The knife making market: Self promotion vs no self promotion..

The reason I don’t promote myself better/more, is because it’s just too much work,… too much trouble (for what you get), when I could just be out “playing” in the shop, having fun making and selling knives! I haven’t gone to a show or sent a picture to a book or mag, done a demo, unless I was invited to free, (or got paid for it),… for over 15 years.

If you ever do get "rich and famous", I’ll guarantee you this,… other people will make more money off it than you. “fame and fortune” are way over rated. It's not like you think.

The key to surviving in this business, is just being happy where you are… striving to be who you already are... "the very best", (even if no one knows but you). :)
 
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Tai Goo said:
The reason I don’t promote myself better/more, is because it’s just too much work,… too much trouble (for what you get), when I could just be out “playing” in the shop, having fun making and selling knives. I haven’t gone to a show or sent a picture to a book or mag, done a demo, unless I was invited to free, (or got paid for it),… for over 15 years.

If you ever do get "rich and famous", I’ll guarantee you this,… other people will make more money off it than you. “fame and fortune” are way over rated. It's not like you think.

The key to surviving in this business, is just being happy where you are… striving to be who you already are... "the very best", (even if no one knows but you). :)
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But you did get the ball rollin a long time ago. ;)
 
Don Hanson III said:
But you did get the ball rollin a long time ago. ;)
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Maybe for a little while but…If you are really that good,… it won’t take long before other people will promote your work for you and make more money/fame off it than you!

That’s how you’ll know you’ve finally made it. :D

The work speaks for itself.. ;)
 
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Kentucky said:
jonny, honestly I wasnt thinking about either..Just pondering the question really..Lisa(my wife) has a website and a ebay store where she sells strikers kits and other blacksmith type wares..She does the craft fairs and gets a lot of good feedback via word of mouth..I use to run the little side business but I started teaching her about 7 years ago and give it to her..Im just a teacher/hobbie guy now..Ive tried to get her interested in the internet forum community but she just dosnt care much for it:confused:
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What do you think about the otehr media outlets? Youtube,facebook and such...I had never gave it much thought to be honest..
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Well, I don't do the youtube thing like snody, but I do have a facebook page for my knives, and its generated some good exposure/orders.
 
Being in business as a provider of a product (or service) is different than making the product. You can be REAL good at baking bread, but be a flop at being in business with a bakery. One must wear many hats to be in a sole proprietorship (self owned and run) business. For instance....


  1. Technician/crafter/artisan/designer/machinists/maker/producer...
  2. Manager/administrator/facilitator/coordinator...
  3. Visionary/entrepreneur/innovator...
  4. Accountant/book-keeper/record-keeper/financier...
  5. Material and supply shopper/buyer/customer/quartermaster...
  6. Mechanic/engineer/electrician/maintenance-man/custodian...
  7. Architect/facility design/contractor/builder...
  8. Marketeer/advertiser/salesman/promoter/outreach/public relations...
  9. Photographer/videographer/orator/writer/performer
  10. Teacher/demonstrator/
  11. Environmentalist/philosopher/psychologist/anthropologist/humanitarian...
  12. Etc...

This list represents lots of skill-sets, whether one does them all oneself or hires some of them out. It takes more to succeed in business than just making a good product and/or providing a good service. I like to think that striving for the finest and highest in values like integrity, honesty, quality, beauty, serviceability, performance and the such, is an honorable road toward success and making a healthy contribution to the enigma known as the collective existence called humanity.

My significant other just walked in, gotta run. Will send this off and read through it later. All the best in the new year folks! --Phil
 
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Hope you don't mind a buyer's input. When I saw this thread, the first thing that came to mind was Snody. I have had no direct interaction with him or any of his knives, but I am familiar with his work due to his promotions and (cheesy) images that always have money in them somehow.

I'd say it's all in how much you want to sell. By not advertising, it's obvious that your "fanbase" will be a lot smaller. If you want to sell more, then of course you need to advertise yourself more. In my opinion, simple advertising is best for knives. Nice pictures sell items, but you don't need cheesy sayings, etc.
 
I'm one that needs to learn about promotion. I can make the heck out of a knife, but can't seem to sell them at any sort of profit. So I've got LOTS of pretty knives sitting around my house
 
Tai Goo said:
Maybe for a little while but…If you are really that good,… it won’t take long before other people will promote your work for you and make more money/fame off it than you!

That’s how you’ll know you’ve finally made it. :D

The work speaks for itself.. ;)
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You're absolutely right, man! But you have to show your work, at some point. ;)
 
Leek_Freak said:
I agree because you'll always have competition. And if you're not promoting, you can bet someone else will be and their goal is to take your customers.
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That's likely true for some, but I have never worried about competition.

My pointy is, you can make knives and stack em like cord wood,

but if nobody knows about these knives, they will not sell. :D
 
Well, I think I see an unspoken thought here. Last time I checked Tai's web site, almost all of his knives were sold... now granted, he had them on display on the web site, but there wasn't a lot of hype...er, I mean promotion involved.

Now if he was cranking out batches of production knives, that would require a different level of promotion. How much promotion you require is directly proportional to how much inventory you need to move... or something like that. :D
 
We should all just be closet knifemakers... go underground.

I feel so dirty and ashamed $$$... :(

(not really)
 
My experience is that most manufacturers have little marketing ability, they don't think that way. But, if you're going to try and make a living making things, at some point you need to learn (or pay for) both marketing and sales. If you have a market that's bigger than you can fill, and customers are lined up waiting for your product, then the marketing needs are few. But if you make really great widgets that know one knows about you're never going to get true value from them even when they do sell.

There are a number of ways to promote a product (or service), some more expensive and time consuming than others. I highly recommend any small business owner take the time and talk to someone who knows how to market their products. Unless you just don't want to maximize your return.
 
I am very new to selling but being a business major I do have some idea about marketing and such. I feel that it is foolish not to do everything you can to sell your knives. If they were made with the intention of selling then why stop when the blade is finished, part of the job should be "trying" to sell. Part of "trying" is advertising, making videos, attending shows, etc.

I personally make Youtube videos for a lot of my work (I do this for fun) but it has led to a few sales as well. In my opinion there is a significant generation gap between young guys like me who will use online resources etc to sell a knife, and the "traditionalists" that find that sort of thing distasteful. If you are selling a quality product then why not say that? Why wouldn't you put your product out there in any way possible?
 
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There is nothing wrong with promoting your product and services in an honest and ethical manner.

Be up front with customers about wait times, prices, options, warranty issues, etc.
 
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