The message on our voice mail said, ". . .You called me about a year ago when you were looking to buy a good all around youth horse. I know it's been a while since we talked, but I've got one for sale right now that you should see if you're still looking. . ."

We looked and we bought that horse. And still own him eight years later.

Granted, one year is an eternity for getting back to a potential horse buyer. But the seller wasn't concerned about the time that had gone by, the unlikelihood we were still "looking" or the time wasted in making a phone call.

He had a specific horse to sell and a list of people who might be prospects to buy him. His list might have been on index cards, a yellow pad of paper or "in his head". But he had a system to follow up.

And selling horses is all about following up, isn't it?

When you show people your horses for sale, it's a rare event when the sale happens on the spot. You know the prospects' lines by heart:

• "He is a very nice horse. We'll talk about it."
• "We have a few others to look at before we make a decision."
• "I'll have to talk to my spouse about finances and see if we can afford her."
• "I'll have to get my other horse sold before I can buy him."
• "I'd like to have my ________________(insert: instructor, coach, trainer, friend, psychiatrist) look at him for me."

These lines are just part of the sales process. Change the product name being sold and they fit all situations.

When you hear these and other excuses over and over, don't be discouraged. Expect resistance. It's part of the sales process.

As a professional horseman, however, are you acting like a professional salesperson? By that I mean, do you follow up on not only horse sales, but all sales that you do?

You don't follow up because:

1. Too busy to do it yourself.
2. Don't have anyone else to do it.
3. Afraid of hearing NO.
4. You forget the prospect's name, information and needs.

As someone said long ago, "Remember, no matter how many departments, employees, products and services you have to offer, Nothing happens in a business until something is sold."

Just like a catcher's mitt is a specially designed and fitted tool, your follow up system for sales prospects should be too. Choose and design your own catcher's mitt for capturing leads and prospects as the first step for a follow up system. Select from a list in a folder, a hand written spiral bound notebook, an MS Word computer file, an index card tickler file, a calendar with notes, an electronic spreadsheet or special software designed to track sales leads.

No follow up system, no sales.

Need a speaker about the horse business for your horse organization?

Talk to me about talking. Keynotes and workshops available. (716) 434-5371

"Memory feeds imagination." -- Amy Tan

"Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence." -- Abigail Adams

"Aspiring to a small business that does what it does very well is a noble pursuit." -- Narenda Rocherolle

We live about two miles from the Erie Canal. You know the song, ". . . I've got an old mule, and her name is Sal, fifteen miles on the Erie Canal. . ."

With son Phil in tow, I visited a ghost from the past that may have been actually hauled by Sal or one of her cousins. The ghost was the reconstructed canal schooner "Lois McClure" docked in Lockport, NY on her "Grand Canal Journey" this summer. If you are a sailor click here for more info. about Lois.

The good folks at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Burlington, VT reconstructed this 1862 replica canal/lake boat with some original parts. She is 88' long with 14.5' beam. With centerboard up, she draws about 20 inches of water and can be sailed or mule drawn.

I asked the tour guide if there were mule quarters aboard, a common arrangement for the era's canal boats.

"No", he said, "they'd rent mules for the canal portions of the freight journey. Every 15 miles or so, the boat would exchange mules at "the rent a mule" livery."

"That had to be quite a business", I said.

He went on, "Yeah, some crusty old mule trader named Hertz came up with the idea."

I work with Professional Horsemen who are struggling with the business half of the horse business.

Just like a top performing horse has a strong foundation, so does a top performing horse business.

If you've had enough with not enough: time, money or the right people in your horse business, call or e-mail and we can talk, no fee, no pressure, about your business and how I may be able to help you.

The first step to improvement is up to you.

Welcome to new subscribers this week. If you know other horsemen who would enjoy this newsletter, please forward it to them!

I appreciate your help !