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Brett
If you do not mind me butting in. There could be several things that caused this. One they could have simply ran into other expenses. I would put this on bottom of the reasons simply because of percentages that it would happen to all 4 but always a possible. It could be your follow through on your pitch of your sale. Examine that real close.
Knives sold at a show can sometimes be an impulse purchase. Ordering through the mail as such they can evaluate it along with materials from other makers they are looking at during the same time. It would be my guess that you were probally overshot in favor of another maker. They probally chose another due to price or quality. This is where your sales experience comes in to play. I got where I do not even try to sell the knife. I simply try to educate them on what to look for then let them make up their own mind. In doing this I started selling more. The good thing about them having your pictures is that if they keep them they will look at them again, and that sale may come later. Follow up with a letter or note a month later. How did you like the pic's, I also offer this model in the following handle materials etc. Make it as easy on the buyer as you can. That will entail you do the follow up and the leg work. Keep their addresses and let them know they can recieve a newsletter from "Steve's Knives" for one year without purchase. Send the letter out quarterly. First off they are interested in your work or they would not have asked about pics to being with. The being added to the "newsletter list" gives them something else. If you send the newsletter out to them, you are in their household 4 times a year more. You just had your follow up. My bet would be that you would pick up at least one of these guys on a firm order as long as your quality is good and the price is fair.
my two cents anyway. sorry for the rambling.
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