Rich, I think you missed the point of the post. It was not about counterfeiting. The smith was making mini-horseshoes while "Bobby" pumped the bellows. The smith stamped "Bobby" on the mini-horseshoe. Voila! Sale.

Actually John I do not think I missed the point at all,,,the horseshoe item was part of a rabbit trail tacked in here....The statement was made the if you put another's name on a generic item it would bring more bucks. I will stand by my statement on that...

I went back and read thru all the posts. Twice. The post was about staying the course and building up a clientele and a name for yourself, as others have done in the past. Even if your work is as good or better than the big names, reputation and place in the organization matters as well.

 

Names have a lure for collectors, and demand a premium. Many Scagel and Moran knives would fail the ABS MS jury, but they are still worth several times more than most current MS offerings.

 

Those front-rankers at the Blade Show have had a table every year for a decade or two to even get close. Your place is based on table seniority, and whether you are a current or former ABS Board Member, Master, Journeyman, or Apprentice. 

I went back and read thru all the posts. Twice. The post was about staying the course and building up a clientele and a name for yourself, as others have done in the past. Even if your work is as good or better than the big names, reputation and place in the organization matters as well.

 

Names have a lure for collectors, and demand a premium. Many Scagel and Moran knives would fail the ABS MS jury, but they are still worth several times more than most current MS offerings.

 

Those front-rankers at the Blade Show have had a table every year for a decade or two to even get close. Your place is based on table seniority, and whether you are a current or former ABS Board Member, Master, Journeyman, or Apprentice. 

That was exactly my point of "perceived" value.  The example of the sold sign is just an extreme.  Companies spend billions to alter our perception for one reason, so they can charge more.  Artist and craftsmen are dependant on our clientel to percieve that there is value in our work.  Some do it by gimick, others earn it the hard way.  The latter are the ones who stand the test of time.  

Perceived value example ?

 

Perfumes, smelly liquid in a bottle, how much would you pay?

 

and how does the bottle and marketing/reputation help sell this price.

In terms of sales, the one thing that I see a lot of craftsmen fail at is creating a whole universe around their product.  I remember seeing photos of the guys working at the Mad Dwarves forge some time back, and I was impressed with how they created a look or feel, and then maintained continuity throughout their operation.  Looking at their website, you saw Tolkeinesque artwork all over it.  Look at their "candid" photos of them working in the shop and you saw that same artwork all over their walls.  The quality of their photography, the lighting and arrangement, was designed to evoke a very specific atmosphere whereas a lot of the spur-of-the-moment photos on other craftsmen's websites look like they were just quickly snapped off with a cheap camera.

 

Big companies spend fortunes every year trying to figure out how to make the customer want their product.  It's not about making a good product, however, and that's where a lot of struggling businesses fail.  While quality is important for the long-haul, advertising is important for the long and the short.  A good business creates a perception around their product, and the customers come for that just as much as they come for the product itself.

What VaughnT said. It's about the aura, the story, the exotic experience. Why you buy the overpriced T-shirt and the hat, even tho you paid the sky-high entrance fee to stand in long lines. Why there are Texas themed steakhouses in New Jersey and Oregon, and Aussie themed steakhouses in Texas. (Does anyone know if there are Texas steakhouses in Oz?)

 

Or, as Yogurt said in Spaceballs: "Moichundizing! Dat's where da profits are! "

It is often worth mentioning that often people are buying into "YOU" !!!!!

It is often worth mentioning that often people are buying into "YOU" !!!!!

 

yes even in my limited experience i have found this to be true