Hi Kandace : )
Here are the answers to your questions.
<<
> 1. What is your experience and background with selling horses and/or
> producing videos? What is your company's proper name, and what is your
> title or role within the company? How did you get into the horse-broker
> and/or videography business?
>>
In 1992 we bought a small horse farm in NC in the midst of horse country. My
wife is an avid rider since childhood, involved in Hunters/Jumpers/Dressage.
During our time in NC we also opened a store front for my wife's watercolors
(www.endico.com) in a
small community a few miles from our small farm.
Once in that shop, we noted that all our brochures, handouts, and
testimonials that described our business did not come close to having the strong
impact of a short VHS video we had brought with us which showed our primary residence and
studio in Sugar Loaf, NY. We had prepared that video for our NC real estate
agent, to show them the quality and level of work we were looking to find in
a house.
The video was very rough indeed, yet it did a better job explaining just
exactly who we were and where we came from than did all the rest of our
materials combined—materials we had accumulated for years before expanding
to NC.
People would say, "You do what?! A combined
music/watercolor/studio/gallery! What do you mean by that?"
But a few seconds of the video and the response was, "Wow! Now I get it."
And sometimes they did.
Also during that time we noticed the large number of people coming from all
over the US, and other countries, to view sale horses for which they had
been provided only sketchy information. More often than not they would walk
away shaking their heads in disappointment.
Since I was deeply involved in composing and producing music, I knew a lot
about computers, production equipment, and organizing information. We set
out
to put together a system that expanded
my music studio into video (HDTV was
the target), combine it with a
searchable database, and provide the highest
quality information possible, along with unheard of services--saving both
Buyers and Sellers valuable time in the process of finding that perfect
match.
Equipoise® was born, and we spent the next few years traveling up and down
the East Coast, providing world class video production, sponsorship of major
show venues, international print ads, a 24/7 800 phone line with human
operators, along with follow-up phone calls to confirm all information
submitted, presentations to buyers, travel arrangements and more...all as
part of a service that received a mere 10% finders fee charged on successful
sales only. Presentations to Buyers began with a free overnight delivery of
the finest and most informative sales videos possible, which arrived in
pre-paid and addressed return packages.
The service was envisioned as a combination Google, eBay, and Amazon: except
very narrowly defined for Sale Horses and Buy Offers.
Of course all this happened years before there was such a thing as a Google,
eBay, or Amazon, so it was really hard to explain. It was even before the
Web, so that allowed Equipoise®
to become one of the first equine Internet sites. It is now a lot easier to
explain, but the original vision went significant steps beyond Google, eBay,
and Amazon combined, so it is still hard for people to understand. But it
seems obvious to me, and I am always shocked when people don't get it. In
any case, new technologies are arriving that will allow me a better chance
at explaining it. Also I am told the major sanctioning agencies are finally
talking about putting together an inter-sport database such as Equipoise®. That discussion will help.
However, the new stuff is not quite ready yet. I have always called
Equipoise® a "videobase," meaning it is more than just a database of videos,
but a base of information embodied in multi-media, text and personal
presentations. The tools to do this effectively online still do not exist,
so I am in some ways in the same place that I started. I see clearly how it
will be but am at a loss for words to describe it. Fortunately I am working
on showing how it can be done.
The Equipoise® web site is now capable of giving a
small glimpse of this
vision, and I am working every day to make it more clear.
<<
> 2. When should a horse owner contact a professional for help in buying or
> selling a horse? What advantages can you offer, i.e., screening horses to
be
> good matches, developing good relationships with reputable sellers, etc.?
>>
Anybody who is serious about finding the correct horse should contact a
professional as early in the process as possible. Unfortunately the horse
industry does not support the level of professionalism, oversight and
service as may be found in such industries as real estate, law, and medicine
etc. So people's choices are rather limited.
The Equipoise® site provides a great place to start. Just reviewing the
listings can give a broad overview of what exists in the market, what
information should be looked at, plus an understanding of what aspects of a
horse are considered important for competition. For those that know how to
use it, there is nothing better than Equipoise®. Everyone using it must give
thanks to the more than 2500 top professionals and amateur horse enthusiasts
who have helped me put it together.
<<
> 3. Is it fairly easy for someone to produce a good, basic sales video on
> their own, and then edit it on their VCR? Do you provide "after-market"
> editing of footage a client has already shot?
>>
Actually, it is hard to produce a great presentation video. Being truthful
to the horse is incredibly difficult when using the flashing lights of a
television screen or computer. Of course understanding elements of
performance is key. Knowing how to show those elements clearly and
succinctly is a specialty.
Truth and honesty must be the absolute bottom line. People have found the
Equipoise® Sale Horse Video Quick Tips helpful in doing this.
We previously provided editing and production assistance along with all the
services mentioned above. It was all done on spec, as we looked forward to
the day when production equipment would be inexpensive enough for general
use. Before we began Equipoise®, recordable CD machines were just being
introduced into the music industry. The first one in the US cost $80,000,
and that is not a misprint. By the time we started Equipoise®, a CD recorder
was down to about $5000.00. I recognized a trend.
Now even DVD equipment is relatively inexpensive, but the skills involved
remain significant. Just maintaining the information alone is daunting.
Currently the Equipoise® web site is the only service we provide. It is still
free, but its value and uniqueness should not be underestimated. Also the
way in which the site is about to be expanded will be impressive.
<<
>
> 4. How would a buyer or seller locate a good broker and/or videographer?
>
>>
The Equipoise® web site is the best place to start…not that I am partial.
In addition to the sale horse videotaping guide, there are links to copies
of pages from Jacqueline
Dwell's book: "Your First Horse: how to buy and care for your first horse."
Jacqueline has graciously allowed Equipoise® to include these excerpts on the
site.
I am feverishly working on updating the look and feel of the Equipoise® site,
coincidental with making the full database available online. Now that more people are
comfortable with web browsing, I can streamline functions by moving more of
the "how to" chatter into the background.
<<
> If you could get back to me with your answers by Monday, November 15, that
> would work well with my deadline. Please contact me with any questions or
> concerns. Thanks again!
>>
I'll also post my answers online; and after the article runs, if you allow,
I'll add your name and a mention of [************] in the manner of the
thank you letter from Practical Horseman at:
http://www.equipoise.com/contact.htm
Thank you for the opportunity to explain. I am always glad to answer
questions about the Equipoise® process.
Bob Fugett
Equipoise®
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