In this day and age, I personally believe that social media is where the majority of knife sales are taking place....or at the very least it is where folks become interested in a given knife or knifemaker, which drives individuals to a maker's website.

Case in point..... about 3 years ago I started some "testing" with posting knives for sale on Facebook. Personally I have two different Facebook accounts....on is "Ed Caffrey" and the other is "The Montana Bladesmith". My "Ed Caffrey" account is a catch all of not only knives, but of family, friends, and general happenings in my life. I did this with the idea in mind that many who are interested in knives, are also interested in the Maker, and knowing something about them. On "The Montana Bladesmith" account, it's strictly knives and business. What I have found is this.....because of the increased traffic on my "Ed Caffrey" account, it often drives people to "The Montana Bladesmith" account/page. Often times individuals will seek more information and click on the links I provide for my website. The biggest benefit that I see in using Facebook is the fact that as long as I have an image(s) on my desktop, or my smartphone, I can simply choose to load them to a Facebook post...where as posting pics on a forum takes much more time and effort.

I also use Instagram. I like the fact that I can snap pics of things in progress with my phone, quickly post them, and go on with my day. Then when a project is complete, it gets posted to both Facebook and Instagram.

Of course the biggest bang on either platform is gaining "followers". The more followers you gain on Facebook, the more exposure your product(s) get. It's a bit more complicated on Instagram, in that it takes some thought of what "hashtag" you should apply in order to get the most views. For example, prior to the 2017 Blade Show, there was a tag someone had created for it #Blade2017. Once I found that tag, and used it, my show preview knives where exposed to over 6,000 individuals, just by using that hashtag.

An example of how effective facebook can be: Prior to the 2017 Blade Show, I created 3 Damascus Hatchets. After the first two sold (to the same person), I posted them, along with the one that was still available on Facebook. I intentionally did not post any prices, just to see how things would play out......my facebook messages and associated email account were flooded with inquiries as to price. There was enough interest that I decided to sell the remaining hatchet via auction on facebook. I specified the starting bid, the bid increment, and the exact closing time. Long story short, that hatchet sold for over DOUBLE of what I would have marked on it at a show.

I've not done it personally, but a couple of my knifemaking friends seem to sell EVERYTHING they make via Instagram. It seems that all they have to do is post a knife to Instagram for sale, with the statement "first come first served" and the price.....and it's gone. I've not managed to figure that one out yet, but I suppose I'm not an Instagram "Rockstar" like those people are. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

Excellent Topic of the Month Brion and outstanding advice Ed!

There are many advantages to using social media to promote your knife business. It is easy to use, provides instant communication, configured for mobile devices, and it is free. Personal websites are great but can be time consuming to administer, cost time and money, and may not be as effective in reaching your target audience as social media. Increasingly more and more people are using mobile devices to search the internet and social media is geared and configured to reach them quickly and effectively. When I post a photo or video on my Instagram account that I use for my photography ( https://www.instagra...adoproductions/ ) I instantly receive "Likes" from viewers.

It is very easy to set up an Instagram account and as Ed Caffrey said above it is simple to snap a photo with your IPhone ( or other brand smartphone) and instantly upload it to your Instagram account. You will be amazed at how quickly you will receive "Likes" from viewers around the world. The real trick is to describe your photo or 60 second video in a sentence or two and then add the #Tags. Add as many #Tags as will draw viewers to your photo. Check other popular knife maker's Instagram sites and see what they are using. Click this link to learn how to create your own Instagram site: https://help.instagr...155940534568753

I agree Ed and Dan. Social media seems to be the go to thing now. I am seriously considering, like you Ed, creating a knife business only fb page. One question, do you see websites going away? As you said Dan. A website takes a lot of work to keep updated and fresh. I am guilty of not doing that. For a small business, like a knife maker. Is a website worth it? I can upload a picture to fb or instagram and my friends, followers, and customers are pretty much instantly notified. It reaches a lot more people much quicker than a website.

Brion

Traditional websites just have differences in functionality, administrative time, security, and cost than social media. Many knife makers do not devote the necessary time to keep their website current with fresh content.

On the other hand, social media sites such as Instagram and FB can provide just the solution that a one person operation like most knife makers need. A knife maker can finish a knife in the shop, snap a photo of it with their Iphone, upload it to their Instagram and/or FB account, and instantly make it available to the public. It is quick, easy, free, and most important...effective. Remember most are walking around today with a smart phone in their pocket so give them what they want.

Well, in the words of Bob Dylan, “The times, they are a-changin’.”

Many great points presented in the topic of the month. I believe the average knife maker will not need to keep up a website. Technology being readily available day or night in an instant, fb and insta "whatever" will fill that need. I only bladesmith for fun but social networking via the current media systems makes websites almost moot in point.

If I was going to be a professional blade smith I might consider setting up a web site but it would be high tech. I would allow a user to custom build their knife in a 3D model. They would be able to choose handle material, general style, steels and such with a click of a button. However, that takes tons of programming, time and money. Probably wouldn't be worth it in the end.

There are plenty of advertising systems out there that are cheap and reach a large audience quickly. Google can send ads to anyone who has ever typed the word knife, forged and the like. Check Google Adwords. Deposit a certain amount and it draws from that as people go to your website or face book account. You can also advertise on facebook just as easily.

I ramble,

Matthew

Thank you Matthew. I was hoping you would reply. These were my thoughts on websites also. So many other avenues are available now. With facebook, instagram, and the others we have a free marketing tool that can reach hundreds of people in minutes. Still working on the hashtag thing though.

Brion

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Thank you Matthew. I was hoping you would reply. These were my thoughts on websites also. So many other avenues are available now. With facebook, instagram, and the others we have a free marketing tool that can reach hundreds of people in minutes. Still working on the hashtag thing though.

Brion

Brion,

I don't do the whole # tag thing very well either. Not sure why. However, you could have some preset on a notepad/wordpad and just copy and paste anytime you want to add it to the end of a comment.

Both Google and facebook will not take add from weapon makers.. makes that option unuseable for most of us.

Instagram tumbler Facebook, etc are all great they but they are less advertising and more marketing. They are a part of building a brand and a market. Once a base market has been built social media is a way to engage and sell to your market. I find I can't just look at one site and think that is everything, I find they work best when used together.

I don't know about knifemakers specifically, but I feel there is a distinct difference between Facebook and a dedicated website that make them less than interchangeable. I don't think it is necessarily a limitation inherent in the platform, but rather the quick and easy informal atmosphere surrounding Facebook that leaves me frustrated whenever I am looking for information on a business. Be it an auto repair service, or a plumber, almost invariably when I do a web search for a business and end up at a Facebook page it is so unprofessionally done and lacking in information (location, hours, contact etc...) that I will try to find a real website, if they have one. Oh sure, I can see plenty of pics of their last party or their cat wearing a sombrero, but very little in the basic critical information I need to do business with them. If they don't offer a more complete website alternative I come away with an attitude about the business that if they can't get their web presence together any better than that, I can probably find more capable hands to do business with.

The way I see it, Instagram, Facebook and other quick post social media sites are like billboards or signs pointing potential customers to your actual storefront, which would be a dedicated website that puts forward the solid impression of a professional business, where the customer can browse and buy with confidence. Karen runs all of my Facebook affairs, and while it does seem to be a very visible and busy medium, it is a busy highway full of traffic moving at high speed. A picture or quick message from Karen there is a roadside sign that is not meant to bring people to a stop where there will be a several car pile up, but let them know where to pull in, up ahead, so we can spend some dedicated, one on one, time together. Also, the ability to write or alter your own code is a powerful thing, and so is the knowledge that all content is completely your property, under your own domain, and not at the mercy of Mark Zuckerberg.

Well, in the words of Bob Dylan, “The times, they are a-changin’.”

Times are changing! I am one of the holdouts who refused to use a smart phone or social media until 2 weeks ago. Yes, I was dragged kicking and screaming out of the "dark ages" as it was put to me by a customer.

I started using Instagram and the people it reaches in a very short span of time is remarkable, it made a believer out of me. If used properly they are great tools for your work to gain exposure. As for the hash tags, I looked at what other knife makers were using and used the ones that best describe the knives I posted and the ones with the most post. Much easier than I expected.

I can see where one could sell everything on social media and do very quickly. It appears to me that a large part of the collector market is not using internet forums as much as I thought to locate knives but rather some form of social media. I had several contacts from people relatively close (a couple hundred miles or less)who never heard of me or seen photos of my knives. All I have done in the past is post some photos on a few internet forums and attend a few shows a year. Makes me think about what the impact will be on knife shows....

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Are they a viable education resource for beginning bladesmiths and makers. Which social media outlet is your favorite and why? Give us ideas on ways to use these tools and ways we can use them to get more people involved in bladesmithing and the ABS. I will have more input as we go along. So lets get the discussion started. I look forward to seeing what everyone thinks.Brion

Being new to bladesmithing, I use social media all the time as an educational resource. It seems that Instagram is the outlet that I enjoy following the most. After a picture or short video catches my eye, I'll typically end up scrolling through many of their previous posts (I think my kids refer to this as "creeping"). It's common for me to follow a website link posted in someone's bio to obtain more educational information from that individual. It's even better when I'm provided with links to youtube videos where I'll spend many more hours than I should trying to absorb info.

Also, as a buyer I like it when someone posts a short 30 second video of a knife they are selling on social media much more than just a picture.

I just started a new Facebook and instagram page for my knives. It's a good way to get your knives out their for people to see. I like the videos from other makers for educational info.

Great info here. I am very new to knife making (as in I have yet to complete a blade start to finish because I wreck them on the grinder), but I do have a bit of experience with social media, web development, business, and technology in general. I think that a lot of what folks are saying here is completely accurate, and a good way to look at technology for small businesses. Using social media to sell knives is an excellent fit, images and videos sell all manner of artistic crafts, and knives are often sold on how they look because high level of quality is expected of any hand made item. Instagram, Pintrest, & Facebook are excellent places to market what you have to sell, as well as to get in front of customers.

That said, like any artist, writer, or high end crafts person a lot of what you are selling is you. When people make the decision to spend several hundred (or thousand) dollars on a knife either for themselves, or as a gift they want a story to go with it (even if they don't require it, having a story will increase the price). One can certainly buy incredibly high quality knives from a wide variety of sources. They will buy from you because they want to tell their friends about their "knife guy" (especially in a keeping up with the Jones' sense). You are the value add. This is where things like blogs, web sites, vlogs (video blogs), and you tube channels come in. One of the benefits most people don't think of here is that all of these platforms can be additional income sources for you through ad revenue, afiliate marketing, ect. Websites can also be a good "digital resume" which can result in both income, and opportunity you didn't expect.

One of the things we used to say back when we were trying to sell web development to businesses for the first time was "Your website never sleeps". This is true even today. The main thing holding most people back from building a solid web presence is that they don't know how to do it. The very act of making a web site seems incomprehensible. I am a Technology Education teacher & an education consultant. In order to get more business as a consultant I needed to get my name out there. Additionally, though I used to bee pretty solid at web site building I stopped doing it, and everything changed. As such, I had no idea how to build a modern web site. With a few quick internet searches, I found a you tube video that walked me through the creation of a very cool web site. The cost for the resources I used to build it including hosting are pretty minimal (< $200.00), and the site looks as good as anything out there. My site is www.superstarstem.com and the video I used is on Greg Narayan's youtube page ( https://www.youtube.com/user/narayguy). Whether you are comfortable with technology or not, I'd recommend it for making your own web site.

The last thing I'll mention is that having an etsy store seems like a good idea as well. I haven't sold anything on etsy, but I have a friend who buys cheap jewelry/gems on ebay, marks them up 50 to 500%, and sells them on etsy at a good clip. That might be a solid avenue for high end knives as I have seen a lot of craftspeople using it. Don't try selling on ebay though. Ebay is flooded with cheap, high quality blades from India. Sorry for the wall of text. Great topic!