The Psychology of selling guitars....

[Dekka]

I once worked in gift shop that sold, among other things, crystals. One day, a few people were browsing and one young fella was checking out the crystals which were labelled "Healing Crystals". He asked if they really worked and I jokingly said, "I don't know about healing but I've heard that if you attach one onto the side of your carbaretor you'll get better fuel economy." Instead of laughing, he bought one and so did two other people that overheard the conversation.
I realised at that moment that people will not only believe what they want to believe but also that some human beings possess less logic than a hunk of quartz.
I reckon if we glued a mysterious hunk to something to our instruments and called it a "sonic conflabulator" or something then people would be keener to buy them (as long as it was shiny).

[woodrat]

I once worked in gift shop that sold, among other things, crystals. One day, a few people were browsing and one young fella was checking out the crystals which were labelled "Healing Crystals". He asked if they really worked and I jokingly said, "I don't know about healing but I've heard that if you attach one onto the side of your carbaretor you'll get better fuel economy." Instead of laughing, he bought one and so did two other people that overheard the conversation.
I realised at that moment that people will not only believe what they want to believe but also that some human beings possess less logic than a hunk of quartz.
I reckon if we glued a mysterious hunk to something to our instruments and called it a "sonic conflabulator" or something then people would be keener to buy them (as long as it was shiny).

Great Story Dekka. I love to see psychology at work. None of us are immune to the power of suggestion if we are in a weakened state....ie....we WANT IT!.....I like the idea of a "sonic conflabulator" you had better Trade Mark that ....I now offer all my instruments with an optional "Acoustic Flux Capacitor" so I am right on to the concept!

John

Inventor of the "Acoustic Flux Capacitor"TM

[Dekka]

Did you say "Acoustic Flux Capacitor"?!!.....OMG!......I'll take two!!!

[ozwood]

It's cause you have such an Honest face Dekka!!!

[Kim]

....in this world where a lot of people believe that you can get anything with two dicks, bothering to find out is a bit "old fashioned"...or perhaps too hard.

John....

Without my spectacles, I mis-read that. Kind of made sense either way.

I can assure you Matthew thats not what I wrote!....I do believe it is one of the mods showing us his "sense of humour"....

John

Dear John (i luv that tee, hee. hee, hee)

I can assure you that the administrative board of this forum in general is fully aware of the natural restrictions of an individual to develop skills in every spectrum of craft, life and social intercourse. Accordingly we as a management body take a very dim view of any within our own ranks attempting to cross the boundaries of their potential by openly expressing humour to our regular membership.

In view of this breach of etiquette, panel member 'Martin Turner' has been reprimanded, and in line with our code of conduct, has been reminded he is to restrict his expressions of joy to the misfortune of others as the rest of the administrative team seeks to do to align with the philosophy of leading by example. Further, to represent a more tangible consequence of his actions and assist in much needed retraining for his position upon our team, member 'Martin Turner' has been ordered by the review panel to be bound and gagged to a $19.99 Kmart fold out camping chair whereupon he is to have his eye lids propped open with poorly cut slithers of MDF and forced to watch 40 consecutive hours of 'Judge Judy' repeats to be displayed upon a 16", 4:3 aspect ratio television in BLACK & WHITE!!!

We do expect considerable protest from the rank and file with accusations of 'cruel and unusual punishment' being levelled. But we remind those members who feel so incline to understand that we, the administration team, see Martin Turner's breach as a very 'serious' matter and that serious, is 'our' business. In closing, during execution of the aforementioned disciplinary outcome that is to impact Martin Turner, should the inevitable guttural screams from behind the scenes make any members feel uncomfortable, we the administration team suggest they should fit ear muffs or perhaps advance the volume of some calming music to assist in distracting themselves from any angst which justice in deliverance may be causing them. Hopefully this will allow them to then focus their minds upon the lighter side of life which appears to be made of those things which the administration team does not understand, and therefore will 'not' be allowing to cloud our better judgement.

Jeers

Kim (recent graduate of online human resource and workplace relations diplomas)

[68matts]

Geez Kim, I'm glad your not the HR officer at my work

[woodrat]

Kim...It would seem that the punishment fits the "crime"and that justice has been done!...

...Carry on!


John

[kiwigeo]

[Allen]

There is a lot to this psychology of selling just about anything that we place a great value or esteem in.

Case in point is how I priced my instruments prior to working with Rick Turner.

I was struggling to get what a reasonable Chinese instrument was costing in the local music shop. Rick saw and heard about 6 of my instruments and told me that I needed to at the very least double my prices, but really should be tripled, and then look at bumping them up some more when a few get sold. He said it was just as easy to sell to someone that has money as to someone that doesn't. And guess which person was more enjoyable to sell to?

I was really a bit nervous about doing this, and quite honestly didn't think that I had that kind of product. But what the hell. Rick has a lot more experience in this that I would ever hope to have. So dutifully I doubled my prices and I sold some instruments and got orders. So after a little bit I bumped them a bit more, and more orders came in. And those orders wanted all the bells and whistles, so those instruments were getting to be in the really pointy end of the scale. And those clients then told me that I was charging way too little for the instrument that they received.

And now my waiting list is getting to be rather long. I don't have time to build anything for stock, and I knock back work from clients that sound like they will be a pain in the ass to deal with.....now I just gotta give up the day job, but I do like the mad money it provides.

So moral of all of this is "Don't sell yourself short"! If you have worked hard at learning a skill, put a value on it. Most of my clients are in fields where they are charging out at $300+/hr. They can't do what I do, nor do they want to. But they can make enough by lunch time to buy the fanciest instrument I make. You really need to target your clientele. If they are on the bones of there arse, they aren't going to be talking to you. It will be the cheap Chinese import that they are looking at.

[lauburu]

Actually Allen, some of us have to work until afternoon tea time to afford one of your special ukes.
However, we are investing in a lot more than pieces of wood, metal and bone. We are investing in unique objects of beauty that sound bl@@dy marvellous. There are many of us who can appreciate such things but very few who can consistently create them. The old law of supply and demand comes into force. That's why you should keep raising your prices until your waiting list is manageable.
Miguel

[Allen]

Thanks Miguel. The bass I'm working on now has had a bump up in price, and there was no hesitation on the part of the client. So bit by bit I'm getting there.