Troubles selling

[ohmt]

Hi again Jenny! I got a message from a lady who tried to email you and she said her emails keep coming back saying there's a permanent error (not sure what that means). She doesn't post here so wanted me to let you know in case people are trying to get a hold of you to buy horses, but they can't get the emails sent.

 

[Marty]

We are seriously thinking of taking all the ponies and cattle we have and sell them at the local auction without papers

 

sorry, but I am sooo discouraged

Jenny for the lovagawd don't do such a thing! They deserve better than that and you must protect them from bad people.

Looky here: I can't take pictures to save my life and I never have any help. I can make my really nice horses look like poop on a stick from the way I take pictures so here is my latest invention: Do you have a camera that will take a movie clip? That's what I did while they were running around and boy I got some awesome shots! I didn't have to chase anyone around they just goooo and I did a bunch of cool movies. Sometimes I just tie them up and start shooting pictures when they have their ears up. Take enough and you are bound to get something usable.

Now listen:

1. Don't clip now its too cold but take your clippers and do the good length of bridle paths, under the jaw line to get rid of any beards and show a pretty face and do fetlock hairs.

2. Comb manes and tails and make them flow. Take your scissors and trim off any scraggly mane ends and give the mane a little bit of shape so it doesn't look ragged.

3. Then turn them loose to run and start clicking pictures!

I know you can do this. Good luck and best wishes!

 

[Carolyn R]

Absolutely agree with everyone. No need for pro shots, just nice pics of a groomed horse, whiskers trimmed, down on the horses level, it's best for the horse to take up most of the shot and always be mindful of the background, it makes for a nicer photo and keep it simple. Boast what you got, you first capture someone's interest by having them like what they see, then it will peak their interest so they dig a little deeper on the horse.

 

[susanne]

Regarding the website: The graphic bells and whistles are interfering with selling your beautiful horses. They are creative, but they work against what the buyer wants to see, which is a pure and simple conformation shot of your horse. Forget all the clever little tricks (such as the photos intertwining with the text) that may be great in a logo or page titles and perhaps background shots. Keep the money shots of the horses full-framed and clean.

As for getting good photos: The single biggest difference between a professional photographer and an amateur is a matter of QUANTITY. To get one great shot, the pro may take dozens, even hundreds of shots. They will only show you the best images, so you are likely not aware of the many rejects.

Too many people take one or two shots and wonder why they didn't get a good one. It's a numbers game, especially for the lesser experienced. With digital cameras, you can take as many frames as you wish at no more expense, greatly increase your chances of getting a decent image.

Another thing that anyone can do is to plan a simple, solid background that contrasts with your horse. I've seen some otherwise excellent shots of beautiful horses where a dark horse is shot against a dark background. An expert might get a good shot this way, but it requires reflectors and great light. Make it easy on yourself and find one dark, uncluttered background and one light, uncluttered background.

I know that you're on Facebook, so once you have these crisp, clear images, post them on FB. Create a sales album with all pertinent information included for each photo. (How many times do you see photos of a gorgeous horse shared, but there is little or no description -- even a name.

I'm with Marty on the auctions. I trust you would never really do that.

 

[wingnut]

I too agree that many of us are simply not buying. I drool over pages and pages of amazing horses, but I simply cannot afford to buy even one horse at bargain basement pricing. I also realized this summer that I have to keep my numbers to a minimum (4) because I do the lion's share of the care/work and there are only so many hours in the day. Right now, I couldn't even take a FREE horse that has been to Nationals and placed in the top 10. Again, due to time and money and my personal decision to make the commitment to do my best to care for and work with the 4 I have. So, you could have the best pictures ever produced and I still couldn't/wouldn't buy from you.

I hope you don't have to go the auction route. I hope the advice of other breeders/sellers who have chimed in so far will help get you some horses sold so that you can avoid that drastic step {{{{ hugs }}}}

 

[Ashley]

Its not hard to get a good pic regardless of how hairy they are or who is taking it. If your horses stand then you can get a decent shot.

Here is a shot I took of a foal we have. Second time on the halter or even handled for that matter. She isnt friendly and it wasnt until the end of that session that she actually led. I was on the end of the lead rope as well as the one takeing the pic. IT did take me several shots to get this one. Its not the greatest, but it is useable.

 

[Ashley]

Others I took on my own....

 

[Minimor]

As the others have said, you do not need professional photos--and it IS entirely possible to get good photos even if you do not have any help. I took these with no help:

These horses were brushed but not bathed or clipped--and they look perfectly acceptable as they are. If you are taking conformation photos it is nice if the mane is combed out and slicked down a bit to make sure it is lying neatly (bridle path not necessarily required), and it's good to clip off any "goatee" the horse may have. Even with winter coming on the horse's jaw line can be cleaned up a bit (you do not need to take the hair off close to the skin, just trim it so that it looks a bit neater)

This horse does not have a bridle path trimmed, and he is presentable:

Standing pictures--I have some of those "done it by myself" ones too but don't have them posted anywhere so will have to hunt them up before I can upload them & show them here.

I hope that you won't send your horses off to auction without making some attemt to get better photos.

Do you have ads up on the various saleboards--LB, the American Shetland forum, equine now, horsetopia, horse clicks, etc? I believe that it does take more than just a website to get horses sold--you have to post ads that will make people aware of your website & your horses.

I think this may be a bad time of year to sell--different people have told me that it usually slows down for the winter and then interest picks up again in late winter/early spring--and I also think that it is really a matter of posting the right ad at just the right time, when the right person is looking for just such a horse as you have to offer. You can post ads several times over & get no interest, then you try once more & someone calls & buys right away.

The others are right though--you DO need to have better photos--photos that actually show what the horses look like. Even if someone contacts you now & expresses interest in a horse, they are surely going to ask for more photos so they can see what the horse really looks like--if you can't provide them at that point the person will almost certainly move on & buy elsewhere.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I totally agree with everyone else and your horses are SO cheap they should be flying away to nice new homes, I can only think that something is getting in the way and for want of anything else being obvious I would try new pictures. just as proposed.

If I were in the States I'd just come up with a truck and take them all, it is ridiculous that they are not selling at those prices- I wonder if they are too cheap???

Maybe you should rewrite the intro and put a banner in saying "Sorry but everything MUST go, this is a GENUINE "closing down" sale....Make me a sensible offer" and see what happens.

I'd also look into the e-mail thing it would be just awful if people were trying to get through and could not- maybe put a cell phone number up??

Good Luck, they are lovely horses.

 

[targetsmom]

You might try what some big stores do - advertise a "sale" but raise the prices! I agree that they may be too LOW. I am going to guess that in your area there are not too many local buyers, so your best bet is selling to someone at a distance who will need to pay shipping. With shipping costs what they are, maybe you set a higher price on the horses and offer to help with shipping. So you end up with the same money in your pocket, just by taking a different route. And please check that your website links all work, your e-mail isn't going to spam, and that you list more than one way for people to contact you.

 

[chandab]

I hope Jenny comes back and checks out the suggestions. However, since her hubby has been ill, perhaps they had to make a run somewhere to see a doctor, again.

I'd also look into the e-mail thing it would be just awful if people were trying to get through and could not- maybe put a cell phone number up??

Good Luck, they are lovely horses.

I tried to e-mail, and got a "mailbox is full" message. Hopefully, Jenny will have a mailbox full of offers when she gets the chance to check e-mail.

 

[Tremor]

Whenever we tried to sell we've had issues selling; not because of the horse itself but because of my pickiness of the potential owner. I usually just end up taking the ads down. The people who usually looked at my filly were interested in breeding her for her color and I wouldn't have it. A lot of people in my area want something to breed or for heir children to ride.....mine aren't suitable for either.

I always try to have current pictures set up. I like my horses clipped and clean.

Whenever I look at horse ads I want to see up to date conformation shots with the horse cleaned up. No pasture pictures. No pictures with children hanging all over them.

When it comes to foal pictures I don't want to see newborn pictures; especially if the foal in question was a weanling or older. It makes me wonder if its been handled, if its injured, or just plain laziness.

 

[Sawing]

Hi I'm new to minis and currently buying so let me give you some of my thoughts. Not sure if they will help but they are some things I've observed in buying.

I agree with previous statements on pictures. I don't need them groomed, but it helps, I do want see a horse standing were I can see conformation and a head shot. Cute photos are fine but make sure you also send good conformation shots. If you don't have help try to get some pasture shots but tying to a trailer or fence also works. Be conscious of what's in the background.

Post a price and if it's neg. state that. I've cruised a lot of sites and seen horses I've been interested in but if no price is listed I don't make contact. I don't want to waste my time and the owners if it's out of my price range.

I agree with a previous thread pull coggins on sale horses they are good for a year in most places health can wait until they sell. I don't mind if you charge me if I buy the horse but sometimes getting shipping can happen quickly and if the horse is not ready to go you lose the sale.

Shipping is critical especially if you live in an area that's off the beaten path. In this day and age of the Internet a lot of horses don't stay local so be ready. It's always a good idea to have a list of REASONABLE shippers or if your making a trip and can help with hauling state that.

If your selling a horse I think the online auctions are a great way to go and I've been very happy with my purchases. A couple suggestions make the beginning bid either be your bottom dollar and have no reserve(preferred) or within range of your bottom dollar. People get discouraged quickly if you beginning bid is 100 but your reserve is 3000. It also cuts down on time if I know you want more for the horse than I'm willing to pay I prefer transparency. Also like I stated before shipping is critical and if you can help state that. I'll buy a horse and even pay more if I know there's shipping available.

Lastly any way you look at it the economy is bad price horses accordingly. We love our horses but they are luxury items and in a bad economy that's the first thing people cut back on buying. It doesn't matter what you think your horse is worth what is someone willing to pay for it? If your not willing to take that wait it out if you can afford to take care of them. It's going to come back but it it will be a long term process. We didn't get this way overnight so it will not be fixed overnight. As a buyer I expect a lot for not a lot of money and I hate to say I've had no problems finding them.

 

[Becky Horat]

OK....my opinions on buyer and seller's view. We have bought a few Minis this last year or so as well as 3 of my friends who are, like us, getting into the Mini World. We are all "big" horse people and wanting to "do something" with these horses. Between the 4 of us we've probably bought 15+ Minis. So what were we all looking for??? We weren't all after the same thing. Some of us wanted to drive or do performance events. Some of us wanted to get into the "show world" and some of us were looking for breeding prospects. We all spent a lot of money this last year on the market of Minis. Not one of us were looking for a cute pasture pet. Some of us bought off Craig's list, Dream Horse, from word of mouth at shows, and from reputable breeders that have been showing, competing for years. The modern world of internet makes it really easy for people to sit at home and go through websites/sales ads in the evenings. Some of us bought from an ad or something that caught our eye and we weren't planning on buying another. Great photos are a must!!! Minis are very hard to "imagine" what they'd look like without all that hair. But...you can do wonders by clipping bridle paths, faces/chins, legs and laying the mane down to show the neck. My husband and I drive and show. We weren't really concerned with a "halter horse" but more of performance prospects. Number one on my list...great disposition!!! I wanted a horse that had been handled. All of our horses we bought had been shown...meaning, they were handled, clipped, hauled and exposed to a lot of things. These horses, hands down made a big difference. I didn't want to spend $ and bring a horse home that hadn't had anything done with it. The horses that were barely halter broke was a turn off for us. With the market, we could spend same amount of money on one that had been handled. Of course the looks and movement are a big factor as well. But....advertise and show what that horse has done!! Even if it's as simple as the 'ol...it clips, loads and bathes as you'd forever see in horse ads. Tell something about it and show it off. People aren't going to take THEIR time to come see a horse if YOU haven't taken the time to show it off. One of our friends went to look at a very nice show horse...had been shown and did well. It had a pretty big price tag on it. She showed up...took time off work and drove an hour or so. When she arrived, the seller didn't have the courtesy to clean that horse up and show it. She just pulled it out of the pasture with dried poop on it's tail and mane in knotts. My friend was so disgusted at the lack of courtesy, she turned around and left within 5 minutes. Keep that in mind!!! Good photos...advertise on all online sources you can think of...and handle the horse and show it to the best of it's potential...talk it up...truthfully.

 

[Ourhobbyfarm]

I think the buyers want to see videos of the horses you have for sale. Make a little video or your horse doing everything it does, driving, halter, liberty, etc. and upload it to Youtube. There are many great movie maker software that you can drop photos in, text and edit your clips.

 

[countrymini]

I just sold my little stallion and it was the video I did that made the buyer want him.

 

[Karen S]

Hi Jenny,

Really hate to hear about Mel being so sick. I know he and Dorothy built a nice herd of horses and when Dorothy died I think a part of Mel did too. Then you came into his life and brought him lots of happiness.....

After reading all these post, have you and Mel considered contacting an auctioneer in your area and just have an auction there at your place where you can do both the horses and cattle. It would be much easier. Advertise it as an on site auction, bring your trailers, kids and grandkids and come pick out your favorite, buy it and take it home. With winter approaching fast I wouldn't wait too long. You can give them head/neck clips to show off their pretty faces, brush them down good, put on clean/new halters with leads and get what you can. Sell them with their papers, they deserve to have their linage go with them. Good luck and prayers to you and Mel during this difficult time.

Karen

 

[PaintNminis]

to Keep in mind Paperwork is also important when I buy horses. I always look them up on the Studbook.

and there is nothing more discouraging then Someone Buying a High Dollar horse and not keeping the Paperwork up to date or not even Registering him or the Foals.

 

[JennyB]

Thanks everyone!

I appreciate all your comments. Our email address was changed after lightning hit us this summer. I was just informed that the email on our web site is the old one and by golly the home page was, so I apologize for that and I fixed it.

We will NOT be selling the ponies at a sale..but continue doing what we have been doing and trying to improve. Again Thanks!

Our email is [email protected]

Blessings especially to those in Hurricane Sandy's way

Jenny

 

[JennyB]

well there STILL seems to be a problem with our website going to the right email, so I will get it fixed asap, but it might be a few days, not sure...in the meantime pm me here or email me at

[email protected]

Thanks,

Jenny