Official Luthiers Forum!

[QUOTE=John How] I took a personal check last time, risky I guess but it cleared.[/QUOTE]
I was wondering if anyone did that. It does seem risky, but I suppose that if a check can be supported with a picture ID that verifies a street address, a judgement call can be made.

Great thread. Thanks for the tips.

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

Great thread, thanks very much guys.

see you at the show.

Matt

Who from here is going as an exibitor?
I will be there as an attendee/lurker

I have a question for the guys doing multiple shows per year.

Are you making DIFFERENT guitars for each show, operating on the presumption that either 1) you will sell the guitars at each show and 2) you want the look of each show to be fresh with new work?

Also, when doing shows like Montreal... How do you handle BRW (and now Mahogany)?

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Not as a luthier, but from being an exhibitor at a number of trade shows:

1.) Pre-show marketing, to try to get as many qualified potential customers to come to your booth is REALLY powerful.

2.) I have to respectfully disagree with Hesh about trying to draw a second person into a conversation. Or at least for me, every time I have tried it, both end up walking away. (Maybe it's a skill I just don't have.) I now focus on one person at a time, and have found that they will usually sense another customer waiting and will "wrap it up" themselves, without feeling that I disengaged from them.

3.) Have an arsenal of breath mints with you - do not run out! Water too. Maybe even bring a toothbrush charged with toothpaste in a baggie with you to the show, and when (if?) you get a chance for a bathroom break, brush. This is close-quarter selling, and bad breath will drive prospects away.

4.) If you identify someone as a real prospect, before they leave do not just get their contact information - ask them specifically if it is OK to email, or to call them. They will usually remember that they gave this permission, and it will make further contact smoother.

Good luck to the exhibitors at HGF!

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

Tim,

Good idea for a thread. There are some really fine points being made. At my first guitar show, I met a luthier who has been in this business for years and years. He has a great reputation, does a ton of advertising, has good promotional materials and he makes great guitars. He is the real deal. He told me he had never sold a guitar “directly” at a show and he has done them all! Sales have come later he told me, but nothing direct. (BTW this has changed he sold 2 at the last Newport show Yay!) Anyway the point is that just because you show up does not mean you will sell guitars. It is hit and miss.

Yes it is expensive to be there, besides the expenses already mentioned there is the money tied up in spec guitars that may not sell. While we are working on those spec (show) guitars our commission builds are getting pushed back (hopefully still on schedule) but nonetheless, less cash is not coming in. Although I do partially go to these things for the social aspect, during the show, I do want the opportunity to do some business.

At the last Healdsburg, I had many builders in disguise take up my time acting like they were interested in my guitars. I went through the whole thing (sales pitch), took them to the quiet room (actually outside) and spent about 30 minutes with them only to have their wives come up and say, why would he buy one from you, he can just build his own. Needless to say I was PO’d. While I was outside, my table was not manned, and interested parties may have gone past. One sale could have been lost!

I also work with Dealers and the shows are a good time to work on those relationships. Dealers only have so much time at the shows and if you are too busy taking shop, an opportunity to set-up that relationship could missed for another year.

So if you are a builder and just coming to one of the shows, identify yourself as a builder and don’t be hurt if the exhibitors only have time for some short answers.

Brock,

I have 3 guitars set for Montreal. As stated above it is hit or miss on sales, but I go to the shows with low expectations. On the off chance that I do sell something, I will still have a couple of other guitar to bring out to the HGF. If working with dealers in Montreal I will put them off until Healdsburg show.   I do have 4 others in process, so I might be able to get a couple of those finished and I was hoping to have 2 of those done so I would have something different in Healdsburg. Like I mentioned in another thread, there has been something that has come up that has shifted priorities here and at this moment even going to Montreal is up in the air.
Once again, good thread

I also had several builders come to my table and not identify themselves as such but it's usually not long before you figure it out. I would much prefer that they were upfront about it because I do enjoy talking with builders as well and usually am not a grouch about it so if you come to my table, don't be shy. But John is right, you need to make as much of the event as possible and the one you missed might have been at least a future client. I do also love walking around the event and looking at other makers work but I try to only approach when there is a lull.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

[QUOTE=johno]At the last Healdsburg, I had many builders in disguise take up my time acting like they were interested in my guitars. I went through the whole thing (sales pitch), took them to the quiet room (actually outside) and spent about 30 minutes with them only to have their wives come up and say, why would he buy one from you, he can just build his own.[/QUOTE]
Ouch! That had to hurt. I guess being bold about asking the right questions, as someone mentioned above, is the most efficient way to maintain your sanity (and income!). As suggested, "are you a player or a builder?", seems like the best place to start. If you get the answer, "both," I suppose "are you looking for a new instrument?" would be a good follow-up.

Hi Broc,
As you know I am doing multiple shows this year. I have the same batch of dedicated FS spec guitars for Montreal & CAAS. I also have another dedicated batch just for the HGF and a batch of 4 dreds underway for the IBMA show in Nashville this fall. All of these guitars were factored into my build schedule for this year so I am not behind on orders ... yet.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

Thanks for a great thread!  More questions from a first time Healdsburg exhibitor...

The mini concerts are a help but any suggestions for how to actually give people a chance for a test drive?  And how vigilent do you need to be to keep your instruments from getting dinged up?

I'm planning on being solo but it sure seems that a helper would be nice.  Thoughts on logistics for going it alone?  Or should I really try to get someone else?

Any other random logistical concerns that aren't obvious?

Many thanks.

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http://www.chassonguitars.com

Sounds like you guys need to get together before the show and set up a signal system. You have two types of handouts, be they pamphlets or plastic bags or whatver, One pamphlet has a red back and the other white, or one bag has a red handle and the other white, etc.. When you figure out someone is a builder or other non-customer type you give 'em the red item. If they seem to be legit browsers give 'em the white one. You prescreen customers for everyone else.... they walk into your booth with the red item and you give them the boot!


Hesh said:
Why? Because if any of the guitars in your booth are displayed with a 2" X 4" red "SOLD" tag on them others will be inclined to think that you have some hot offerings and be even more interested.

Psssst! Put those tags on your guitars anyway! OK, if you're the ethical type you can put "Just kidding" underneath in real small type - in latin.

Hi Kent,
I would beg, borrow or steal a helper. If you are doing this show alone you are in for a tough road ahead. I actually had two helpers at the last festival and we were all three constantly busy.

There are small secluded quiet areas where you can let folks test drive your guitars and this is where you need a runner or helper to carry the guitar, to protect it from damage and to be with the person test driving the guitar. No one can take a guitar outside the building without a "tag" on the guitar BUT I just feel a bit safer going with the person or having my helper do that.

You are best to stay at the table and answer questions and let your runner take folks off for a test drive. If you go with folks for a test drive and you are alone, then there is no one to man your table and you could miss out on a potential sale.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

I would do it the other way. Provided he seemed serious about the guitar I would go with the guy that is playing and let the runner stay @ the table. He seems like a potential hot prospect.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Thanks Tim and Brock.  That helps.

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http://www.chassonguitars.com

Since Mary is our "Sales Force" I am better off letting her spend time with the clients. She has a charming way with people that I don't. We make a good team and we know what each other does best. She sold every guitar at the last Healdsburg and at most other shows we do as well.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

I know the markets are different, but asking someone to give you their
contact information before giving them information seems like asking
someone to register before they can view a website or forum. I know I'd
just move on unless I was past being on the verge of buying your guitar
or if the brochure came along with a romantic evening with The Edge.
Not that I'm paranoid about giving my info out, but I don't like writing it
out multiple times during the day.

Also, I know the instruments are very valuable, but I remember spending
all of thirty seconds with a somogyi because a guy from the dealer came
along with it. Who know what he thought about the way I played? And
was he expecting celtic or something (because you know, it's big on the
forums)? Would he be offended if I started looking for small scratches or
other little things?      

Just some counterpoints to consider.

Oh, and please do not have another player play it "for" me. I highly
doubt this happens at Healdsburg, but it's pretty common at B-list guitar
shows that roll through town here.    

Sorry, here's another idea.

Don't work within the framework of finding ways to tell people about your
guitars. Instead, focus on making it easy for your fans to tell their friends
about your guitar. i.e. Figure out how to help them set up a jam with
whichever guitars they want to have present (even those made by others),
along with an information list that makes it easy for them to keep up with
what you and the other builders are doing . . . with the option of giving
you their information if they'd would like so that you can keep up with
them.    

I have never done a guitar trade show, but I have done other trade shows as well as I am constantly selling in my job.  One thing I learned a long time ago is not to bad-mouth your competition.  I am in peoples buisinesses and homes every day, and I get to see my competitions work each time I visit.  If the customer brings up the fact that he hired company "X" to do this work, and if the work looks good I will tell them "hey, that looks great.  He did a good job for you".  This might sound counter intuitive but what you have just done is tell the potential customer that they made a good decision in the past, and that you recognize quality.  This is a huge stroke to the ego and will more often than not, push the potential customer out of that potential category and into the customer category.

If the customer starts bad mouthing the competition don't join in with it.  Change the subject.  It comes across as petty and un-professional if you join in and start knocking the competition. 

Of course, with all of this, you need to be able to sell yourself and your product so they know that since they made a good decision in the past, it would be a good decision to buy from you now!  You really don't want to be complementing the competition for past work/products unless you can show why you are a better choice for them in the present!

Example:  Potential client comes up checking your guitars, and he seems to really be interested in a comission or buying a pre-made guitar.  He says something like "I bought a Heshtone guitar last year at this show and I love it.  Do you know Hesh?"  (Yeah Hesh, I know you don't sell them, it is just an example! )  I would respond with something like "Yes I know him.  Great guy isn't he.  He is an amazing luthier and I have been thinking of adding one of his guitars to my collection. Do you have a collection guitars from different luthiers?"  With this I just complemented him on making the smart decision to buy a guitar from Hesh in the past, and then turned the conversation to collecting.  That can then be turned fairly easily into a reason why to think about buying one of my guitars to add to the collection.  This also shows that I know quality when I see it, and that instills confidence that if he buys one of my guitars, he will get a quality instrument.

Just my 2 cents...

[QUOTE=James Orr] I know the markets are different, but asking someone to give you their
contact information before giving them information seems like asking
someone to register before they can view a website or forum. I know I'd
just move on unless I was past being on the verge of buying your guitar
or if the brochure came along with a romantic evening with The Edge.
Not that I'm paranoid about giving my info out, but I don't like writing it
out multiple times during the day.

[snip..]

Just some counterpoints to consider. [/QUOTE]


I think it depends on how you ask for it. If you have just spent 20 minutes talking to a guy and he seems interested, but clearly not ready to buy or overwhelmed with the show I think it is a simple thing to say to him "you know, if you give me your email address I will send you a screen saver with some more of my work that I think you might enjoy, and I will send you some pics of my work from time to time as I complete guitars."

There is nothing invasive about that. I think 9 out of 10 people would say yes.

I think the critical thing though is to come home with a small list of contacts that you can continue to follow up with. If you can sell your guitars great, but the contacts are probably worth even more in the long run.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

That's very true. Good point, Brock.