How to get your name out...

[Knifemaker87]

Hey ya'll i have a grassroots knife business growing and would like to start selling them online. How is the best way to get this done? I have a very low budjet and cant afford a fancy website, only one that i could create. Any sugestions? And what about publicity? Avdertising. How do i get my name out? Thanks a bunch
~Chris

 

[Peter_E_Ryt]

NOTE: I'm just posting what I've read

-Go to as many local shows as you can, and if you can't get a booth, still make a point of talking to people who want custom knives and other makers- knife makers are good people, and if you'll do a better job than they will for a custom, then they may reccomend you.
-A handmade site is better than no site- I've learned html off of free web tutorials- just google HTML tutorial
-Show you're work on the gallery and post it on the for sale section here
***This is my own little bit- not based on someone elses wisdom***
-Maybe you could contact Paul (circlePknives) and talk to him

 

[blgoode]

just start posting pictures on the forums...........you'll be busier than you think
Brian

 

[Karl B. Andersen]

I've had a web site for about 5 years that I use all the time. Then, I advertise the web site.
Do NOT! think it costs a lot of money.
I have 3 resitered .com names, a ten page web site, a nice email program and web forwarding. I have to renew this month and I think all of it costs me $216.00/year.
I use Network Solutions. www.netsol.com.
All you need is a camera to uplaod your photos. You use all of their programs to manipulate your site and could do it a hundred times a day if you wanted.
You can do WHATEVER you want to your site! It's YOUR SITE! No website maintainance, or paying some web-head to do it for you that doesn't understand what you want to convey.
Believe me, if I can figure it out, anybody can!
Check out and see what I've done on my own, www.andersenforge.com.
There's a zillion places to advertise your site. Ad links to other people's sites with link exchange! Everytime you write an email or answer this or that, sign with your website address!
I advertise monthly in a magazine of national publication.
If a person sees the ad, the goes to the website and sees something they like, and THEN goes ahead and contacts me, they have practically already sold themselves!
Karl B. Andersen
www.andersenforge.com
And Brian is 100% correct, customers cruise these forums looking for new makers and knives as they get completed to buy them before anyone else beats them to it!

 

[Sean O'Hare]

I know your original request was for info relating to selling online but there are some free ways to get coverage in the magazines. You may already know this if so you can just skip right over my post here!

Blade has a knifemaker profile that is absolutely free, it's a one time deal with a photo of you, one of your knives, and a write up about that knife. It is worthwhile doing this.

Also every knife magazine has at least a couple of pages devoted to new knife stuff, some have a section for new custom knives. Send photos to them all with the knife specs for inclusion in those sections. I had one knife published in the what's new section of Blade last summer that really helped me out.

Hooking up with an online dealer is a good idea (as was already said). Someone like Paul of CirclePKnives has a website that he posts knives and I believe he also does shows with the knives he sells. That way you get alot of exposure, they take a percentage of the sale typically this is 25% but it can vary from dealer to dealer.

Definitely getting some type of website up is a really good idea. Even doing it yourself is worth it, you will be amayzed at how easy making a website is.

Sean