Business matters
How to Answer “So What Do You Do?” By Doug Emerson, The Profitable Horseman
Y
ou’re at a social gathering and are introduced to people who may be prospects for your business and you become engaged in conversation. How do you answer the inevitable question, “So what do you do?” If you answer, “I’m in the horse business” you are only telling part of the story. Because more accurately stated, you are in the recreation business for people who like horses. Horses are not your customers; people who like horses are your customers. They pay for the board, the training and the riding lessons.
To take this idea a bit deeper, one of the “lemon law” for horses, but operating your things you do every day is teach. If you give horse sales business as if there was is a good riding lessons it’s obvious you are a teacher. philosophy. If you know that a horse is not But, if you also sell horses, train horses or the right match, do your best to educate the board horses are you a teacher while doing buyer about the problems and put her on a horse that makes sense. People want to buy that, too? I sure think so. If you sell horses and have a sense of duty fun, not trouble. If you train horses for to the buyer and the horse, others, you’ve noticed that you try to do a professional often your hard work and job matching up horse and future owner. This is true “People want the horse’s hard work may go to waste if the owner is especially when the buyer is not educated in how you inexperienced in the horse to buy fun, trained the horse, how to world. This involves eduuse the aids to get the most cating the potential owner not trouble.” performance from their about safety, temperament horse, and why it is imporand suitability of a horse tant to keep a steady proto the rider’s intended purgram for reinforcement of pose. Most likely you’ve seen too many situations where a novice buys a the training. You may know trainers who horse not suitable for their skill level and train horses exceptionally well, but lack the skills of teaching the owners how to take bad things happen. The teaching process is necessary for the advantage of their professional training buyer to make an informed decision about investment. A horse trainer who is also a the purchase. The education you provide as teacher gets results. If you board horses, you may never cona professional horseman is often an unappreciated service. Thankfully, there is no sider yourself a teacher until you stop and
“ ”
32
Winter 2019–20 | Riding Instructor
think about what you are paid to do. You are charged with the responsibility of caring for your customer’s horse. You know when the symptoms of colic appear, you recognize stocked up legs and you know when the farrier is overdue for a visit. The owner looks to you for education for health issues, general horse care and guidance with all types of problems. After all, you are the expert and have an obligation to your customers to teach them how to have more pleasure and less pain with their horses. Good teachers recognize the different types of learners: audio, visual and handson, and the best ways to help them. They read body language, listen carefully and sense frustration. Good teachers encourage continuing education and help those who want to be helped. The next time you’re asked, “So what do you do?” you may want to respond that you’re a teacher. And the follow up question to you is almost always “who or what do you teach?” The follow up question is your invitation to expand on how you teach and help your customers have more fun and less stress with horses. You’ll see fear begin to melt and be replaced with trust and confidence in your teaching skills. Then the prospect will engage freely with questions about how you can help them with their challenges. About the author: Doug Emerson writes, speaks and consults about running a profitable horse business. His favorite method of helping professional horsemen is through one day workshops focusing on the business half of the horse business. You can find out more at: www.ProfitableHorseman.com
Give a Gift that keeps on Giving —All Year long! Send a year’s membership in ARIA to a friend. Just call 239-948-3232 or email aria@riding-instructor.com
