Tom Buzz Bernard
05-14-2013, 10:47 AM
I skipped this part, thought it still may stir some ideas (so I posted it)... next Posting (Part 5) will be about a trash to treasure idea. This was a fun project to create and has turned into a great product for that person.
Creation of a Laser Product: Part 3
Before I get too far into this series, I would like to discuss creating a new product using some of your existing designs. You don’t have to create everything from scratch. Many times we have products we already produce that can be altered or embellished to attract a different customer.
I once spoke about a t-shirt shop filled with 10,000 t-shirts. This does not mean they have only one product. Every saying (wording) will attract a different buyer, therefore, a different product. Maybe a company logo, something comical, or simply “I love Grandpa or Grandma” type shirt that makes the buyer impulsive to purchase. Bottom line is a t-shirt manufacturer took one product and printed many images to attract many different buyers. Can you do this with any of your designs? I know I am being a little simplistic in my analogy, but sometimes it is just that easy to expand your product line.
Besides changing the wording you can change the size to create different price points. I always like to point at the time I was a boy and my father gave me money to go buy something for Grandpa. I might have been able to buy a more expensive gift, but by time I bought candy and ice cream I only had enough for a smaller version of what I had wanted. It’s the thought that counts – right!?! :eek: You want products that have suggested retail over $20.00 and some under $20.00.
Another point about wording! I have seen a product not sell, and with simply changing the wording it becomes a viral product that one cannot keep in stock. I am even surprised with this at times. Remember the silicone bracelets that had W.W.J.D. laser engraved on them? Millions were sold. Silicone bracelets became a fad for many companies. Lance Armstrong even had a yellow bracelet made up for his charity. But I believe it all started with the W.W.J.D. product.
On a smaller scale we had a laser customer ask us to create a chainsaw design for a logging company that requested some Wall Tributes (they had their company wording put on them). I was thinking how can I use the same design and make a product for our collection? The design was cool by itself, but we had to put wording on the Wall Tribute that would be generic enough so our customers could sell it, cash & carry. Humor is an option, but you have to be careful. I have seen some wording that made me laugh, but I wouldn’t dare use it on anything I sold. Another thing that sells is pride.
I am originally from Maine so when the oil prices go up we break out the chainsaw and cut wood to heat our house. So I put “Real Men – Cut Wood” which showed pride with a little humor. There is something about cutting and splitting wood that makes us men feel alive, strong, manly :rolleyes: and that hits home with female buyers also.
262257
It has gone viral for several Laser owners. I hear the same thing over and over where a wife sees it and says “Oh, my husband would love that.” This tells you two things, women buy 95% of everything in the world and us men are easy to please. :cool: It is not an over-the-top product design, but we have customers who say it is selling like hot cakes for them. I believe it is the wording more than the design.
The point of this is the right wording can make a simple product design sell well. What other embellishments might work to increase sales? This is the fun part. It doesn’t cost a lot to experiment and if you can make a product that can be cash & carry you have a product that can be wholesaled nationwide if it is a hit.
Whenever I get a chance (when they give me permission) I do like to show off the creativity of our customers. Many of our customers are so inventive! I am a big one on pushing retail and wholesale sales and exposure is so important. This particular product creation got his company big attention at his local golf club.
Before we go on to the product creation, I want to make a point about exposure and sales. Every time you get a sale you get exposure to more customers who might say “WOW, if you made that for them can you create this for us?” Some of the best sales/exposure can come from local events where a presentation is being made in public. Where do business owners, coaches, managers, sales personnel, people from all walks of life meet in large numbers? It could be church, civic gatherings, organizational events, or even a fundraiser at the local golf range. Whenever an event like this takes place and a presentation is being made, this is a great time to get exposure to the masses for your business.
I think a unique product with a little humor gets talked about, shown around, and basically gets you more exposure than a newspaper ad ever would. I especially like it when it is an event honoring a military person. I recommend having a product your company can give for such an occasion - just for the exposure. Make sure your company name is on the product somewhere!
Back to the new product our customer created. His name is Ray from R & D Custom Engraving, in California. He had someone contact him about a presentation at the local golf club. He knew the exposure would be great and if he created something unique it might get some free PR for his company.
So Ray took one of our LaserBuzz golf designs and printed one of the course greens in the background, (see picture) then he took a sliced ball (ran over by a mower) and glued it to the front using epoxy, that added the humor (especially because it was pink).
262258
The way I heard it went down, everyone loved it, they laughed, joked, and asked who made it! Pictures were taken holding the Wall Tribute. In business now-a-days it does take a little extra to get noticed, but have fun with it like Ray did. He made a big hit (pun) with his creation and got noticed by many. Some may say he hit a hole in one with a winning idea! :)
Creation of a Laser Product: Part 3
Before I get too far into this series, I would like to discuss creating a new product using some of your existing designs. You don’t have to create everything from scratch. Many times we have products we already produce that can be altered or embellished to attract a different customer.
I once spoke about a t-shirt shop filled with 10,000 t-shirts. This does not mean they have only one product. Every saying (wording) will attract a different buyer, therefore, a different product. Maybe a company logo, something comical, or simply “I love Grandpa or Grandma” type shirt that makes the buyer impulsive to purchase. Bottom line is a t-shirt manufacturer took one product and printed many images to attract many different buyers. Can you do this with any of your designs? I know I am being a little simplistic in my analogy, but sometimes it is just that easy to expand your product line.
Besides changing the wording you can change the size to create different price points. I always like to point at the time I was a boy and my father gave me money to go buy something for Grandpa. I might have been able to buy a more expensive gift, but by time I bought candy and ice cream I only had enough for a smaller version of what I had wanted. It’s the thought that counts – right!?! :eek: You want products that have suggested retail over $20.00 and some under $20.00.
Another point about wording! I have seen a product not sell, and with simply changing the wording it becomes a viral product that one cannot keep in stock. I am even surprised with this at times. Remember the silicone bracelets that had W.W.J.D. laser engraved on them? Millions were sold. Silicone bracelets became a fad for many companies. Lance Armstrong even had a yellow bracelet made up for his charity. But I believe it all started with the W.W.J.D. product.
On a smaller scale we had a laser customer ask us to create a chainsaw design for a logging company that requested some Wall Tributes (they had their company wording put on them). I was thinking how can I use the same design and make a product for our collection? The design was cool by itself, but we had to put wording on the Wall Tribute that would be generic enough so our customers could sell it, cash & carry. Humor is an option, but you have to be careful. I have seen some wording that made me laugh, but I wouldn’t dare use it on anything I sold. Another thing that sells is pride.
I am originally from Maine so when the oil prices go up we break out the chainsaw and cut wood to heat our house. So I put “Real Men – Cut Wood” which showed pride with a little humor. There is something about cutting and splitting wood that makes us men feel alive, strong, manly :rolleyes: and that hits home with female buyers also.
262257
It has gone viral for several Laser owners. I hear the same thing over and over where a wife sees it and says “Oh, my husband would love that.” This tells you two things, women buy 95% of everything in the world and us men are easy to please. :cool: It is not an over-the-top product design, but we have customers who say it is selling like hot cakes for them. I believe it is the wording more than the design.
The point of this is the right wording can make a simple product design sell well. What other embellishments might work to increase sales? This is the fun part. It doesn’t cost a lot to experiment and if you can make a product that can be cash & carry you have a product that can be wholesaled nationwide if it is a hit.
Whenever I get a chance (when they give me permission) I do like to show off the creativity of our customers. Many of our customers are so inventive! I am a big one on pushing retail and wholesale sales and exposure is so important. This particular product creation got his company big attention at his local golf club.
Before we go on to the product creation, I want to make a point about exposure and sales. Every time you get a sale you get exposure to more customers who might say “WOW, if you made that for them can you create this for us?” Some of the best sales/exposure can come from local events where a presentation is being made in public. Where do business owners, coaches, managers, sales personnel, people from all walks of life meet in large numbers? It could be church, civic gatherings, organizational events, or even a fundraiser at the local golf range. Whenever an event like this takes place and a presentation is being made, this is a great time to get exposure to the masses for your business.
I think a unique product with a little humor gets talked about, shown around, and basically gets you more exposure than a newspaper ad ever would. I especially like it when it is an event honoring a military person. I recommend having a product your company can give for such an occasion - just for the exposure. Make sure your company name is on the product somewhere!
Back to the new product our customer created. His name is Ray from R & D Custom Engraving, in California. He had someone contact him about a presentation at the local golf club. He knew the exposure would be great and if he created something unique it might get some free PR for his company.
So Ray took one of our LaserBuzz golf designs and printed one of the course greens in the background, (see picture) then he took a sliced ball (ran over by a mower) and glued it to the front using epoxy, that added the humor (especially because it was pink).
262258
The way I heard it went down, everyone loved it, they laughed, joked, and asked who made it! Pictures were taken holding the Wall Tribute. In business now-a-days it does take a little extra to get noticed, but have fun with it like Ray did. He made a big hit (pun) with his creation and got noticed by many. Some may say he hit a hole in one with a winning idea! :)