The Business of Knife Shows

Another point about sales,

my older brother is a remarkable salesman,

he's the kind of guy that could sell a refrigerator to an eskimo, which is a phrase he thinks is hilarious.

A real salesman wouldn't bother selling a refrigerator to an eskimo, there's no point

a real salesman is looking to get his client the best product at the best price possible, so they will come again.

it's like going down to Wal-Mart to buy a TV, the 18 year old kid in electronics is going to try to sell you the biggest most expensive TV he can.

compare that to going to a "real" home theater store, a true salesman there doesn't want to sell the most expensive TV possible, even though it would mean a bigger commission for him.

a true salesman wants to find the best possible TV for you, so you will go and tell ALL of your friends how awesome he is, so when you buy a new house in 5 years you come back to HIM for your new TV, so when your kids buy THEIR first house the come to HIM for a TV, and on and on and on


I started working with Les several months ago, since then I have referred several possible clients to Les' site for a knife, even though that means I "didn't make as much" for the knife. but that also means that every single one of those clients (NOT customers, a customer buys an item, a client is a relationship) KNOWS that I want them to have the best I can give.

if they can get the knife they want sooner by going through Les, I am more than happy to point them that way.

FYI - every single one of the clients who went on to buy the knife from Les, has ordered at least one knife since that transaction.
 
I have dealt with Les for over 10yrs off and on and I was always happy with the service and the knives. If I wasn't Les was quick to make it right.
 
HI Steven,

I like the concept of "Something Selling Its self". The truth is that is a flawed concept.

There is a reason that there is BILLIONS spent on advertising every year.

Kids who can't read can ride down the street in your car and call out:

McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, etc. Remember these children cannot read...but because of all the advertising they see...they know what these places are.

How about Coke and Pepsi. You can travel to most places around the world and most people know what these are.

Knife makers who post on forums, set up at shows, advertise in magazines and have websites are advertising. Just as you are doing right here.

So while yes, the knife should be able to sell itself...it cant. Perhaps the one exception would be the pre-qualified buyer who knows about the materials, construction method and price will be that very quick sale. Note...these Pre-qualified buyers have done their homework gaining their own level of "product knowledge". You may have talked with them at a previous show (Selling)...talked on the phone (Selling)...or answered an email (Selling). There by creating the pre-qualified buyer.

So you will have to explain your knives to the vast majority of the knives you sell. Which of course is "selling". Not all selling is like Billy Mays or that Shamwow/Slapchop guy.

I agree with all here that a maker can gain little talking bad about a competitors work. Oh, and every person at a show is your competitor. Of course you talk bad about a fellow maker without doing it (how Zen like).

The way to do this is to point out why you prefer particular materials such as Stainless Steel guards as opposed to brass.

This is done by saying something like, I prefer Stainless Steel over Brass as it is stronger and requires more work. I used to use brass X amount of years ago when I first started making knives. Generally this is a tip off that you should look at the knife very closely, as I know when I first started there were a lot of mistakes on those early knives. But brass was "CHEAP", very easy to use (which are two things BEGINNER KNIFE MAKERS LIKE). Perhaps the thing that collector hate the most about Brass it that it requires constant cleaning (as it will tarnish in 24 hours) and if you actually use it, it will nick up pretty easy. That is why you see brass on so many of the inexpensive custom knives.

You have not badmouthed any of your competitors. You have however taught a collector about "Brass" with regards to custom knives. While at the same time you explained why your knives cost more than others. That you have progressed from using less expensive and easier to work materials. You are now offering a custom knife that is a "Step" up and that you are no longer making the mistakes you used to.

That boys and girls is a "Sales Technique".

This should lead into more questions about your work. This allows you to continue "educating" the client about your work....SELLING.

A couple other things for collectors reading this to do. Ask the knife maker what kind of knife they carry. If they pull out a factory knife...you should consider not buying a knife from them.

That tells you they don't believe that custom knives are superior to factory knives...if they did they would be carrying one. This is especially true of folder makers. There is no excuse not to have one of your own knives in your pocket. You fixed blade makers...trade one of your knives or buy one.

Kinda like a Chevy salesman...driving a Ford. This tells me that they have not truly bought into the mind frame that they are selling a superior product. Or more to the point they lack "Product Knowledge".

I think being the "Subject Matter Expert" (which is what every maker should be with regards to their work) is what goes a long way to a knife selling itself.

An example would be Tony Bose. Is there a maker out there who would be considered to have more knowledge of the slipjoint/multi-blade folder genre?

I remember talking with Jay Sadow years ago (Original owner of Arizona Custom Knives) and he asked me "Why do you think I don't set up at shows". I replied because your knowledge of custom knives is a mile wide and an inch deep. I felt if he stood behind a table for a whole weekend at a show like the Blade Show, this limited knowledge of custom knives would be exposed.

Makers have to know about their work and how it is created...materials, techniques, machines, etc.

Dealers have to know all that...but have to be able to answer questions about 4,000 makers. Then compare and contrast 2,3,4,5 makers against each other...and know all the primary and after market prices. How you learn that is standing behind too many tables to remember and answer thousands of questions.

Now imagine as a dealer you carry both factory and custom knives! Wow you would have to know even more...which of course you don't. As it would be impossible to have a complete grasp of both factory and custom knives.

(DID YOU JUST NOTICE THE SALE TECHNIQUE?) :D

Subject Matter Expertise is one the keys to being good at sales.

Having a love for what you are doing is another.

Being able to have an infectious attitude about what you selling completes the top 3 things top sales people have.



Point well taken Les. I guess what I should have said in my previous post is that I don't believe in shoving my knife down a perspective buyer's throat. You are absolutely right about the whole educating thing being a sales technique. I believe and employ most if not all of the points you make. I continuously try to educate buyers in exactly the manner that you have pointed out.

When I said the knife will sell itself, I probably should have said, "after I have finished educating the customer on the reasons I do the work I do, and allowing them to feel a comfort with my personality and integrity, they will understand why they just can't live without one of my knives".

Even you Les, can not live without one of my knives. We just haven't spent enough time getting to know one another for me to educate you as to the reasons why!!! :) :) :) :)
 
Hi Steven;

Even you Les, can not live without one of my knives. We just haven't spent enough time getting to know one another for me to educate you as to the reasons why!!!

It's been almost a month...when did plan on starting my education?

Perhaps you felt it was incumbent upon me to seek out this information.

Interesting sales technique...tell the potential buyer they need more information...then don't follow up and provide that information. :D

Im just busting your chops. LOL
 
he's the kind of guy that could sell a refrigerator to an eskimo, which is a phrase he thinks is hilarious.

A real salesman wouldn't bother selling a refrigerator to an eskimo, there's no point

The town I live in is around 60% eskimo. They all have a fridge............and at least one freezer. I have a fridge and 2 freezers.
Talk to a person and learn what they need.......or want............then maybe you can sell them what you have!
 
Why's that, Mike?

For two years in a row sales have been off and attendance down. For two years in a row they have raised table fees to what is now one of the most expensive shows.

For whatever reason, people aren't coming like they used to. The aisles were never full this year. It costs me $1500 - $2000 to do the show and the return just isn't there. I saw very few knives leave the tables within sight of my table all weekend. There were empty tables this year and at least a dozen makers told me they would not have a table next year.

I am not blasting Blade or the show managment. I can't blame the poor attendance on them and they corrected a lot of the problems experience last year. I do think raising the table fee again was a really bad move at this particular time.

I love going to the show and seeing everybody. I had a good time again this year but from a business standpoint I can't justify it anymore.
 
I think the biggest change in the show is the addition of all the tables. I think it's up to 700 (?) and that is along way to spread all the cash and the crowd in the room.

I think the lotteries tie up a lot of money too. Some dont want to buy anything till the lottery they are waiting on, then if they dont get drawn, they end up not buying anything...

I hope that soon you get the phone call from someone that saw you at the show then walked off but now they want to buy it all! :)

I still look at shows as advertising.

Anyone else?
 
I had looked it as adertising too but this year I hardly even had anyone look. I think I passeed out fewer business cards than any show I have done. The following weekend I set up at a local gun show for $100 and had far more people look at my knives, engage in conversation and take a business card than I did at Blade.
 
Hi Les,

Yes, the show is "advertising". However, given the amount of tables in the room. The table holder needs to do some advertising of their own. Something as simple as putting the table number in your signature block is an excellent example of that.

The show has moved past a show and is now an event. Which means that there are people who are attending who really don't plan on buying anything...they just want to be there.

Every forum now has a table or booth which is great for forumites to meet and greet. But does nothing to promote sales at the tables. Not that the is the object of the exercise.

But this does bring people to the show...or at least into the pit.

I agree with your assessment of money being held till the drawings are over. Sometimes people have a "grail" knife and if they can't get that they will just keep the money until the opportunity presents itself.

For me the show was better than last year. However within 12 hours of the show ending I sold more knives off the Internet than at the show. Doubled that amount in less than 48 hours.

For me it doesn't matter when they sell...just as long as the knives sell! :D

I pointed out to Steve Shackelford in my review of the show (which he requested) that the show has grown too big. I based this on the fact that people were still getting tables in May and the amount of empty tables at the show.

I think they should cap it at 600 tables. To do this will probably take a couple years. As those who have several poor shows in a row will just drop their table. The table not filled will go towards downsizing the show to the 600 number.

The New York shows downsized over the last couple years...personally I feel this has helped sales at those shows.

The Blade Show is huge and filled with competition. Lots of makers selling what they want to make. Lots of makers selling overpriced knives (for what they are and their position in the market) and they having poor shows.

My understanding is that even Steve Johnson took a knife home. This is extremely interesting in and of itself...outside the show.

The Blade has been and will continue to be like every other show in one aspect.

Some makers will sell out

Some will do good

Some makers will do ok

Some won't sell a single knife.

No matter what category the maker is in...they are directly responsible for that.
 
From the perspective of a first time exhibitor.....

The show was great for me. A lot of guys stopped to handle my knives and talk and that was really cool for two reasons. One...because it's always cool to meet good people and two that it tells me that people are following my posts and website and are at least interested in seeing my stuff. I really feel that getting my knives in that many hands can only be good even if I had not sold most of them. I wondered if the expense of the show made sense due to the fact that I can't make as many knives as I need to anyway but I am glad that I did it and will be there again next year. I think for someone as new as I am to the whole deal that it is very good for bolstering long term staying power. If all that makes any sense.

Plus My family and I had a blast.




MO
 
I took 8 Knives and only brought one back with me,

which i think is pretty smokin good for a relatively unknown maker.

I also went to a lot of effort getting good quality pictures done and sent to my mailing list (you DO have a mailing list right??) and have done a decent bit to let people know where I was this year.

4 of the people who took home my knives said they had been checking out my website for a while.

you can't just stand at your table and expect customers to find you, gotta be proactive
 
I also went to a lot of effort getting good quality pictures done and sent to my mailing list (you DO have a mailing list right??) and have done a decent bit to let people know where I was this year.

I need to set up a mailing list, has anyone done a tutorial on that? I hate to admit it but I'm getting older and I can't keep up with technology. I agree about the photos, I'm making a couple knives right now just so I have something to send off to Coop.
 
Mailing list depends on how you want to do it old timer... ;)

I just make a "category" in my yahoo mail and add names to it. If I want to send out a mailer, I just put that "category" in the BCC (so you don't give everyone's info out) and send it. Easy cheesy... :)
 
GOOD Sales summed up

it's like going down to Wal-Mart to buy a TV, the 18 year old kid in electronics is going to try to sell you the biggest most expensive TV he can.

compare that to going to a "real" home theater store, a true salesman there doesn't want to sell the most expensive TV possible, even though it would mean a bigger commission for him.

a true salesman wants to find the best possible TV for you, so you will go and tell ALL of your friends how awesome he is, so when you buy a new house in 5 years you come back to HIM for your new TV, so when your kids buy THEIR first house the come to HIM for a TV, and on and on and on

Mr. Fowler has it dead on. I do a lot of sales outside the knife world and am always amazed at how many companies and salesmen miss this key difference between a one time sale and long term sales. If you're selling something where repeat customers don't really exist, and word of mouth is a non issue, then by all means, go for the big sale every time. Otherwise, and this is nearly EVERY time, do your best for that customer. Don't break yourself, but the goal is to figure out the best solution for that customer that will make them glad they talked to you. I've put in an hour selling a customer on a product only to not get the sale. I was a bit bummed but the reality was it just wasn't the right fit for that gentleman and by the end we both knew that. A week later he came in with his buddy who did need that product and quite a bit of it. I am sure that down the road it turned into additional sales as well, probably a long term customer for that product and others, along with additional word of mouth advertising. The key here is that I wasn't selling any particular product. I was selling the customer on the fact that I was there to help them get what they needed. They become loyal customers and spread the word. Sure, I was promoting something specific, but the reality is that the real benefit was that the customer decided I was a guy he wanted to do business with and thought enough of me to recommend me to someone else.

One of the things I regularly hear from my knife customers is that I'm very easy to work with and actually communicate with them. They like that it's a two way street and that even on one of my regular designs I am 100% willing to adapt it to their preferences. It's not my knife, it's their knife, is how I present it.

I haven't done a knife show, but in other trade shows I've found that the key is visibility and making a positive impression that will be remembered. Sales AT the show are unimportant, gravy, but not the real reason to be there. You're getting your name out there, meeting potential customers and also industry insiders. Which is more important for your knife making business; selling ten knives at $200 a pop at the show or meeting and making friends with several popular writers and editors for knife and outdoors magazines? Forget the knives, I'll give them all away, but those contacts are invaluable.
 
I was in Sales & Marketing in a previous life before knife making.

One thing I learned many years ago that hold true to this day is along the lines of communication that Remy just mentioned.

We all have had the experience of a blow hard salesman that won't let you get a word in edge wise and talks over you.

You have two ears and one mouth, So listen to your customers twice as much as you talk.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
How was Blade show for every one? Anyone learn anything?

Anyone do anything stupid? I did... :)

Depends...
you go first..

ok...here what I saw....
Once again heavy duty tactical folders flat blew out from a lot of tables..this field is getting crowded. With 200 hundred tables of big heavy liner locks, the new hot thing is needed....problem is I don't know what that new thing is -yet, but I think smaller, sophisticated folders have a future as today's big fat tactical owner decides he needs a smaller gents folder occasionally. Maybe a slippy sized tactical style folder? RJMartin seems to do well with his.

the first time to the show guys didn't move as many as the guy that has been to the same show three or more times despite a decent build quality and a lower price than the veteran across the aisle. Buyers buy the maker as much as the knife. The smart guys (like Les George) stood at their table the whole show and met customers, past, current or future and made it a point to sell into the future even if they didn't have any knives left. Today's handshake is tomorrow's buyer.

If anyone wore a plain tshirt with nothing printed on it, I sure didn't see it. A tshirt with a name and logo on it should not be your entire marketing plan if you are a full time maker. Even if you dress your wife and kids in it.

If you make your wife come, don't have her sit at your table and ignore everyone that walks by while she reads, knits, talks on the phone or does a cross word puzzle. Have her stay in the room or give her fifty bucks and tell her to go shopping. It's bad for business and your image when your cranky wife ignores potential customers. Unless she is hot looking and friendly like you know who's wife.

Even the ABS MS guys were getting into the folder business. The big Bowie collectors are fewer and further between then they used to be.

Slapping three kinds of Damascus on something used to be a guaranteed sale. Now those just sit there.

The collectors section, the guys that displayed all their bucks and Case knives continues to shrink. This group is losing interest, is dying off, or both. Collecting isn't what it used to be. Now it's guys that collect and actively trade Bali's and assorted folders like strikers, Emerson's, etc. get it, enjoy owning for awhile, flip it for something else.
 
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