15 Affordable Ways to Market Your Equestrian Business
Do you feel as though you're struggling to access new customers or that you aren't connecting to your niche successfully?
For many small businesses, investing huge amounts of money in marketing isn't possible due to financial restrictions. Thankfully there are plenty of ways to sneak out in front of giant corporations who can afford to splash the cash on big marketing campaigns! Often simply by thinking creatively and taking advantage of the digital landscape that provides plenty of affordable marketing opportunities you can increase your presence on a budget.
I. UTILISE INSTAGRAM
One of the easiest ways to access more potential clients is to build a following on Instagram to showcase your business. Make sure your account is set to "Professional Account" in settings as this allows you to access analytics that will help you to recognise successful content and hone your social media presence. For more helpful social media marketing tips, check out ExpressText's article.
2. GET IN TOUCH WITH INFLUENCERS
Offer content creators, within your brand's niche, a free sample of your product in the hope that they will love it and share their experience with their audience, increasing brand awareness. The trick is to choose influencers who have audiences which you can easily identify as potential future clients. If you want to discuss how influencer marketing, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
3. CREATE A BRAND HASHTAG
Encouraging clients to use your brand hashtag when posting on social media about your product or service is a great way of marketing your business without it costing you anything. It also help group user-generated content that markets your business to a wider audiences whilst being a shortcut for those invested in your brand see more content related to you by following the hashtag. This means more posts in their feed about your company without you having to lift a finger!
4. RUN COMPETITIONS
Whether you can give away a physical product as the prize, or offer a discounted or even free service, they are a great way to get people sharing your business' social media if you include in the entry requirements that they have to share your post to their timelines or stories and tag a certain amount of people in it!
When running competitions, make sure you follow the guidelines that each individual social media platform requires.
5. KEEP YOUR SEO UP TO DATE
Setting aside a little time to make sure your website contains the right keywords is a super easy and free way to make sure your business is getting the exposure it deserves. There are plenty of articles out there that detail the best way to boost the SEO of your website, but to keep it simple and save time we simply advice that you start by publishing regular blog posts containing keywords relating to your niche on your website.
6. START AN EMAIL OPT-IN
Adding to your website the option to sign up for email updates allows you to keep in touch with both potential and existing clients and increase the likelihood that they will return to you as repeat customers. You can let them know of offers and new developments through e-marketing platforms such as Mailchimp or ConvertKit for free! But don’t just expect visitors to sign up to your emails without giving something back; use a free download or a discount as a reward for signing up to your mailing list as an incentive.
7. PARTNER WITH YOUR PEERS
By coming together with a business which has a similar target audience to offer a package deal for a combination of your services you expose your business to two audiences instead of just your own. This is mutually beneficial and is a great way to get yourself some free marketing.
8. ADD YOUR BRANDING TO YOUR EMAILS
Adding your business to your email signature increases the professionalism of your communication. Consistency helps to build the recipients trust meaning they are more likely to purchase your product or services.
9. MAKE YOUR WEBSITE STAND OUT
Having a professional website that converts well is extremely important. Your site should show how experienced and competent you are and nothing says on-top-of-the-game like a slick, informative website that fits with your branding!
Are you tired of being confused by your Wordpress site? Or perhaps you want to get your business online but think you can’t afford a website? Check out our templates for stunning and customisable sites that convert visitors into paying customers.
10. GO LOCAL
If your niche is accessible locally, give out your information and network at community events like fairs and markets. Who knows, maybe your neighbours will be your next clients!
Enquire with your local competition centre about leaving flyers in their show office, sponsor a class, or have an advertisement banner in their arena. If you need help designing and producing collaterals for your business or brand, don’t hesitate to speak with our dedicated team. We would love to help!
11. START A BLOG FOR YOUR BUSINESS
This isn’t only linked to SEO as mentioned in point 5: As long as you make sure the content is of value to your audience, a blog can be an effective free way to market your business as people will share the articles that they find useful which will increase traffic to your website. It is also the perfect way to highlight your area(s) of expertise, whether you’re a farrier, a sports massage therapist, or a coach. This is also a good idea for professional riders, not only expanding on their means of being found through Google Searches, but also to provide extra exposure for partners and sponsors. We do however suggest that it is done in a ‘News’ rather than ‘Blog’ manner.
12. OFFER COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATIONS
By getting to know your client and explaining to them how you can provide a useful service specifically for them over a quick phone call is more likely to secure a paying customer than if they happen to just browse your website or social media.
If you would like to know how we have set up our scheduling booking system, onboarding processes and more, we are happy to discuss all areas of business development with you. You can book a Discovery Session here.
13. TALK TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
It's always worth mentioning your business to people you know, even if you think they would come to you if they needed your services, they may not fully understand how you could help them. They may even refer you to somebody they know who becomes a loyal customer!
Tip: When using social media such as Facebook for your business, be cautious of inviting friends and family to like your page en masse. If they have no relation to the industry you specialise in, you’re messing with the algorithm for when you want to run Facebook Ads campaigns.
14. TRY FACEBOOK ADS
There are inexpensive options when it comes to Facebook advertising that mean you can try them affordably to see what works. You can also target certain groups of people to learn more about your target audience and what motivates them to invest.
We work closely with a leading Facebook Ads agency and are happy to discuss how advertising on social media might benefit your business.
15. HOST A FREE ZOOM CLASS
Technology makes it so easy these days for people to get involved in online classes and it's a sphere that has been flourishing particular well under lockdown! Offering a webinar on a topic that you're knowledgable about is sure to get people interested in your brand, and it's an easy thing for them to get involved with. They are more likely to invest in your brand when they have heard or seen your expertise first hand, hopefully learning from you!
