“No brag, just fact.” That’s what veteran
actor Walter Brennan would cackle as he played a
cowboy character named Will Sonnett in a TV series
of long ago that aired about the same time Captain
James Kirk was starting on a five year mission.
Character Will Sonnett was keen on getting the
message across and saw no shame in telling you how
it was even if it sounded like boasting. He
punctuated far too many sentences with “No brag,
just fact.” The series lasted only two seasons which
is fact and definitely nothing to brag about, but the
catch phrase lives on and still surfaces every once in
a while.
I love it because it describes an attitude for adopting
a shameless self promotion agenda for you
and your horse business. I hear professionals, who
when asked to describe what they do, so often
respond with phrases like,” I like to fool around
training some horses for the show ring”, “ I try to
make some money in the horse business by raising
colts from my mares that nobody can afford to buy”,
"I teach kids how to avoid falling off their horses at
horse shows.”
The above examples are examples of shameful
self promotion. If your aren’t confident in
describing what you can do for others, shame on you
because no one else will promote you either.
Somehow, over time, many business owners have
been conditioned into thinking that being proud of
what you do well and telling others about it, is
bragging.
Bragging is being boastful, glorifying oneself and
making me roll my eyes into the back of my head. If
you are a braggart, cut it out!
I don’t think many professional horsemen fall into the
category of braggart. My wish for you in 2006 is to
become a better self promoter.
Here are some tips and questions about becoming a
better self promoter as a professional horseman.
- Take inventory of what you do in your business
that is worth promoting. Things like teaching,
training, judging, riding, bargaining.
- Identify key accomplishments using the PAR
method. Problem-Action-Result. What
problem did you solve by taking a specific action that
got results?
- Who can I talk to today who will make a
difference in my business?
- What is distinctive about my style, about the
way I operate? As examples; I follow up, I’m quick
to
take action, I’m thorough, I’m truthful, I don’t
rush.
After you have identified what is important to
promote about your business, then begin to put
shameless self promotion into action as part of a low
cost marketing strategy. As you become aware of
opportunities to self promote and take advantage of
being your best publicist, your message will begin to
evolve into a unique statement about what you are
best at delivering to the world of horsemen.
Life is short, ride hard.
Doug
PS This is no brag, just fact. I am very good at
helping horse business owners get on the correct
lead with their business goals. If you have been
counter cantering lately, call me or e-mail me to see
if I can be of help.
