Nick, the top 10 makers at the show...bring so few knives and are in such demand their show is a sell out before they get there.
Makers such as yourself who have a big demand and make so few knives...their show is a sell out.
So the real question is what can the second tier makers and the new makers do to increase their sales at the show
Custom knife shows have bee no the decline since the late 1980's...the two exceptions...The Blade Show and the AKI.
The two main factors that impact on custom knife show attendance:
1) The Internet
2) The amount of other shows.
While it may not seem like it in the custom forums...custom knives are the smallest niche market with the the larger knife market. Primarily because of the cost of these knives. Yes, to most people $100 is a lot of money for a knife.
Then you find a niche within a niche and that makes the collector base even smaller. As Bob pointed out the Expo is all forged blades. Many of the makers attending are not well known or even known outside the ABS Circles. I went through last years attendee's before the show and noticed there were several makers I had never heard of...and I know most of the makers out there.
This told me that they probably did little or no advertising and/or were from outside the US. Nothing wrong with that, but one of the things that will get collectors to a show...are makers the collectors have heard of and collect...not makers that the other makers have hear of. Makers are notorious for not buying knives.
Tom made a comment about more "Cool" stuff. Ok, question...what is "Cool" stuff? So that comment is really of no help. Specifics Tom...Specifics. And what do you base the popularity of those "Cool" items. Next, will they bring people to a knife show...as opposed to another venue that may better services that niche.
Coop pointed out:
Watches, Flashlights, Pens, even Jewelry or Art... they all have a custom base, too.
All of these have limited niche following as well. There are watch shows, Pen Shows, Jewelry and Art Shows...haven't heard of a Flashlight show...but it wouldn't surprise me if they have one somewhere.
Yes, all of these may intersect at some point on the collectible graph somewhere. But where and at one point? Most of the time when you see the aforementioned collectibles they are usually an after thought on a dealers table. Generally bu those guys who don't have enough knives to cover the table...or who dabble in a little of everything.
It is their choice, if that product mix works for them...then by all means that is what they should do!
On a previous thread someone was complaining about that at the NY/NJ shows they no longer had factory knives. This is first and foremost a custom knife show....not custom/factory show. You can hit the local gun show and find any factory knife you want.
Back to Nick's question:
So how as makers... do we get you guys to the shows???
Yes a nice hotel, in a nice climate, with easy access in and out of the show locations...good restaurants, night life, etc. are all nice.
The reality is the collectors come to the shows to meet the makers and
BUY the knives and see the knives.
Too many collectors have come to shows only to see the maker are sold out and worse yet...the maker is not behind the table.
Here are some suggestions on how to help more collectors into the shows.
1) Teach makers how to price their knives. Most makers (especially new ones) do not know how to do this. A larger percentage of makers at any given show will have most of their knives overpriced for their position in the market. Value priced knives will bring in the collectors.
2) Teach makers how to treat their knife making as a business...instead of a hobby.
A) You actually stay behind your table for the duration of the show..or at least peak hours. You are there to introduce your self to collectors and other potential buyers. Too many makers can't wait to leave their table to talk with other makers.
B) Buy your materials before the show opens to the general public...this will allow you to be behind your tables.
C) Have professional photos of your knives on your table. So if you sell out you can at least show people what your knives look like.
D) Bring more than 2 knives to the show. I realize that the top 5 makers may not have to do this (their contribution to the show is being a draw for collectors to get in the show...most of these makers have already talked with their collector base about the knives prior to the show).
If you want to become a fan favorite...have knives for Friday and Saturday. Nothing pisses off the collector who drives 5 hours to get to a show on Saturday (because they had to work Friday) and the maker didn't have any knives...and is not even behind their table.
Yes, perhaps he should have contacted the maker before the show. The solution...a mailing list for collectors. You go through it and email an invite collectors to the show...if they are good enough collector you have a free pass waiting at the door for them.
You can feature every knife on your website.
What does all this inviting and photography and having several knives for the show entail???? Prior planning on the makers part....the business aspect.
Oh and for God's sake get the friggin sheath done for the knife before you get to the show. Again....prior planning.
However, there is absolutely no substitute for FEELING a knife. I had more comments on the feel of Jim Cooper's integral than the looks of it... even with an AMAZING photographer like Jim... there's still no substitute for feel.
In theory...yes. The reality is for most collectors that is not that case. Most collectors want it and they want it yesterday. There are two reasons this thinking is flawed:
1) When I was doing the LDC Knives and to date the 55 Vanguard knives. I would put the prototype on my table at a show (Not For Sale) and it would annoy people to no end.
My thinking like yours was, this would allow collectors to see and handle the knife. They didn't want to place an order...they wanted that knife...now. To the point that I stopped putting prototypes on the table. Caused everyone a lot less grief.
2) You are implying that there will be knives on the table when the collectors get there. I realize for the Expo that there was a preview period on Friday for the Expo...what about Saturday? Most of those later comers were SOL. Unless you had real good pictures of the knives. How many of the knives purchased by collectors are they going to allow to remain on the makers table for other collectors to come by and "finger" their knives, perhaps drop them or bang them against another knife (We have all seen the last two happen at shows)
This is why Sunday is such a throw away day for shows (Exception...the Blade Show..only because there are still new knives to see)...lets face it most if not all the knives from the top makers are sold on Friday. Saturday rounds out the majority of collectors. Sunday is primarily for collectors looking for a deal. Even making the Expo a 100 table show (Moving it will cause some scheduling difficulties with makers who want to set up at that show and the Arkansas show 3 weeks later...that prior planning thing will come into play again)
Basically those two shows will cannibalize each other to a degree.
The reality is that a custom knife show requires 3 components:
1) Location
2) Table Holders (who end up pay for the show promoter to have the money to secure the location, pay for security and insurance (among other things).
Lets face it, it could be the greatest location in the world..but without table holders there would be no reason to come.
3) Attendee's. They are there to look, handle, buy, sell and trade! This group has a direct affect on the second group...if they don't spend money...the show will not be profitable for the table holder.
These three components make up a show...if one is lacking...it will directly affect the other two.
Given the ease of getting both information and access to custom knives and their makers (via websites). The need to actually go to a show has been minimized. The economic impact felt by certain sectors, ill ease about flying to shows (worries about knives been lost or stolen out of luggage) and the cost are having negative impacts on show attendance.
Ok Nick question back to you...what is the one aspect of collecting that is shared by all the collectors. Arguably in the Internet era this may be the most important aspect of a show.
). 
My Partner Eddie usually drives
Oh yeah - what drives me to attend a show: the total show experience.
