What is/was your most effective way of finding new clients for your farrier practice?
Have a cell phone as your business number. Place signs at feed stores, tack shops, barn bulletin boards. Anywhere there are horse owners. Guarantee 24 hour servcie. "I will be working on your horse within 24 hours of your phone call. That means wearing and answering your cell phone EVERY time it rings. It means showing up within 24 hours EVERY time, no matter what else you have planned. You will pick up clients.
—Bob Smith
I'm still looking for the "Magic Bullet" that other farriers seem to have! I have found that the best advertising is EXPOSURE-- people see me at the barns and say "I like your work, will you shoe my horse?" Client referrals are just as valuable, especially if they are trainers. I like when my clients move their horses, I get more exposure that way. When I lose my last client at a barn, I get no more calls there. Paying to advertise has never worked for me. I try to list myself at various resources, but get few calls that way.
—Jeff Matthews
Do the best work you can on each and every horse... it might take time but the new clients will find you after they see your work on there friends horses.
—Matt McGill
Referral, I just tell clients that I have some openings in my book, and the clients do the rest.
—Jack Smith
My clients are my best advertising; they talk to every once and every horse I've made perform better has gained me more calls because that client told his/her friends. There is also a web site in our area called kijiji, I posted a short ad there and with in there days I had all my empty spots on my calender filled. My truck and shoeing trailer also have my company name and logo and its gotten some attention too.
—Brandon Marczyk
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