The Social Angle: With Francis Graffard, Trainer

More and more businesses in the thoroughbred industry are using social media to strengthen their brand and reach out to current and potential customers and clients. Chantilly-based trainer Francis Graffard shares his strategies for social media marketing.

TDN: What are the benefits of social media marketing for businesses in the Thoroughbred industry?

FG: Social media has different benefits, depending which channel you are using. Twitter is great for brief news items that can reach a more international audience, while we find Facebook a great 'fan' platform. Facebook is as much of a community for our employees and followers as it is a marketing tool, so we try and engage with that community a bit more.

TDN: What social channels do you prefer, and what type of content do you post on each platform?

FG: We're most active on Twitter and Facebook, and a little bit on Instagram. We tend to post a lot of the same content on Twitter and Facebook, but use English for Twitter and French for Facebook and obviously try to tell a bit more of a story with Facebook.

   We post new content when we have something to say, usually results or news. We don't have any rules. In the winter, when the racing is a bit quieter, we try and post a few behind the scenes pictures and take advantage of the beauty of Chantilly at all times of the year.

TDN: Do you look at other organisations, inside or outside the Thoroughbred world, for inspiration?

FG: When we started, not really. We just came up with a vague plan to be present and tell our story, but now we do try and get ideas from outside the industry, just to freshen up what we're doing.

   We don't have a marketing team or budget and I don't know many trainers in Europe who have the margins to incorporate that into their business so any ideas tend to be ones that we pick up on the fly. Video content is definitely becoming more popular so we'll try to put more of that in going forward.

TDN: Can you convert social media followers into customers?

FG: It certainly was a help when I set up a racing syndicate earlier this year. I think people looking to get involved in racing in a small way, such as via a syndicate or club, are more comfortable with someone who they feel they've gotten to know through social media.

TDN: Do you have any general tips for other businesses in the industry who are planning to start using social media?

FG: Just be yourself and be authentic. People are looking for authenticity and positivity. Don't underestimate how much people love horses and just love to experience the day-to-day life of a racehorse via social media.

TDN: What are the biggest mistakes to avoid making?

FG: Never post in a language that isn't your own unless you've had a native speaker proof-read it! Be open and honest but remember it's a professional tool. People want to get to know you, so be authentic, but professional at the same time, don't try and create a persona that doesn't exist. Keep grammatical and spelling errors to a minimum as they can look very sloppy.

TDN: Going forward, what social media trends are you looking forward to?

FG: I love that on social media you can watch a whole race–that's got to be a great benefit of our sport, the whole event can be easily shared and used to engage the audience.