Troubles selling

[JennyB]

I was wondering if any of you are having just as hard of time selling your miniature horses and/or shetland ponies as we are?

Can I ask the different reasons why?

Can I ask what buyers want?

Thanks and blessings,

Jenny

 

[disneyhorse]

I think the market has picked up lately.

I think I've responded a couple times to this same post you've asked and I see you haven't altered your site.

I think buyers do want it "all" but you've got to attract them first. Your website has overly-photoshopped horses that haven't been cleaned and set up, and that's going to turn off a big chunk of buyers. Buyers can inquire, but your buyer isn't going to want to work at buying a horse when they can go to other sellers that have already put in the work to make it easy to attract buyers in the first place.

I still am standing by advice I've already given you since I have detailed it before. Your advertising was not ideal before and it's still not.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Yeah I have to agree. I went to your site and IMO keep it simple. Too many things distract me from looking at the horses and you have to capture images that will really bring in the buyers attention. Clipped, bathed, and set up, but with winter coming it would be hard to clip any and I understand that, but just brushing them off and setting them up is better. Also another thing that attracts me is movement photos, or videos are getting more popular. I'm selling a horse right now that I'm just waiting for a good day to go out to get a video of her and I have 0 help. So getting set up photos of her is very hard for me to do but I try to get some good shots.

So I would change your website to a more simple format, I would also take down the photo shopped photos, and take photos that will appeal to your buyers. The photos on your site IMO are more for people who are already interested and just want more photos. I know you have a lot to sell, but I would still go out and do it soon since its not terribly cold yet, get a friend and take set up photos, legs shots, bite shots, and if you have one your trying to sell his/her movement then a short video in the round pen or lounge line.

I think that sells are better but its going to be harder now since winter is coming up. And keep advertising. Go on FB there are a lot of places to advertise there.

 

[targetsmom]

You are certainly not alone. We have had ZERO luck selling and plan to stop breeding. I think it helps to get out and show (which we do), and to have a large selection for sale (which we don't). We got calls immediately after our latest ad appeared, seemed like there was real interest, and then realized they didn't have anywhere near the asking price. I hear that is quite common. I am not giving her away - or at least not under those circumstances.

I think it really does help to have professional photos, which we don't have either. We did clip - even this time of year - and took as good photos as we could, but nowhere near professional. It didn't help us that we were so sure the filly was sold locally that we had not been taking nice photos of her all along. In our case, we are hoping that when people see her in person at the Equine Affaire in 2 weeks that we will get some interest. If not, we will keep her and show her next year.

 

[JennyB]

I appreciate you answers

I had a professional web site person help me with setting up our site and I feel it looks much better than before.

As far as taking professional pictures, we can't afford that, that is why we are selling for from $250. to $800. If we could afford to show them and get professional pictures of them, we could ask more, but we can't afford that. My husband has had whooping cough and blacking out since May, although thank the Lord he is not blacking out much anymore. We live at 6200 feet(it has been freezing every night here for almost a month) and we can't clip now and will not clip because we don't have a nice barn, with comfy stalls, hoods and blankets.

I agree that having the right equine, posed just right in show condition, have shown them all to championships and pay a professional hundreds of dollars to make the perfect web site would be good...could be we really sell them even with all that?

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

 

[BriarwoodAcres]

I looked through your site as well and I have to agree with the ladies. I didnt care for the over photoshopped photos. I like a natural setting. Check out LKF for info. They're horses are set up, clipped up and very nicely advertised. I was on there site for 4hrs straight one day...yes 4 hrs straight! It took me 3 hrs to decide between 3 stallions and I went and looked and purchased 2 of the 3. I dont think you need pro photos. LKF doesnt take them and they sell well.

 

[Mona]

Jenny, I also looked at your site and those photos you have are not sale pictures at all. They may work as an introductory photo to "click on" to take viewers to another page with several photos of that particular horse, but that is about all. You don;t need professional photos, but you can tir the horse up, groom them up nice and use a whip with a plastic bag attached, or a water horse, or a toy of some sort to help you get the horse's attention as you are snapping LOADS of photos. Then you need to sit down and go through the pics and pic out the best of the best to use. You need to do this for each horse. I had to take almost all my photos of my horses by myself so I did whatever it woulod take to make the horse look alert in the pics and have their heads turned to just the right angle etc.

 

[disneyhorse]

Here is a little stallion I owned (and took all the photos shown here)...

And although from this picture you can see he has a pretty cute head and straight legs from what you can see, it doesn't really say much to the buyer about his conformation or movement. They don't know if he's got a really low tail set or too short of a back or who knows what.

So, here are some photos where he's cleaned up, and in a barn halter, but I did actually use these photos to sell this guy!

He was driven at Nationals, and I had a professional picture of that, but I asked my friend at my barn to hop into the easy entry cart and drive him around for a few minutes for some variety of photos.

Getting a mare to stand by a colt or stallion often can make your horse stand still for a moment and show off his neck.

Not everyone wants to see slicked-down photoshopped sales photos. A photo like this one, above, shows the horse's conformation in a simple context. Barn halters are just fine! Doesn't even need to be a show halter. Buyers want to carefully see the REAL horse they are buying in the most simple, easy-to-see way. Standing on concrete allows them to see hoof and pastern angles and such.

If you can't get your horse to set up, at least have the person walk it around a little and try to get photos from the side! The above photo would tell a buyer more than the very first photo I posted.

Or, if all else fails (this photo is courtesy of Lisa of Ruff N Tuff minis!) just set up your furry, unclipped horse in the dead of winter! This little guy still looks way better set up here, than he does in the very first photo from a buyer's standpoint!!!

Backyard photos CAN be easily done, no one should ever feel like they need "professional" photos to sell all their horses. I have only ever hired a professional photographer one time for one horse. I have bought a handful of photos from the show ring. I've sold plenty of horses, always for fair prices, and EVERY horse I take photos at home to represent the horse as honestly and clearly as I can.

The past few years I've taken and relied on video when buying and selling... but clear photographs are ALWAYS where I start when looking at horses or sending information to my buyers.

Andrea

 

[Leeana]

I am not a professional photographer, and I generally do not let other people do photos of my horse - I like to do them myself that way I can take the photo how I like. But its pretty simple to get nice "selling" pictures. I think the pictures on your website may be what is holding you back. I think your sale list on the saleboard looks nice when you post it.

and to be honest - you do have a mare or two that I would love to have, but the fact that you are in WY makes it nearly impossible for me

 

[minifreishorsefarm]

I am not a fan of pictures that I cant get a good look at the horse. Also hate pics with fake backgrounds. It looks silly to me. No matter what price you are asking for them, you have to take good pictures. Set up would be great, but at least standing strait and showing the whole horse (not parts hidden by props). I like a variety of pictures, set up, natural in the field, front and side shots too. One tiny pic showing only part of the horse isnt going to get me to even inquire.

I also think with Little King Farms selling out, people are wanting to buy from there while they have the chance. I bought two girls from there this month when I hadnt planned on buying anymore this year. And I paid reasonable prices too. So people are going to buy from the known farm at a good price than from a lesser known name with photos that are too hard to see and filled with props.

Here is my website http://windyacresminiaturehorses.webs.com/ its not fancy and I dont have professional pictures. But I think most pictures represent my horses well.

Marsha

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Agree you don't need professional photos to get good pics. Like I've said I have 0 help and of course it would be much easier if I had someone to help set up for pics. This is my mare I'm selling and these shots were taken just in the round pen by myself. Yes its nicer to use clip horses but you got to work with what you got. She isn't freshly clipped here and she was just given a bath after being worked out.

And a website I just use a free site by google. Yeah its not as nice as the paid ones or ones that you pay webmasters for but I'm not breeding or selling many so its just something simple.

https://sites.google.com/site/showmeminiaturehorses/home

 

[ohmt]

Hi Jenny! Lots of great advice-I think you have lovely horses, you just need the pictures to show it. There's got to be someone nearby who can help you for a couple of hours to get decent pictures. There are lots of people like me who like to help out for a batch of cookies or something simple (and edible lol)

You need side shots of your horses set up with their heads up and necks out (you can get creative with this-treats, crinkly cat toys, skunk tails, brooms, etc). They have the looks to get those nice pictures. Brush them up, no need to clip or bathe. Then do front and back shots, teeth as well. A really nice side shot with the horse set up will get you a lot of attention. I have seen so many want ads on fb from people who are looking for what you have. You just need to show them that you have it. I wish I were closer to you-I would be over there to help you in a second.

When you get those pictures, advertise as much as you can. Pictures are what grab people's attention. That beautiful buckskin that was pictured on an earlier post in his winter fuzzies is great. I wish you the best, Amanda

 

[SampleMM]

I just tried to take a look at your sale page and nothing is showing up. I'm not sure if it's just me or what?

 

[Charlotte]

Disney horse....EXCELLENT Sale Photos lesson! thank you!

Really excellent suggestions and examples on here from everyone.

 

[minifreishorsefarm]

I just tried to take a look at your sale page and nothing is showing up. I'm not sure if it's just me or what?

I had to take off the end that said salepage and it worked. But, yes, the link in her signature brought me to a blank page as well.

Marsha

 

[targetsmom]

Based on comments in this thread I am going out today today to take new photos of our filly, but with all due respect to these posters, I think it takes more than nice photos to sell a mini. We had NO luck selling Max in 2009 (OK, really bad market) from this photo:

We also had photos from the front and back showing his straight legs and lovely head, plus a video. Only one person even contacted us. He remained for sale while being co-owned and shown, consistently beating top horses including World Champions and World Grand and Reserve Grand Champions. So I am pretty convinced there is something else missing. I have even taken graduate school classes in marketing, tried to create a "niche" for our minis, and still no luck. I think timing has something to do with it, and certainly price. Yes, I am sure I could have sold Max for $500, but I would rather quit breeding than sell horses of this quality for $500.

 

[minifreishorsefarm]

I agree that photos arent the only thing to sell a horse. And it is tough to sell these days. I really think its luck finding the right person wanting your right horse for them. I am extremely picky when I am buying and I buy for color, temperament, pedigree and conformation (not necessarily in that order). So if your horse is gorgeous but in a color I dont like, I'm not buying. I am sure there are lots of picky buyers out there. I also dont want colts and this seemed to be a colt year. Lots of gorgeous colts out there.

I think you need to pay for the for sale sites that keep your ads on top. That is how I sold 3 this year. The lady said every for sale site she went to, there was my horses on top so she inquired. ended up buying 3! We cant rely on our website alone or just word of mouth or Facebook. You gotta put them out everywhere and you have to spend some money on advertising.

Marsha

 

[LRMiniatureShetlands]

Jenny,

Your ponies are lovely and quite unique; their pedigrees back up their good looks too. The fact that they are 100% Arenosa makes them more marketable to the right person. I have always admired them and it is sad to see you are dispersing.

I know someone who would buy a couple if she (me) didn't live so far away!

But, the others are right. You need better pictures of them on your website. Not necessarily professional, but better shots of the ponies. I have a digital camera and take (by myself) hundreds of shots before I get any that I like. You don't have to clip, just run a brush over them and start snapping some pictures. Or, just go out and start taking pasture shots of them; eventually you will get some nice ones. The market is horrible but if you can get some good pictures of your ponies, then I think you have some luck selling them. I hope you won't take them to a local auction.....they deserve to be with someone who appreciates their pedigrees and the history that goes with them.

 

[CZP1]

You have some beautiful horses! The site is a little busy but I really think that the econonmy is bad for everyone and there are horses everywhere for sale cheap. Keep your chin up, if you can afford to feed for the winter great! Put your ducks in a row and start fresh in the spring!

 

[HGFarm]

Ok, we need to all face it- the economy IS bad. That being said, you want to take as much advantage as you can trying to sell your horses then. Nice simple pasture pictures, etc... can say a lot. They dont have to be show shape clipped professional pics. Clean horses that are tidied up and simple photos will say a lot. You know the old saying 'A picture is worth a thousand words' and if your pics dont catch someone's eye for whatever reason- people will pass right over what ever it is you are selling.

I had a neighbor help me a few years back when I had a filly for sale. I normally dont have any help here either. She had a camera that is very fast and can catch a lot of pics in a short time. Out of about 700 pics taken, there were actually about seven that I would have considered good. In some her eyes were closed, others her ears were back or swiveled crooked, or she turned the wrong way, or something that just didnt show her at her best, or it was blurry, etc....

Yep, brush them down and turn them loose with a whip and plastic bag on the end. Have your camera ready and snap away. You might be surprized at what you get! If you have any way to take short videos during this time- nice pics can be taken from a video clip too where you can get it right at the right moment to show off good movement, etc...