There are lots of ways to run a business and most importantly to market it. Some work, some work for a while, some fail before they’ve left port. But it doesn’t have to be a guessing game. Professional help is available.
Here’s a question I always ask my PR/Marketing clients before we begin work together.
Which category does your business fit character and brand wise in the horse industry?
- Does it make waves?
- Does it ride the waves?
- Or does it simply let the waves ripple over it, then recede, and opt to stay safe on the beach?
As a seasoned PR/Marketing strategist and specialist, I produce engaging content for brands that fits in all categories and moves businesses through the various development stages of each. Depending on market forces and manufacturing goals throughout the year, certain situations require a business to switch between the three. Flexibility is necessary, as PR issues and other drivers can indicate a shift is required and a rebalancing strategy should be enacted. Either permanently or temporarily. A bit like when out yachting, when you realize you’ve lost the wind in the main sail and need to take the canvas down for a bit and chug along while you check the radar and weather forecast and maybe switch route.
Making waves in marketing terms means being a deliberate disruptor. Usually small businesses take on larger ones, and there are many facets to the disruption process. Aptly described in depth by Harvard Business School’s Chris Larson here.
At some point in time successful businesses always innovate and disrupt the marketplace. So it’s wise to know where your business model fits, where you need to steer the ship and how deep the water is beneath your stern.
Throughout my career I’ve worked for companies big and small, and many in-between. From blue chip companies like Intel and Micron to luxury brands like Harrods of London, to medium-sized companies like Cavalor and Manna Pro. And smaller ones like Horsemen’s Laboratory and individuals like Paul McCartney. As a writer no matter who you are producing content for, every time you step up to write for someone else it is essential that you have a solid understanding of what is required wordsmith wise in tone and perspective.
When the narrative tone strikes the right balance between formality, humor, passion and respect, making it ‘attitude correct’ subject wise, then the writer can link the reader neatly to their perspective. Hopefully an evidenced perspective where a significant element of thought leadership is involved as this will elicit trust and interest.
Materials produced by content writers need to ‘match up’ and create an ensemble of relatable creative assets that can be linked across all aspects of the marketplace. These will include social media platforms where links will direct the target demographic to website pieces; blog content; email collectives; newsletter releases; sales e-blasts; and should always encompass a regular objective publishing location where content can be perceived as objective, even if it is guided.
Editorial help broadcasting carefully couched messaging and a low-pressure sell technique offers much intrinsic value. Don’t do away with the magazine publishers just yet! Influencers often don’t produce the results that a loyal readership to a magazine
(digital and/or print) will do. And influencers cost much more money.
Remember follower numbers often don’t translate to customer sales. The ‘honeymoon’ period with influencers is not one to be overlooked from a marketing ROI perspective. Once the shine has gone off the initial hiring, the graph metric wise will likely take a deep dive. While frequent articles published on educational and fun brand related topics, will continue to engage and offer a long shelf-life.
Content purchased and produced should be considered in terms of shelf life as well as immediate release.
My most successful marketing strategies have always driven high sales but not just for the one-off customer experience. All creative assets produced must always engage on the level of the repeat customer initiative, to lower CAC { customer acquisition costs}. Anyone can buy a few followers on social media but getting them to interact and converting them to buyers has to be a concerted approach that is balanced and fluid in nature.
The integration of AI into the media landscape doesn’t mean that ‘real authorship’ is any less relevant to your readership and clientele. In fact, the need for real human authorship is increasing. Having said that detecting AI is becoming increasingly difficult, and many false positives occur in current marketing testing.
Content generated by AI plays a cat and mouse game with detection, but humans will learn to tell the difference as time progresses even as the content becomes more sophisticated. Kids at Kindergarten in Europe are already being educated to identify AI created content, and at college and University level, courses are rapidly being added on topic.
If your business model falls into category 3, and it simply lets the waves ripple over it and recede, you might be in for a bit of a shock. Your content production, particularly in terms of what messaging it contains, is more important now than ever.
Your business ‘boat’ needs to have its lines unhooked from the shore and navigate these tides of change and be en route somewhere. Because customers are not going to keep coming to your particular island or oasis indefinitely.
If you would like professional help navigating these choppy waters, please visit Horse in a Kilt Media Inc., to learn more about my stable full of marketing skills as an artful content writer, equestrian blogger, columnist, video producer and scriptwriter, film production showrunner, professional photographer, and marketing specialist and strategist. Feel free to reach out via email too.
As a British/American professional Grand Prix competitor/coach/clinician I bring unique angles, experiences and thought leadership/authority to my wordsmith wizardry with a proven successful track record in boosting brand visibility and viability.
About Nikki:
Internationally published writer, content creator, PR/Marketing specialist, photographer and equestrian Nikki Alvin-Smith offers “Engaging Content that Engages Riders to Read,” with unique and fresh material for your horse or pet related business, magazine, website, newsletter, blog, and email blast sales machine. Her portfolio of works is extensive and includes equestrian and pet features that have been published worldwide in over 260 different magazine titles. Her clients include/have included: equestrian and “B” list movie celebrities for whom she regularly ghostwrites and provides PR services; manufacturers of equine and pet related medical devices, feedstuffs, supplements, grooming supplies, fencing and barn equipment, horse transport, horse structures and professional equine service providers; profit and non-profit initiatives and organizations; and non-equestrian related businesses/publications in the pet industry, investment, real estate and international travel and rural lifestyle.
Nikki Alvin-Smith is a British international level Grand Prix dressage competitor/trainer/coach/clinician. Together with her husband Paul, who is also a Grand Prix dressage rider, Nikki operates Willowview Hill Farm , a private dressage yard and organic hay farm in the Catskill Mountains of New York. The duo provides ‘team’ clinician services to clients worldwide to riders of all levels and many riding disciplines.
Media Contact:
Contact: Nikki Alvin-Smith: Content Writer; PR/Marketing Specialist
Email: Nikki@NikkiAlvinSmithStudio.com
Websites: https://www.horseinakiltmedia.com/
Cell: 607 434 4470