Running your training business is about more than wet saddle blankets.
By Megan Arszman
I started training horses because I’m not much of a people person, but I get along well with my horses.
I’m already so busy dealing with training schedules, show entries, and getting my clients to pay on time. I can’t manage anything else on my plate.
I need more horses in my barn.
Do any of these phrases sound familiar? You hung out your shingle, earned your first open paychecks, and placed your first full-color ad in all the industry publications. However, you feel like you’re missing the mark in getting your message out there in the right way to attract more clients.
Communication with the humans in the business, not just the horses, is key to a long and successful career as a trainer. It can be frustrating to know where to start, but the beauty of that is, there’s always someone there who can help you.
Jamie Samples is the owner and president of Yellow Barn Media, a marketing company with an emphasis on the horse industry, and she’s one of the first to admit that marketing is hard work.
“I agree that marketing can be overwhelming,” she says. “But, it’s a vital action to keep your business running so you don’t go bankrupt.”
Samples stresses that not doing marketing is not an option to continue running your business. It’s important to know what you do well and where you can use some help. It’s a lot like working a horse on his rundown when you just can’t seem to figure out what you’re doing wrong, so you reach out to a fellow NRHA Professional for some tips.
“Know your strengths and know who can fill your weaknesses and hire them out,” she adds. “It’s really about scheduling out a little bit of your time, putting a strategy in place and then implementing that strategy,” she continues.
In this series, Samples will cover:
Part 1: Why Facebook Isn’t Enough
Part 4: Sharing Your Knowledge
Part 5: Making a Call to Action
First Steps
Implementing a marketing plan for your business can be confusing and it’s hard to know where to start. Any more, Americans do their research online. When they’re searching for “reining trainer near me,” you want your name to be on the top of that list, right? The only way you can make sure you’re part of those search results is when you have a website.
Websites don’t have to be expensive, but they can’t be an afterthought, either. Your website is where potential clients will learn about you and your services. Your website is also where you can provide content that illustrates your proficiency as a trainer, such as show results, videos, blog posts, etc.
Once you have that website built, that’s when you put the link to your website on your Facebook page. Your Facebook page is then used to drive potential clients to your site to learn more about your business. The message you can share on your business website is the professional side of you. It’s like a resume because you should tout your accomplishments, share show photos, share your history, and maybe even present your goals for your business.
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