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Old 11-14-2011, 11:53 AM
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Ed Caffrey Ed Caffrey is offline
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Quote:
To Ed's point: Why are ads not effective for knifemakers? Advertising as a generality can't limit one set of clients as ineffective. I submit the ads were ineffective?
I'll recant a bit by saying that there are some makers who have had, and do have success advertising in the knife magazines. But it is all relative to the individuals expectations. I've spoken with some who consider their ads successful if they sell one $300 knife off of 6 months worth of advertising......so that would be approx. $1,600 (on the low side) worth of advertising cost to garner one $300 knife order.....I don't consider that a good return.
For a LONG time, knifemakers have limited themselves to advertising in Knife publications......that is the "generalized rule" that I spoke of.

Statistically, over 75% of the subscribers to knife magazines are knifemakers, which is why I believe it to be a less successful media for knifemakers who advertise. Knifemaking Suppliers, photographers, and other related vocations will often find much higher success rates by advertising, simply because 75%+ of the readers are seeking the goods/services those entities offer.

When knifemakers branch out, and advertise in magazines that are traditionally not considered "knife" publications, the result are often very different. The trick is to figure out just which publication(s) are "knife hungry", along with being the only, or one of very few knifemakers who advertise in that particular publication (whatever it might be). There are a ton of variables......what level of knives does an individual produce? Does it fit the audience of a particular publication? For example, a higher end maker might see success by advertising with an upper end magazine such as "Side by Side", which is dedicated to those who collect/use very high end double barreled shotguns and rifles, while a maker who produces lower end knives would likely be ignored by the readers.

One instance that stands out in my mind as a major advertising success, is my good friend Steve Kelly. He won 6 months of advertising in Blade a few years ago (a drawing at the Blade Show). He placed the ad, and got a factory deal with the now defunked Marbles company. As Steve tells it, the then owner of Marbles was browsing through Blade, and liked the photo and tag line that Steve used. BUT! That was/is one of those "one in a million" things.

I wholeheartedly agree with the Knives Annuals. I'm not sure I agree with paid advertising in it, but it's a no brainer to be listed in each and ever one.


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