What is equestrian PR?

If you see the term PR and think of Absolutely Fabulous (and can’t imagine Patsy or Edina on a horse), then this blog is for you – what is equestrian PR – and why is it  important for your business?

What is equestrian PR?

Very simply it’s PR with a specialism in equestrian. This means that the person providing the equestrian PR service should have a good knowledge of all things equestrian and equine, should have a strong database of equestrian publications, influencers, websites and more, and should be perfectly placed to get your equestrian brand noticed. Should you got for a niche PR provider? With equestrian I would most definitely say yes. If you work with a non equestrian PR and they don’t know a stifle from a surcingle, your copy with lack authenticity and you’ll look amateur… because the people the PR is contacting are horsey!

PR stands for public relations

PR stands for public relations, whether the word equestrian is in front of it or not, and in essence, this is what it’s all about. Whatever size your company is, whether you’re a sole trader or the head of a huge multinational, the way the public – your customers- see you – well, it matters. And this is no different in the equestrian world. And that’s why equestrian PR (and equestrian PR people and agencies) can help make the world of difference. From here on, I’ll be using the term ‘PR’ to describe the job, so an ‘equestrian PR‘ is someone who deals with public relations for equestrian businesses. Just to be clear!

So, what does an equestrian PR do?

An equestrian PR person isn’t just concerned with helping to improve the relationship between a company and its customers, they also work to maintain channels and work with the equestrian and related media – whether this is printed magazines, websites, bloggers…the list goes on. And, unlike paid for opportunities such as advertising and advertorials, the job of the PR is to generate all of the above in a context that is interesting and engaging without the need to pay for coverage.

So, it’s not all about champagne?

No – it’s quite a job! Equestrian PR, indeed, any PR, sounds like a really glamorous job that involves champagne swilling and air kisses, but, as with so many jobs, it’s hard work. Yes, it’s very rewarding, and when you see a client’s equestrian product featured in a magazine, or a story you created on their behalf, or an opportunity you’ve been working on come together -it’s brilliant – but be under no illusion that it’s easy. It takes a long time to build up contacts, to work out what makes others tick and, ultimately, create stories and opportunities that allow everyone to ‘win’ – your client and the ‘channel’ (whether person, website or magazine) that you’ve decided to work with.

As the landscape has changed in recent times, and the equestrian industry and supporting press is no exception, the role of an equestrian PR has changed with it. Now the job does involve more fits better under the marketing banner in some ways, but a lot of opportunities with digital and social media that sit very firmly in the PR area.

Can you do your equestrian PR yourself?

It IS perfectly possible to do you own PR yourself, actually, the coaching service available here helps people do their own equestrian PR through creating lists, engaging with the press and influencers and a whole lot more. However, it’s something that you could outsource very effectively if you choose the right people or person to work with, who will represent you properly (have a look at the country and equestrian PR and marketing page for more info). If you go it alone, you’ll need to dedicate time and energy to connecting with the right people, keeping your finger on the pulse of what’s going on in their publication and how your products could fit in with that. And that’s with all the related media you want to be connected with. This does take a lot of time and you might find, especially as your business grows, that your equestrian PR (and even your equestrian marketing including your advertising spend) is better outsourced to free you up to do things inside your business that only you can do. Alternatively, you might find that with a little help it’s an area you really enjoy and you’d rather outsource something else. If you need a hand with your own PR, through coaching or a more comprehensive service, do contact us.