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View Full Version : So Bill - is your DVD a success?



Stefan Antwarg
02-02-2005, 4:33 PM
I know that as far as content and delivery, it is very successful. But since a lot of us encouraged you with the project, I was just curious if it was worth it financially. I am not trying to be nosey and don't want to hear numbers. Just if you are making a profit. How many dvd/vhs have you sold?

Stefan

Bill Grumbine
02-02-2005, 5:21 PM
Hi Stefan

Thanks for asking. While I am not sure I should divulge numbers, it has been successful way beyond what we expected. We have been selling them fast enough that our first quantity purchase was not enough to cover the volume, so we made a second purchase, all of which is paid for. The way it is going, we will need to do a third. Sales are very steady and we have been in the black since the middle of December. DVDs are in almost every state of the Union now, with the exception of DE (and I have a student there who I need to goad just to get that state), many in Canada, a few in England and Wales, one in Denmark, one in Germany, two in Israel, two in Australia, and one in Antarctica!

The phone is ringing off the hook for lessons as a result, and I have received several invitations for demonstrations in the US and Canada. I will be a guest teacher at the American Sycamore Woodworking Resort sometime this year out in IN, and we are planning on what needs to be done for the next DVD.

It has really taken my business in a new direction, and I would like to take the occasion of your posting here to thank you and everyone else here who has purchased one. In fact, I should really update my website to make a note of it as well.

I will say that I have not purchased a company jet yet, but I was able to put new tires on the truck before the old ones were as bald as I am! :eek:

Bill

Stefan Antwarg
02-02-2005, 5:35 PM
Wow Bill - that's great. Antartica? Are you sure they are not ice turning? I better set up a lesson soon - or I will never get a spot. Actually, I have been wanting to take another, so we will have to talk.

Stefan

Charles McKinley
02-02-2005, 7:46 PM
Hi Bill,

Glad to hear things are going well. Any plans for selling through Amazon, Woodcraft, etc? Expanding the exposure to the masses.

Randy Carver
02-02-2005, 8:55 PM
I found the DVD to be excellent. My wife even watched the entire thing, and she enjoyed your wry sense of humor and obvious love of the craft.

That's saying something, as she's never sat through any other woodworking DVD!

Great job, Bill.
Thanks!!!

Martin Shupe
02-02-2005, 9:24 PM
Bill,

I am very happy that it is a success! Now I can hardly wait for the encore!

I was in a Rockler this week, and half expected to see your DVD on the hook, right next to Alan Lacer's.

While "going national" may seem like a good idea, in these days of internet direct selling, it may actually lower your profit potential. You may have to sell at more of a discount than you would like when making deals with large chains. I am sure your attorney, accountant, and business manager can give you better advice than I, but it was just a thought.

Anyway, I am glad your endeaver has been successful, and you will be happy to know that I am working on getting 3 shaker knobs to look close enough to put on my wife's writing desk so I can finish it.

I am proud to say, "I knew Bill "Five Barns" Grumbine, back before he was world famous." :D

Jim Becker
02-03-2005, 7:56 AM
I am proud to say, "I knew Bill "Five Barns" Grumbine, back before he was world famous."
LOL! And I'm proud to say I knew him even before that!!

Bill, I'm really pleased to hear that the DVD has been successful, not that I had any doubts from the start. And the key thing you said was that while sales of the DVD have been brisk, the phone is ringing for instruction, etc. That's wonderful!

Chris Lee
02-03-2005, 8:26 AM
Bill,

I too have to agree that your DVD is fantastic. I am one of the people that has his phone ringing off the hook for instruction. I am set to go up there the first week in March and can't wait!

One of the things that is great about your video is when you explain something you do it so the student understands. Some of the other videos I have seen it felt like you had to already be a professional to understand what was going on. That was the first thing my wife commented on, before asking me if that was what the stuff I had done was suppossed to look like!!!:eek:

Scott Loven
02-03-2005, 9:46 AM
Bill, as a new to turning wood worker I also would have to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed viewing your DVD. What would do in your 2<sup>nd</sup> DVD? I would like to see more on using a chainsaw, and on finding and recognizing wood to use for turning.
Thanks.


Scott

Bill Grumbine
02-03-2005, 12:30 PM
Wow Bill - that's great. Antartica? Are you sure they are not ice turning?
Stefan

I got to talk to the guy on the phone too! He called me with his credit card number. He is 12 hours ahead (or is that behind? ;) ) and when it is winter here, it is "summer" there. But I said to him, 'I bet you have trouble finding wood, don't you?" He laughed and told me he had to bring it all with him. He limits himself to one bowl blank a month to stretch his supply out for the time he is there.

Bill

Bill Grumbine
02-03-2005, 12:37 PM
Thanks guys. I have gotten a number of people who have told me that their spouses or children have been watching this thing with them! Who'd a thunk it?

Chuck, we have a few people reselling them, and are working on a couple of catalog sources. As Martin says, it does lower the profit margin a bit, but it also gets it out to people who may not otherwise see it, so I think it is a worthwhile trade. It is amazing how many people are finding out about it though. I got a very good review in More Woodturning, and hope to get it reviewed in a couple of other places.

Scott, we are working on the subject matter for the next one, so I will add your suggestions to the list. Thanks, and if anyone has others, please feel free to let me know.

Bill

Jack Hogoboom
02-03-2005, 5:05 PM
Bill,

I'm really glad to hear the DVD is doing well. I'll be interested to hear whether it continues to sell briskly after the initial "rush" subsides.

I guess I better schedule my next lesson before I can no longer afford your rates. Please PM me about your schedule when you get a chance. My roughed out bowls are just about ready to be finished turned.

Best,

Jack

Karl Laustrup
02-03-2005, 6:21 PM
Glad to hear sales are going well, Bill. I just helped the sales by ordering the DVD. Don't even have one of them spinny things...............YET!

It is on the short list and one of my goals is to make bowls. My wife is native american and they use them all the time in their rituals. I figure I can watch the DVD enough before I get the spinny thingy that I'll be able to do it in my sleep. Yeah, right. ;) I can only hope.

Wish you were a little closer so I could take some lessons. :)

Thanks.

Mark Cothren
02-04-2005, 1:09 PM
I watched a borrowed copy of the DVD last night and my 15-year old son watched over half of it with me. He really enjoyed your humor, as did I.

I have already got to watch Dennis rough turn a bowl "live and in person", but hopefully when I get my own copy of your DVD and watch it again several times it will save Dennis a little instruction time...:-) I'm a very repetitive learner, so I wear out the rewind button on my remote watching something like this...

Here's one suggestion from a guy who has never turned a single piece of wood... how about a "how to fix boo-boos" section? I realize a lot of them just turn into fire wood, but if there are any tips/techniques on how to save a bowl when ______ happens, then that would be great IMO.

Looking forward to getting my own copy of the DVD.

Mark

Dennis Peacock
02-04-2005, 4:24 PM
I watched a borrowed copy of the DVD last night and my 15-year old son watched over half of it with me. He really enjoyed your humor, as did I.

I have already got to watch Dennis rough turn a bowl "live and in person", but hopefully when I get my own copy of your DVD and watch it again several times it will save Dennis a little instruction time...:-) I'm a very repetitive learner, so I wear out the rewind button on my remote watching something like this...

Here's one suggestion from a guy who has never turned a single piece of wood... how about a "how to fix boo-boos" section? I realize a lot of them just turn into fire wood, but if there are any tips/techniques on how to save a bowl when ______ happens, then that would be great IMO.

Looking forward to getting my own copy of the DVD.

Mark

Well....I TOLD you the video was great...didn't I? :p :rolleyes: :D

I can't wait until Bill comes out with yet ANOTHER turning video!!!! :)

Dennis Peacock
02-04-2005, 4:27 PM
I got to talk to the guy on the phone too! He called me with his credit card number. He is 12 hours ahead (or is that behind? ;) ) and when it is winter here, it is "summer" there. But I said to him, 'I bet you have trouble finding wood, don't you?" He laughed and told me he had to bring it all with him. He limits himself to one bowl blank a month to stretch his supply out for the time he is there.

Bill

So why can't we all pitch-in and send him a few bowl blanks? Wouldn't he be surprised? :eek: :D

Mark Cothren
02-04-2005, 5:04 PM
Sounds like a great idea! Dennis, you know what my wood supply looks like, so if you want to help me pick something out and get it sent over then just let me know.

Jason Roehl
02-05-2005, 12:04 PM
I give you joy of your success!! (Hmmm...wonder where I got that phrase? Now I just have to find "21"--I've read the first 20 since the weekend before Turkey Day, just finishing "Blue at the Mizzen" yesterday.)

BTW, I thought the DVD was excellent--seemed to be aimed at someone like me who has been exposed to most of the techniques and terminology, but needs something to cohesively put them all together.

If you're really into this DVD-making thing, I think you could go two different ways from here (or both). You could make a DVD that is aimed entirely at beginners, where you include a video glossary of terms and such. Or, you could go more advanced with subsequent DVDs, which is what I suspect you are going to do. (I'm not implying that you should/need to do either, though a more advanced DVD would be quite welcome--and hastily purchased).