anyone ever set up at forestry demo day???

[bikedude73]

Has anyone set up their mill at a foresrty demo day?  If so how long did you mill for and how many logs did you saw?  Was it good for business and did you hand out cards or coupons or what kinds of marketing did you do??  Thanks for your time and answers.....

[Magicman]

Yes.  I was invited to set up at a Forestry Field Day, and didn't even know what the Forestry Ass'n was.  I'd saw a few boards, talk and explain the mill, pass out cards, and then saw some more.  I sawed maybe 4 logs that morning.  That was probably the most profitable morning that I have ever had.  No, they didn't sign up to have logs cut that day.  None did, but many have since then.

This year I'm serving as President of that Forestry Ass'n.  At virtually every Field Day, someone mentions that sawing demonstration.  At all Field Days, I always wear a WM cap, shirt or jacket.  Without saying anything, I'm still advertising.....

[Brad_S.]

I used to set up at a local lumberjack festival. I would saw a log an hour, sometimes stopping half way and finishing it out at the half hour. I had a table set up with cards and flyers. As above, not many bookings that day but paid great dividends down the road.
Beware of sawmill goupies. They will hang around the mill all day and monopolize your time telling you stories about great-grandpa's mill back in nineteen ought six, ask all manner of strange and irrelavant questions and prevent you from talking to actual potential customers. Be firm with them. Nice, but firm.

[backwoods sawyer]

I have set up for demonstrations at the "tree school on the Umpqua" two years running.
I take a trailer load of logs, both hardwood and softwood and spread the milling out over the day. I have an assortment of 4' boards that are all local woods that I have milled, dried and plained, that I lean up against the trailer for everyone to take a good look at. (Better they handle the wood then the sawmill) I set the laptop up with a slide show of different milling sites, and placed fliers and business cards on the table for them to take with them. I set out a couple of finished projects and brought along a local bowl turner that is very knowledgeable of the mill, he also set out a few finished pieces. Having the second person helped to answer questions while I was running the mill. Take the time to lay down tarps and do a good clean up after the demonstration and it will go a long way to them having you back the next year. This will also pull your competition out of the woodwork, so take the time to find out what there nitch is and to get there contact information as well, you never know when you may need to send a customer to them and networking with the local sawyers can help all of you.

[Magicman]

You can also set up at a local "Seed & Feed" store on Friday and Saturday.  Give the lumber to the store owner.  Post fliers, etc. for a couple of weeks advertising the event.  So you saw for free a couple of days.  It will pay off in the long run.

[bikedude73]

Just wated to thank everyone on here that hve takn the time to hel me in my plan f starting  new sawmill business. Thanks to all...........

[James P.]

I used to set up at a local lumberjack festival. I would saw a log an hour, sometimes stopping half way and finishing it out at the half hour. I had a table set up with cards and flyers. As above, not many bookings that day but paid great dividends down the road.
Beware of sawmill goupies. They will hang around the mill all day and monopolize your time telling you stories about great-grandpa's mill back in nineteen ought six, ask all manner of strange and irrelavant questions and prevent you from talking to actual potential customers. Be firm with them. Nice, but firm.

Bikerdude, I have never been to a expo or field day. I would certainly fit into the goupie group I am sure. Well without the grandpa story. You may consider a goupie as the willing off bearer if it were me. My mills not portable so I can't find any goupies. if it were a 2 day event they probably wouldn't be back if you worked them hard enough. You could also explain to them you don't mind them hanging around but you are hoping to generate business. If you took a friend to help would it be any different. Good luck. Sorry I live a pretty isolated life so having someone there to keep me company and possibly help work doesn't sound so bad.

[Tom]

I used to set up at the county fairs of two counties and saw a log-an-hour, or whatever wouldn't interfere with the other exhibits. When the sawmill cranked up people would leave other things and come-a-runnin'.

I didn't try to wow! them with production, but would rather cut different sized stock, some real thin, some weird sizes, some clean and straight and some live-edged.  I set the place up with wide boards and big cookies to generate conversation, and passed out "round tuits" by the hundreds.

I would leave tools of the trade laying around at places convenient for folks to touch.  I would make benchs, stools, play with kids, talk with adults, and try my best to not sell.  Though I left a stack of business cards on a stump and would answer direct questions about my business. 

The purpose was to educate the population to the fact that the wood in the tree on their property was just like, just as good, and possibly better than what they bought at the lumberyard.  You are fighting the old "Milk comes from cows" syndrome.

It took a week out of my time for each fair.  I made a lot of friends, a lot of customers and went home with a good feeling that I'd shown a piece of the real world to people who had no idea how a board was made.

I don't think it would be as much fun to set up at a show, for the purpose of selling.  I know the manufacturers have to do it, but I have always tried to be part of a little community as a good neighbor, not just a "business". 

If you set up for the purpose of exposure, don't lose track of what your goal is.

If you are sawing for a customer and someone walks up on site,  most customers don't mind an extra break, but you still have to be cognizant of the fact that you are on a job.   Within the community, most visitors are friends of the customer anyway.

[MartyParsons]

Lisa and I do at least two shows a month. We cover 5 states. I am not a great sales person. The equipment sells alone. I do what Tom said above. I realy have fun doing this.

I don't think it would be as much fun to set up at a show, for the purpose of selling.  I know the manufacturers have to do it, but I have always tried to be part of a little community as a good neighbor, not just a "business". 

We try to help people see what owning a portable saw mill is all about. We realy try to educate who ever comes up and talks to us. We try to get youngens to run the mills and smell the sawdust with saftey in mind. We get many questions on when can you come to our property and saw for us. I do my best to get a WM owner in the area to get me some cards to get their name out there. I think if we did custom sawing I would do as many as possible. We are always looking to cover more area so if you need some help let me know. Remember that you can get the demo credit of 2% for selling mills. I know you are building your business and may not want the competition but it is something to think about.

Marty