|
There have been some excellent points made in this post. I always find it interesting to read or hear what makers have to say about "selling". I find this interesting because many makers dislike working with dealers as it appears they do nothing to earn a discount. After all, they only "sell" knives.
Like making a knife, selling also requires a certain skill set. The best way to acquire this skill set is to "practice" in front of a live audience.
Regarding "your look" I always find this interesting as well. First time I saw George he was wearing a Suit and Tennis Shoes. I figured that was just a Canadian thing.
My understanding is that the cowboy hat was developed for cowboys working "outdoors" to keep the wind, sun and different types of precipitation off of your head/face/neck. Additionally growing up I was taught to take your hat off when you went inside. While I have some pretty good friends in the ABS who always seem to have a cowboy hat on. I find myself smiling to myself when I see all of those guys walking around in the Tex/Arkansas ABS Mafia Uniform. Cowboy hat, sport coat, jeans and usually cowboy boots. To their credit and as Ed brought up people do seem to look for this and find it odd when your not in uniform.
I have found that most men could care less what you are wearing. Since it is going to be a long 2-3 days, wear something nice and comfortable. In the winter I wear pants in the summer I wear shorts. The people who come to my table seem to be more interested in the knives then what I am wearing. Truth be told I get 100 times more comments on my Rolex Sea Dweller than I do on my clothes.
Here is my short list:
1) Get off your ass, put down the book, hang up the cell phone.
2) Get excited about your knives. If you don't no one else will.
3) Treat every person with respect and view them as a potential client. At a knife show, every person who comes into that room is a potential client...to include other makers.
4) Tell your fellow makers (or worse yet "Wannabe" makers) to talk shop with you after the show.
5) Try to avoide the mistake of playing "hard to get" with dealers....as you will be successful. You may not know this, but just like makers talk about dealers. Dealers talk about makers, this helps us save time and money.
I have been setting up at shows for over 20 years in the US and Canada, to the point I can't tell you how many hundreds of shows I have set up at. What I have learned through all of this that. I doesn't matter where your table is located, it doesn't matter what you are wearing or not wearing, it doesn't matter if you have a world class table display (or not).
What does matter is that you are personable, knowledgeable about the product you are selling, sincere, tell the truth and possibly the most important thing (and hardest to do for most knife makers) is have the knife priced for what it is and what your position in the market is.
Boys and Girls, like it or not value for the money and a knife's ability to compete in the aftermarket. Are becoming more and more important. A hundred times a show...at every show I get asked questions like:
What do you think of this makers work?
How does his work fair in the aftermarket?
Do you think this maker will be here 5 years from now?
Currently the most asked question is:
This guy has only been making knives for a few years. Why is he charging so much.
The answer is simple. However, I always recommend they go and ask the maker that question . This gives the maker, (a unique opportunity for many) to justify the cost of their knife to a potential customer. This can be quite the eye openining experience for a maker. Especially when a very knowlegeable collector brings other more established, better known makers who's knives fair better in the after market, who's knives sell for the same or less into the conversation.
When I am considering working with a new maker I ask them questions similar to this. Well over 90% do not have an answer, save for "that is what I have to get" or words to that effect. Not very in depth is it.
As the saying goes some people can sell ice makers to Eskimo's and other couldn't sell an air conditioner in Hell. Selling takes practice. However, if you believe in the product your selling, selling is easy.
|