fivehole Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 At running the risk of over simplifying things why don't all the ukv trade members club together and go under one banner ? surely one large body would command more clout , negotiate a better deal and have the best rifle area at any show/gamefair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Hancock Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 I go to a lot of shows at the NEC, Olympia and Excel. Some stands I cannot work out what the dickens they do, and at other shows I wonder why the "sales" staff fiddle with their mobile phone and ignore potential customers. I'm not saying that a stand should have staff akin to a Turkish restaurant and drag you in. EVERY show is a bloody nightmare with regards to travel, parking, entry fees, food prices too many people, too few people and an excuse to whinge. Onehole has a good idea but as Baldie rightly says, its costs a business valuable time (away from making and selling) to prepare and to put together a showcase of product, build / buy secure presentation boards, fuel, insurance, accommodation etc, etc Also this is the reality. It takes time to make up your mind and get the cash together to invest in a new shottie or rifle. That does not make me a tyre kicker and I am sincerely grateful to Baldie and Neil - Dasherman - for the valuable advice they have given me. It takes time out of their day, but a future investment maybe two years later directly or through recommendation. The reality is that some of our best businesses are one or two man bands. They are craftsmen not snake oil marketing salespeople like me !!!! So . . ideas:- - A collaborative "Best of British" stand as Onehole puts forward, thus saving cost / time to smaller businesses. ALSO putting together a more coherent offer rather than a random stand here and a stand there makes a buying decision easier (?) This stand could have a central person to take the money or take contact details for follow up. Collaboration would benefit the smaller companies creating an added value offer with the bigger companies. There were large areas of the halls vacant - lost revenue to the organiser ! A mutual loss to the industry. - A financial deal of greatly reduced / free stand prices but paid on the basis of effective promotion by the show organisers eg traders paying a tiered % of sales achieved. - Simple things - have business cards. Even a gold fish bowl to collect business cards and a rudimentary competition - Stop piling up rifles and shotguns like some scrapheap - unshoppable. You're paying for space which is probably not making money and is more of a turn off and it's taking time from your business for staff to make and break the stand. - Upsell customers. The addition of a gun slip, cleaning products etc can add 10% to your revenue of a higher ticket item. This does not really happen. - Have a simple form so an interested customer can leave their details for future contact / area of interest / budget / etc - Use the car parking. How many cars were there over three days ??? How many fliers did I receive on the windscreen ?? An opportunity lost ?? Just constructive thoughts. ATB David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Hancock Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 Sorry Fivehole. I renamed you ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fivehole Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 Sorry Fivehole. I renamed you ! perhaps one day if I keep practicing .lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mik Mak Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 I think Dave has said it all, my sentiments exactly? Vince if you get any sense out of the organisers please let us know, it would be nice for us all to display something and have space to talk to the shooters about what we do. Mik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gun Pimp Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Yeh - I'm think say nine or ten custom competition rifle builders - DCR, Dolphin, Valkyrie, Resolution Precision, Neil McKillop, Pete Walker, Osprey.......any more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejg223 Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I visited the British Shooting Show a few years ago and thought it could be a place to have a stand. Costs of travelling from Ireland + Hotel + stand costs were just too much for us. In future we (PSE) would certainly consider to exhibit if stand costs were dropped or substantially lower. edi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gun Pimp Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Oh - I forgot Bradley Arms - sorry Mark I visited the British Shooting Show a few years ago and thought it could be a place to have a stand. Costs of travelling from Ireland + Hotel + stand costs were just too much for us. In future we (PSE) would certainly consider to exhibit if stand costs were dropped or substantially lower. edi At this stage , there's nothing in place but if we could put on a good show I'm sure it would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20series Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 well speaking as a former customer of Miks and a potential customer for someone in the future I reckon a combined stand showing off the best in British rifle building is an excellent idea I hope it comes off for next years, good luck Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onelesscharlie Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Great sentiment.... so would this pavilion style stand be invitation only or open to any UK builder meeting a certain criteria. We used to exhibit at a brochure based show, as such everyone was on a level playing field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradders Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Yeh - I'm think say nine or ten custom competition rifle builders - DCR, Dolphin, Valkyrie, Resolution Precision, Neil McKillop, Pete Walker, Osprey.......any more? theres an awful lot of "custom competition" rifle builders in the UK.Not all are on UKV, and to have something like you mention could appear to be something of an old boys network and seem somewhat cliquey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gun Pimp Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Well, it's not really my call - I simply suggested the idea to the organiser. Obviously, everybody would like a free stand but my idea - as I said in a previous post - would be to showcase UK custom gunsmiths building competition rifles. There would be no direct selling - just display what you do to the punters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gun Pimp Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 theres an awful lot of "custom competition" rifle builders in the UK. Not all are on UKV, and to have something like you mention could appear to be something of an old boys network and seem somewhat cliquey Mark - who else would you suggest? Norman Clark for example is happy to sell a shed load of reloading stuff and doesn't worry about the gunsmithing side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Hancock Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Vince - are you not accepting PM's ? ATB. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gun Pimp Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 David, I'm just a dozy bu**er - e-mail me on vinceb@6ppc.fsnet.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradders Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Mark - who else would you suggest? Norman Clark for example is happy to sell a shed load of reloading stuff and doesn't worry about the gunsmithing side.Difficult to say to be honest Vibce.I think the concept is good but a lot f people (n my experience) like competition type firearms, but don't compete with them. If I think of anything I'll let you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gun Pimp Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 It may well be that we restrict it to those who've previously paid for a stand at the Show - which would be more or less the list I gave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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