Founded in 1968, Longhorn Saddlery & Western Wear has grown from a local western apparel shop into the largest family-owned western store in the Tri-State area. Proudly serving Dubuque, Iowa, the store offers everything from hat shaping and boot stretching to leather repair services. Owner Travis Bettcher first partnered with AMP in 2017 with a Get Seen Virtually™ Interior Tour, later updating their tour in August 2024.
Building on the success of the updated imagery, Longhorn Saddlery & Western Wear expanded its digital market efforts in May 2025 by adding CloseBy® Text Marketing and OPTIMA™. Travis wanted to strengthen the store’s visibility in online search results while continuing to grow the business and better serve the community.
Since implementing OPTIMA™, the store has seen impressive online engagement. They have generated 8,890 website views, 1,278 phone calls through Google and their website, and 2,023 clicks for directions. This surge in online activity has strengthened the store’s online visibility, making it easier for local shoppers to find and choose their business. They now stand as the only store appearing in search results for Western Apparel Store in Dubuque!
The store has also experienced strong success with CloseBy® Text Marketing. With the help of his wife, Taylor, and their employees, Travis has grown the store’s text subscriber list to 233 members. The team uses text marketing to share exclusive discounts with loyal customers, boost sales, and empower employees to think more strategically when engaging with shoppers.
One recent experience highlighted the impact of the program. While shopping for jeans, a customer found three pairs she loved, including one premium pair priced at $160 while the others ranged from $40 to $60. After employees mentioned the exclusive 25% off text club discount available for the higher-priced pair, the customer decided to purchase all three. She felt the savings on the premium pair helped offset the cost of the additional jeans, leaving happy with her purchases while increasing sales for the store.
For Travis, experiences like these reinforce the value these marketing tools bring to the business.
“The CloseBy® Text Marketing program has truly helped us increase sales. In today’s economy, many customers come in planning to buy just one item or look to see what they can afford that is within their budget. But when our staff mentions the text program and the 25% off one item offer, it motivates them to make a purchase—and often buy more than they originally planned.
Every time we send out a text message, we see customers coming in almost immediately and using the cashier code. It’s an easy way for us to track what’s working and what’s not—and the text program always works.”
Through AMP’s marketing solutions, Travis and his team have strengthened both their online presence and customer relationships. By combining strong digital visibility with direct customer engagement, Longhorn Saddlery & Western Wear continues to stand out as a leader in western wear throughout the Dubuque area.
