During “Fall in Love with your Brand Month” we discussed branding and how it can help your horse/equestrian business. Many horse business owners work hard in the day to day of their business, but don’t have the time or capacity to work ON their business and brand development.
Historically, records show as early as 4000 BC, Egyptians knew the value of showing ownership and communicating a feeling or interaction through symbols. The Romans believed there was magic surrounding symbols and there was a significant way it was supposed to make you feel.
Now, in the western world, farmers and ranchers brand their livestock to deter people from stealing animals and to show the lineage or training an animal had. Knowing the history or reputation around a brand can influence the value of the animal whether it has great genetics, or is a product of an amazing training program. Livestock brands are unique to their owners and can require design and registration on a State and Federal level.
When we talk about branding for a horse business in the online space we want that same sentiment. A presence that communicated the values, mission and quality of your business. Branding is much more than a logo or symbol, it is a visual representation of the feeling you want to convey in your business that is unique to you.
A lot of time’s the hardest part of starting a profitable horse business and marketing it online is naming the business and being sure you stand out in the industry. You can use resources like Google (to search if the business exists elsewhere), USPTO.gov (to see if a business is registered elsewhere) or social media (to see if the social media handles have been taken by an upcoming business or one you missed on your other searches).
*Searching on USPTO.gov is not comprehensive, I recommend consulting with a trademark lawyer first to make sure you are not infringing on anyone else’s business
Branding is also the communication of company values, mission and strengths. The better you communicate this with your audience, the more you will attract clients that resonate with your message. The combination of design and messaging truly bring out the essence of a business and is critical when building a community of loyal customers.
For example, when we take a look at brands like Ariat, you immediately think of high quality products from shoes to apparel. They have a reputation of supporting athletes who are working hard to achieve their riding goals in multiple disciplines.
In comparison, Wrangler is a brand that you also know produces high quality apparel, but their brand has a more rugged and durable feeling around it, catering to western disciplines through jeans, outdoor apparel and rodeo apparel.
Both are massive companies, but they have different audiences and communicate differently through their branding.
Now that we have discussed the history and examples of a branding, let’s talk about the components of a brand.
Branding has 3 components:
- Brand assets
- Brand identity
- Brand awareness
Branding is also the communication of company values, mission and strengths. The better you communicate this with your audience, the more you will attract clients that resonate with your message. The combination of design and messaging truly bring out the essence of a business and is critical when building a community of loyal customers.
For example, when we take a look at brands like Ariat, you immediately think of high quality products from shoes to apparel. They have a reputation of supporting athletes who are working hard to achieve their riding goals in multiple disciplines.
In comparison, Wrangler is a brand that you also know produces high quality apparel, but their brand has a more rugged and durable feeling around it, catering to western disciplines through jeans, outdoor apparel and rodeo apparel.
Both are massive companies, but they have different audiences and communicate differently through their branding.
Now that we have discussed the history and examples of a branding, let’s talk about the components of a brand.
- Brand Assets
These are the visuals of the brand. The most fun part of the process. These are physical or digital representations of your business from logos and Facebook or Google ads to business cards and package inserts. The brand assets facilitate the outside perception of your business, the first thing people see when they come across your brand.
Some examples of assets are:
- Logos
- Website
- Social media posts
- Packaging
- Business Cards
- Email templates
These assets can be put together into a style guide and referenced within your business to make sure you show up consistently on all platforms.
Although creating logos is a fun process, it will be hard to communicate what your brand stands for visually if you have not put pen to paper and thought it out.
- Brand Identity
When people come across your business how do you want to make them feel? Happy? Serious? When you know this ahead of time, it will help your brand/graphic designer suggest color palettes and typography that will work best for the feeling you want to communicate. A brand identity for your equine business is the communication of your message and your visual elements and digital assets portrayed correctly to your customer.
Brand identity includes your:
- Mission
- Vision
- Values
- Personality
- Voice
- Unique Value Proposition
- SWOT Analysis
- Target demographic
If you value creating quality sustainable equestrian products, you will communicate that through your messaging and aesthetic like High Horse Equestrian or Ecogold. Many businesses have nonnegotiables as a part of their brand like using vegan leather or only selling cruelty free products. The more you know about your brand’s values, the more you can communicate them with your customers.
A lot of the struggles found in marketing for horse business can be traced back to skipping the brand development process or needing to recenter it to get a better idea of what to say and how to say it.
- Brand Awareness
Brand awareness in your equine business is the marketing strategy and practices that make people aware of your business. You have crafted your brand identity and have developed assets that communicate them, the marketing for your equine business will be so much easier!
Having your brand identity and assets figured out ahead of time will give you a guide for marketing your business easily and efficiently. Whether you are a service provider or sell products (or both!), communicating your brand well in your marketing will attract clients and customers you enjoy working with and for.
You will be able to show up on social media consistently, get your products into more stores, and reach your target audience if you have a strong and consistent brand strategy.
Sweeping the Aisle
Now that you understand what a brand strategy for your horse business looks like, it is time for you to put that information to use! Take the time to review how you show up online right now from your marketing to your social media.
How can you strengthen your brand through assets, identity, or awareness? What can you share with your audience so they know your values and mission? How can you make your marketing easier by using the same tone, voice, and visuals online and on social media?
If you are looking for a way to create content that will spur your audience into action, be sure to download my free workbook Content that SPURS .