Words are, indeed, powerful. Handled properly, they inspire interest. They inspire feelings. They inspire a connection. An informative and entertaining article draws interest, gives dressage readers including owners, sponsors, riders, coaches and others a valuable piece of information on building a better community.
While competition is at the core of the Dressage sport, insightful writing fosters peer support, camaraderie and acquaints all involved with quality services, facilities, products and different methods of training.
The premise or principle of the sport of dressage is for each rider and coach to test out their horse's training in front of a judge (or series of five judges) for an evaluation. Inside this written test or spoken observation by the judges the rider receives feedback from a judge who states, ‘Here is where you stand today at this moment in your horse's training and here is your score.’ It’s a process for continuance. Where we can go wrong as a dressage community is in our thinking that the judge uses the evaluation as a means for weeding out. That mindset only builds all sorts speedbumps in missing out on a positve progression.
What does that have to do with sharing your lives with the public and article writing? Well, everything. We need to learn from one another. The judges, the riders, the coaches need to share with the greater society for the common good of our entire sport. An excellent article doesn’t just state the horse and rider’s score, but the current goals for that horse, what the judges confirmed for the rider and possibly what the judges pointed out for them to improve. With so many details to choose, a good article includes the inner workings, the details, the timing associated with a horses strength, biomechanics and its current confidence level. Readers want to read about the rider and coach thought process, on the evaluation of training of their horse, and what might be ahead in its training.
Beatrice "Trixie" Marienau and Stefano 8 Photo: Dressage Headlines
An athlete might wonder if a public relations article about oneself seems like bragging. Rather, it is marketing. It is also teaching. It really all depends on the quality and appeal of the composition, and how it evokes interest and caring. Dressage is a horse sport that takes a lifetime to master and we are all in the same boat, learning new details and aspects each and every day. We need to share our knowledge and experiences.
An effective article can increase event attendance, endear readers to coaches, riders, owners, horses, to their countries of origin and to histories of learning, all of which bond and strengthen the worldwide Dressage community.
Each article must convey the pursuits in good clear writing. Although it is enticing to perhaps write one's own article, there is a difference in the quality between a citizen journalist and a professional journalist. A professional journalist is in service of their clients to spend their workdays in front of a computer writing articles, researching ways to better the sport and encourage readers with something valuable from the dressage professionals.
Data and the Evolving Media
Journalism and marketing are changing. As a photojournalist, I have learned a great deal over the years about successful public relations and its evolving trends.
First, Mondays are important. Verifiable data and news source analytics indicate that the highest number of views and reads occur on Mondays. The data points out that up to a third more reads of articles take place on Mondays, more than any other day of the week.
Steffen Peters and Rosemunde Photo: Dressage Headlines
Second, the largest numbers of reads are about athletes readers know. From a Steffen Peters article I developed with him and posted online, I amassed over 10,000 reads during the first 24 hours alone, a total of 20,000 more throughout that month and many more ongoing.
Third, as I briefly mentioned above, readers are interested in learning. Regardless if an article is about a top athlete, an up-and-coming athlete, the methods used to train and communicate with a horse, or the biomechanics of a horse, the readers want to be informed and understand different training systems, the successes and mistakes learned, how a rider and horse work together and even about the often confusing rule requirements and details.
And the fourth, which is essential and crucial, is the written quality of an article and the quality of the photos. A high quality writer will not only give the text a sense of flow, it will also cultivate interest and a pleasant reaction.
Why You Should Work with a Journalist and PR
The effort and time needed to devote to this sport is plentiful and can be daunting some days. It can take a rider five years or 1,825 days to develop a good Grand Prix horse. Even the contented person happily engaged in their daily work may question “Where are the journalists? Why don’t they want my story?” Rest assured, dedicated journalists are interested; we do want your story. That’s also how we make our living.
Since many equine product advertisers are trying to save their dollars by using internal internet platforms and websites to promote their products and services, they don’t want the high expenses associated with print or web advertising, anymore. Even though their need for favorable promotion to attract sales, recognition and distinction remains a constant, riders, coaches and owners have to step up and pay for their own advertising, their own marketing. Online or print PR articles are the answer.
So, how do you help educate for the betterment of our sport? You engage a first-rate writer to share your story that includes a little bit of teaching from your system of training. We need to work together to promote our sport and to help youth riders and all riders coming up the levels. We need to build bridges with one another.
One top rider’s concern is that our sport will grow and evolve into a PR campaign competition. It's not necessary to overdo it, one, two or three well constructed articles a year will suffice.
Riders, horses, breeders, farm owners, trainers, coaches, veterinarians, farriers, and product and other service providers understand that well-structured publicity will improve awareness, stimulate curiosity, increase recognition and reach out to the up-and-coming.
The good news is our sport is growing. Athletes are receiving better scores on the international stage and big sponsors are stepping up for the Florida winter season in the United States and beyond. My responsibility as a public relations journalist and show coverage journalist is writing to readers, reaching to them and helping them learn. We all need to do our part. So, hire a writer (a photo-journalist) for a couple of articles a year. It will, indeed, make a difference.
She may not be hitting the road for four days, but it’s still been a long haul to the Finals for Marge Savage of Jacksonville Beach, FL. As she prepares to travel 12 hours from the Atlantic coast to Kentucky for her very first US Dressage Finals experience, it’s a trip Savage wasn’t sure she’d ever get to make. “From the minute USDF announced they were creating the Finals, I thought it was a great idea,” she explained. “It’s always been a goal for me, and several of my friends have been (some of them every single year), and they loved it. I think it’s the top event that adult amateurs like me can reach for.”
