Advertising

jdm61

jdm61

itinerant metal pounder
Joined
Aug 12, 2005
Messages
47,357
I have a question for future reference for any of knifemakers who have ads in Blade, KI, FK, ABS Journal, etc.. I downloaded Blade's media kit and suffered a bit of sticker shock when I saw their display ad pricing. How has the response been to your ad and do you feel that you recouped your investment? Also, how long did you run your ad? Also, has anyone ever seen the circulation numbers for these mags?
 
Joe, advertising does not cost, it pays. But, the best money I've spent in this game, is paying Jim Cooper or Point Seven to photograph my knives :thumbup:
 
I was thinking about you when I saw that rate sheet, Don and your conversation about your expenses. I thought you were just talking about the cost of your ivory, but when I saw the prices, I knew of what you spoke....lol:D My family has been in the printing and advertising business for for 35 years, and i KNOW that advertsing pays if you have the right ad in the right media for your product or service, but I guess that I never really focused on how expensive it is to produce glossy heat set 4 color magazines. The more painful realization is that I also know that you never get bang for your buck if you only run an ad once or run it infrequently.
 
Joe, a person can become a famous maker, by advertising every month in Blade for one year. But, that person will be famous for good knives OR ugly/bad knives, their choice :D This shouldn't be a problem for you.
 
I was talking with Dan Farr at the Blade Show and the conversation came up about selling on the forums, on line, etc. He said that in his opinion, the forums were a small slice of the collector/user market. He told me that when he started running his ads in Blade, he got inquiries from folks who had very large and pricey collections, but interestingly, did NOT use the internet at all for their knife hobby. He said that he was quite surprised to receive hand written letters via good old snail mail inquiring about his knives. I guess I jus have to resign myself to the fact that eventually, I will need to at least take out a small black and white ad in Blade even though it will cost about as much per month as the shop space that I am looking at....lol:eek:
 
Joe, the forums are a very small part of the custom knife market, a good part and growing but still small. Most of my customers do not visit the forums and a few don't even have a computer. I still do a lot of business over the phone and through snail mail.

For me, advertising is just part of my overhead.

I posted a similar post in a thread over in the 'custom forum'. It's an interesting thread.
 
I'm not a knifemaker, but I have been in advertising for 30 years.
Don is right about having a pro take your photos.
I'll add have a pro design your ad.
Great knives with bad photos and amatuerish ads just make the knifemaker look bad/cheap/rookie....
Take your pick :D
 
Ebbtide said:
I'm not a knifemaker, but I have been in advertising for 30 years.
Don is right about having a pro take your photos.
I'll add have a pro design your ad.
Great knives with bad photos and amatuerish ads just make the knifemaker look bad/cheap/rookie....
Take your pick :D
Click to expand...
Pro design is not an issue for me. I have access to an entire art department and an award winning artist so I will have a very nice camera ready ad. As for the photo's I have to come up with a knife that is "Coop-worthy" :D Unfortunately, I cannot justify the cost of running 12 months of 4 color ads at this time. I wonder if Blade will let you run B & W for 12 months and upgrade a couple of times a year to 4 color at the contract rate?
 
Joe, when you're ready, call Missy Beyer at Blade Magazine and she will fix you right up.

I can't recommend Knives Illustrated, they were a pain in the ass to deal with, 6 or 7 years ago.
 
Joe,
I'll second suggesting you call Missy....with one change, give her a call and talk about your advertising thoiughts, sooner-that later, your resources to create camera ready pics/ads, how often you would want to change the ad or to go to color and back to B&W..
I went with BLADE monthly for several years. I used B&W and probably should have gone smaller, or in color at least occasionally.
There were several sales directly from the ads, and there were sales as the ads were mentioned when clients stopped by my table at a show or called...or e-mailed....and it appeared that the Dealers who carried my knives were more successful as I advertised in BLADE.
I still keep the URL entry in BLADE. It lets folks know you are "alive and kicking".
For the "collectable" knife, I think advertising is a benefit.
For the Collectable/Using Slipjoint that I make mostly now, the cost of a Dealer handling my knives is worth their percentage....Also the advice I have received from the dealers with whom I work is of great value to me.
Also, being happy being a bit of a stay-at-home knifemaker, the Dealers are good to get my knives exposure and sales on the internet and at shows I don't attend....and in international markets to which I have less exposure than they can provide.....
Advertising does pay, but it also has a cost....It is a fine way to market, but don't limit yourself to ads....do some shows. Unless you are an ornary guy, and you don't sound at all like that on the forums, clients like to see you at shows... and its fun to see them and talk with them also...

You got 2 cents worth from a long-winded old knifemaker, retired marketing person, who still doesn't always figure the right answer to the marketing/sales
part of this crazy, wonderful craft!
 
jdm61 said:
Pro design is not an issue for me. I have access to an entire art department and an award winning artist so I will have a very nice camera ready ad. As for the photo's I have to come up with a knife that is "Coop-worthy" :D Unfortunately, I cannot justify the cost of running 12 months of 4 color ads at this time. I wonder if Blade will let you run B & W for 12 months and upgrade a couple of times a year to 4 color at the contract rate?
Click to expand...

Well it is an issue, but one you have covered. ;)

Lots of good advice here.
Good luck :D
 
Hi jdm61, I regularly advertise ad Blademag and I would say that it is really worth the investment :thumbup:
 
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