How to Market Your Horse Business with Denise Alvarez

How do you evaluate if you’ve had a good year in your business? Do you just look at the bottom line of the profit chart or bank statement? I sure hope not! When you do an effective year-end review, you’ll know if what you’re doing is actually moving you closer to your long-term goals and the vision you have for your business. So, grab your notebook and let’s answer 3 questions that’ll help you to...

Have you ever had someone compliment you about something but you didn’t necessarily see it as a good thing?  Or, maybe you have clients right now that tell you they love something in particular about how your work or about working with you and, until now, you’ve taken it for granted? The reality is that, as a business owner, your business will grow sustainably and strategically the more you listen...

Whether you’re in the English or Western world or somewhere in between, my trip to the NRHA Futurity was packed with takeaways and mindset shifts that have the potential to elevate your business in the coming year. Show Notes (also known as “Where to read a quick summary of what we talked about here and get links I mentioned.”) are over at Stormlily.com/101 Book Your Clarity Coaching Call → Storml...

Episodes 1 through 99 have been power-packed. Am I right? You’ve learned so much about how to market your horse business since this podcast started in October 2020. From social media to websites to email marketing, from learning how to reframe failing in business to success tips from Road to the Horse champion Mike Major and personal performance coach and well-known cow horse trainer, Barbra Schul...

Whether you’re a fan of country music or not, I’m sure you’ve heard of Garth Brooks. But, did you know you can actually learn quite a bit about marketing from him? Honestly, I’m sure there are more than 6 lessons to be learned—these takeaways aren’t even obvious things he does as a marketer to get people to the concert. But, as I went to my first Garth concert for my birthday I couldn’t help but t...

Planning your next product or service launch? Whether you’re a launching newbie or you’ve lived to tell the tale but aren’t sure you can make it through another one, this episode is for you. You’ll discover the 7 essentials that are key for every equine entrepreneur to follow as you launch your product or service—for the first or fiftieth time. Show Notes (also known as “Where to read a quick summ...

Does narrowing down your best-fit audience or ideal customer make you nervous? You’re afrid to be for one group of people because you think that means you’re saying your product or service won’t work for anyone but that segment? (And of course, that’s not true because what you do will work for every horse and every rider. 😉) The reality is if you’re creating marketing that speaks to everyone it a...

What’s the real reason you don’t post very much on social media? I often hear that not posting consistently is the biggest problem for horse business owners. But, I’ve been digging deeper on this one. And, I think comparison is at the root of the problem. Feeling like you should do what everyone else is doing makes you think you’re either never doing enough or you could never do it like that perso...

Is it really possible for your horse business to sell on social media? Or, is it just a place where people want to hang out without being sold to? Well, it’s probably a place where people are scrolling for fun but they definitely do buy from businesses while there. That means it’s absolutely possible for you to sell on social media. In this episode, you’ll get 4 sure-fire strategies for selling yo...

One of the easiest ways to bring people into your world on social media is through your Instagram or Facebook stories. Because they’re short-lived (just 24 hours) you can post more off-the-cuff or organic content than you might do in a regular post. Plus, your super fans are the ones most likely to watch and engage. So, it makes selling easier because they’re also more likely to buy. Are you new t...

When you create content, it’s an opportunity for you to create or deepen the connection you have with your followers or potential followers. And ideally, as you deepen that connection, it’s building trust in you and your brand. And if you’ve heard me say it once you’ve heard me say it 100 times: your followers and potential customers are buying from people, brands, and businesses that they know, l...

Do you ever get overwhelmed when it comes to marketing your horse business on social media? If that’s you, then you’re in the right place. These three steps are going to help you defeat that feeling of overwhelm and give you a doable plan you can implement—starting today. Show Notes (also known as “Where to read a quick summary of what we talked about here and get links I mentioned.”) are over at...

Money-wise as a business owner is more than just how much money you’re making. The reality is even if you make a lot of money in your horse business, if you aren’t intentional about how you’re spending, saving, or investing it, then is it really helping you build a sustainable business? To me, using your money to help you reach the goals and dreams you have for your business is truly being money-w...

As an equestrian photographer, how do you get your business to stand out among the others? How can you market your business so that you connect with your right-fit customers? Shelley Paulson has years of experience, first as a sought-after wedding photographer and now as an equine commercial and editorial photographer. Drawing from that experience and lessons learned, Shelley is sharing 4 approach...

Are you jumping into podcasting? Or, maybe you are going to start posting on your blog more regularly? Or, you want to start creating more videos? Or, a mix of all the above! No matter which method of content marketing you’re headed into, how do you come up with content ideas that connect you with the right people? These five questions will get your creative juices flowing. As you listen, jot down...

If video is king when it comes to marketing, how does the everyday horse business owner use it strategically—and without spending a fortune? Thankfully, there are myriad ways you can use video as part of your overall content marketing strategy. That’s why I’m excited for you to meet my guest, Mariah Hammerschmidt! As the Equine Network Video Project Manager as well as Supervising Producer of Horse...

From private Facebook groups to video libraries, memberships in the horse world are growing at a rapid rate. That’s why last week in Episode 86 we looked at the pros and cons for having your own membership. This week, we’re going back to my chat with Annie Kennedy at The Equine Network. She has 3 practical tips to help you market your membership so you can serve more people and make a bigger impac...

Have you been considering adding a membership program to your business? It can be a great way to create recurring revenue, for sure. But, how do you know if a membership is the right choice for you? Let’s make a good ol’ pros and cons list together so you can make the best choice for your business.  Show Notes (also known as “Where to read a quick summary of what we talked about here and get links...

Have you been wondering if you should start a podcast? With the rise in podcasting in recent years, it may seem like you should just jump on the bandwagon! Before you do, listen to this episode.  You’ll learn how to know if podcasting is right for you and your audience, the basic tech you’ll need to get started, and a simple process flow to help keep you on track. Because you know I like a good st...

Have you ever wondered if your horse business should have a blog? The answer isn’t as cut and dry as you might like it to be. That’s why we’re talking all things blogging on this episode! First, we’ll look at the purpose behind blogging as a marketing tool. Then we’ll dive into how you can approach it from a strategic point of view. Finally, I’ll share some questions you can ask yourself to determ...

Whether you’ve had a website refresh on your list for a while or you recently realized it needs some help, this encore episode is for you. When you make these 6 changes to your website you’ll better connect with your website visitors so they can become your customers. Show Notes (also known as “Where to read a quick summary of what we talked about here and get links I mentioned.”) are over at Stor...

How do you go about building a horse business that is true to who you are while still trying to make a profit? That’s one of the key questions Alexa Major Wilcox and I talked about in this episode. Alexa manages marketing for Mike Major Horsemanship. Yes, her dad was on the previous episode (#81). As the person heading up his marketing, she’s taking you behind the scenes and sharing some of the ke...

As someone who has been in the horse business for more than 55 years, Mike Major, 2022 Road to the Horse World Champion, knows what it takes to build a business that’ll stand the test of time. In this episode, Mike is sharing a behind-the-scenes look at ✅ how he makes decisions in his business ✅ what it looks like to pivot ✅ and his best advice for fellow horse business owners. Learn from Mike’...

Do you know how you’re getting people in the door of your business? Even if you don’t have a physical location, your business has an entry point—actually, you probably have multiple entry points.  If you don’t know how people are getting to you, then how can you get more of the right people in the door? That’s where the customer journey comes in.  When you map out your customer journey, you’ll fig...

What’s your take on failure? Does it scare you so much that it keeps you from taking action? Have you tried something that didn’t work out and that’s kept you from trying again? Your view of failure impacts the way you run your horse business. If you have a team, it especially impacts the type of work they do and the amount of creativity or innovation they feel comfortable bringing to the table. ...