My first show, any tips?

Sean Cochran

Sean Cochran

Well-Known Member
Well I decided to jump in. Ill be setting up a table at our regional SASS event in April. I have got a list together of knives to make (mostly bowies and a few gamblers daggers) these are cowboy action shooters.

I expect a couple of hundred people to be there, most of them are active SASS shooters, and these guys dont care to drop $200 on a hat, so surely they will buy custom knives.2thumbs

Anyway, you guys that do shows have any tips?

Thanks

Sean
 
Lots of info in other threads here in the buisness section. You sound like you have a good plan and that is half the battle.

Make it happen, Captain! Good luck! :)
 
Sean,

These fellas LOVE daggers !

Many of the SASS guys are also active in NCOWS. SASS is pretty much "Run What Ya Brung" while NCOWS is strictly period correct.

Carbon steels and natural materials will be appreciated.

Good luck with the show ! Josh
 
Thanks guys. Ill get some pics up as I get them made.

Josh
We only have a couple of guys who shoot NCOWS, everybody else is SASS. Thanks for the heads up, I know you have done a couple for some CA shooters. I think I may copy your dagger.:);)

Sean
 
bring a table cloth, lot's and lots of business cards. I have noticed if the cards are scattered all over the table they get picked up more often vs. a little stack to the side.
walk the show as early as you can and look for knives that look like yours and check prices. If you are too high, come down.
expect to haggle over price. it's just the nature of knife show. If you can't take any less for your knives, mark them a little higher and come down.
lot's (LOT'S) of guys just look and engage in small talk and walk away. They come back later and buy. Treat every looky loo as a potential sale later.
people by the maker just as much as the knife. the friendlier you are to a potential customer, the more likely you will get the sale vs the guy down the line that is busy reading a magazine or ignoring customers.
band aids on the table. This always brings lots of comments and conversation starters.
stand up and look people in the eye.
point the handles toward the customer so they can pick up the knives. put price stickers on the back. You will find some people pick up every knife to see what the price is. you want them to handle the knives.

If a couple customers note a flawed knife -- it happens and lots of guys don't mind pointing that stuff out. Put it away or it will be a sale killer....or make it a heck of a deal to someone to get it gone.

If you don't sell any knives at a knife show, it wasn't the show's fault. Your knives were priced too high. If you sell them all the first day, you were priced too low.

make sure you have KnifeDog business cards on your table too. order free ones here: http://www.usaknifemaker.com/store/...ogscom-usaknifemakercom-free-25pk-p-2287.html
 
Knife show 101 by the boss there. Good post Tracy! 2thumbs

BossDog said:
expect to haggle over price. it's just the nature of knife show. If you can't take any less for your knives, mark them a little higher and come down.
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I agree that you should expect it, but I humbly (?) disagree. I think the price should be the price.

Although, it is worth noting that, at non knife events (gun shows) some people WILL NOT buy anything that they can't feel like they get over a little on.....

No really wrong answer, just know it's gonna happen and decide before hand how your gonna deal with it.
 
Les
We must have been typing at the same time. I hate to haggle, although Ive found that most guys love it. I have a buddy who will haggle over a nickel at a yard sale. Go figure some people just like it I guess.

Sean
 
Sean,

Like I said, the most important thing, I think is to be ready so that you dont fumble when they hit you with it. Perception is, more often than not, reality....
 
I personally HATE haggling and usually won't have anything to do with it. I've sold knives both ways. I've sold more haggling than not. It will happen with nearly every knife sale so you do need to know what you will go to in advance.
 
I used to use a little trick for those who insisted on haggling. After going back and forth a little, I'd give the guy a small discount but say, "You're going to have to pay the sales tax on it though." I had already figured a little for the tax in the price of the knife and people understand that they have to pay it everywhere else so they usually grab the deal and everyone goes away smiling.

Just an idea,
Carey
 
Good practical advice has been covered. Talk to everybody and give out lots of business cards.

I put a small dish of candy on the front edge of my table. You will be surprised how many people this gets to stop and look. A $5 bag of hard candy can give you a lot of opportunities to start a conversation about your knives.

Do put prices on your knives. It puts a lot of people off if they don't see a price.

I have found that having an unfinished knife blank on hand is a good visual prop. A lot of newcomers will ask "how did you make that?" and showing them what you started from helps to explain how much work goes into a handmade knife.

You can get a 6' vinyl banner made at sign shops for $50-$100. Make a frame out of PVC or buy a couple of photographic light stands to fly the banner overhead. This really helps people to find you from across the room and gives a more professional impression.

A small photo album of other knives you have done helps to drive home the point that you make custom knives to order by showing examples of what you have done for others.

NEVER talk down another knifemaker. It will always come back to haunt you.

Be prepared to hear endless stories of friends who made the greatest knives ever from saw blades, files, railroad spikes, industrial scap and my favorite so far, engine blocks. I never dispute them. I do try to explain about cutlery steels and that the hardest steel does not necessarily make the best knife blade. Let them know that you understand steel, heat treatment and performance but do it in an informative non-confrontational way.

You will find that the show circuit is a family. Even though they are technically competitiors, knifemakers will help each other and watch out for each other. There will be the occasional dealer or knifemaker who sells stories more than anything.

If it is a regulary scheduled show, become a regular attendee. Pay for the next show at the current show and request the same spot (unless you can move up to a better spot). People are more comfortable buying from someone who is always there and will look for you.

Stay until the end of the show. Empty tables are show killers.

If it is a club show, occasionally donate a knife to be auctioned or raffled off to support the club. It's good PR and it gets another knife into the hands of someone who will show it off to friends and family.

Good luck and have fun.
 
I work really hard at standing the whole time and being at my table 95% of the time. Seems that often when I go somewhere my wife says someone that was by earlier came by twice while you were gone or asked something I didn't have an answer for. Try to talk with everyone you can and treat everyone how you would want to be treated. No matter how young, old, or scruffy (that would probably be my category.)
 
I agree with most that was said. Ed Fowler once pointed out. Even if you don't sell a knife. You don't know what will come from the show from the contacts you made. So the success may not come for months if not years down the road. I once got a commission for 5 knives three weeks after a show where i made contact with the client.

Success of show has so many variables. I have seen excellent knifemakers not sell a single knife during a show. I went to show once and was set with 3 guild members. We had every style of knife every price point. We sold two knives between the four of us. But I been to shows and sold couple of thousand in knives. Your clients will dictated if you have a good show. Make a good knife and sell it at a fair price. Your clients will find you.

Never be closed to a deal of any kind. I once bought a couple of custom knives made by a famous maker. One I knew the makers work. Two I knew it was of not his regular style. Three I knew they were rare. It turned out he only made 27 only 20 was sold. He is famous production maker now. I made $1150.00 off the deal. BTW I sold one knife at that show for $75.00. So was it success or not?
 
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I bring 6 to 10 knives with a variety of styles. Don't hold back knives, that is just bad business. If you have 15 knives ready bring 15 knives and display 15 knives. But shoot for less is more. I took 5 knives to my last show. If you sell 6 knives you had a good show.
 
There is a pretty good thread about how many knives to take to a show in this forum already...

for me the answer is simple... As Many As You Can! ;)
 
Jim Adams Customs said:
I agree with most that was said. Ed Fowler once pointed out. Even if you don't sell a knife. You don't know what will come from the show from the contacts you made. So the success may not come for months if not years down the road.
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So true,I once setup at a gunshow,had a ton of tire kickers and compliments but no buyers. One gentleman, kept coming back and looking,he took a business card and a brochure and left.The next day he came by my shop and bought one knife.The next day after he had taken the knife to work to show his patners, he came back and they bought 12 knives.So like everyone said be friendly, confident and consider every person there a potential customer.Good luck.Dave:)
 
Good luck, Sean. We've never met in person but if you're the same guy that I have met here, you won't have a problem. Just remember, they have your money in their pockets.
 
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