[TheForge] Making things better

[Jerry Frost]

If it's a large enough event to have something for 
everyone it'll cost us more in subsidies? Hows that?

I think you missed my point or got it reversed. My idea 
is to make it appealing enough to enough people so 
events will support themselves. Hopefully they'll grow 
rather than shrinking as with the current model.

I'm not advocating throwing everything wide open to 
anybody who shows. I'm advocating not closing the door 
on anybody. There is a huge difference.

As to the marketing aspects of letting spectators in 
for a reasonable price. Your point about a small 
percentage actually buying hand forged is correct. I 
don't know the numbers but I do know it's pretty small, 
probably on the order of a fraction of a %. So what? 
Are you saying that if only one in a thousand 
spectators will actually pony up for hand made we 
shouldn't let anybody in at all?

You can't lead a horse to water to find out if he's 
thirsty if you bar the gate in the first place. No?

I hate to make the comparison but take a look at 
spammers. The last stats I saw said about 1 in 10,000 
people respond. Their answer to such poor returns is 
send more spam because if you send 1,000,000 spams a 
day you might get 100 sales. Even if it only pays $1.00 
each, $100.00 a day is $36,500/year. (<Hack GAG> I'll 
be back after I shower!)

Agreed, up front advertising is necessary and moving 
the conferences around makes it more difficult as does 
having it every other year. It means every conference 
is in a fresh market without past exposure to build on. 
I don't have a good answer for affordable advertising, 
I don't think there is one. I don't know about where 
you live but a minimal classified ad in our local paper 
for one week will cost you more than $50. The laughably 
small size of the classified section illustrates the 
situation perfectly. It's reminiscent of how charging 
more than the market will bear is whittling down the 
ABANA conferences isn't it?

I don't know how to fix things for ABANA, I'm just 
brainstorming ideas and trying to patch holes punched 
in them. It's how I solve problems in unknown 
territory. The rare thing is finding others who'll 
punch thoughtful holes, it's what makes brainstorming 
work.

What I do know is if ABANA (WE) can't come up with a 
conference model that will pay it's own way there will 
be no more ABANA conferences.

Frosty
-------------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.

http://www.artmetalradio.com/

From: "Grover Richardson" 
<grover.richardson at gtri.gatech.edu>


> Hey Frosty.  Large grins right back at you.
>
> Well, yes.  Still....
>
> If there is a large enough event for things to be 
> there for
> everybody, then once again we are subsidizing the 
> entire event, paying a lot
> for a lot of things that we don't have interest in, 
> or don't have the time
> to see.<G>  I think that this is what started this 
> line of discussion
> originally<G>.  Now I am not throwing stones at 
> anyone who has stood up and
> tried.  I've been there.  For one person that stands 
> up and tries, there are
> 100 throwing stones at them because they aren't doing 
> it right<G>.  Hmm.  It
> sounds like Religion.  The religion of the singing 
> anvil<G>.  We've got
> everything here
> except the Good Book <G>. (humor folks!!)
>
> The biggest problem with marketing is that marketing 
> really needs to
> be done up front when there is the least amount of 
> $$$ available to do it.
> Hmmm.  We need volunteers that are knowledgeable and 
> have lots of free
> time<G>.
>
> I speak here in generic terms, and speaking generic 
> will get my butt
> whooped a lot, but still it has applications.  The 
> general public will talk
> with its mouth, but then turn right around and vote 
> with its pocketbook.
> So, the bottom line is that we can educate the 
> public, but I suspect that
> except for a piddling few, they will continue to buy 
> from wallymart.  It's
> the way of the world.  You can lead a horse to water 
> but you can't make it
> drink.  You can show the public that hand wrought is 
> better, but they will
> buy Chinese because it gives them more money for that 
> ski trip to Vale or
> that pitcher of Miller.  I don't blame them, I do the 
> same upon occasion. I
> go to the back 40 sales area.  I walk through once 
> looking to see what is
> there.  Then I go back and buy those things that I 
> can't live without.  Oh
> yes, there are other delimiters as well.  Those 
> things have to fit the
> amount of $$$ that is in my pocket.  So I have to 
> figure out what number of
> X, Y, and Z will add up to the amount available? 
> Which of those things do I
> really need right now for an upcoming project?
> But recognizing this as a reality and knowing how to 
> work with the
> situation is part of what makes someone in business 
> successful or not<G>.
> The general public will never buy blacksmith made 
> stuff.  It's not modern
> and it's not hip.  But there are certain sectors of 
> the buying public that
> does appreciate hand forged.  They have their own 
> reasons, many<G>.  I have
> a small clientele who buy from me regularly, though 
> not enough for me to be
> a professional with a full time shop.  Still, I do 
> enjoy the work, I do
> enjoy their appreciation of the work, and I REALLY do 
> enjoy being able to
> pay for dinner on the way home<G>.
> That is the big difference between the two groups 
> that is often
> ignored or misunderstood.  Hobbiests do it because 
> they like to do it, IE
> it's fun.  Professionals do it because it pays the 
> bills.  Certainly there
> are professionals that enjoy the work, but at some 
> time in their lives it
> becomes a real job, and the reason for getting up 
> every day to stoke up the
> forge is less and less fun; and more and more "I have 
> to pay the bills this
> month or the wife will go hungry<G>."  Until someone 
> has done BOTH types of
> work and lifestyles, there may be little 
> understanding of the "other side of
> things."  The bottom line is that what motivates one 
> group is not at all
> appealing to the other.  My best example is the 
> difference in an "art"
> blacksmith and a ferrier<G>.  Both are black faced 
> coal breathing hard
> muscled artisans, but they are indeed horses driven 
> by different demons<G>.
>
> In this matter it is extremely difficult to feed all 
> fires at the
> same time.  So it appears IMHO that why not have a 
> rotating schedule of
> specialities.  2007 is the art of the blacksmith.  09 
> is architectural
> blacksmith applications.  11 is ancient techniques. 
> You see the direction.
> Yes, not everyone will want to go every year.  Then 
> again, not everyone eats
> steak every night of the week either.  But there will 
> be some crossover.
>
> Back on subject.....  So, the bottom line is, allow 
> some of the
> public in, you will do a little good, but not much in 
> the long term.  Still,
> it is well worth the effort to let in certain groups 
> (like the scouts and
> metal classes from school), because we will probably 
> see some benefit from
> those actions.
> In a perfect world where everyone cares about the 
> situation, where
> there is infinite money to spend, and infinite time 
> to make things right,
> all will be well.  But with the product mix that we 
> have, and the way that
> things always go, we run with the money available, 
> the time available, and
> the situation as it sits today.  To do otherwise will 
> waste effort, time,
> and make our kitties scratch us because their food 
> bowls are empty.
>
> Woof
>
>
>