Contract rights with visiting photographers / videographers. If you’re exchanging a ride for content make sure you don’t get caught up in red tape down the line. Have them sign off that you have full worldwide rights to the content and can provide it to your agents and third parties to use to promote your business. I’ve seen so many photographers hogtie content after they’ve had their ride, try to resell it, limit edits and generally make it hard to share. Remember you have something of value that you gave in good faith and it’s ok to ask them to agree to terms that allow you to promote the ride. Contracts are not coercion, they provide clarity. Make sure you get it in writing before they arrive.
Categorise content. When you get 2000 photos from one ride the content can feel overwhelming. Classify each by ride and date and you might want to categorise it by location too or by day / accommodation / horses / tack / camp etc. This helps agents put together posts and helps you create focus points for your social posts. Save everything on a google drive and email your agents every time it’s updated.
Share content widely and often. Every day ideally. Make this part of your routine. Every share is an opportunity for someone to find you or to understand and trust you enough to book with you.
Speak to my followers like friends. This is a holiday not a career, be yourself, be open. People want to know if you’re their type of person. Don’t use corporate jargon. If you would feel weird talking to a friend this way change your copy to be more personal.
Show behind the scenes. Show the work required for the safari. It’s helps people understand the price tag. Its a load of work to prepare and keep all these horses and staff and it takes a special kind of person to pull it off. It’s fascinating to see how it all works.
Only show content I like: no bad riding, and no guests you didn’t enjoy. Attract your ideal client by showing what you want more of. I see so much terrible riding in safari’s own posts. Leave that on the cutting room floor and show the high moments.
Don’t set up content: If you don’t swim on the horses and you don’t canter that much don’t set up shots that show this. You’ll only disappoint your guests. Show real shots from trails.
Don’t game your followers. Don’t spam people with engagement tricks, random polls, trick them into clicking on new reels. Be authentic and build trust with them.
Avoid give-aways, awards, and accreditations you pay for. It’s a waste of time. Build authority, don’t buy it. There are a couple of rides that love sharing bogus awards they’ve paid for and from personal experience I can say - RUN from those rides and don’t be one of them.
Send out brochures that can be shared easily. You want people far and wide to know of your ride so make it as easy for people to share your content as possible. Give them as much information as you can at once so they any barrier to them saying yes is gone. Be clear on price, comfort, starting point, packing list, weather, riding time - everything. Informed people are ready to make good decisions.
Delegate. Decide if agents are for you and then outsource marketing to them. That’s what you’re paying for. If you don’t have the patience to do all the above then working with an agent should be a relief. Commission great photos and pass them onto your agents and let them do the rest so you can focus on the horses.