Knifemakers' swag...waste of money or good marketing?

Bob Ohlemann

Bob Ohlemann

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Dec 5, 2013
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This question is intended for makers and collectors. I have been considering having some 3"x3" stickers made with my logo and website URL that I would have available on my table at shows and insert with each knife order. It was suggested to me that this is a waste of money as, in my price range ($700-$1200), very few buyers would care about the stickers. I feel that name recognition helps to increase perceived value and demand as long as the quality is on point. On the other hand, the stickers may boost contacts from a market I'm not really selling to. So, specifically what do you guys think on the stickers? Less specifically, how do you guys feel about the value of swag as a marketing tool for knifemakers?

Bob
 
Anything you can do to put your name in front of people is a good thing.
Some people argue with the premise, but someone once came up with the adage that "There's no such thing as bad publicity". Pretty much meaning that anything you can do to put your name out there is to your advantage.
 
Stickers are probably better than a business card. Who knows were someone will stick it and see it all the time. That's the intention.

SCHWAG is huge in the new 'Tactical market'. Right?

I have a leather coaster from the RW Loveless shop in front of me with his stamp. One is holding my lemonade as I type.

Get on board!

Coop
 
I have spoken with many knifemakers over the years about doing two things and while some are coming around with the first few are doing the second.

So lets take a look at the first.

Instead of having knives on the table without any pricing consider the benefits of having nicely created cards with all the info about the knife along with the price of the knife instead of just a knife with no info nor price available for the customer who is browsing the show to learn about the knife even if the maker is busy with another customer or potential customer. You want to turn a suspect into a prospect into a buyer. Make it easy!

This card will then be given to the purchaser of your product.

Now for item # 2.

For all those making a purchase, simply ask the buyer if he has an email address and if he would permit you to have it. If the answer is positive, write it down carefully and check that it is correct. Add it to your computer/tablet or cell immediately. Next, if you have a moment, write a quick note to the purchaser thanking him for his purchase and be sure to state exactly what was purchased. You may be able to create a pre-planed text and also attach a duplicate of the info on the card suggesting that you offer this because after a busy day at a large show it is possible that the buyer may have lost the card. At the same time it is a good idea to have a good photo of the knife sold that you can add as an attachment suggesting that the user now has info that can be used if there is ever a need for an insurance claim. This task takes but a few moments but imagine yourself making a purchase anywhere and getting a message of THANKS from the seller immediately. I think all customers would be excited about this. Read the threads about the Derosiers going on now to understand the power of something simple offered with ease in today's email etc availability.

Something simple like these two items can keep your name to the front of the consumer's mind for himself or as a recommendation to another collector and that publicity is not purchasable.
 
promotion CAN be a total waste of money. Depends on how much of your margin you're willing to allocate, and whether you have a plan or not. I've learned this the hard way.

Stickers, however, are so cheap that you really can't go wrong. They don't cost more than business cards, and there's less chance they'll end up in the recycling.
 
In the technical market people go to the shows to collect freebees. Coasters like Coop mentioned or beer coozies with your logo.

Murray White is spot on with #1 the cards and #2 could include an offer to sharpen the knife, news letter for updates on what you're doing etc.
 
The more you get your name out there the better, however it's very important to get the most bang for your buck.
Stickers should be fairly cheap, but how many people are you actually going to reach?

Best to choose a vehicle that the market you are trying to reach will actually use.

Here's a really cool and useful item the Ruth's gave out some time ago. Perhaps a little on the pricy side, but you get my point.





Here's bronze key fobs Jerry made a few years ago displaying all his maker's marks. These obviously took some time, however I treasure this gift.

 
YES! to everything written or suggested above this post including your original post.

Paul
 
Going on 40 years in advertising here...
Swag is good if it is good swag. Good graphics, good perceived value.
A handy item (like the ID holder above) is a bonus.

If the stuff you give away is bland plain and boring it won't be displayed if it is taken off of the table.
You all go to knife shows and collect business cards and where are they now?
Pretty sure they aren't displayed or stuck in a place where others can see them.
Stickers are great. They go on coolers, tool boxes, truck windows and bumpers...anywhere.
Magnets are another good item. I use them to hold sketches, mail, schedules up on the light of my workbench.
Patches are another great idea.
More perceived value than a sticker.

Again, the graphics have to be top shelf.

Your knives are the best you can make.
Don't settle for less in your marketing...
 
Can never go wrong with some stickers. Like someone mentioned before, Lucas Burnley does a bunch of random items and his collectors eat it all up in seconds. So for the younger collector crowd it does extremely well.

Maybe not as much as Burnley, but i'd love to see more custom makers with some different items. Don Hanson III did some damascus pendants a couple years backed which i really enjoyed, made great gifts.
 
Thanks guys, all very good points. I think there's a important distinction made in this discussion, and that is the difference between free swag for the general public and gifts or value added items for clients. I believe both are important but it would be pretty easy to "waste" money giving things away to everyone. I have been working on the "customer experience" part and adding some cool things to the package including a very nice certificate of authenticity on a quality parchment and some alternative-use packaging.

Bob
 
I'm a big sticker guy and I use them liberally

First off it has to be a very cool sticker :)



But to be honest most of the knife stickers patches etc that I'm given end up in draws

I believe better time and money spent would be different types of marketing ..... Buy a good camera to use for Instagram and UTube
 
We've never done stickers or anything of that nature. We do have a trifold brochure that is available at a show and it does seem to work better than just a card. We've found it important to ask customers how they found out about you. That way you can track your advertising $. We advertise in 3 print venues: Sporting Classics, Western Horseman and Cowboys and Indians. Will be dropping Cowboys and Indians shortly as its not paying off and if you don't track what pays and what doesn't ya could be spending a lot of $ for naught.

Been doing this for a long time and your repeat customers are paramount in this business just like any other. I have many "friends" now that I've never even met in person. Found it very important to take care of these folks. We'll send em freebies of some of the smaller things we make, pick up the shipping etc. Keeping them coming back is important. We handcraft a lot of other items besides knives and we use these: like this bottle opener.

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Or a card wallet or something similar:

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We even keep a list of whom we've sent what so we don't duplicate gifts. Good pictures sell.

Joe is right Instagram has been very good for us. Facebook nada but Instagram works well.
 
Loads of good points above.

Also a quality (cool) sticker can potentially be seen by a lot of potential customers.

I note the stickers on cars.

Imagine a well crafted sticker on a car/truck in a metropolis and how many people might see it.
 
Will chime in and make an attempt at being to the point. Marketing and sales is what I have done for almost 20 years, and would like to think that I know some of what I am talking about.

The SHOT Show is in less than two weeks.

Leupold, Remington, Ruger, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Magpul, Emerson Knives, Benchmade......they will all be there and have swag to give away....Patches, pins, stickers, t-shirts in some cases.......

Swag does three things:

1. It leaves a potential buyer with a positive feeling from the company, and this is remembered come purchasing time.

2. It reminds the potential buyer of the company, keeping that company's products in the conscious and sub-conscious, and if used conspicuously, ties part of that buyer's identity to the company.

3. When done right, the higher the quality/value of the swag, subconsciously suggests to the potential buyer the high level of quality of the company's products.

Stickers, pins and patches are excellent for "gimmes" to the general public. They are inexpensive and serve the need of all three points above, but are not very strong on the third point.

Even with great graphics, cheaply MADE products(specifically in this industry-pens, t-shirts, keychains, flashlights, tape measures, pocketknives....) leave the buyer with an impression that the company is trying to cut corners....don't do it!

Challenge coins have been making a real impression at SHOT Show in the last few years, a company like Warrior Chip can have you set up for about $2-3.00, depending upon quantity ordered. This is a good medium-low level bit of swag.

GIVING A CUSTOMER something significant like Horsewright Leather's wallet is guaranteed to make the customer think about them in the future when it is buying time. This is an investment of less than $20.00 in a customer that is very likely to do repeat business....it's smart and it's effective.

I frequently counsel up-and-coming makers to GIVE a customer a quality hat or shirt when a purchase is made....that buyer becomes a walking billboard for the company and has a feeling of being part of that maker's "inner circle".

Hope this was helpful.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Bob,
From my view point, a collector, most of the above holds true.
Cheap is cheap, don't do it.
Stickers if you want to, would be wasted on me.
After a show I attend, I go through all the business cards I've picked up, read the notes on the back, keep the ones I really like and trash the rest.
One maker sent me some very nice swag ($15-20 hat) when I purchased a knife, and I've bought more than one knife from this maker. And it's on my desk as I type.
Just my perspective, not an expert or authority, just a customer.
Dozier
"It's the steady, quiet, plodding ones who win in the lifelong race." Robert W. Service
 
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