Thom, have you given any thought of making kits for the Warhammer World. There would be a year round demanded and your product again would be so far superior and less expensive then the plastic kits put out by Gamesworks.

Just a thought

Mitch

With the Narrow Gauge convention coming up in early September, it might be an ideal time to look at some funky narrow gauge stuff ready for a largely uninformed audience, at this point.

Thom,

I once owned a hobby shop and faced the same delimia.

Things that I learned to keep the cash flowing in the off season were cheap and simple. Meaning low cost projects that could be completed in 1 or 2 evenings.

In your case I would sugjest simple but attractive items such as out houses, small foot bridges, tool sheds, signs, and so on. Make these items as down loads for perhaps 1 or 2 dollars.

Now since you have die cutting tools perhaps it is time to start offering precut windows and doors. Make the sheets to fit in #10 envolopes so as to keep shipping cost low. Keep the price below $10.

John

Hi Thom,
I'm guessing that your ultimate goal is to control the release of your products solely through your website (DVD's, instant downloads, etc). Although the "Find a store" button shows select Midwest and Western dealers that carry your product, I sense that you are eventually going to do away with the "kits in a bag" approach. If not, it appears that you are in much need of Eastern vendors. You are right to preach to the choir, as word of mouth advertising is the best form of recognition for any product, and those of us that are building your kits are your greatest sales persons. You guys are already taking the necessary steps to get the word out; case in point - becoming a sponsor for Model Railroad Hobbyist, one of the fastest growing e-zines on the web and apparently a wave for the future. Not sure if I've seen your products advertised in the Model Railroad press, though, with the possible exception of Carsten Publishing's On30 Annual and HOn30 Annual. Perhaps a blanket e-mail newsletter to structure hobbyists (not just RR fans) may kick up some orders. Also, as your structure variety grows (ie. Second Street, RR Maintenance Bldgs, Harbor Series, Bridges, etc), and the fact that you guys are at the top of the paper structure industry, as far as I'm concerned, your sales should vastly improve. Meanwhile, the other "choir " members and myself will continue to spread the gospel concerning your excellent product. But if you need an Eastern distributor ...........
-Mase

John , Jim, Mitch
I do have gaming materials but haven't marketed them yet. this summer might be a good time to grow the line outside of RR's.
Jim, I do have more narrow gauge odd ball stuff in the works. By September our sales will start to climb again. I need to get through April - August. we literally don't sell anything some weeks.
John, I appreciate your viewpoint as a former shop owner. I will be offering shingles and windows if all goes well over the next few weeks. Small kits and signage are also good suggestions. I'm curious if you have any insight as to what would keep a hobby shop from carrying our DVD's

You already have a loyal following. We believe in paper and you do it the best. I, for one, plan on purchasing one CD per month until I have the entire collection. In order to keep generating income from this group you will have to keep coming out with new product, which I hope you do. The more furtile ground may be getting new hobbyists to buy. Your "freebies" are a great way to attract new converts to paper. However, someone who has never modeled in paper and downloads one of you free models can be intimidated when there is no instructions and only a single photo of the model, if that. I would sugget that to attract new modelers you should do a bang up job of writing comprehensive instructions with multiple photos of completed structures. Do one simple structure that way and put it up as a "freebie". Then stop new product development and do a fantastic job of writing instructions and taking multiple photos of the remainder of your line to include with the models on CD or available for download. This is your major weak spot.

I guess that my suggestion will seem amature-ish but I'll throw it in. In my area of N.E. Oklahoma we have several Model Train Shows every year and the organizers look for demonstrations that folks in the hobby would find useful. As you know I am a firm believer in Cardstock modeling ie: Clever Models LLC and would like to see your company grow, however cardstock model is seen by many as a background structure element only. The quality of your models truely are an example of 3" inch realism instead of 3' feet but the general public more than likely as never seen a really good cardstock structure. On the discussion forums that I take part in, when the subject of Cardstock Models is brought up the talk is aways “Its looks good on photos but isn’t that good for Upfront usage. Even when the best of the cardstock builders Troels Kirk is mentioned his work is not referred to as cardstock but board by board construction. I guess that what I am suggesting is that Clever Models approach several builders in different parts of the country and put together a seminar on "building a fine cardstock models" to put on at model train shows around the country. Allow some of your believers to go out and promote your products using a system that works. I believe that putting on a seminar showing what a good model looks like can do more to change that belief than a lot of money spent on telling people “cardstock modeling is not what you think it is”.

As someone that has done public speaking and sales I’ve seen the attitudes and beliefs of people change as a result of being shown instead of being told.

Just my two cents anyway

Steven,

I agree with you and I can attest to the fact that when I have given clinics on cardstock modeling, it is only AFTER my talk that they realize the models they have been looking at are not made of "traditional" materials (whatever that means). Indeed, when I test-built the enginehouse at Gorre for Thom and Dave, I put it on display in the contest room at an NMRA regional meet. I won the President's Award for the model. The President (an NMRA Master Model Railroader; one of only a few to have earned all AP certificates) admitted to the audience that he admired the model and did not realize that it was cardstock until after he attended my clinic. Of course, on dislplay, people can see it real close ... hence, Thom's 3-inch rule not 3-foot rule. In my new clinic for the Narrow Gauge Convention, I will talk a little about that, especially about some manufactures who tell me "but nothing feels like wood, except wood" to which I almost always respond, "How often do you invite visitors to "feel" your models after you have spent so many hours do all that detail, weathering, etc.?" Feeling is one thing ... seeing is another.

Around central Florida, anyway, I think I have convinced a lot of modelers that, if approached like a craftsman model, cardstock models ARE foreground models. One of my structures made the cover of O Scale Trains about a year or so ago, and nobody flinched. Indeed, Lou Sassi took a dozen test photos of my cardstock brewery and I hope I can convince him to feature it in the upcomong Model Railroader article, as well. Anyway, I build in all kinds of media (wood, plaster, and paper) and they are ALL backdrop (in one respect or another) for my model railroad. I will continue to support this new craftsman approach and certainly the excellent work that Thom and Dave are doing, in any way that I can.

Hello, Thom:

I don't know it this suggestion has any merit or not but I guess that is up to you to decide. One strategy may be to seek out as many "twofers" as possible per the WarHammer idea. For example, there are almost limitless museums, historic homes, heritage sites, etc. throughout the country and the world, at least some of which might be interested in working with you to commission models of their properties to use as fundraisers, marketing tools, contribution premiums, models for proposed restoration or replication projects, etc. You could sell the products into that market but many of the items would be prime candidates for model railroaders as well (residential models, both modest and grand, come to mind immediately as an underserved category for modelers working in paper). The National Trust for Historic Preservation and your State Historic Preservation Officer are two initial resources you may be able to enlist in researching the potential for this market and how best to approach it.

I'm sure that other posters here have their own suggestions for "twofers" as well and perhaps they will share them.

This is just a thought that I had while reading this thread. Both of the major model railroad magazines had monthly plans in them of interesting structures over the years. I am wondering if it would be possible for you to design a series of cardstock models based on those plans. It would seem to lend itself to the quality that you put into your models. I would also second the suggestion to develop comprehensive instructions and either photos or line drawings to assist the new paper modeler. Something I would also throw out is to discontinue your practice of charging different prices for the different scales of a model, they are digital. I have trouble understanding why a 0 scale kit is priced higher than an HO scale kit in digital format. Just keep producing these great models in any event.

Slow times are slow times....a crossed the board hobby shops dealing with model railroading sales start to slump. Here are a few ideas worth trying. Bars mills has a monthly newsletter email where they talk about new kits and up and coming kit ideas, perhaps you could start an email list and send out weekly or monthly emails talking about things to come or new models available.
on the front page of your website all your new models should be the first thing a visitor should see with pictures and prices and perhaps a short description of what the model is and where you got the idea for it. Right now a visitor to your website has to go onto he models page to see if there are any new models.
Make sure you come up with new model ideas on a regular bases. A neat trick Bars mills uses to create new models is they start combining models from old kits together to make new interesting themed models. You could change the texture of a current model kit and combine it with a shed or a garage to make a completely different themed model.
Perhaps you could also do limited run models...buildings that will only be available for download for a couple of months and then they are no longer available. This keeps your models fresh, and puts a sense of urgency on the customers to buy when they are available. It also keeps the customers checking in for new models so that they don't miss out on any of the limited run ones.
Don't make your main releases come out on one disk. In other words right now your waiting for 7 or so models to be ready before you release them on disk. This makes your customers wait for several months while you work out the bugs in all the models, print them on the disk and then send them out. I think this maybe the wrong approach, not that 40 dollars for a disk full of models is a problem, but if all the models were available by themselves or in packs of say 3. you could get more of your models on the showroom floor and your customers could have a more steady stream of new models to choose from on your website. If you concentrated on releasing models as you complete them you could spend more time designing, photographing and writing instruction for each models, without the pressure of producing a bunch of models and having them all ready to be burned onto disk. Then once you get a bunch of models completed that you think would go well together on disk then sell them as disk packages. You could put a few of the top sellers on the disk along with some of the older or less popular ones.
Keep up the quality, maintain your the style of buildings, I think one of the most important things a model company needs to do is to develop a style of building and keep with it. If you maintain a particular style for all your buildings people will recognize your models easier and will associate them with your business. You currently have a distinct style for your buildings, be very careful not to sway away from it.
So that is my two sense, keep the overhead down, keep up the good work and keep pumping out the models and I think it should work out. This is the perfect economy for you to develop your business in. Model train builders still want to build but most have a lot less money to do it with, your inexpensive but good looking model technique fills a niche that could make you very successful if you take advantage of the situation.

I hope some of these ideas help.

Jay

Oh and one other thing. Stop calling it modeling in paper. The first impression everyone gets when people say your modeling in paper is that the buildings are flimsy. You really should be saying your creating card models or cardboard models. Remember, the adjective definition of paper is flimsy, thin....the adjective for cardboard is ridged, thick.
It may sound like splitting hairs but you would be surprised how people imagine what your models are like before they see them when you call them paper models.

FWIW, I first found out about Clever Models due to the Gorre and Daphetid Enginehouse Kit and the review in O Scale Trains. I also realize that it was a major undertaking to design that kit. How about doing a once a year major kit and releasing it in April for a six month run time. Base the kit on something that is a classic - Whit Towers Alturas and Lonepine station comes to mind, Jack Work's Coal Mine, A double kit combining Jack Work's Flag-stop Station and Freight Station etc etc. These were classic models, Jack Work's were done mostly in Strathmore. Also you could use the ideas of E.L. Moore, many of his structures were built in strathmore. Of course all of the kits would be "based on". I would also design the kits to use strip wood in combination with the card. Many craft stores sell strip wood so it is not a big deal and some parts just naturally lend themselves to wood. I would also price the CD's higher - more like $50. Take them off sale at the end of October and re issue all of the kits in April again. Add one new kit a year and in a few years time you could have a nice set of CD's to sell.

Best Regards
Jim

Oooooh ..... Chama? Now you have my attention! Would love to build anything at Chama!

Thom,

Sorry for delay in getting back to you.

About selling DVD's and such. Price point break and merchendiser display are 2 critical points for a retail store owner.

Now keep in mind that the retailer needs 30 to 50% margine to stay open. Plus 25 to 35 Dollars is about the retail price the store owner would like to see. Counter space is very valuble in a hobby shop. So a very compact merchindiser would be a assest to you and the retailer. What this amounts to is that you would be selling your product to the retailer for about $19 a disk.

Perhaps instead of DVD's you could use CD's and just place 2 or so kits on a CD and get the retail price down to 15 or 16 dollars. This would also give the consumer more disk to choose from.

I also worked for distributers both in the North and the South. In the North I covered only NJ. A product such as yours would have not beeen very difficult to place in a store especially if a merchindiser were availble. I found store owners in NJ more willing to try new quality items.

In the South I covered Fl, GA, parts of SC and parts of Al. A totally different ball game. By far and large selling to store owners in this area was a lot more difficult.

Now I must admit store owners that were transplants from the Mid-West and North east were a lot more open minded towards new products. The natives were another story. For the most part not very aggresive and took a wait and see if the product will fly attitude. But there was and I guess still is a big exception: Female store owners seemed to have more bussiness sence and were more willing to take on new products.

At the moment I am think of a store that you might want to call. Yest the store is owned by a woman. Bull Street Station in Savanah, GA. This store carries only N and HO scale trains. The store also does a great biz with the local collages in art paper, card stock sheets, balso and base wood and art supplies.

You might mention my name and say that I was the United Model Rep. Good chance she won't remember me but it is worth a try. If you call be sure to mention your texture sheets along with the models.

Well, I am starting to ramble,

Stay well,

John

Hi again, Thom,
Another suggestion. I just noticed, on two sites, Trainz.com (not the software guys) and Toy Train Heaven, that Bachmann sells On30 Freight Car Underframes (part # 29906, black and # 29907, red). They come in 3-packs for about $17.50 retail and appear to include the EZ Mate couplers, as well as bolster adapter bushings for use with inverted arch bar trucks (part # 29904). They are interchangeable with the older 25'6" underframes to create a lower realistic profile. As I have yet to construct one of your boxcars, I'm not sure if your lengths are compatible. But maybe you guys could work with Bachmann to produce combo rolling stock kits with your incredibly detailed bodies and their underframes and trucks. Just a thought to increase product recognition. Also, I,m working on the On30 snow plow but have no idea where the two triangular braces (?) with the brown square thingies go. It doesn't show in the plow photo. Keep up the great work!
- Mase

Thom,

I well know what happens when small firms get involved with Walthers.

I have been there and done that.

John

Chama would be very interesting. We have a small train club at our RV Resort. I am trying to interest members