as well.
First, though, let me start with affirming you for taking action.
It’s not easy to chase your dreams, to take the steps to start an equine business, to build something from the ground up. And messy as it might be, that’s what you’re doing.
So, kudos to my fellow equine entrepreneurs – you are doing the thing that so many other people just think about or wish was possible. You’re doing it!
You’re not only doing it, but you’re here to learn—you want to make wise marketing decisions that’ll serve you and your business. That’s why I want to help you avoid making some super common marketing mistakes as you keep moving forward.
2 Major Marketing Mistakes Equestrian Entrepreneurs Should Avoid
Mistake #1: Trying to do it all.
Especially in the early years of your business but also as a long-term growth strategy, it’s best for you to pick one thing at a time and do it well, rather than trying to do all the things all at once.
Even though it can be difficult, narrow down your products and services so you can hone your craft and become known for your main thing.
What is it that you do really well, is solving a real problem for your ideal audience, and you actually enjoy? Focus your business offerings on that.
Just look at the difference:
Option A: We help all horses and all people.
Option B: We help new horse owners learn to read nutrition labels so they can confidently provide quality care for their horse.
Obviously, Option B makes it very clear what you do. It also makes it clear who you help, which leads us to the next mistake I want you to avoid.
Mistake #2: Trying to be for everybody.
This is all about who you are communicating to in your marketing and messaging. Who are you for?
You can’t do everything well. And, you can’t do it for everyone either.
If you want to grow, you’ve got to be willing to niche down and be specific with your audience.
As we’ve already demonstrated, “I’m for all horse people” isn’t going to cut it—especially as a small business.
How do people know if you’re really for them? Because every horse person is definitely not the same.
The equine industry is both deep and wide—from different disciplines and riding styles to different training philosophies and methods, as well as different goals with your horse and even the breed of your horse.
As an equestrian business, do not try to be for everyone.
Instead, get laser-focused on your audience. Go deeper than just demographics. Do the work to understand their problems, frustrations, dreams, and desires related to your products and services.
When you take time to really do the work of niching down, your marketing and messaging—from social media to website to print ads and everything in between— will effectively connect you with your right-fit audience.
At the end of the day, that’s exactly what marketing is all about: talking to the right people in the right way.
Meet Denise Alvarez
Denise Alvarez is a horse girl who loves marketing. As host of the How to Market Your Horse Business Podcast and owner of Stormlily Marketing, she helps equestrian entrepreneurs turn their online visitors into their customers using practical & actionable strategies around social media, websites, and email marketing. If you want to get qualified leads and book clients and customers you love online, Stormlily Marketing is for you.
Article submitted by Denise Alvarez
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