BUSINESS FEATURE

from Equestrian Life SA November 2020

CANINE FEATURE

EMAIL Marketing

CONTENT CREDIT: GODADDY SOUTH AFRICA

Is it still effective in a Social Media era?

A recent report by McKinsey reported that people spend an average of 13 hours per week in their inbox which means we’re inclined to say yes… a professional email marketing strategy is a critical part of your marketing artillery and your day-to-day communications activities.

Atargeted email campaign can be a highly effective tool for marketers – it places relevant information directly into the inbox of an audience who are open to receiving the information and are likely to heed the call to action. It is NOT the same as collecting as many email addresses as possible and sending a generic email to the entire database with a “spray and pray” mentality, hoping some of the thousands of recipients might respond positively.

There are 10 main benefits of professional email for businesses:

1. Keeps customers in the loop by providing regular updates on relevant topics. 2. Builds trust by teaching custom ers something new about the business every time you correspond. 3. Develops stronger relationships by making doing business with you a personal experience 4. Attracts more website visitors by piquing attention and providing a call to action to obtain more information via the website. 5. Provides a consistent form of communication and one which customers can save to refer back to in need. 6. Encourages helpful feedback. 7. Generates leads, leads and more leads. A carefully crafted email marketing program is an excellent sales lead generator. 8. Keeps customers coming back for more. Once leads have been converted into customers, the key to sustainably growing the business is to provide enough incentives for customers to return, which regular email mark eting can achieve. 9. Provides an ideal platform for storytelling. Content comes in different styles such as product reviews and educational blog posts, however, one of the most effective content strategies for businesses is called storytelling, and professional emails are the best platform for telling your story. These can include case studies and testimonials. 10.Increases brand awareness.

Email marketing is an important tool for tying all your digital marketing strategies together. Your email footers (if sent from bulk email service providers) has a prepopulated footer with social media icons, enabling readers to link directly to your social media pages. Email is also the perfect tool for promoting your blog posts, podcasts, tips, tutorials, videos, infographics, webinar or event invitations and other content.

How to use Email Marketing to drive better engagement

1. Optimise for Mobile

Most automated email service providers will automatically optimize the layout depending on whether the reader views on desktop, tablet or smartphone.

2. Automate

Modern email service providers enable you to automate the tasks which may seem mundane but add significant value to customer relationships, such as birthday, anniversary or welcome emails.

3. Provide Value

Email marketing should be used responsibly, putting customer needs first. It should also set the tone, so communicate in a way which reflects your brand personality. Refrain from always trying to sell, rather provide valuable, useful information through story telling.

4. Repurpose Other Content

Content creation can be time consuming and expensive if you’re reliant on freelancers for copywriting. Repurpose content, with some tweaks, where possible and get creative with social integration.

5. Strengthen your Call to Action

The call to action is probably the most important part of your email. As your prospect scans your email you have the opportunity to convert their attention into action. Decide what you want customers to do once they’ve read your email and decide on the value proposition before crafting your subject line and key elements to reflect it.

6. Measure & Optimise

Your email marketing tool should provide you with statistics in terms of how many emails were delivered, opened and the call-to-action heeded. You can run two different email campaigns concurrently to see which content or imagery was most effective. Use the statistics received to optimize your email campaigns. One critical aspect to remember about email marketing is that it is a permission-based marketing platform which requires recipient to opt-in to receive communication. The Protection of Personal Information (POPI) bill sets conditions for responsible data management and requires marketers to provide recipients with the option to unsubscribe should they no longer wish to receive correspondence. More details can be found at: www.popia.co.za

DISCOVER the Discipline of Vaulting (Part 2)

In the October issue we covered the basics on when vaulting began in South Africa and a brief overview of how the sport works. This month, contributor Georgie Roberts, delves a little further into the discipline and provide a whole lot of good reasons to consider getting involved.

GEORGIE ROBERTS (THE OFF SIDE)

The present name Vaulting [voleting] is derived from the French “la voltige,” which it acquired during the Renaissance when it was a form of riding drill and agility exercise for cavalry soldiers. Modern vaulting developed in post-war Germany as an initiative to introduce children to equestrian sports, and as such many famous German equestrians like Ingrid Klimke and Michael Jung most likely have roots in this discipline. In Europe it is a standard way to begin riding careers affordably, socially, and to learn essential skills in a controlled environment before becoming disciple specific.

Great Reasons To Support / Start Vaulting in SA

“Kids need freedom to choose their own path in life. I want to show them everything about horses, so they can be exposed to something they would normally never know about. This is how we let their talents shine through. This is how we let them grow.”

- Enos Mafokate, the champion of the Soweto Riding School

Vaulting offers a rare opportunity to transform the equestrian community, based largely on two key elements: it is more affordable, and more accessible. A team only requires one horse, as opposed to any other discipline which requires one horse per rider. Because of this we see vaulting being our most transformative FEI equestrian discipline in South Africa, with vaulters from disadvantaged backgrounds not only being able to share in the joy of horses, but potentially secure themselves a spot in an international team - this has happened in 2010 (WEG), 2014 (WEG) and 2017 (FEI Vaulting World Championship for Juniors) - something that our admittedly elitist sport is woefully behind at facilitating. VASA’s vision for transformation is a long term one, which has seen them actively encouraging, coaching, and now qualifying black learner judges to join the panel.

This is not only good for the sport, but it is good for our country. It is good for our children to embrace diversity, have access to multiple sporting avenues, and see possible sporting and career paths that are both inclusive and legitimate.

On a physical level, even basic vaulting at the walk is excellent for even tiny children, as the dynamic motion of the horse activates the rider’s core in three dimensions - up and down, back and forward, left and right. This is unlike any other sport, and it does this whether you want to or not!

A Horse, A Horse, My Trampoline For A Vaulting Horse

Vaulting horses usually belong to a club where people go to train, and members either share the cost or contribute with training fees. Smaller ponies are used to introduce children, and large warmbloods compete under teams. They can be any breed but need to have several important attributes, namely: • excellent temperament (as they are required to be an equine jungle gym) • good quality paces (not too bouncy, not too flat, steady rhythm) • ideally have a long broad back to accommodate enthusiastic acrobatics!

No previous riding or gymnastics experience is required to try vaulting or to experience our exciting sport. VASA is prepared to facilitate classes for all levels of vaulting, from beginners to competitive World Champions!

To begin vaulting training will be a combination of moves on a calm, educated horse with the amazing vaulting “handles” available as your emergency seatbelt (eventually these are employed for handstands and flick flacky things) while you become familiar with the movement. Anything involving movement is known as dynamic movements.

Training sessions progress as per individual, and new moves are introduced on the stationary barrel for intensive input and assistance from the coach, where they can train immobile movements - or static movements - without momentum or mobility at first. The barrel helps to build strength and muscle memory and allow the coach to make posture corrections in a very safe, very fun, and very easy environment! Personally, I love the barrel, because you can build one for the kids in the garden and it DOESN’T EAT and DOESN’T NEED A VET. EVER. Win.

No helmets?

While helmets are an ABSOLUTE MUST for equestrians, vaulters do not wear them - why? The simple answer is that helmets do not aid in the safety of vaulters, but by unbalancing and restricting them they rather increase the risk of injury in this discipline. The consensus is clear across the board amongst all vaulting experts worldwide, coaches, competitors, medical professionals well versed in vaulting: • Vaulting has the best safety record by far of any equestrian discipline. • This is primarily due to teaching safety of falling and dismount ing from the horse as a funda mental part of vaulting training from the beginning. • The footing vaulters land on is typically soft, offering added protection. • Current helmets are restrictive as they are too thick to safe ly allow a forward or backward roll on proper footing, prevent ing vaulters from safely imple menting this proven safety manoeuvre upon “bailout” dis mounts - they could get jammed and cause severe neck injury. Straps pose a serious safety hazard, potentially getting caught on equipment or other vaulters - disastrous in a fall or dismount. Helmets limit the scope of vision even when fitted perfectly, and are not snug enough to stay completely still, blocking a vault er’s ability to judge distance. Helmets prevent vaulters from performing most of the exercis es and transitions as they limit motion and mobility. Helmets disturb the refined balance of vaulters (and any gymnasts) when performing any dynamic exercises, and espe cially anything involving rota tional momentum (such as a flip or spin).

The jury is in on this one, and this one alone: in vaulting, if you want to keep your head, lose the hat! Not to mention it makes the sport even MORE affordable, and you can spend the extra bucks on excellent costumes.

For more information or to schedule a fun day anywhere in SA, please contact our fresh and fantastic VASA President, Janine Turner, for assistance: president@vaultingsa.co.za or visit www.vaultingsa.co.za

GAUTENG VAULTING Michelle Blaauw president@gautengvaulting.co.za

KZN VAULTING Glyniss Braum Glynis.Braum@gmail.com

WESTERN CAPE VAULTING Jacqui Tacknis task@iafrica.com

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