Marketing strategies etc…

Tai started this thread by saying "besides denigrating other knifemakers and giving "in the box" advice".....

And a lot of you guys still think he had some kind of serious intent with starting it???????????
 
Thanks Darrel.

Thanks Don.

You guys are both tops in my book too. :)

First you have to have something to market. If it’s good and it stands out the rest will fall into place if you pursue it... I don’t think in the long run any amount of B.S. will make a knife any better, but educating people honestly about “your own work” to the best of your abilities can be very helpful.

Trying to educate people “negatively” about others probably won’t help you, and may even turn a lot of folks off to you and your work.

I don't know of any knifemaker, (not one), who has achieved "legendary" status by trying to B.S. his way to the top. That just doesn't work in this business.
 
I agree with you, you can't claw your way to the top by pulling others down. If you want to make it you have to offer a supperior product and promote it and yourself clearly.

I work in a bike shop and everytime I am out onone of my bicycles I look at it as I am an embassidor for the shop I work at. I always bring extra tubes and tools, always offer to help other cyclist, and when I finish I hand the people I help my card. We get a large amount of bussiness from this and I never bad mouth any of the other shops in the city. I do the same thing on line in the cycling forums I belong to by offering free advice to people.

I plan to market myself the same way in the knife world if I feel my knives are good enough to sell. I will tell people how I make my knives who influinced me and do what ever I have to to give the customer what they want, even if that means sending them to another maker. Why would I give bussiness to someone else? Because I would rather be known for helping people then selling them something they wouldn't be happy with.
 
Here’s a few things I look for in a collector,… That they treat me with courtesy and respect, answer emails and correspondences as promptly as possible, and pay on time. Aside from those things, I also like to hear back from them when they’ve received their knife and offer whatever honest feedback they can on the knife.

I don’t mind a bit if a collector wants to have a friendly relationship and mix business with a little pleasure,… as long as they don’t start to “expect” any business favors.
 
How about this idea,… instead of competing with each other, we support and encourage each other?

A “group marketing strategy“.

When one of us makes good, it helps us all!

More power to us all! :)
 
hat the perfect world thing, but if we were to work together, not get greedy, and burry our egos itwould work :D
 
If we each try a little harder,... it can work! I have a lot of confidence in folks and believe people can change.

We can gain a lot of consumer confidence and expand our market by supporting the individual. :)

We can set a new trend and insure the future of our craft, it's diversity, and it‘s market place,... without competing with each other.
 
I think it is possible to support each other in spite of our differences. We can support other makers, who's methods and philosophies are different,… without compromising our own.

It's O.K. to be different. In fact it's good!

However, when an attack is made, (or perceived) we have every right to defend ourselves. We owe it to ourselves. It's expected of us!

So, it takes two to tango... but at some point, someone needs to stand up and say, "It has to stop somewhere!", So,... it stops with me!

Enough is enough!

You guys are ALL alright in my book,... Ed, Kevin, Matt, Sam, Nick, Dan, Mike, Don, Darrel, Fred, Rick, Burt, John, Jacob, Aaron, Jeff, Stacy, Mark etc., (anyone I've left out). You guys are the best of the best! I'll support you,... if you support me... and anyone else who wants on board.

I hope you all hang on to your dreams. :)

... and no, I'm not running for president... don't want the job!
 
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... only thing is,... I think Nick needs to switch hands once in a while, so he doesn't get cramps. :D
 
Knifemakers helping out other knifemakers?!?!?!

What a neat idea!!! They could like, start forums for sharing information, and have guilds and organizations and all sorts of stuff!!!!

Man, I can't believe nobody thought of this before!!!!! :eek:

TAI GOO for PRESIDENT!!!

a shot from Tai's presidential campaign


UkuleleBladesmith002.jpg

IMG%5D
 
Nick, now you gone and done it man... That picture is copyrighted! You'll be getting a letter from my lawyer real soon. Hope you have a lot of equity in your tent and jar of Vaseline. :D LOL
 
Oh yeah. That's a good picture of you Tai. :D
 
NickWheeler said:
Knifemakers helping out other knifemakers?!?!?!

What a neat idea!!! They could like, start forums for sharing information, and have guilds and organizations and all sorts of stuff!!!!

Man, I can't believe nobody thought of this before!!!!! :eek:

TAI GOO for PRESIDENT!!!

a shot from Tai's presidential campaign


UkuleleBladesmith002.jpg

IMG%5D
Click to expand...




LMMFAO
NIck, you slay me with your novel ideas ! Hey, why don't you start a forum, and name it after a knife/blade. Hey , Bladeforums.....oh, wait... it's been done already.;)


That pic must be part of Tais' heat treating process
 
Here you go Nick,... Matt, Sam,... Goo fans etc.

"MONSTER GOO"

DO THE GOO!... with LOVE!

MonsterGoo001.jpg
 
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Tai Goo said:
So, my question is,… is it a good marketing strategy to try and denigrate the competition and those higher up the ladder of success? Does that strategy really work,… or will it just eventually backfire?
Click to expand...

I'm no knifemaker, am barely a Collector, but I work in a business where there are often petty attacks occurring between bike shops and shit like that. Pettiness is an unfortunately common human characteristic.

I avoid all that stuff by minding my own business. I think that is the best policy. Four words are all you need to know to succeed;

MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!
 
Lorien said:
I'm no knifemaker, am barely a Collector, but I work in a business where there are often petty attacks occurring between bike shops and shit like that. Pettiness is an unfortunately common human characteristic.

I avoid all that stuff by minding my own business. I think that is the best policy. Four words are all you need to know to succeed;

MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!
Click to expand...

I don't agree. There are those who still like to propagate myths to people who don't know any better, in order to try and set themselves apart.
 
Lorien said:
I'm no knifemaker, am barely a Collector, but I work in a business where there are often petty attacks occurring between bike shops and shit like that. Pettiness is an unfortunately common human characteristic.

I avoid all that stuff by minding my own business. I think that is the best policy. Four words are all you need to know to succeed;

MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!
Click to expand...

better yet, treat people like you want to be treated, it goes a long way. I do my best never to say a negitive thing about my competitors, if they are good enought to compete with, they are good enough to get my respect even if I don't agree with them. I do ocasionally get sucked in by trolls though:o
 
Tai Goo said:
Here you go Nick,... Matt, Sam,... Goo fans etc.

"MONSTER GOO"

DO THE GOO!... with LOVE!

MonsterGoo001.jpg



They told him don't you ever come around here
Don't wanna see your face, you better disappear
The fire's in their eyes and their words are really clear
So beat it, just beat it

You better run, you better do what you can
Don't wanna see no blood, don't be a macho man
You wanna be tough, better do what you can
So beat it, but you wanna be bad

Just beat it, beat it, beat it, beat it
No one wants to be defeated
Showin' how funky and strong is your fight
It doesn't matter who's wrong or right
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
Just beat it, beat it
*snip*
Click to expand...

Dam you I have had this song stuck in my head all evening:grumpy: I didn't like it then and I still don't, but it just rattles around in my head for hours on end as soon as someone mentions it.
 
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