EQUIVONT: Going the Distance to Help Equestrian Businesses Win at Digital
The inaugural Equestrian Businesswomen Summit hosted many incredible businesswomen from all over the country. The Tech Equestrian met with co-founders of Equivont, Jessica DiCostanzo and Jaclyn Dunt to learn more about their goals of transforming the way equestrians shop and interact with the industry. Both Jessica and Jaclyn are competitors in the eventing and hunter/jumper worlds, respectively.
“We created Equivont out of pure need,” stated Jessica. “I was planning to move to Florida and I was trying to find stables in the Tampa area, but the online research resulted in outdated and inaccurate information.” This frustration led to the idea to form a company that provides equine businesses with the tools and insights needed to have an online presence necessary to compete in the evolving online-shopping and ecommerce world.
Launched in August 2018, Equivont.com is designed to make it easy for equestrian consumers to find products and services online. “Did you know that only about 30% of equestrian businesses actually have a website?” cited Jessica. Equestrian businesses now have the opportunity to offer an informative and up-to-date website and Equivont profile powered by effective digital marketing strategies.
Discover. Shop. Ride.
Equivont is a platform tailored for equestrians to discover reputable services and shop quality products. Ride knowing the best professionals and products are available resources. Equivont offers a wide variety of listings for equestrians, like a comprehensive directory of services, equestrian products from around the world, and an easy to use search engine for sale horses. It makes good horse sense to pull together these three top service categories under one digital roof. “We partner with smaller companies that are up and coming brands. For instance, we just started working with Annie Heise, CEO of Two Bits Equestrian, who sells organic and fair-traded equestrian inspired clothing. We are pleased to help people discover new brands through our site,” said Jessica.
The homepage of Equivont features clear navigation to help you find what you are looking for.
Equivont Clientele
“We have four types of businesses on the site,” pointed out Jessica, “They include equine service providers (farriers, trainers, photographers, chiropractors, and much more), equine retailers, horse show managers, and of course, equestrian consumers – everyone from parents of child-riders to Olympic athletes,” she added. Equivont acts as your digital agency to set up Google shopping ads, create content and websites to help you get your brand front and center for the discerning equestrian.
You can find Equivont and their Designer Showcase trailer (a converted horse trailer where you can browse products from their site) at some of the top west coast events this show season.
Become Part of the Online Community
“We’ve made it not only easy for people to shop, but for providers to advertise on our site by offering a flat rate for membership based on budget and goals,” said Jessica. To be listed in the directory, the price is $20 per month. For the marketplace, it is $50 per month. There are additional options for businesses with regional sales reps or locations, and a corporate membership for $200 per month. “We offer our clients profiles, individual listings for services/products, ad performance analytics, and promote their business on social media platforms.”
What’s New, What’s Next
Keep an eye out for their quarterly designer showcase events! Partners are invited to mix and mingle at the Equivont Event Trailer with competitors and spectators – snacks, refreshments and music are supplied by the Equivont team. Equivont is currently rolling out a brand ambassador/influencer program to help their clients increase mindshare and ultimately sales of their products and/or services. Additionally, they’ve got ratings & reviews of businesses and an app on the the roadmap. “It’s going to be a very busy and exciting year for us,” explained Jessica.
Bridging the Gap
”I think we are at the tip of the iceberg, acknowledging the gap that exists when it comes to the consumer world, and we are leading the equestrian world as it relates to technology adoption,” said Jessica. “I’m confident that our company will help bridge the gap and enhance the overall shopping and search experience for equestrians of all ages,” Jessica said proudly.