buyer seller relations ?

atakach

atakach

Joined
Jan 17, 2008
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well, i was wondering if any makers include a note or letter of some sort with the knives they ship?


maybe just a thank you, or a little written note of specs on the piece?


another question, do many makers recieve something of the like in return from buyers?

just wondering, mailed a couple today, and one in particular i really liked and decided to include a little letter noting specs on knife, and a thank you to customer, ect.

is this a common practice , or at one time it was it?,

maybe technology and the web, with email and all. have kinda killed all the hand written corrospondence between maker and buyer.


kinda-sorta like the whole video killed the radio star thingy do, ....:confused:

i know at times i recieve emails of thanks from some buyers, buy thought how it would be nice to have a written memo instead....i guess i was kinda forced into this whole .com B.S.out of necessity.

forgive my endless ramblings,

andrew takach
 
I will agree with you whole heartedly, I think that the hand written note or letter really adds a very personal touch to your customers. That kind of interest in customers has definately been lost in this day and age!!!
 
Andrew,
I normally include a handwritten note of thanks and explain the specs of the knife to my customer. Probably half the time it turns into a full page ramble about the knife, how I appreciate their business, what I'm working on and how the moon phase is affecting my ability to do stuff.

Never gotten anything written cept for a short email and some customers and I exchange Christmas cards and stuff. I do have some local customers that have been known to show up and drag me hunting.
 
jsmithknives......
glad to hear some positive response to this, i guess im kinda ole fashion in my thinking for my age, but i feel that myself as well as many many makers out there (most of which due amazing work) put there heart and .....well you get the point, and kinda form an attachment sorta thing to the knives we build but of course we sell them but thats the whole point really, but myself i know there have been a few i was sorry to see go.
i guess that corrospondence after a sale is kinda like a reassurance it went to a good home.

andrew
 
Will Leavitt said:
Andrew,
I normally include a handwritten note of thanks and explain the specs of the knife to my customer. Probably half the time it turns into a full page ramble about the knife, how I appreciate their business, what I'm working on and how the moon phase is affecting my ability to do stuff.

Never gotten anything written cept for a short email and some customers and I exchange Christmas cards and stuff. I do have some local customers that have been known to show up and drag me hunting.
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an important piece of info you should start to include, and one i hear from my cuz frequently ,is which direction your hat was facing when ya forged the blade, or the direction of the wind when you made that all crucial weld on a customers billet........:rolleyes:lol

andrew
 
atakach said:
an important piece of info you should start to include, and one i hear from my cuz frequently ,is which direction your hat was facing when ya forged the blade, or the direction of the wind when you made that all crucial weld on a customers billet........:rolleyes:lol

andrew
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Arrrgghhh I KNEW I was leaving something out... I probably need to include WHICH hat I was wearing. That has a lot to do with blade performance ya know ;)
 
[/QUjsmithknives......
glad to hear some positive response to this, i guess im kinda ole fashion in my thinking for my age, but i feel that myself as well as many many makers out there (most of which due amazing work) put there heart and .....well you get the point, and kinda form an attachment sorta thing to the knives we build but of course we sell them but thats the whole point really, but myself i know there have been a few i was sorry to see go.
i guess that corrospondence after a sale is kinda like a reassurance it went to a good home.

andrew
__________________
OTE]
Atakach.
Again I will agree with you 100%, I know of several pieces still to this day, I wish I had not sold, but to my comfort I know they have all gone to some really good people. Most of them around here as a mater of fact.
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I know you are looking for input from sellers, but let me give you my opinion as a buyer.

I got a knife from a maker on this site and it came with his business card that listed all the specs of the knife, sheath, and included his signature. I really enjoyed that coming with the knife and keep it with the knife. If nothing else, it allows me an easy way to contact him in the future to buy other knives, which I have.
 
myright said:
I know you are looking for input from sellers, but let me give you my opinion as a buyer.
QUOTE]



:thumbdn:wrong:thumbdn: just kidd'en

id actually like to hear from both sides of the market to tell ya the truth.:D

andrew

i guess the ways of 'ole in some cases are a great loss.
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I send spec. sheets and any other little add ons that I think might help. Bob Glassman of the customknifegalleryofcolorando has been very much into the correspondence thing with me and seems even pleased that I will ask him questions about handle materials, blade steels and ivory colours to use. Of course, he has completed sales for me but his person to person contact has also been great ! Frank
 
I keep a log book of all customers who have bought a knife from me , usually when requested I will send printed out picture with the blade specs , steel , scale material , date finished etc , but not always.

I do however make sure to send a Christmas card to anyone who I either sold a knife to or traded with that year.
 
I send a printed certificate of provenance with all the blades I sell. It has the maker's name(me),month made, all material and dimension specs, and the buyers name.
 
I try to include a note in my knives, along with a business card. I had to overnight one out yesterday. Due to the time rush I forgot the note I do plan to send a thank-you in the next day or 2. Just good manners.
 
I don't know what others do, Atakatch, but of what I know about customer/client relations, which is a LOT, I'd say the personalized note goes a long way, even if it's just a card with specs written on it. I think having some spec cards or hanger tags made up that have the classifications pre-printed (like Steel:, Handle Material: etc) that you then handwrite the specifics on and then attach through the lanyard hole or something would be awesome. Here's why:

1) From a collector's point of view, it is nice to have a record of the specifics of the knife. Steel, date of completion, # in the series or if it's a one-off, handle and pin material, etc etc are all important.

2) From a newb's POV, it is "that something extra" that separates handmade stuff from factory made stuff. Something along the lines of "Hi, here is a letter about myself and this knife, some care instructions..." is also a good thing to stick in the package. It goes a long way to give the buyer a different experience, and that matters a lot. Sort of like a really good speech... you often don't remember specifics of what was said, but the speech sticks in your mind because you DO remember how it made you feel... well, remember the feeling of your first really great knife coming in the mail and unboxing it...

3) People like packaging. A cool hang tag on the knife and a letter in the box with a brief introduction, some details about the knife design and care instructions is a nice addition to the knife itself.

4) Little things add up. This is an essential part of your marketing and it's nearly free to do. It could build a little customer loyalty and, overall, it does a lot. It shows an additional level of attention to detail that throwing the knife in a box and UPS'ing it doesn't, and it adds more confidence to the buyer's decision to purchase the knife. On a subconscious level the buyer opens the package and says to himself, "Wow, this knife is awesome, but check this other stuff out, too. This guy is really serious about this and takes a ton of pride in what he does..."

Sorry for going all marketing crazy on you. I know this helped me a lot when I was still making knives, and these are similar principles I used to start a healthcare practice, too, so they work and they work well if done right.
 
These are some real interesting comment's in this post and i for one just purchased a knife from a maker here on the forum for a young lad that help's me from time to time,he's admired this man's work for some time,But you know what i have yet to recieve any correspondence what so ever from the seller regarding shipping or anything.Now i have sold Tomahawk's And Handle block's from time to time and alway's inform the buyer when the item was shipped as well as provide them with a delivery confirmation number.Is it to the point that some maker's snub there nose's at buyer's because they don't know them or is it an EGO thing,It would seem to me to be a good business practice to keep your customer informed,It's been 4 day's now and still nothing and i'm not ruuning after him,when the knife arrive's(if it arrive's)i'll give it to the young lad and politely tell him to start admireing someone else's stuff!!:grumpy:
 
one thing i can tell you i like as a buyer is when a maker includes a soft lined case for his knife.....even if it's not a bill's custom case and a cheap one i appreciate it....just add it in to the price of the knife if u have to.....i would always send one regardless with a note and the specs of the knife.....the total package if u ask me.....ryan
 
personally i like everything your saying, i just wonder why no many do this anymore. and if they do, i dont hear about it very often. maybe life's just gotten way to fast paced for some and there isn't the time for that kinda thing.

i know personally from now on i will be including a hand written, letter to each buyer if it's a $50 knife or a $2500 dollar knife.........wait i dont make those yet ...lol

but you get the point. i like the idea of making the purchase more personal between buyer/seller. they work just as hard for there buck, and it makes the seller happy to know a maker will take an extra step for them.

i dont shop at wal-mart, and alot of other stores for my own reasons,(yet ill go to harbor freight, and order chineese take out ...what a hippocrat i am...lol)

anyway that leaves alot of my everyday needs bought from the "little man" and i know personally, when i walk in to the parts store it's nice to be greeted on a first name basis, or the hardware store and the owner goes out of his way to talk with me and my children (actually remembers their names in some cases.), and help out as much as he can. all of this makes the purchases more personal, instead of someone just sitting behind the counter talking on the phone waiting to take your money,......hope im getting my point across,:confused::confused:


andrew
 
andrew...i understand your point and agree a hundred percent.....i have always liked talking to makers and they are friendly an remember your conversations etc....most are very freewith their time and informstion as well....i'd love to have a little handwritten note in my box with my new knife....and yes i wonder why more people don't do it myself....ryan
 
I appreciate a note from the maker with a delivered knife. A registration certificate is even better.

I always try to e-mail the maker after my receiving a knife to let him know it's been received and to thank him. Sometimes I will also offer comments on the knife.
 
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