STALLION PROMOTION:
What Really Makes the Web Click For Stallions?

by Andrea Laycock Mattson

I'd like to talk a little about stallion promotion and how advertising and the things you do as a stallion owner work hand in hand to create synergy. Making the most out of this "partnership" can make a real difference in your business.

Bottom line, what are your needs and goals as a stallion owner?  I'm a stallion owner, too, and it really boils down to this: I want qualified breeders to beat a path to my barn.

If I can get my advertising in front of breeders looking for my kind of stallion, I have a real opportunity looking me in the face. How I handle that opportunity is up to me, but my advertising must put targeted prospects directly on my ad. Not just people wandering by ... but motivated breeders following a clear path straight to my stallion.

When planning your advertising, it is very important to know who your potential customer is. Your stallion is not all things to all people.  All people are not qualified buyers. You need to target the ones who WANT what you have and can afford to follow their dreams!

As a Quarter Horse, Paint or Appaloosa breeder, your web advertising in an all-breed kaleidoscope might be a great ego-trip, but will it pay the bills? Even if it's free, it can be a "side trip" in terms of time and energy that could have been spent putting yourself directly in the path of your best prospects!

People serious about breeding horses make it their business to learn the ropes. It doesn't make sense in today's horse industry to leave anything to chance. It's just too expensive and competitive. They want knowledge to back up their decisions. They watch, study and learn. They roll up their sleeves and give it their best shot. These are the people you are targeting. Motivated, knowledgeable, goal-oriented, doggedly following their dreams. They will seek you out because they already know what they want.

How do you separate the casual looky-lou, wasting your time, from the honest-to-goodness mare owner with a plan? We have thought about that a lot. We have to ... because the Stallion Finder is our passion and our livelihood, just as your horse business is to you. As competition nips at your heels, so does ours. What strengths do you have that others can't measure up to?

We have thought about that a lot. We have to ... because the Stallion Finder is our passion and our livelihood, just as your horse business is to you. As competition nips at your heels, so does ours. What strengths do you have that others can't measure up to?

That was our biggest challenge when building the Stallion Finder.
Serious soul-searching told us "people are looking for content ... information and decision-making resources. Build it and they will come." This was NOT the easy way to get a toe-hold on the web. Swarms of "me-too" horse sites were jumping on the e-commerce bandwagon, all with something to sell. We took a deep breath, stayed on course and never looked back.

A clear fact is, you can get more more done with pennies on the web than you can with dollars spent on print ads. You already know that,  which is why the web has gone from "let's tinker"  to  "we mean business" in less than 4 years.

All web sites are not created equal ... especially stallion directories. All the e-glitter and glitz in the world is wasted if it does not bring qualified buyers to your doorstep with wallets in hand. Deciding which site will do you the most good can be a challenge.

Here is a checklist of features I believe are essential to a successful site. Some sites exist purely to sell advertising space. Others are working hard to promote your stallion by attracting targeted visitors to their web site. The following should help you evaluate and avoid a few pitfalls most people wouldn't dream of encountering:

[    ]  Does it target your breed?
[    ]  Is it searchable by pedigree, performance and location?
[    ]  Is the site high traffic with counters on display?
[    ]  Do they count "hits" or "pageviews" There is a huge difference!
[    ]  Is the site attractive and professional looking?
[    ]  Is it easy to navigate and find what you want?
[    ]  Do the pages load quickly? Most users are very impatient.

[    ]  Does it provide resources that draw qualified breeders?
[    ]  Breeders Directory?
[    ]  Futurity information and stallion lists?
[    ]  Pedigree and Progeny information?
[    ]  Articles and news about horse breeding?
[    ]  Organized links to other information sources?

[    ]  Does it provide marketing tools?
[    ]  Free Classified advertising with URL/email links?
[    ]  Free reciprocal link program?

[    ]  Do you have a full page display with no competing advertising?
[    ]  Is it well designed and printable as a flyer?
[    ]  Can you include video clips and animation?
[    ]  Does it include a pedigree chart?
[    ]  Does it record and display the number of page views?
[    ]  Can your stallion be FOUND using search engines?

[    ]  Is it a package price you can depend on ... no "hidden" charges?
[    ]  s there a design or set-up fee added to the ad space?
[    ]  Is there a "hosting" fee in addition to the ad space?
[    ]  Do they create your page, or is it automated & up to you?
[    ]  If you need help, what will it cost extra?

[    ]  Do you get free meta-tag & search engine submission?
[    ]  Does it really work? Tip: Test your current ads.
[    ]  Are URL links and e-mail links included at no cost?
[    ]  Are corrections and updates to your ad free?
[    ]  Are you charged to replace or add photos?
[    ]  Is quality scanning and photo-editing included free?

If you choose a site that offers all of the above, your web experience will be a good one. Less is, well ... less, except in terms of frustration and cost. And nobody wants that! There are some good places to advertise on the web, but like anything else, there are businesses that are unqualified and unscrupulous. Ask questions and evaluate carefully.

When planning your advertising, it is very important to understand who your potential customer is. Your stallion is not all things to all people. All people are not qualified buyers. You need to target the ones who WANT what you have and can afford to follow their dreams!

OK, you have put your advertising out on the web. Three things have to happen. People have to go to that ad and discover your stallion. They must make that all-important first contact with you. And you have to clinch the deal.

If they found your stallion on a targeted web site, the number of page views should be a good gauge of the number of prospective customers interested in breeding to your stallion. Otherwise, they had no reason to go to your page. If you receive such visits daily, your web promotion has performed well.

Are you also putting up fliers within a reasonable driving distance of your location?   Stallion Finder pages can be printed and used as posters, and be in color if you use a color printer. Also, always include your e-mail and web page address on your posters and printed brochures, business cards, print advertising, etc.

If those people are not contacting you, you need to do some analyzing to see why. We will assume for the purpose of this discussion that your ad is well layed out and has all the pertinent information available. What CAN go wrong?

Do you have a photo? If not, get one!! Does the photo do your stallion justice? If not, don't use it and try very hard to get better ones taken, even if you do it yourself. A good horse can be made to look faulty in bad photos. His head can look large, his legs can look crooked, the background can show something that leaves a bad impression on the viewer. This photo can make or break you. Choose a good location, dress properly and shoot, shoot shoot until you get what you need. Check out the article on do-it-yourself photography.

Are you available? Does your e-mail address work? Is it easy to remember? Do you have an answering machine on your phone in case you miss a call. Do you answer those calls promptly? Most people will not write a letter to inquire. If your e-mail is returned as undeliverable,  the sender thinks, "What's the use ... they can't be too serious."

Do you live in a remote area? You may need to offer incentives for people to come the longer distance if you are not offering shipped semen. Maybe a mileage incentive for people driving over xx miles.

Is your stallion's fee priced about right when compared to stallions of similar quality and credentials?

Is he nominated for a regional futurity or other stallion incentive program, such as the AQHA Incentive Fund, APHA Breeders Trust? This can make all the difference with some people. It helps market the foals, and gives you a great opportunity to promote your stallion and rub elbows with people at the associated stallion parades, service sale auctions, and futurity events. Getting out and circulating is important if you want people in your region to know you and your horse business.  Consider donating a service to a futurity organization in your area, and be SURE they get their free listing in our national Futurity Guide:

If people are calling, coming out to visit, yet still do not become customers, what has gone wrong? Of course, there's always the chance they can't afford to do what they want, but assuming that's not a problem, what can you do differently? Was the horse presentable when they visited? Are his manners acceptable? Does your facility look adequate and safe? Do the other horses on the place look well cared for and healthy? Do you have a safe place for the mare's foal at side?  These things mean a lot to mare owners. In fact, I have heard terrible stories about the condition of mares when they returned home after breeding ... and some from very "high class" facilities. It doesn't have to be fancy, but well equipped and safe is a must.

Did you give the mare owner a packet of printed information when they visited? This can often clinch a deal because people love to have something material in hand to share with family and friends. To many,  that's half the fun in choosing a stallion and anticipating the new foal. Try to have some pedigree and progeny information on your stallion, as well as some pictures, even if it's in black and white. See related articles,   below.

Are you promoting year 'round? Your competitors will be happy to take your prospective customers if you happen to fall asleep at the wheel.  Promoting all year doesn't necessarily carry a big price tag, but part of it needs to be done by you in the proper season. For example, Show and Futurity season is here now! People are attending shows, finding out who's winning, and booking already for 2001 with stallion owners who are "armed and ready." Be one of them.

Some people book early,  some later, but they will all remember you and your horses when it's time to sign the dotted line. One stallion owner told me he booked 5 mares in July for the next breeding season. That's 5 breedings that somebody else didn't get!

Even if breeding season  is coming to a close, an important promotional opportunity is just getting underway. Jump-start next season's stallion promotion now by taking advantage of the the current show and futurity season. Circulate, and consider a futurity for next year.

Print Advertising Tips -- Getting the Most out of your High Dollar Advertising.

Power Up Your Promotional Strategy -- and get better results from your current advertising!

So Glad Breeding Season is Over? --  Four easy, fast, low-cost ways to be ready for fall,  and still enjoy summer.

The Beauty of Cross Marketing -- Same Horses .. New Clients!!

Do It Yourself Horse Photography -- Tricky ... but not impossible.

Copyright © 2000 by Andrea Laycock Mattson. All rights reserved. Note: If you would like to reprint this article on your web site or in a printed magazine or horse-related newspaper, please contact the webmaster for permission.

"What Makes the Web Click for Stallions"
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