You’re a savvy equine business owner. You know your stuff, you’re passionate about horses and you believe in your products/services (and their ability to help the horse community out there). Yet the concept of digital marketing is enough to make you run for the hills, white flag in hand.
Unfortunately, it’s an all-too-common scenario. These days, we all have less time. For many of us, money is tight. Throw expensive and time-consuming horses into the mix, and you have a recipe for discarding digital marketing into the ‘too-hard’ basket.
For those who are less Internet-savvy, I will start out by clarifying just what digital marketing is. Essentially, it’s any kind of marketing done via electronic media (i.e. the Internet, Apps, text messaging, etc). It is both measurable and instantaneous; great for those of us wanting to ‘squeeze every cent’ and that lack the time to plan campaigns months in advance!
Not only this, but there’s a far greater chance your equine business marketing will be successful if complemented by a sound digital strategy. Think about it. The target markets of most equine businesses are riders, right? Age-wise, the majority of riders out there are from a younger demographic. And what are young people good at these days? Technology, of course!
Unfortunately, it’s an all-too-common scenario. These days, we all have less time. For many of us, money is tight. Throw expensive and time-consuming horses into the mix, and you have a recipe for discarding digital marketing into the ‘too-hard’ basket.
For those who are less Internet-savvy, I will start out by clarifying just what digital marketing is. Essentially, it’s any kind of marketing done via electronic media (i.e. the Internet, Apps, text messaging, etc). It is both measurable and instantaneous; great for those of us wanting to ‘squeeze every cent’ and that lack the time to plan campaigns months in advance!
Not only this, but there’s a far greater chance your equine business marketing will be successful if complemented by a sound digital strategy. Think about it. The target markets of most equine businesses are riders, right? Age-wise, the majority of riders out there are from a younger demographic. And what are young people good at these days? Technology, of course!
Social media, ecommerce, emailing, you name it – almost every younger rider out there (and many older riders, as well) would be using some kind of digital device. As a population, we are becoming more reliant on digital technology as a means to communicate, research, buy and sell. And yes, even when it comes to horses and horse products/services!
Instead of being overwhelmed and confused by these changes, we should be embracing them. Because even traditional industries are not resistant to change, no matter how much we may wish it were so. So let’s look at some of the reasons we should be ‘embracing digital’, so to speak.
Of course, all this will ultimately depend on the nature of your business: is it online or offline, local or national/international, small or large, service-based or product-based, etc. Just as no two business models are exactly the same, your digital strategy should be carefully tailored to match the nature of your business.
So what now, I hear you ask?
First up, I would recommend you sit down and think about exactly what your business goals are. From there, you can either put in the hard yards to research what kind of digital marketing strategy and tactics will best suit your business, or you can hire someone to help you. If you don’t have the resources to put into a new employee, you may wish to go down the consultant path to help establish where you are now, what you can do to improve and devise a strategy to help you get there (that can then be implemented by you!).
About me: I am a horse lover, show jumper and digital marketing enthusiast. I am just starting out in what will hopefully be a full-time career in equine marketing consulting, and have recently released my first ebook titled ‘The Equine Professionals Guide to Internet and Content Marketing’.
Instead of being overwhelmed and confused by these changes, we should be embracing them. Because even traditional industries are not resistant to change, no matter how much we may wish it were so. So let’s look at some of the reasons we should be ‘embracing digital’, so to speak.
- It’s cost effective (especially compared with traditional marketing platforms like TV and print).
- The ability to reach a lot of people quickly and overcome distance barriers.
- You can ‘personalise’ your marketing messages to increase credibility/trust.
- It’s convenient and can be set up so that it’s autonomous.
- Branding – can increase your brand awareness, credibility and professionalism. As only a small percentage of equine businesses’ out there are doing it WELL, you have the ability to excel!
Of course, all this will ultimately depend on the nature of your business: is it online or offline, local or national/international, small or large, service-based or product-based, etc. Just as no two business models are exactly the same, your digital strategy should be carefully tailored to match the nature of your business.
So what now, I hear you ask?
First up, I would recommend you sit down and think about exactly what your business goals are. From there, you can either put in the hard yards to research what kind of digital marketing strategy and tactics will best suit your business, or you can hire someone to help you. If you don’t have the resources to put into a new employee, you may wish to go down the consultant path to help establish where you are now, what you can do to improve and devise a strategy to help you get there (that can then be implemented by you!).
About me: I am a horse lover, show jumper and digital marketing enthusiast. I am just starting out in what will hopefully be a full-time career in equine marketing consulting, and have recently released my first ebook titled ‘The Equine Professionals Guide to Internet and Content Marketing’.
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