Les Robertson
Guru of Steel
I posted this in the thread about the Blade 2010.
I thought it might actually be more appropriate here:
I have been setting up at shows for almost 25 years.
One constant truth through those hundreds of shows has been:
Some makers will sell out
Some makers will do ok
Some makers will sell nothing.
The other truth is that most of the makers who sell little or nothing will look for an excuse other than themselves.
Could the Blade Show been run better last year. Yes.
The biggest complaint seemed/seems to be that the names of the table holders did not make it to print or the wrong name was put on the advertising.
This happened to me. I was listed initially by my corporation name. I then pointed out to the staff that the contract shows Robertson's Custom Cutlery. Yes, it took 2 emails to get this right. Lesson...Follow up...Follow up...Follow up.
The bigger question should be...why are you counting on the Blade Show to do your advertising for you? Yes, your name should be on the list...that is a given.
However, what are else are you doing to let people know you are setting up and where you are going to be?
If you aren't sending out invites, emails, making phone calls, etc. The question is why not? If you are, did you find what you did was enough or do you need to do more?
The Blade Show is no longer a knife show...it is now an event. To the point that many people go...just to go. Many will spend their "knife" money just to get there.
The bigger reality for all knife shows is a combination of 3 things.
1) The economy. While many report brisk sales...others have definitely seen a slow down in sales and maybe even more telling orders.
2) Cost of travel and actual and/or perceived lack of security when flying.
3) The Internet.
I had the worst Blade Show I had ever had in 18 years of setting up at the show.
After the show I sat at my desk and made notes from the show. What I found out was that the 3 days prior to the show I sold almost 5 times as many knives from Internet sales than I did at the show.
I started talking to collectors about why they purchased before the show.
Almost all of them gave me the answer that the economy has made them re-think how they spend their knife money. Most told me that the show cost them $400 - $900 to attend. Combined with the security issue for their purchases at shows when flying back. They decided to take there show expenses and buy knives off the Internet.
This explained why I had an exceptional pre-Blade sales flurry and a very slow weekend at the show.
The main reason why so many makers have poor Blade show is that their knives are overpriced.
These makers do not know their position in the market. Consequently their pricing is based more on what a fellow knife maker told them or what they saw another knife maker asking for their knives.
Next is that makers don't have a plan for the show. That is to say they are not taking the "pulse" of the market. Consequently they bring what they think will sell...not what the market is telling them what customers will buy.
Next are the group of makers who complain the most and have the most excuses as to why their knives didn't sell...These are the makers who "Make what they want". They are generally easy to spot. Poor designs, poor execution, miss-matched handle and guard materials, over priced etc.
The Blade Show is without a doubt the most competitive show in the world. My comment is based solely on the amount of custom knives that are available at the show. So you had better bring your "A" game if you want to be successful.
Back to my point. Take the responsibility of letting people know you are attending the show and what your table number is out of the hands of Blade. Put it where it belongs...in your hands.
Remember, every thing you do Good, Bad or Indifferent is your "fault" (Responsibility).
I thought it might actually be more appropriate here:
I have been setting up at shows for almost 25 years.
One constant truth through those hundreds of shows has been:
Some makers will sell out
Some makers will do ok
Some makers will sell nothing.
The other truth is that most of the makers who sell little or nothing will look for an excuse other than themselves.
Could the Blade Show been run better last year. Yes.
The biggest complaint seemed/seems to be that the names of the table holders did not make it to print or the wrong name was put on the advertising.
This happened to me. I was listed initially by my corporation name. I then pointed out to the staff that the contract shows Robertson's Custom Cutlery. Yes, it took 2 emails to get this right. Lesson...Follow up...Follow up...Follow up.
The bigger question should be...why are you counting on the Blade Show to do your advertising for you? Yes, your name should be on the list...that is a given.
However, what are else are you doing to let people know you are setting up and where you are going to be?
If you aren't sending out invites, emails, making phone calls, etc. The question is why not? If you are, did you find what you did was enough or do you need to do more?
The Blade Show is no longer a knife show...it is now an event. To the point that many people go...just to go. Many will spend their "knife" money just to get there.
The bigger reality for all knife shows is a combination of 3 things.
1) The economy. While many report brisk sales...others have definitely seen a slow down in sales and maybe even more telling orders.
2) Cost of travel and actual and/or perceived lack of security when flying.
3) The Internet.
I had the worst Blade Show I had ever had in 18 years of setting up at the show.
After the show I sat at my desk and made notes from the show. What I found out was that the 3 days prior to the show I sold almost 5 times as many knives from Internet sales than I did at the show.
I started talking to collectors about why they purchased before the show.
Almost all of them gave me the answer that the economy has made them re-think how they spend their knife money. Most told me that the show cost them $400 - $900 to attend. Combined with the security issue for their purchases at shows when flying back. They decided to take there show expenses and buy knives off the Internet.
This explained why I had an exceptional pre-Blade sales flurry and a very slow weekend at the show.
The main reason why so many makers have poor Blade show is that their knives are overpriced.
These makers do not know their position in the market. Consequently their pricing is based more on what a fellow knife maker told them or what they saw another knife maker asking for their knives.
Next is that makers don't have a plan for the show. That is to say they are not taking the "pulse" of the market. Consequently they bring what they think will sell...not what the market is telling them what customers will buy.
Next are the group of makers who complain the most and have the most excuses as to why their knives didn't sell...These are the makers who "Make what they want". They are generally easy to spot. Poor designs, poor execution, miss-matched handle and guard materials, over priced etc.
The Blade Show is without a doubt the most competitive show in the world. My comment is based solely on the amount of custom knives that are available at the show. So you had better bring your "A" game if you want to be successful.
Back to my point. Take the responsibility of letting people know you are attending the show and what your table number is out of the hands of Blade. Put it where it belongs...in your hands.
Remember, every thing you do Good, Bad or Indifferent is your "fault" (Responsibility).