Viewpoint EQUESTRIAN PROFESSIONAL ISSUES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL HORSEMAN The Role of Trust in Horse Business Success
Elisabeth McMillan is an equine business consultant and the founder of Equestrian
Professional.com, a website that provides business education and career support to horse professionals. She is also a sought after public speaker for equestrian organizations and speaks at equestrian events throughout the U.S..
W
e've all heard they business axiom - "People do business with people they know, like and trust." But I can't recall anyone specifically identifying how this is accomplished
in a proactive way. Have you? So for this issue, I want to tackle the trust end of this statement.
I'm not going to just focus on what the elements of trust are, but how they affect your business and how once you understand them, you can improve your marketing and business growth. In Stephen Covey Jr.'s book, "The Speed of Trust" - he discusses the
vital role trust plays in business and identifies four critical areas of trust. Two are based on character and two are based on competency.
CHARACTER BASED
1. Integrity - Are you truthful and are your core values compatible with those of your customers'? This type of trust is typically the first thing that comes to mind when we ask ourselves if a person is trustworthy. But, as you will see in the next three areas, there is more to trust than just honesty.
2. Caring - Do you care about your customer? Most people are unable to trust another person unless they feel the other person cares about them and their well being. In the horse world, this would also include whether or not the client feels you care about their horse.
COMPETENCY BASED
3. Expertise - Do you have the technical skills and experience to accomplish the work the client is hiring you to do? If you don't have the expertise the client deems necessary, they may decide not to do business with you. If you have the skills but are unable to articulate them in a way that the client understands, this can also erode trust and affect the growth of your business.
4. Results - At the end of the day, it is important to deliver the results the client is expecting, or there will be a loss of trust. Sometimes
this trust can be regained through communication and a better understanding of the expectations around your role in helping the client achieve their goals. Other times, it will result in a potential client deciding you're not the right choice.
The results part of trust can be especially complicated in the
equestrian world. We are working with live animals that have their own opinions and personalities, who can sustain injuries or lose confidence even under the best of care. As well, we could be dealing with a client who has goals that may or may not be commensurate with their ability. The value of trust is most telling when we look at the cost of a lack
of trust. Even if you find the "perfect horse" for a client, if there is not enough trust, chances are the client won't buy it. Not only will there be an unnecessary loss of income, but if this upsets you and you lose respect and/or caring for the customer, trust will likely be further eroded, causing further damage to yourself and your business over the long haul. Or, let's say, you decide one of your student's or client's horses is
ready to move up into a more advanced level of competition, but the client doesn't agree with you and refuses - You may find yourself in the difficult position of acquiescing to something you disagree with and compromising your own integrity. Again, additional trust is lost. The good news is that by identifying and understanding the four
areas of trust and the role they play in your business (and life), proactive steps to build trust can be taken. It is also important to recognize that different people place different values on each of these four areas of trust. Because of this, there are different roles trust plays in different horse business models. By understanding these values, you will increase your ability to attract and maintain the best clientele for your unique business. If you found this article helpful, you will be happy to learn that
Equestrian Professional is a USHJA educational partner. Trainers who are members of USHJA receive a 10% discount on all Equestrian Professional membership plans. USHJA Certified Trainers receive a 25% discount.
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