first show

C

cutline blades

Joined
Oct 4, 2000
Messages
108
ok now people what are some good tips for a guy who has never been to a knife show.
How many knives to make
How to set it up
What to expect and so on..i hope i`m not the only one who has never been to a knife show , i sorta feel like a newbie even though i have been makin since 1993.thanx

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i keep grinding and grinding and it is still too short!!
 
Expect every person that walks by your table to handle atleast 2 knives even though they have absolutely no intention of buying one. They'll also try to haggle you on the price, even though they have absolutely no intention of buying one. They'll ask what materials you offer and what you delivery time is even though they have absol.... Hey,wait a minute, thats what a show's supposed to be aint it? Folks handlin uyour wares, seein your work, meetin you and jabberin with you. I guess it depends on your outlook. One thing for sure you can look forward to is a numb a** and for sure atleast one dumb a** that knows everything there is to know about knives and he'll stand there blocking potential customers from asking you questions. Whew, thats the most pesimistic post I've made here on the forums.
I guess what it boils down to is, don't get your hopes up too high and you won't be dissapointed.
Oh yeah, my first and only show, I busted my butt gettin 49 brite shiney knives ready. Sat there all day Saturday watchin folks smilin and enjoyin my knives and having nothing but nice things to say about em. I sold 2 knives that day and one at half price. Needless to say I didn't go back Sunday. That was my mistake. My friend said every dealer in the house was lookin for me on Sunday. Live and Learn!

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Take care!! Michael

Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!
http://www.nebsnow.com/L6steel
Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms!!!
 
What you take sort of depends what type of show you are going to, market demographics and all that. Hunters for hunting shows, fillet knives for fishing shows, fancy stuff for knife shows and anything as long as it is cheap for gun shows. The tough part of doing shows is that until the public gets to know you sales will be disappointing regardless of your pricing. I did the gun show circuit a few years back and it took several shows before people would even talk to me(must have thought I was a Mountie or something). I use the rule of thumb now that I have to do a show three times before the public get comfortable with me and my product.


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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com


 
Bring band aids, too! Numb nuts like handling blades and often get cut! I got cut once again today. Now both thumbs match and are bandaged up.
 
My wife the crafts person does six or seven shows a year, and what George says is true. People will ignore you until they have seen you several times, and then you can't shut 'em up! "say, didn"t I see you last year at so and so...." all the time loading up an armfull of stuff to buy. Beats me, I guess they need to feel like family or something.
 
As to what to bring - I agree with what George said, cater to the type of person you will most likely meet, and add a few pieces that just make you smile no matter what.

Remember to smile and say "Hi" to folks just walking by.

Don't forget the women - they buy knives too! Ron Gaston lost a good sale to my wife when he didn't acknowledge she was there, even when there were no other customers at his table.

You will hear the phrase "You make some very nice knives" or something close to that - this really means "I am not interested in buying one, but I have to say something to be polite" (say Thank you - you never know)
wink.gif


Try and have fun - some folks are just too serious about this stuff!

Take care,
Bob


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R.J. Schmidt
http://kukri.itc.virginia.edu
 
I can tell you what NOT to do at a knife show.

DON'T fall asleep at your table and then complain that the show didn't work for you.

DON'T ignore the women (we LIKE to spend money, and we are obviously there for a reason). And DON'T assume we are only interested in the pretty little pink knives.

DON'T openly eat at your table if you can help it. If you don't have a back-up to help you, bring a non-messy food item that can be eaten neatly, and set aside easily when a customer approaches. (WIPE YOUR BEARD OFF)

DON'T wear a yucky sweaty shirt. If you are gonna sweat at set-up, bring another shirt.

Be good to your neighbors, but DON'T spend the whole show gossiping with the fellow behind you and ignoring potential customers.

DON'T forget the bandaids.

And finally:
DON'T bad mouth another maker or your advertising rep. That may be her Pappy holding your knife.

See you at the shows!
smile.gif


Missy
Blade Magazine
 
Well, I've done a lot of pottery/craft shows by now and I have a couple of suggestions that have helped me out in the past.

1) Bring some high energy snacks, you'll need them! A canister of mixed nuts from the bulk bins at the grocery, bananas, and bagels are excellent. Some sandwiches and bottles of seltzer or just plain water are also musts.

2) Be friendly but not overeager. What the folks said above is definitely true. For every twenty people that come in to your booth probably only one would even consider parting with cash. Don't scare them away. If someone instigates a conversation with a question then you're free and clear. If someone is spending a lot of time looking I usually like to use the ice breaker "How are you today?" accompanied by a friendly warm and sincere smile. It's an energy thing that you're doing and it's very subtle. Each potential customer will have their own personality and approach so you have to feel it out.

DON"T sit there in the corner like a spider in its web and read the newspaper. You can sit and take a breather from time to time but pretend to be busy. Arrange and rearrange your stuff. Polish blades. Fiddle around. Joke with your partner if you have one with you. Keep the energy up. (That's why you need the fuel)

3) Present your pieces in an attractive manner. This is SO IMPORTANT! If you are going to have a table, buy a queen size black cotton sheet from JC Penney. You can order right online although their site is slow. Everything looks great against black especially metallic objects.

Also very important: Make some simple little stands out of 1x6 pine boards and either use light stain and poly or paint them. They are cheap and easy to make and will allow you to vary the height of your displayed items. It is really helpful to have your display broken up a bit and definitely gets people more interested.

4) Make up some cards that tell a little about you and your stuff. People want to know where you're from, what you specialize in and what your philosophy is. You can make a sheet of four or six on the computer and then take them to the copy shop and have them xeroxed onto attractive recycled card stock. Then cut them up by hand. It's incredibly cheap and looks very classy. BTW, business cards are also a must and can be done the same way or ordered.

Hope these tidbits help you out!

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Peter Atwood

email:fountainman@hotmail.com
 
Yes ....women... about half of my sales are to women, not just kitchen knives but hunters, art pieces and fillet knives. Knives make an ideal gift for the hunters and fishermen in their lives.

Presentation of your product and yourself is important. I have seen people doing shows dressed like they have just finished slopping the hogs and others that have gotten so depressed that they just sit there and glare at the public...neither one sells especially the second one. I wear a suit and tie to most shows and smile in spite of myself. I greet anyone who even looks at the table sometimes it breaks the ice.

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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com


 
Stand up when a Customer comes near your table.I also tell them feel free to pick then up to look at. Once a customer buy a knife they will come back for more if treated fairly.

[This message has been edited by RDF (edited 01-09-2001).]
 
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