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HoofPrints Newsletter
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September 21, 2014
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ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THIS NEWSLETTERFarriers Greeting Cards was started by Gina Keesling in 1986 (in a very small way) to provide helpful promotional materials for farrier husband Rob. Along the way the company became HoofPrints.com, too, adding a selection of fun horse and dog products geared toward women of a certain age. This newsletter is emailed to subscribers a few times a month, depending on how often I have something to share. Watch for special sales, interesting stories, uplifting quotes and more.
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UPDATE on the CALENDAR situation here at HoofPrints
First, the
BAD NEWS:
1. There will be no 2015 Horses and Hope Calendar.
Sarah and I are taking a break from this big project. Watch for updates, though, as we are not tabling it forever. In the meantime, please support the horse rescue(s) of your choice.
2. The Horse Savvy Day Planner is also discontinued.This one comes from Canada and the shipping cost to get it from the manufacturer to HoofPrints added so much to the price of the product that it wasn't making sense to continue to sell it. I have a similar product in the works as a replacement, but it's not online for sale yet. Stay tuned for an announcement about that. Now the GOOD NEWS:
1. Horse Women Calendar for 2015 is available here 2. Blacksmith Calendar for 2015 is IN THE WORKS. Not yet available, though, stay tuned for updates on that.
3. Things Not To Say To A Hot Tired FARRIER Magnetic Business Card Calendars for 2015 ARE AVAILABLE HERE.
Talking about the Magnetic Farrier Calendar promts the revisiting my stupidest marketing mistake...
I've been known to be pretty critical of other companies' advertising efforts.
I hate magazine ads that make you work to figure out what they are selling; fancy, "arty" photography that does nothing to describe a product or it's use. A trip in the car to Indianapolis always results in ranting over the vague and cryptic messages on the billboards. Again, what are they selling? At 70 mph that's not much time to figure it out. Don't even get me started on the Viagra "get things done" commercial where the guy unloads a team of already harnessed ?? horses to pull out his stuck truck and trailer. I get the symbolism of what they are implying, but does the average consumer that's the target market for this product get it? The long version of the commercial shows a woman in the upstairs window - presumably hinting at what's next - but a more realistic scenario would be that same woman wanting to know if those horses got unharnessed, cooled out, bedded and fed before the guy even came to the house...
At any rate, I feel a little dumb, after all this time, FINALLY writing a proper description for the magnetic business card calendars, and illustrating what a great bang for the buck that they are. For years, my copy said; "Our handy magnetic business card calendar lets you keep your card in front of your customers all year round, and give them a chuckle, too! Each month has different Things Not to Say to a Farrier phrases, paired with humorous farrier drawings. At the bottom is a farrier related hint that may (hopefully) help your clients to help you better care for their horses' feet. Great to enclose with your invoices, or with your holiday cards. These stick to any metal surface. Just remove the liner, and apply your own business card to the adhesive."
What I never took the time to describe, was the fact that with each calendar comes an EXTRA magnetic piece that you punch out and stick to a SECOND business card. This lets you turn any ordinary business card into a handy magnet that you can bet will stay around where clients can see it a lot longer than a regular card.
It's a tough concept to convey with just a small picture and a few lines of copy. Many folks who were interested in the idea, got tripped up when I tried to explain that they needed to use business cards that they ALREADY HAD or place an order
for some separately. So, I took a new picture and constructed the above graphic to hopefully give folks a better idea of how this all works.
AND, for just $1.00 - farriers can keep their name in front of their clients, as well as give them a monthly chuckle, for a FULL YEAR!
2015 Magnetic Farrier Calendars are available now here.
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FARRIER GOSSIP - on Stacy Westfall's blog!
Most remember Stacy Westfall from the video of her riding Whizard's Baby Doll bareback and bridleless to win the Freestyle Reining class win in 2006 at the All American Quarter Horse Congress. You can see by the info here that she's more than just a great rider/trainer.
She's a great communicator, too. Not just telling what she knows, but asking questions and getting folks to think. And her questions don't just get folks thinking about their OWN answers - they get us thinking about the answers OTHER folks come up with, too. And that's pretty cool.
I was tickled to see her latest blog entry featuring a photo of a farrier wearing the above T-shirt that came from HoofPrints. She listed the various things not to say, asked her readers if they'd been guilty of any of them, and if they had anything to add. And add they did: Lots of folks said they thought highly of their farrier, and made extra efforts to have the farrier's job on their horse(s) to go easily and smoothly. Others did NOT agree. They'd had trouble with unreliable farriers, incompetent farriers, and over priced, prima-donna farriers. And, as with the Rainbow Cake Comment Apocalypse, some were angry. Interesting reading, to say the least. You can check it out for yourself here.
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Sterling Silver
Dog Whistle
Is this a whistle to call your dog? Or a whistle that IS a dog? Either way it's really cute, and a unique and interesting piece of functional and useful jewelry. Measures almost 2" long and hangs on a knotted adjustable (14"-26") waxed cotton cord. Ikind of kept this one a "secret" through the holidays last year, as I was having trouble keeping stock on them, but I've got plenty now. For more info click here
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MORE GOSSIP: Revisiting folks talking about farriers.
Like the barefoot vs shoes debate fires up horse owners, few things get farriers more engaged than telling stories about bad horses and their owners. I shared in a previous newsletter here, a warning to farriers to be aware that folks were watching, talking about, and even photographing them every single day on the job. Sounds creepy, huh? With the internet and various social networks being what they are - unsavory stories can get out in a very big way. And once they do, there's not much a person can do to stop them. That's why it makes me so very happy to read success stories like this one.
Shown here is Abby riding Dakota
. Abby's mom belongs to an online Yahoo! group that I subscribe to, and she had posted asking for advice for getting this horse's ears clipped. She described his violent outbursts that occurred whenever they even thought about approaching his head with the clippers. A lively discussion ensued with a great deal of thoughtful advice.
But the rest of Dakota's story is what touched me:
First about the clipping problem:
 I have clipped my fair share of problems horses and this guy is beyond anything I have ever seen. I must tell you he was abused when we purchased him; had also been caught in hi-tensile fence and tore his legs up like mincemeat! It took almost 6 months before we were able to shoe him without a heavy tranquilizer, but for the last 6 months he has been an angel. (Grant a lot of the credit to our Farrier that had so much patience with him) He is to the point he will let us clip his legs, you do not even have to hold or cross tie him, but make one step toward his head and he flips. And I do mean flip! Up on his hind legs, strikes out with both front legs and has his eyes rolled back in his head so all white is showing. - Last year he was like this with getting his legs touched, and because my daughter has more patience than I do she was able to overcome this with him."Then on the problem with having feet handled:
I do not know if I would have never considered using a tranquilizer had it not been for the fact his feet had to be done when we got him. When I called the farrier and told him about this gelding, he asked me to have a tranquilizer on hand in case it was needed. It was more than needed. After giving him a standard dose he still was impossible to handle, so he was given enough Rompun to lay out an elephant, (we spoke with the vet before giving him more) yet this horse did not appear effected at all! He would be wobbly, almost falling down drunken acting and when they went to touch a leg he would flat out come unglued! The first time we trimmed him last May (2010) it took almost 3 hours for a trim job. My daughter continued to work with him daily, the second and third time we trimmed him it required less Rompun, the 4th time we had the partial injection but never had to administer it! Two weeks ago I ground tied him while the same farrier put a full set of shoes on him. Not one problem!" Kudos to the owner and her daughter for rescuing this abused horse and rehabbing him. The farrier knew beforehand the horse had issues, everyone was prepared and they got the job done - taking the time it took - which apparently was quite a while. Subsequent farrier visits saw the horse improving, and as you can read by her note he now stands like a champ. And kudos to the farrier, who worked with these owners through a difficult and dangerous problem. The end result is a horse that is much safer for him to work on. I love a happy ending.
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This one's for FARRIERS:
Below are a few phrases that farriers may be hearing this summer. We've assembled these & more on a collection of t-shirts.
Things Not to Say to a Hot, Tired Farrier T-SHIRTS - $19.95 here The MUG (makes a great gift!) is only $9.95 here
All it takes to be a farrier is a strong back and a weak mind! He won't stand for me either, but your ad said you were a professional Can you come back? We are home now. Let me get my twitch before we get started. Sooo, when you're finished, do I have to wait an hour before I can ride him/her? My horse hates men. Yep, I put that stuff on their feet right before you got here. Every time we turn him out he throws a shoe. That don't look that hard! Isn't it great to be outside all day? Let me call my neighbors and their 5 kids. They have never seen a horse shod before. It sure is HOT! I used to shoe, and I can tell right away if you're doing a good job. Do those nails hurt him? He's normally gentle as a kitten, but it is the first time I have had a halter on him. Honestly, I DO clean his feet I haven't ever picked up his feet, but he seems real gentle. Can you put these shoes on good and tight so that they won't come off? My vet said for you to call him and he will tell you how to shoe my horse. He kicked the last farrier just like he kicked you. He's never been that bad!! What did you do? The last guy I had won't come any more. Can you come today? I left them out in the field because it was such a nice day. So, how much does your chiropracter run you a month? Sorry - that's my cell phone. I won't let it ring under this colt's nose again. He never does that for me. My horse doesn't kick. ...well he has never kicked before. Are you busy TODAY? Can you make his foot smaller? This is the first time he has EVER lost a shoe. Since he's a colt, will you charge me half price? I used to shoe my own horses, but I could never get the angles right. Do you think you could take a little more off that back foot? My horse is lame. You must have cut him too short. Let me help you clear out a place to work, I've been meaning to get out here and straighten up this old barn... That's not the way the farrier did it back where I come from. Can you save all the hoof trimmings for my dog? Boy, you must have a strong back to bend over all day like that. He's just trying to swat the flies off you. These shoes have been on for only 12 weeks, and they are getting loose.
WARNING - Copyrighted material! We don't mind if others enjoy our humorous quotes - but please include proper credit if you choose to pass this along... �Gina Keesling - www.farriersgreetingcards.com
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FARRIERS: Get your invoices at the OLD PRICE!I announced before that we use a local printer for our 2-part carbonless farrier invoice pads and he'd absorbed the increase in paper costs for a lot longer than he should have. He warned me that there was going to have to be an adjustment... you know - like having to pass on the increased price of shoes, nails, and shipping - after you finally sit down and realize how much more they are costing you vs how much the customer is paying for shoeing;you've given yourself a PAY CUT by not raising prices as materials increase? Anyway, that's what happened here, too.
The official increase took effect with the last catalog. However, we've held the old price ($9.00 per pad) on invoice pad ASSORTMENTS. With the assortment option, you get to choose the "A" or "B" body style, but WE pick the logos that you get. If it's important that your invoices match your business cards, then this might not be for you. But if you're wanting to save money, then here's a way to do it. The price is $40. for 5 pads - which is a savings of $1.00 per pad! To order, click here and scroll down to the yellow box
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Here's what we talked about last time
Last newsletter is here ALL newsletters are here
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WHAT'S HALF PRICE?
Farrier & Horsey
AIR FRESHENERS!
Farrier Air Fresheners include Money, Leather, and Sport Fresh here
Horse Woman's Air Fresheners include Leather, Hay, and Carrot here
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3rd in the Series!
I Make Horse Calls, More Horse Calls & Call Dr Tebow - She Makes Horse Calls (new) Books about living a dream with horses here |
Farriers License Plate
Hand Cast in Indiana, USA
Available here
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Mule & Donkey items
Check out this brass longear charm and more here |
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The Natural Superiority of Mules
Brand new updated second edition covers everything you ever wanted to know about mules. Order here
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Horsey Zipper Pulls
A great way to dress up any vest, jacket, sweatshirt, or purse. Order here
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BOOKMARKS
~ 50% OFF! ~
A Rider's Prayer, A Dog Lover's Prayer & Use Your Talents Bookmarks just 99� here
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Copper HoofPrint Bracelets in 7 colors!
Hand tied right here at HoofPrints - see them all here
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A CRAPPY MUG!
Same sh*t different day
mug here
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MADE IN USA!
Nifty little wood box has a lid that fits so neatly that it's virtually invisible when closed. A real deal at only $19.95 here
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This Hug's For You
Equine Sympathy Cards here |
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Embroidered Farrier Garments are most accurate and detailed available
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WHAT'S NEW?
Farrier Book
Millwater's Farriery here
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MANURE MOVERS
OF AMERICA - sweatshirt and sign available here |
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Look Professional
On The Job
Sturdy cotton golf shirts look and feel great! See our complete selection here
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RIDER'S CARE PACKAGE
Save $10 on these best-selling items - makes a super thoughtful gift!
order here
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HoofPrints
BARN BLADE
Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly Order here |
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WHAT'S ON SALE?
MORE stuff 50% OFF
Won't You Fix My Horse, Too?
vintage art print $9.95 here
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Message
I love hearing from customers. You can contact HoofPrints owner Gina Keesling via email at gina@hoofprints.com |
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Find us on facebook
Be sure to LIKE our facebook page - it's where we announce special sales, breaking news and everything else we find interesting. To see it go here |
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Share our emails
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Viral marketing... it sounds bad, doesn't it?
You can ask my husband - a frequent topic around here is that of forwarded emails - and the psychology behind them - just WHAT prompts people to decide; "I am going to send this to everyone I know!".
We receive a lot of them. Some are pretty good, and others are dumb. Dumb in a myriad of ways... Alarmist email rumors that have been around forever - that folks keep sending "just in case it's true" Pictures of someone's butt (or worse) - don't even get me started about the firecracker butt - but at least that one was timely when it showed up around July 4. Christian messages that are uplifting - until you get to the end and you're threatened "if you're not ashamed that you love Jesus, forward this - if you are, then delete." Pictures of cute puppies and kittens (awww)
I enjoy writing these newsletters - and sharing all this stuff with you all. But the fact is, it's also a way to help us stay connected with customers and sell products during the time between catalog mailings (which is only once a year) So I really, really like it when someone new stumbles upon the newsletter and is excited to "discover" our company and the products we offer.
In all my efforts to make the newsletter interesting and forward-worthy - it never occurred to me to JUST ASK you all to send it! Duh. Sometimes the obvious is elusive, I guess. So here goes - my request to ask you to forward our email newsletter to your horsey friends. All we ask is that you please be judicious and only send to folks who might be interested. Otherwise we are no better than the "firecracker butt". Click to get started. (please note - using this form does NOT subscribe anyone to our list - it is a one-time only forward)
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