It has been brought to my attention by one FOT member that my "blow by
blow" updates on the progress of the TR 6 gasket is "inappropriate". He
would prefer 100% silence until the product is 100% ready. He sees it
as a "bad marketing strategy" because people will think there's a
problem with the product when I mention setbacks. He also feels that I
am using the newsgroups too much for promotional purposes by commenting
on the progress. In fear that one e-mail may represent the feelings of
countless others, I felt a need to respond publicly.
I could have waited until I was 100% ready, but I didn't. Let me
explain my reasons. I feel I am sharing the experience of developing a
product for our cars. The wonderful products that various members of
our newsgroups develop don't just fall off trees. It can be a long
drawn out process. There are countless hours spent in designing the
product, working with machinists, material specialists, and so on. Set
backs, like my most recent one, can cost hundreds of dollars. When my
first TR 4 gasket came out, a lot of people were upset with the price
(now near $30.00) because they only see a hunk of silicone and they
don't grasp why it should cost much more than the materials cost.
Similarly, you see others trying desperately to put enough orders
together to make a "run" of a product that only months past, many chimed
in with great interest in purchasing, but many never come through.
They see a hunk of turned aluminum, for example, and they don't see why
it should cost so much, etc. When my TR 4 gasket first came out, most
of the people that first related to me a great interest in the product
did not buy it! When I went to club meetings, people slammed me with all
their ideas for Triumph products. Many of those ideas were great, but
few people knew what would be involved in actually bringing their ideas
to market. It is a huge investment in time and money, relative to the
size of the market which is quite small. Until one has developed a
product of their own invention, they can't fully grasp what is involved,
but I think sharing the process with you all is a step in the right
direction. Suddenly, that $400 that someone wants for a "such-n-such"
doesn't seem so bad, when you fully realize what the guy (or gal!) went
through to put it together for you.... and he still has to pack it up
and ship it if you do buy it!
I could sell plenty of gaskets by waiting until its 100% ready before
mentioning a single word to you all. So I don't see these "blow by blow"
updates as a serious promotional effort or unsolicited SPAM. I am
including you all in the process because I see these newsgroups as one
big club. If we held meetings, I would probably be providing updates
when the motion goes around for people to make comments. I would be
sharing with you all, the works in progress. I don't think I would make
it through a meeting without being asked! This last week, a newsgroup
member in Washington tested my gasket. He volunteered to be a guinea
pig. It could just has easily been one of our friends in England or in
any number of countries across the globe, simply testing the product for
me. It's a great community, a small world. As the product eventually
starts to slip out in sales, you all will be the first to try it out.
I truly do apologize for the many false starts over the years on this
particular gasket. I have tried to avoid making any promises that I
could not keep, but on occasion, I have failed. I plowed forward with
the TR 6 gasket in recent months because after several years of the poor
economy, 9/11, war, and union strikes ripping into my income, I finally
found myself with a few jobs back to back that would provide the funding
I would need. I had other projects in mind, but this is one that I had
promised in the past, it's desperately needed, and it was long over due.
Besides the reasons I have expressed for sharing my progress, it also
comes down to this: Who better to share the news with? I can tell you
this, it's a boring topic for anyone that's not into cars. If I do
bring it up, I usually just get slammed for bothering with Triumphs at
all. Then I remind them, I make them for Triumphs because that is my
hobby, that is my interest, and that is a good part of my circle of
friends... even if you all are thousands of miles away. (Then they look
at me as if I just told them I was a "Trekie" that goes to Star Trek
conventions.) I don't mind sharing my setbacks with you all, even if
it's an embarrassing mistake on my part. That is what this hobby is about.
If my updates are just driving you crazy or you see them purely as SPAM,
tell me so. I felt I have kept my actual "promotional" efforts within
the groups reasonably benign and tactful. I would appreciate any
feedback, either way. My apologies to that one FOT member that felt my
methods (of sharing the progress of the product's development) were
"not sound", were not a "useful business plan", and show "poor judgment"
on my part. I suppose the educated part of me that has a Business
degree from USC appreciates his points, but the business-in-practice
part of me, that's just going for and enjoying the grass-roots hobby
approach is quite comfortable. And I don't see potential customers
running away from the product because I make progress reports while
dialing in a quality product.
Sincerely,
--Justin Wagner
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