Hello I am currently attending a Ferrier science program and am thinking about the near future. I plan on using my new found knowledge as a source of secondary income. My question to you is how I get my name out there. Short of placing fliers in every vet shop, feed store, barbers shop, and sale barn. I did some research and found that most business comes in from clients telling friends. Feels like getting credit. Can’t get credit without credit. So how do I get credit? Also what should I expect from currant ferriers in the area? Is there some kind of discouragement because I may be stealing clients? I guess I’m asking what I should expect. What should be my focus? Other than doing a good job while under the horse. Cuz that seems to be the easy part about this business. thank you for your time. mike Galik

I am sorry but you might want to learn how to spell the word correctly.....It is FARRIER, not Ferrier?

wow got it!!! hostility huh?

Gary Hill wrote:
You beat me to it I was going to say the same thing.

As a Ferrier your work is really the only Thing that is going to Talk.
Horse owners are really the Best People they seem to Talk about their farriers to each other.

michaelgalik wrote:
Do you think it hostile to point out the spelling of the profession to someone asking how to promote them self? I would think it is important, if your goal is to appear knowledgeable to potential clients. Perhaps you are English, where "ferrier" is the correct spelling. In the US, the correct spelling is farrier.

Hi Micheal, where are you going for a farrier science program? When you're ready the business will come. Just out of farrier science school you're probably gonna have a tough time with it.

Do you have friends with horses? Sometimes they will try you out because it may also mean getting a good deal if your prices are at the starting level...aka., slightly less than what they are already paying. Once you start shoeing for them, they tell their friends and so on and so forth. It's the ripple affect like tossing a pebble into a pond...the ripples go out from where the pebble hit the water.

I'd also suggest searching old threads in here because I know this has been discussed before...loads of helpful do's and don'ts when it comes to getting clients.

And don't feel too put upon about your spelling. I got something from the AFA the other day and in the title of the email, they spelled Toe as Tow but it was spelled correctly in the actual article.

michaelgalik wrote:
Sorry to hurt your feelings. Farriers get fired more than almost anyone else, because if you don't learn to kiss some clients donkey your gone in a heart beat not to mention, you will make mistakes...happens to everyone! If they say differant they haven't shod or trimmed many horses! Good Luck!:cool:

michaelgalik wrote:
Please note Mark Twain's quote at the bottom of this post. That said, if your statement above is your true attitude, you have much larger problems than spelling.

michaelgalik wrote:
The "easy part"???

You just found the focus you were looking for.

Cheers,
Mark

Bill Adams wrote:
Or, he's a lot better at this job than we are


Ronald Aalders

It seems we have all been wrong....

Definitions of ferrier on the Web:

- a ferryman
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ferrier
- a blacksmith; the person who shoes the horses
www.horsecentric.com/articles/horse-care/equine-anatomy.php

I always thought a ferrier made hats!

It urks me that spell check doesn't even know what a farrier is, has anyone else noticed that?

On a serious note though, if this is indeed a serious thread, I would highly recommend you write a business plan and give your 'focus' some serious thought. Those that fail to plan, plan to fail and all that. The title of this thread speaks volumes.

just like to point out , ferrier is french ,not english , so please do not make that mistake again it is very cutting LOL
chris

French, English- it is all essentially the same thing...My mistake!