Your Horse Business Marketing Message: Let’s Help Each Other

You may be wondering how to approach your marketing messaging during the time of COVID-19. In the face of company closures and job losses, should you continue to market your horse business? The short answer is: Yes.

Marketing is about serving, not selling. It’s about building relationships. Look for opportunities to serve equestrians in new and creative ways. Help them solve problems and use your marketing messaging to generate trust and build stronger relationships. 

How can your business help your customers during this pandemic?

1. Now is the time to think about the long game… your customers will be. Barn and stable owners will certainly be utilizing downtime, so long-term service providers have an exceptional opportunity here. Even if you are mandated to close your doors for now, ensure you are reachable to answer questions customers may have. For instance, if you offer barn and stable products, be available by telephone, email, and social media, to answer installation, pricing, and related questions.
2. Ensure your website is intuitive, easy to navigate, and answers your customers’ questions. State your COVID-19 plan, and how the situation may affect your hours of operation and level of customer service.
3. Horse owners need to feed and care for their horses. They need continuity — they want to know their service provider is here to stay and can continue to deliver the products they need. If you offer online shopping, consider free shipping options, improved return policies, and delivery speed options. Clearly state these guidelines in an easy-to-find area of your website. Ensure the shopping experience is easy and uncomplicated. 
4. Be a source of help and inspiration. Give your customers what they need now, and they’ll remember you when life and business return to normal.

What is Horse Community Journals doing during this unprecedented time?

"We aren’t just here to sell ads, but to help drive the market through educating and informing our readers and growing that audience through quality content and production, which also benefits our advertisers." - April D. Ray, National Sales Rep, Horse Community Journals

Now more than ever, quality, in-depth, trustworthy journalism is integral. Our editorial, design, and marketing departments are here to help and serve you. We are Canada's ONLY national publishing house, and our readers trust in the timely content we deliver. Utilize our communication vehicles —  Print, Custom E-Newsletter, Sponsored Article, Online Display Ad, Social Media — to explain your services and plan during this uncertain time. Our readers — your customers — need your reassurance!

Which marketing avenue should I choose? Our customer service personnel will help you choose what works best for your business. Our numerous content delivery options offer you a variety of marketing options to suit your budget. Online options deliver short turn-around times, and the opportunity to communicate to equestrians all the ways you plan to meet their needs over the coming weeks and months. Print options provide a longer-term approach, and now more than ever, equestrians are craving informative and educational content, and sitting down to read Canadian Horse Journal when it arrives in their mailboxes and at local newsstands. Your marketing message within these pages associates your businesses with trustworthiness and longevity.

Reach out to us! Whether you wish to learn about marketing options, or modify your existing campaign, April and Terry are available to help every step of the way. 

Call 1-800-299-3799, ext. 201 (Terry Andrucko) or ext. 203 (April D. Ray), email sales@horsejournals.com, or visit our website at www.horsejournals.com/advertise.  

Send us a Letter to the Editor. How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected your equestrian business? What is your unique situation or personal story you would like to share with our audience? Email us at editor@horsejournals.com, or fill out this form.

Stay informed. Visit our COVID-19 section for ongoing updates regarding the Coronavirus, and it’s impact on equestrians.

- Janna Reimer, Marketing and Distribution

Photo: Shutterstock\Anna Elizabeth Photography