Where would you look when looking for a new yard?

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FaldingwoodLivery

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If you were looking to move your horse, where would you look to find a new yard?

I started advertising my livery yard a couple of months ago, at first I had tons of phone calls and a few viewings. Now after only getting two new horses the phonecalls have seriously dried up. Just wondering what else I can do to try and drum up some more business.

Have advertised in all the local tack/feed shops. Gave business cards to my farrier (who absolutely loves my yard!!) advertised online on freeads, eBay and pets online. Anyone got any other ideas where to advertise? I know that the horsey world works very much on word of mouth, but how do you build up your reputation in the first place? I dont compete so my name isn't known in those circles?? Am thinking of going to done local shows and handing out business cards? I just don't know......starting to feel really down hearted about the situation. Maybe my advert isn't very good? Or my prices are too high? Or maybe I put people off when I talk to them on the phone?
 
I have looked on newrider when I have looked to move yards, there seem to be quite a few livery yards that advertise on there (in my area at least).
 
I would definitely look at the local tack shops, but all of my yards have been word of mouth! Don't be disheartend my YO has had 2 empty stables for over a year has been advertising but no takers and the yard is lovely!
 
I first had a look at the internet (google) for liveries in the area that I wanted. The 2 I went to look at both had professional websites and I ended up at one of them :) I think a well designed (but simple) website generally portrays professionalism.
 
Word of mouth I'm afraid - usually through pony club connections.

You could try looking at the yards around you and see what they offer. Is there an obvious gap in the market you could fill? If you are in a horsey area then there can be a large number of yards available and you need to find your niche. If you are offering the same service at more or less the same price or slightly lower than a more established yard they you are going to find it very hard going.

You could see if you could offer your school or facilities to your local pony club or riding club for a rally or two. This is one of the better ways to get people onto your yard to see what is available. (Mind you that only works if they don't have thier own feild!) What about hosting a small show in the summer?

Persoanlly I take no notice at all of all the flyers and cards that end up on my windscreen at shows. Its a cheap way to advertise and my view, I'm afraid, is that if the company was worth anything they would advertise properly. The only exception for me is show schedules which I will look at - so if you host a small show and advertise that then you might get a better result.

Good luck - its not a great time to start with money so tight everywhere.
 
Thanks for all the replies, a lot to think about. I think I need to get myself a website built. Haven't got a clue where to start with that but I agree that a website makes a business seem a lot more professional.

Shay - have considered holding shows already as I have quite a lot of spare land but a look through our planning restrictions put a halt to that. Were not allowed to hold shows apparently cos of access. I'm assuming it's because were down a narrow lane??

Anyone know how I get listed on google maps? Where do they get there info from??
 
Hi, I built my web page from the following link.

http://home.officelive.com/Settings/Pages/Home.aspx?&authAtt=1&wa=wsignin1.0

I had a professional one for 5 years and now have this at a fraction of the cost. My page is www.hawthorn-equestrian.co.uk if you want to have a look. It is simple to do and I would defo recommend it.

I did loads of advertising a few months ago with an A4 advert with strips along the bottom with my website and number on so people could tear them off. Got the template from word. I thought this might work as then they take the number home and don't forget. I got a good response but had a few that looked and said they were coming and then never got back in touch.......however I am now full so something worked!

I am setting another yard up and have advertised this on preloved. This has got a lot of response. Have you thought of making a facebook page or a blog? My blog is www.livetoevent.co.uk. Everytime I blog it goes onto facebook so all my friends etc see it.

I think word of mouth is propbably the best thing and you need to make sure that you are not over charging.

Good luck and I know sometimes you just feel like giving up! It happens to me on a regualr basis!

:):):)
 
I googled and checked the BHS website for approved yards, also asked a few mates.

Agree with everyone who said get a website or at the very least a facebook page, I like to get a preview of what something is like.

Good luck!
 
I've got a facebook page, not sure what good it's doing as only my friends like it (if any of you wana look search for faldingwood livery).

Got a friend who designs websites so hoping I might get some mates rates :-) will call him and discuss it.

I did consider becoming bhs approved but then was disgusted recently when I went to look at a bhs approved yard. To me the standards are shocking and it seems like just a way to get money out of you as you have to pay a yearly subscription fee!
 
Have you thought about inviting a local reporter around to do a piece on you or the trade papers like Equi-ads, Equi-Trader, even monthlys like Your Horse, if you took a page advert might be worth thinking about.
I don't know where you're based or what your particular livery is based on, it would depend if you're competition slanted or more geared for hunters or show horses about where you should slant your adverts. I don't know how expensive it is for one of the ads above these forums; I do know Touchwood Stud used it for a while with a bit of success I believe; at least it brought their stud to the notice of those visiting HHO.
 
You could try a sign outside, a place a few hundred yards up the road from us recently did this (not a very nice place admittedly but ok for anyone who was desperate to have their own yard but didn't need the security of a long let) and it was snapped up within a couple of days of the sign going up. A local livery yard that has just changed hands also did this, and advertised on the local riding club site, and seemed to have filled quite well from that. You could try a facebook page too!
 
I googled, then tried word of mouth through the hunt and riding club. I agree that a yard with a website is always more tempting than those without. I placed a wanted ad on here and alot of people really helped me find a new yard. I also used the yellow pages and thompson local directory and then drove round to the yards especially if they wouldn't answer the phone! Also for every yard that I went to that was full up I asked for another name, so perhaps you could put the word round the popular places that you've opened and see if they will forward anyone onto you.
 
Could you throw a 'new yard opening ' open day complete with cakes and coffee or/and wine? Any local horsey digniatary you can invite to cut the ribbon?
Put up notices in local PO as well as tack shops, and invite people to come and visit, also invite the press and perhaps have some sort of fundraising for RDA or something (raffle something?)
 
Wow! So many replies and ideas, thankyou so much to you all. Loving the idea of an open day, think that might be the way to get people here without feeling any obligation. I think if people came even if they wernt looking for a yard then it'd be in their mind if they ever wanted to move and to reccomend to people. Great way of spreading the word
 
Internet is the main thing for people looking - easy, can do it at home, always accessible. In terms of what to look for: safe & secure fencing, safe grazing (no ragwort/broken things, safe water trough etc), safe and waterproof stables of a sensible size (12x12), school with decent surface, jumps, toilet that's bearable, secure tack room, enough storage for tack, rugs and feed.

Things to ask about: turnout, times allowed on the yard, prices, hay/bedding arrangements - all of these need to be suitable for a working owner.

And... price. Be sure you're asking a reasonable price for what you're offering, to attract liveries.
 
mystiandsunny said:
Internet is the main thing for people looking - easy, can do it at home, always accessible. In terms of what to look for: safe & secure fencing - post and rail perimeter divided into smaller paddocks with permanent electric (wooden posts with electric twine), safe grazing (no ragwort/broken things, safe water trough etc)ragwort free and all with heavy duty plastic automatic troughs, safe and waterproof stables of a sensible size (12x12) all nice wooden built stables in three rows of 7, just been creosoted, although they are only 10 x 12, school with decent surface 20 x 40 just been topped up with silica sand and those tiny plastic granules, jumps only three but working on it, toilet that's bearable proper plumbed in toilet, secure tack room electric gates and security camerad as well as double padlocked doors, enough storage for tack, rugs and feed. 1 10x12 tack room to 6 horses, seperate feed room as it is all provided by me

Things to ask about: turnout all year round, daily for daylight hours, whatever the weather, times allowed on the yard 6am - 9pm, can be arranged other times, prices £70 p/w for part, fully cared for mon-fri £90 p/w for full, dully cared for seven days, hay/bedding arrangements all provided and included in price as well as basic Feed, I don't limit anything either - all of these need to be suitable for a working owner.

And... price. Be sure you're asking a reasonable price for what you're offering, to attract liveries.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty certain it's not the yard, the two liveries I've got absolutely love it here, just need to spread the word somehow.
 
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