[LockeMeadows]

My fiance is an Equine Dentist that is getting his business up and going. He's averaging about 20 horses per week, which is great, but we would like to double that. We have hung up flyers at all the local tack and feed shops, passed out really nice pens with his info on them, and started a website and Facebook page. He has already gotten a couple of "big name clients" and they have been happy and are spreading the word. I posted ads on Craigslist. We are also offering some wonderful Summer specials and plan on sending out post cards highlighting those deals. He also works with several area vets and they are sending him clients. However, I still feel like there is a huge population that needs to be reached. What am I missing?

[LockeMeadows]

Really, no suggestions?

[MunchingonHay]

go to horse shows and hang up flies, as well as tack shops, talk to all the farriers in the area...

He may have to travel out of his local area quite a bit to establish a 40 horse a week client tell. 40 horses a week and there are 52 weeks a year and most horses only get done once a year that's 2080 horses he needs to reach. He may have to cross state lines into VA and PA and MD as well.

[littleum]

You need to reach out to the Miniature community.

Dental issues are rampant in the breed and the bite requirements are stringent. It is not unusual for Miniatures to need floating 2-3 times a year, plus pulling caps/teeth is much more common.

Your husband would need to have Miniature-suitable tools and understand that the horses he'd be working on most often are VERY valuable, despite their small size. Miniature people HATE full-sized Dentists and Vets and Whatever who come in and disrespect their $85,000+ Pleasure Driving champion because it's "just a pony" It happens.

Options for good Miniature dentists up that way are slim. There are some top farms. If your husband has the right tools, the right skills and the right attitude the Miniature people have a use for him. The top Miniature dentists have more work than they can handle. The top two are flown around the country to work on the best horses because of the sheer need for that level of skill.

[oldpony66]

There are still a lot of people who own horses that do not really know anything about equine dentistry.
He could contact clubs (4-H, pony club, general riding, etc) in the area and offer to do a "clinic" or "seminar" about dentistry. It would take some prep time but #1 it would educate the horse owners about what an equine dentist does and why it's important, and #2 it could drum up some clients.
This is how I found my first equine dentist, quite a few years ago. The dentist brought posters, pictures of good teeth/bad teeth, a whole horse skull to show the teeth, all the tools and explained what they did. The presentation was not long, but informative.

[sketcher]

I would think this would be a business that will grow itself with time and a good reputation. Word of mouth is important.

[skykingismybaby1]

I would think this would be a business that will grow itself with time and a good reputation. Word of mouth is important.

Pun intended?

OP good luck!!

[ThoroughbredFancy]

There are still a lot of people who own horses that do not really know anything about equine dentistry.
He could contact clubs (4-H, pony club, general riding, etc) in the area and offer to do a "clinic" or "seminar" about dentistry. It would take some prep time but #1 it would educate the horse owners about what an equine dentist does and why it's important, and #2 it could drum up some clients.
This is how I found my first equine dentist, quite a few years ago. The dentist brought posters, pictures of good teeth/bad teeth, a whole horse skull to show the teeth, all the tools and explained what they did. The presentation was not long, but informative.

This is exactly what I was thinking.

[FlashGordon]

I agree that word of mouth and time to grow a reputation is really key, especially in the horse business. It's just all about networking and making yourself visible. If he can get people talking, that's usually the best way to drum up new clients.

Reaching out to the mini community sounds like a good idea, too. Are there any fairs, clinics, shows where he could go and set up a table? What about doing presentations, educational seminars, things like that?

Also I took a look at the website in your signature. While the pertinent information is on there, it looks a little disorganized and half-finished I don't know what your marketing pieces look like (flyers, business cards, etc.) but I'd recommend getting a graphic designer or marketing consultant to make everything look cohesive, clean and professional. Doesn't have to be fancy or expensive, just neat and consistent.

And, his prices seem cheap! I pay a fortune just for a float up here in NY.

[LockeMeadows]

Thank you guys for the info! What are some things I need to add to the website? More graphics/info? His business cards and pens are quite professional. I haven't had a lot of time to work on the website. Any ideas would be great!

Word of mouth is wonderful and he has already nailed several "big" clients that have been really happy with his work. However, we would like to find the people with just one or two horses that want quality work and not have to pay a fortune.

[Sing Mia Song]

Has your SO been able to work at Charles Town? That's a whole captive market where your travel costs would be low, and may extend to people who train off the farm and ship in to race or work.

Are your flyers professional-looking with no typos? Are they clean and uncluttered in layout and design?

If I were looking for an equine dentist, I would want to know about his training and whether he has a working relationship with area veterinarians. I'd also want to be able to talk to satisfied customers and make sure that he is very good with the horses and doesn't lose his temper with an uncooperative one.

[LockeMeadows]

Has your SO been able to work at Charles Town? That's a whole captive market where your travel costs would be low, and may extend to people who train off the farm and ship in to race or work.

Are your flyers professional-looking with no typos? Are they clean and uncluttered in layout and design?

If I were looking for an equine dentist, I would want to know about his training and whether he has a working relationship with area veterinarians. I'd also want to be able to talk to satisfied customers and make sure that he is very good with the horses and doesn't lose his temper with an uncooperative one.

Great points. Yes, he has done work at some local race barns and they seem to have been very happy. He also does work for two different local vet offices (one in Virginia and one in West Virginia). I don't want to post his flyers for fear of breaking rules, but they are very nice with no typos. One of his bigger clients has one of the oldest equine massage schools in the country, so maybe we should get her to write something to post on the website about his horsemanship skills.

[littleum]

As for the Mini community, if your husband can spend a little time working with someone like Carl Mitz (THE go-to guy) he will make the contacts.

All he needs with the Miniature community is to get his foot in the door. Word about the REALLY good dentists travels like wildfire. To put it into context, an AMHA Miniature filly that would be a $20K weanling with an offbite is suddenly worth a teeny fraction of that- they can't show in halter classes, and many people will run screaming before using them as broodmares. Colts can at least be gelded, but even then, if it was a $20K colt it's maybe a $5K-$8K gelding (or less).

A dentist who can salvage bad situations or prevent them with skilled care? The Miniature community wants you.

[LockeMeadows]

Sean has already worked on quite a few minis and has most of the tools for them. His favorites though are rescue cases that are all messed up and he works his rear-end off to give them a good mouth. He says that is the most rewarding part of his job. We just had 7 more horses added to tomorrow, so that bring this weeks count up to 32. Word of mouth really does seem to be the best advertisement!