Farriers often look for ways to boost a practice. An idea of improved efficiency can save you time and health. A business tip may help you keep more of your hard-earned money. Often, some ideas are simple and overlooked. The best source is other farriers who have picked them up along the way.

While at the 2015 International Hoof-Care Summit, Todd Allen of Vandergrift, Pa.; Matt Cooper of Cleveland, Texas; and David Nicholls of West Sussex, United Kingdom; shared their ideas for you to implement into your practice as soon as you get home. Each was allotted 1 minute for presenting each idea. Here are 25 of their suggestions:

1 Control the way you are contacted. “There are so many different ways of being contacted, make sure each client knows the best way to reach you,” says Nicholls. “I have a private phone and a work phone. You must maintain a separation between your work and private life. If you give clients the opportunity to text, email or add you on Facebook, you will spend the rest of your time looking at the little square box rather than having a personal life.”

2 Establish good relationships with the barn faculty. “One of the most valuable assets to hoof care is the folks at the barn,” says Allen. “They can deliver more insight than anyone out there. When we are there, once per week, month or whatever interval, show them respect. They have their routine, so stay out of their way and work with them. They can say one thing about that horse’s behavior in the stall that will help you out. Respect everyone and maintain a good rapport with them.”

3 Revisit your marketing plan. “Many people in business start out with a marketing plan, but never revisit it,” says Nicholls. “At the end of every year, I find it useful to see where I am at. If you are a start-up, consider doing this at 6-month intervals. Your business and needs will change over time, so continually build something you can focus on.

“I also like to review each client at this time and determine the percentages of profit each provides me.”

4 They shouldn’t know that you were there. “You must clean up after yourself,” says Cooper. “This is pride in your work. If you work with a helper, this is a great job for them while you are writing invoices. One time I went to a barn, shod the horses and then turned them loose in the pasture. I received a phone call from the owner, who was angry that I didn’t do her horses. I told her that I did the horses, but the owner said there is no sign that I was there. I had been there, but cleaned up after myself.”

5 Educate your clients. “People have varied opinions about this. The client is a valuable team member. If you present the information in the right way, the client becomes an asset. They love that — they want to help. They don’t see it as an inconvenience.

“Remember one thing when you educate your clients: they may ask you, ‘What’s wrong with my horse?’ Maybe you reply that it could be a bruise or a fractured coffin bone. All that they will hear is that the coffin bone is fractured. Be careful what you say, and how you say it.”

6 Keep people around you informed what your requirements are. “I find that most disputes come from bad feelings created by a lack of understanding over your requirements as the farrier,” says Nicholls. “I live in wet, muddy country, and I have shown up at the barn to have someone hose the horse off. No farrier prefers to work with a wet, muddy horse. Explain how it is a miserable experience to work with and how it affects your work.

“Once I explain my requirements, I have found that many people bend over backward to address them. Don’t get upset or be reticent about the client, discuss this with them because it will work out much better for you.

7 Know when to work overtime. “This is a tough topic,” says Allen. “We want to believe that work won’t control our lives. But we are in a service business. If it is the end of a long, hot summer day and you are dragging, you have two choices at that last barn. Will you do that horse as well as you did that first horse of the day? If not, go home and come back the very next day.

“I have a policy that I treat my clients like I would want my wife and children to be treated by a farrier. Don’t be afraid to go that extra mile and be a superior service provider.”

8 Volunteer your time and skill. “Each of us has been given a gift,” says Cooper. “I believe we must share it. I volunteer my time with a therapeutic riding center that helps children with autism, primarily Asperger’s syndrome. It is a miracle to see how the horse transforms a person. Sure, time is money, but I spend 1 day each quarter doing it.

“Also, the people who work there own horses or know others who do. They will call you after they realize that you care enough to volunteer your time to help others.”

9 Don’t compromise your work. “We all get asked to do things or work in conditions that we are not comfortable with,” says Nicholls. “Be prepared to walk away. I think it is justified to explain this is unacceptable and then walk away. I’ve never lost any work as long as I was reasonable with people and explained to them why I can’t work in a particular situation. Does a dog continually get under the horse and upset it? Or is the environment too cold and all that they have to do is shut the barn door? It is perfectly reasonable to ask for this. Clients will appreciate that you have a dialogue with them to improve a poor situation.”

10 Spend money on your business. “Farriers tend to be thrifty individuals,” says Allen. “When it comes to the tools we use every day, invest money in a new tool. A particular tool can improve your business and make things go a little easier.”

11 Join a club. “The Optimists, Lions or chamber of commerce all give you great ways to network and learn about marketing,” says Cooper. “It isn’t only about connecting with potential horse owners. You’ll learn more about business and life itself.”

12 Learn shoemaking. “I came from a system of a 4 1/2-year apprenticeship,” says Nicholls. “Shoemaking was a big part of this. One thing it teaches you is to develop your hand-eye coordination. You’ll learn about making tools and how tools operate. You have to learn it to a high level. Most of us won’t be high-level competitors. But learning this trait will make you a more rounded craftsman and help you with your everyday work.”

13 There is more to your business than working on horses. “I know many horseshoers who get in the truck in the morning, then come home, park and they are done with the job,” says Allen. “We aren’t in a trade that allows you to do this. When it comes to tool maintenance or learning to shape shoes, take time to better yourself in this profession. Work smarter, not harder. Taking care of some things when you get home will help you the following day. This includes the business side of things.”

14 Build your team. “You have the farrier, veterinarian and the horse owner, but there is a different team you need to build,” says Cooper. “You need a doctor, an attorney, accountant and financial planner. Build that team for when you will need them later. Don’t try to build it as in the case of an emergency.

“The doctor is the most overlooked. Too many farriers put this off. I know a farrier who passed away in his 30s from a heart attack. He had never been to the doctor. Build this team while you can work with these people, rather than when someone else has to.”

15 Wear a collared shirt. “This is a bone of contention for me,” says Nicholls. “You don’t need to go out and shoe horses while wearing a suit. It is nice to be comfortable, but as far as the client is concerned, wearing a T-shirt or vest does not portray a professional appearance. You won’t stand out as a professional.

“It is as simple as wearing a polo shirt. It is comfortable to work in and has a collar. And don’t forget about your boots. We tend to wear them until they fall off our feet. I know we work in dirty conditions, but this doesn’t portray professionalism either. Take some polish to them once in a while.

“Carry a spare shirt. Changing your shirt on a hot, filthy day will make you feel better. Certainly if you are handling a veterinary referral or a new client, you want to look like a professional when you make a first impression.”

16 Stand behind your work. “In this business, things are going to happen,” says Allen. “If a client calls and says that the horse isn’t quite right, get your tail over there and learn about what the issue is. If the vet beats you there because both of you were called, you’ll likely end up in hot water.

“Assume responsibility for what you do. If you fail to, it could be detrimental to your client and your business. Show the client that you care and stand behind your work. Anything you do that results in a problem, accept it, be responsible and take it.”

17 Learn to say no. “Say no to the bad horses,” says Cooper. “Say no to the bad clients. Say no to those clients who don’t pay. There are too many good horses out there. There are too many other farriers who will do those bad horses. You are in danger of getting hurt.”

18 You are only as good as your last job. “Just as people judge you by what you look like and how clean your vehicle is, they also judge you by how the finished job looks or how sound the horse is,” says Nicholls. “They don’t care how many thousands of nails you’ve driven. Instead, they will remember — and tell everyone about — the one you made a mistake with.

“Try hard, do your best work and finish the job well, it makes it stand out. You’ll also get better clients from doing this.”

19 Drop it down a gear. “Many farriers focus on the speed they work,” says Allen. “This is very true of young people when they are learning to trim the foot. I call this being a speed demon.

“Some days we have to be at home by a certain time. Instead, don’t schedule that last horse of the day. Haste makes waste. Slow down, take more time to look at the feet and spend more time assessing, you may do a better job all around. Also, if you rush around the horse, it might react in a negative way. And this can cost you more time.”

20 Map your feet. “Everywhere we can go, we can use satellite navigation systems to help us,” says Nicholls. “Mapping feet is similar. You need measurements that you can qualify. The Equine Lameness Prevention Organization and Mark Caldwell have similar hoof mapping protocols. I recommend visiting with the organization or Mark to learn more about mapping. It will give you a quantifiable measurement to use on a daily basis. It will help with your trimming and shoe placement.”

21 Keep a positive attitude. “You are in control of your destiny,” says Allen. “Nobody wants to be around someone who is miserable. You may not be one, but people will perceive you as one.

“Come into the barns, and when clients ask you about your day, tell them that it is great. Every day is a good day in my world, it is just some days are better than others. Maybe the horse did something on a day that was going well. Don’t let that control you. Things could be worse. Remember, we get to shoe horses every day.”

22 Take the problem away. “Clients aren’t bothered by how you fix a problem — they simply want the problem to be taken away,” says Nicholls. “Age gives you experience, but you will still find things you don’t know about. What improves with age is you may know someone who has the answer to a particular problem.

“You must communicate with the client when you are uncertain and let them know you are getting advice from an expert. Bring that person in and take the problem away from the client. Cost may not be a concern for the client at this point. You will be left with a better relationship and held in greater esteem with the client by admitting you don’t know everything.”

23 Recognize the ones who bring you business. “Bring the doughnuts,” says Cooper. “There is a group of people that clients see more than farriers: those at the feed store. Take care of the people upfront who know your name. You don’t have to do this every day or week.

“If you show up with treats, they will light up. So when someone calls and asks for a farrier in the area, they will give the caller your name.”

24 Clear the clutter from your rig. “I’ve had an exercise I’ve experienced more than once in which I start with a big vehicle. And cut down increasingly with a smaller one,” says Nicholls. “There are tremendous savings by taking the rubbish out of your rig. These are all the things you carry around year after year but don’t use. Put a date stamp on everything. If you don’t use it within a year, toss it out of the vehicle. In my particular case, I’ve gained incredible savings by downsizing my vehicle size. The savings from purchasing and cost of operation will cover the payments on the new vehicle.”

25 Follow-up calls with clients. “When you work on a horse with issues, maybe what you try works, or maybe it doesn’t,” says Allen. “You still need to ask that the client call you in a week or 2 and inform you on how the horse is doing. You will then have that information if the horse didn’t respond as positive as you had hoped. The clients want you to care about their horses. This shows them that you do. Don’t be afraid to call the client to check. And call the vet if one is involved.”

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