Marketing/Advertising your events

Weezy

Weezy

Well-Known Member
Joined
6 November 2003
Messages
39,872
Location
The Sodden Cotswolds
Visit site
Evening all!

Just after some advice please. My yard (not mine as in ownership, just where I livery and have for 8 years) has the most amazing XC course, circa 100 fences from 2ft to 3ft3, new, full set of plastic Jumps Online fences, full set of wooden fences, etc....anyway, we were due to have a show on Sunday, combined training from 2ft to 2ft6 (which, from previous endeavours, are the most popular classes), but we have had next to no entries so have had to cancel :(

What I want to know is where you look for unaff competitions and also look for XC schooling venues - we are talking slick organisation, BSJA worthy courses, good dressage judging, very nice rosettes and cheaper than most entries. I think we should have a FB page, a website, etc., and use the power of the internet - at the moment all that is done is schedules dropped off at local feed stores.

Do people still use Riding Diary? Any other resources? Any input would be greatly received so I can pass it on to the YO.

For the record we are in Oxfordshire, OX18 area.

Thank you :D
 
Thanks J :) Well I think we are allowing people to come and SJ the new SJs on Sunday and school in the dressage boards if they want to as we are cancelling the comp (not much comp with only 3 in a class, 5 in another, etc.!) So if you want to come SJing some in your face jumps let me know and I will organise mates rates ;) XC course is always open to anyone...for a fee obv!
 
Purely from a marketing point of view its all about social media and online presence these days.

The yard doesn't have a website does it?

I think having a good website is so crucial these days, as the first thing I do if I want to find something out is google it! Ifs its not online, then for me, the odds are I wouldn't know about it. The more information that is included the better really - schedules to download online, course maps and photos, prices, dates of upcoming events etc.

The facebook page can then link back to the website and keep it fresh and up to date with new info.

What about contacting the local riding clubs and pony clubs as well, see if you can get them to include the event in their newsletters, have reciprocal website links etc? Also including the event on as many listing sites as possible - riding diary etc - can only help!
 
Thanks S, I totally agree with you, just trying to drag the YO out of the dark ages and into the modern world! I too do ALL of my planning online and don't even consider venues offline as viable...I have already designed a website so with enough people behind me maybe she will allow me to put it online?!
 
We use horsedates.co.uk, have a riding club website and a facebook site with lots non-members involved. And put schedules in every local tackshop, and at other shows round the area.
 
I forgot to add, leafleting other local events will help too - there's lots of hunter trials, fun rides, shows on etc - and venues and clubs might well take stacks of leaflets if you'll take some for their next event.

Far more likely to be seen by the right people then too - I always have a nosey for what else is on locally when I'm at a show!
 
Weezy said:
Thanks Lolo, never heard of horsedates :D
Click to expand...

Mum uses it for every event she organises- you can see how many people are looking at the schedules and things which is useful to predict numbers. Plus, if your YO is a bit in the dark ages it's easy to use- it has to be, because as amazing as my mum is, she's useless with the internet!
 
Weezy said:
Thanks S, I totally agree with you, just trying to drag the YO out of the dark ages and into the modern world! I too do ALL of my planning online and don't even consider venues offline as viable...I have already designed a website so with enough people behind me maybe she will allow me to put it online?!
Click to expand...

Haha hopefully! Good luck with that! ;)

It does amaze me how behind the times some horsey businesses are in particular - if I hear about an event then I will google to find out when it is, what classes there are, how much it is etc - and if I can't find the information then I'd probably forget about it. Its hugely missing a trick in this day and age not to be online!
 
I used to work for Redpin for a while, and whenever they did a survey of their magazines' readers one of the main reasons for picking the mags up (Ridgeway Rider in Ox I think, but could be All Horse) was the show dates listings. It's very much a starting point though, just what kind of show plus where and contact details, so agree there needs to be more to back it up. It certainly used to be free to list your events, but you could of course also run an ad too on the same page.
 
Definitley get a website if the yards not already got one. If i'm looking at competition venues i think it always helps to have a rough idea of what the venue looks like beforehand (warm up areas, selection of xc fences, school etc...) and because i'm nosey :p I think facebook does help there days too. The first fun ride my YO organised was also advertised through a facebook group and we had a pretty good turnout, especailly considering it rained lots here last weekend! :rolleyes: Might be worth advertising in Central Horse News too, i'm sure it covers Oxford area. I regularly look in there, as do others that i know :) Leaflets/notices in your local vets too may help. We always have show notices up in our equine branch, and often the small animal branch too as lots of our SA clients seem to have horses.
 
Ditto - get online :)

If the yard has good xc courses, you can always get full course pics and send them to me for www.facebook.com/unaffililatedxccoursephotos

There have been a few courses posted recently where site visitors have liked the look of certain courses and asked when the next events are being held so they can enter - had an email from one event organiser the other day thanking me for putting their course photos up as their pre-entries are really high this year. Might be worth a shout? :)
 
Weezy said:
Thanks J :) Well I think we are allowing people to come and SJ the new SJs on Sunday and school in the dressage boards if they want to as we are cancelling the comp (not much comp with only 3 in a class, 5 in another, etc.!) So if you want to come SJing some in your face jumps let me know and I will organise mates rates ;) XC course is always open to anyone...for a fee obv!
Click to expand...

Oh no I don't do cross country now (short lived career!)
I am just have itchy feet as nothing lined up this weekend, but do have people to view Chally (in theory!)
 
I would definitely recommend Central Horse News - mag, website and facebook page, they're actually based in your area but also cover all the way over to Herefordshire etc so would get lots of views
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top