Need marketing advice...

R

R.C.Reichert

Joined
Jul 26, 2008
Messages
1,006
Sorry about this, I don't really know any other place to put this post. I would like to know if any of you guys had any suggestions as to how I could get my name out and actually start selling more knives. I have a few for sale in a hunting and fishing store, but the commision cost is ridiculous. I've sold about a half dozen to people I work with also, but I need some more sales. I don't think I'm asking too much for the knives I produce....about $100 - $150 range, $200 for a large bowie knife. My work is quite professional looking (for a beginner) and the people I have sold knives to have been very pleased with them. Seems like so many people around here (where I live anyways) are happy with their $35 dollar Walmart Special. I need some serious customers. Where should I be looking?:confused:

Thank you for any suggestions. :)
 
Last edited:
looks to me like many hobby people just sell knifes on the forum. I'm sure the 40 dollar for knife maker status on the forum is worth it over paying it in commission costs.

or maybe go coldsteel style and chop a walmart special in half to prove a point. remember to look tough and stare at the camera afterwards.
 
word of mouth is important on forums and locally, sounds like you may have a deal with a hunting store which is more then most here thus far. If that is a popular store and if they have a website make sure your on that too. If you make enough knives or are deciding if you want to make more I would upgrade to knife maker and sell from here, we like to talk about each other enough and you can easily fit in there. You can always do tests to prove how much "better" a custom is then a "walmart special" and creating you own website is key. If you want to be seen as a professional you need one (in my opinion).
 
I think we all started about where you're at, there's a kind of sales hump you have to get over. There's that place when you've sold to everyone you know and need to expand your customer base.

First, get a knifemaker's subscription here. If you make a quality knife at a good price, it'll sell here. You'll get some very good customers here, ones that become friends.

Second, go to gun and knife or hunting shows (do they have those in Canada?) understand that most people really don't NEED anything better than a $35 wally world knife, you have to learn to sell them on why they should WANT your $100 knife ;)

Thirdly, when you sell someone a knife always make sure you deliver more than they expect.

Lastly, take a good hard look at your knives, compare them to knives from makers comparable to yourself. Are they priced comparable to your skill level? I probably sold 50 or more knives when I started out for $50 just to cover costs so I could learn. I still sell most of my simple EDC around $100 even though I know people would willingly pay more.

Word of mouth is the most important marketing a knifemaker will ever get. The secret is you gotta get your knives out there for people to use. I enjoy helping causes I believe in, I probably make 10 or more knives a year for charities. There's good advertising if you make them a good knife, not with an "here's something free" attitude.

One day you'll get there.
 
RC,
Advertise. I'm a Graphic Designer, and I can't tell you how important it is to get visuals of your work out to potential buyers. The knifemaker membership here is a great use of $40, and will help you get the ball rolling. Once you've got income coming in, plow it back into supplies and start an advertising fund.

One of the best ways to get things done early on is by bartering. (Speaking from experience here.) I know I don't have the cash for good product photography, so I'd hunt down a friend who is a part time photographer and ask them if they'd be willing to do some photos for a handmade knife. If I weren't a Designer by trade, I'd take the same route to get an ad created, business cards, maybe even a brochure.

Then, as the money builds up in the advertising fund, I'd get the brochure printed, business cards, and then place an ad somewhere.

It is all a process. One step at a time.

-Jim
 
Make sure you are easily found too. People I know brag about their knives when it's a nice one. Make sure your mark on the knife is clear and you are easily found online. Maybe they will see your blade in the store and search online for more. The store is advertising some for you having it in their case. Make sure customer can buy direct too. Nowadays online is where people look for you first.
 
This is a really bad time to be trying to promote sales that require discretionary income. The financial concerns are hitting discretionary spending as people are concerned about making payments on credit cards they over used, car payments for gas guzzlers they owe more than they are worth and on homes they would loose money on if they were to try and sell. There is no money available for most in their home equity as they have negative equity. All of these factors lead to layoffs and worse with even very large companies going bankrupt or being swallowed up by even bigger fish. So, do not let low interest in your knives now be the deal breaker for continuing doing something you like to do. Just be realistic and do not expect to get a lot of sales growth for probably two to four years. It is going to take that long for the economic issues to be resolved one way or another.....
 
Last edited:
Take one or two of your standard type knives and get professional photos done. They will be worth every cent.
Send your name and pics and get into the Knives annual. "Knives 2010" Has a deadline of Dec. 1st. this year.
Well worth the effort.:D
Send pics of you and one of your knives to Blade mag for the makers section.
Get involved in your local art scene.:thumbup:
Do good work... be a nice guy.;)
Mace
 
Last edited:
They look good to me. Go with the knifemakers status on the forum. Better yet, go platinum, it only costs about $10 more and you can upload more pics. It gives you some other benefits also. I am a part time maker, and have developed a loyal customer base here. I am not trying to make a living at it, so a show or two, a decent website, and this forum has been about all I need. I have a hard enough time getting orders filled with my other job. If you are planning on eventually supporting yourself with this endeavor, additional advertising may be needed.
 
Hey R.C.,
I also suggest, in addition to a website, getting a hard copy catalog. Something people can put in their hands and read why your knives are miles better than a wal-mart special. I have the same set up as you, a deal with a local gun store, and I've put a catalog in the store for customers to look at. It has all my options listed, what my knives are made of, how they are made etc.
Some people aren't interested in reading all that info but those people usually aren't serious about buying a knife anyway. Get some decent pictures in it so people can see how much nicer looking your knives are than a store bought model.
Oh and don't forget to put in your contact info.
God bless,
Stitch
 
R.C.
Just my .02 worth. You need to put your name on your knives, the mark you have is nice but no one can find you by that mark. Your name and maybe even Canada under it would be much better.
Stan
 
Stan got there before I did. I HIGHLY encourage you to mark your knives in such as way that it makes you easy to find. Not long ago I posted an article on my website concerning how to mark your blades..... http://www.caffreyknives.net/Makersmarkarticle.html

With the current state of the economy, many makers are finding it harder to sell their wares. Everything we sell is generally based on others' disposable income. If they don't have it, we certainly are not going to get it.

Its a long and sometimes difficult road selling knives. It generally starts for most makers with attending Gun/Knife shows, and gradually as you build a good reputation, you step up into smaller knife shows, and then eventually to the larger shows such as Blade, etc. Its certainly not as lucrative a business as many might think. It really all boils down to finding your specific niche, with quality and price points being the major factors.
 
Ed Caffrey said:
Stan got there before I did. I HIGHLY encourage you to mark your knives in such as way that it makes you easy to find. Not long ago I posted an article on my website concerning how to mark your blades..... http://www.caffreyknives.net/Makersmarkarticle.html

With the current state of the economy, many makers are finding it harder to sell their wares. Everything we sell is generally based on others' disposable income. If they don't have it, we certainly are not going to get it.

Its a long and sometimes difficult road selling knives. It generally starts for most makers with attending Gun/Knife shows, and gradually as you build a good reputation, you step up into smaller knife shows, and then eventually to the larger shows such as Blade, etc. Its certainly not as lucrative a business as many might think. It really all boils down to finding your specific niche, with quality and price points being the major factors.
Click to expand...

I think I'll keep my mark and just put my last name/info under it with an etcher or something. I like the way you do your mark with the tang stamp as it seems more "traditional". Are those metal stamps quite expensive to have made? I'm assuming I would need a mechanical press for it as well. How did they do this in the old days? Just with a big hammer or something? I have one of you're videos on bladesmithing. It is a real treat to watch a professional at work. Thanks for the advice. Same goes to all the rest of you guys. I appreciate it.
 
My latest stamp which is 1/16" tall block letters was just over $100 from Everstamp. The up side to that is that this is only the third stamp I have owned in 25 years of bladesmithing. If used properly they last a LONG time. You don't necessarily need a press for a stamp, for many years I did it with the stamp held in a small pair of visegrips, and striking it with a hand hammer.
 
R.C., my mark is my stylized initials too. I've always rationalized continuing to use it by saying that I don't really care if anyone ever knows that I'm the one who made that knife. I've always had trouble keeping up with orders because I work so slowly - how the hell do you guys make so many knives?! - so I've never worried about increasing sales or getting rid of unsold inventory. But that is only because I work so slowly. If I was like the rest of you I'd have to consider my mark more carefully. So reading Ed's article I got to thinking about that. I do intend to get some knives made just to have in inventory, and it makes sense that I find a way for people to follow my mark back to me someday.

A long time ago, before I had the stamps with my initials made, I had TKS make one with my last name in italics. I never used it much; wanted my own mark! The other day I tried marking a scrap piece with my initials and the last name stamped under them. I noticed that the name stamp isn't really very readable - the letters are too small. So I have to reevaluate how I'm going to do my mark. I think I'll have another stamp made with my last name in block letters that can be read, and use that underneath my initials. Personally I like stamping better than etching, though you can etch a mark deeply enough that it won't buff or wear off. And you can get more information in an etched mark.

That being said, Henry Evers makes great stamps. Mine were made by Harper Manufacturing in Nevada. They do great work too. The cost was around $100 per stamp. I've marked 60 or so blades with the big one and no sign of wear.

The way I mark the blades is simple. I made a "flinch reducer" out of scraps of stuff laying around that holds the stamp vertical and square to my knife, and hit it pretty solid with a 4 lb hammer. You have to be sure one hit will do it; it's virtually impossible to stamp twice without making misaligned marks. But if you hit too hard the mark will be distorted. Practice is good. I place my mark after grinding, just before HT. Here's a picture of my stamp holder:

ShopStampguide1.jpg


There are slots on the back so it can be adjusted for different width stamps. I use small number stamps to apply a serial number on the reverse side of the ricasso.
 
I will definitely have to look into that. I like the way an actual stamp looks versus an etched logo. I just find that my knives tend to have a more old-west style look and a stamp would look more traditional. Thanks for the advice guys! You've been a great help!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top