This morning Mrs. Grandpa and I motored up to St. George Utah from So. Cal. for a little R & R time. I packed 5 of my git's, a CB amp, and a box of slides, picks, and business cards. You just never know, I thought. We went to a local diner for dinner, and the young lady serving us asked about my Cigar Box Nation baseball cap (available through CB Gitty!). A brief conversation about building cbg's led to me bringing in my favorite Fuente double box acoustic, a single coil electric Undercrown, and a license plate American Flag reso guitar. A couple of riffs at the booth, and now four of the wait staff is huddled around, asking questions. The most interesting question was "how much are they?". Pricing was offered, and there continued to be great interest. I confirmed with them that this event going on in a fairly uncrowded part of the diner would not disrupt their duties, or irritate the manager. The manager then appeared, looked at the electric Undercrown, and opined aloud that she would sure like to hear it amped up. Well, says I, give me a second to fetch up my Guitar Fuel/Romeo y Julietta 9 volt amp, and I will amp it up to your satisfaction. Two minutes later the manager, myself, three waitresses, a busboy, and two customers are listening to my best efforts in the front area of the diner. Folks, this was cool beyond any expectations I had while driving to eat! Business cards handed out all around, gits and stuff rounded up, dinner finished. I sold the Fuente double box acoustic and the license plate reso to employees at the restaurant, and had a great time doing it. I also added to my mailing list, and have already sent photos of many of my other guitars, past and present to the young lady who purchased the big Fuente for her boyfriend. She surely will show other friends. I assured her that UPS will deliver right to her door from my garage!
Here's what this experience taught me:
1. Wear that freakin' hat everywhere!
2. Be ready to talk about your gits when a hint of interest wafts your way.
3. Have one or two git's in your vehicle. Always. It is far easier to sell one when you have one.
4. Business cards, fliers, photos on your phone will set up sales that you don't make today.
5. Be bold! Ask if you can have contact info. for your future mailings/promotions/reminders.
6. No ask, no sell. People generally won't beg you to sell them a cbg.
7. If you take your favorite git on vacation, be prepared to make a new favorite when you get home! I will.
ps. The food was outstanding, too. No, I won't tell you which place it was. I plan to come back with more cbg's.
Later.
Replies
I wonder about having a giant novelty-size business card, and instead of handing out paper business cards, inviting folks to use their smartphone to take a picture of it?
Do you have a giant novelty wallet to Cary it in?
Yes, A long bed pickup type....
The digital age is still not second nature to some of us who are "of a certain age". When I was assembling my event booth I started with business cards and a thick vinyl banner @ 2 ft. X 3', which I mounted on a piece of 1/4" plywood. Banner and 200 business cards designed on Vistaprint, delivered in @ 10 days, @ $40. Not pocket change but a relatively inexpensive start. There are probably other sites, as well as local suppliers, Between the cards and the banner I got my bases covered pretty well. One in the pocket and a photo on the phone. I also encourage prospects and lookie-loos to take a photo holding a git of their choice, with my banner in the background. Get one in their hands, might sell today. If not today, then maybe tomorrow.
Epic!
Well folks, it happened again, happily. Mrs. Grandpa and I were on a short vacation in the local mountains with our family earlier this week. As is my practice, I took a selection of cigar box guitars and an amp to play, maybe sell, maybe trade when we go out junkin'. Slim pickin's on the junk front, but we stopped in at a local independent music store - good selection of guitars, basses, accessories, vintage records, vintage posters..a cool place. I asked the owner to direct me to his finest selection of cigar box guitars. He smiles. "You'd have to make them for me to show them to you" says he. "How many do you want to see?" says I. "Bring in what you have" says he.
I retrieved two 3 string electrics, two 3 string acoustics, a cb diddley bow, and a Guitar Fuel-based cb amp, some of my favorite pieces. The owner and his wife were very complimentary, which is always nice. They seemed to appreciate the time and materials required to make good playable cb instruments. After some chattin', a little git playin', and a good bit of friendly gettin'-to-know-each-other, we established a value that would make my hobby a paying enterprise, and would let them market to their clients and make some $. They paid cash for all 6 pieces. Win-Win, and we all parted as friends. I asked, they were receptive, and a fine deal was arranged. This probably won't fly at GC or other chain instrument stores, but a local independent merchant saw an opportunity to do business outside their usual box. And the worst they could have said was "no". Don't miss an opportunity of your own to let them say "yes". Good Luck.
Hopefully you taught them to play the CBGs, nothing sells an instrument better than a good demo by the salesperson.
Good point. Wherever or whenever I am selling I am playing. First impressions on how the git looks is important, but hearing the thing twanging is usually what seals a deal. Plus, I like sittin' around and gittin'!
Hey Grandpa, that's pretty cool. Good for you. I've been meaning to drop you a line, and see what you've been building. Sounds like you've got room for more, now. I would love to meet up some time and do some jamming. If we do, I have those shower handles for you, they been riding with me for months.
Right on! It just goes to show that there really is a great deal of interest in what were doing.
Personally I think it's charm vs commercialism. And the stuff were building is charmed