What would you prefer to see on limited edition stuff?

[Steve R]

I’m proud of my Festool tools. I like to promote Festool and lead people to owning Festool tools. I have never purchased any of the promos done here because they are labeled FOG. I like and find FOG very helpful. But from a promotion standpoint, I want to promote Festool not FOG. I know what FOG means but to most Americans it means limited sight, lost in the fog…etc.

Here is my reason.  I have a FESTOOL polar fleece that I don’t ware very often. The few times I have worn it people that do see it do ask “what is FESTOOL” I respond that it is a phenomenal product line and open a conversation.  

A friend sent me a FOG hat and I have worn it more than I wear the fleece and never gotten one response to FOG.

If I promote FESTOOL that will sell FESTOOL and that means more people will join FOG…. But it doesn’t seem to work the other way.

Just the thoughts of an old marketer.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[windmill man]

Steve,

Its a very interesting point of view and have to say I agree with nearly all you say. But in fairness the special editions from this forum are "of this Forum"

If Festool (World wide) wanted to help the pro`s who use their tools they could do a lot more. Any one from Festool World wide out there is reading PM me [big grin].

I also think that Festool could reward their multi tool owning amateurs better. Say with Festool branded goods for "x" number of tools owned.

John

 

[woodguy7]

John, fantastic idea.  I think we could be clothed for a year  [blink]

Not likely to happen though eh.  I know my tool dealer get loads of freebies from the likes of Bosch, Makita, Dewalt ect but he tells me they get diddly squat from Festool.  They have a much bigger Festool display than any other brand tool.

Poor show Festool.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Steve,

I'm not voting until I see a selection for KEN.  I take this very personally that you have excluded my name from the choices.  Hold on.  I'm getting another box of tissues just in case I use up the 500 count with aloe, before I finish this.............Ok, I also feel that besides showing brand loyalty, you should show support for us as a group - The FOG.  If you don't feel this way, maybe it would be a good idea to turn in your membership certificate and I.D./decoder ring and join the Fleece Owners Group.

Your friend,

Ken
[tongue]

 

[RC]

If Festool (US/EU/International) would put monetary support into producing a subsidized FOG special I would see it totally fit to have their name in addition to FOG on the wares.

What would actually be cool would be to have the FOG logo embroided in full colour and detail on the front and Festool in its green on the back for example. That option is missing from the poll (having both FOG-logo + Festool).

I would not put both next to each other since that would have too many Festoolisms in one place i.e. Festool Owners Group - Festool.

As for Festool selling "Fan Merchandise" for the normal retail price on their website I find it a bit insulting since we already shell out a significant amount of money for their tools and then they still expect us to pay for clothing/bag/etc. gear that makes us a walking advertisement for them... That was called marketing costs still when my dad used to work as the marketing director for a large natural foods importer and the adwares were gifts to the merchants/customers not for sale...  [poke]

 

[Jalvis]

FREE!  I would like to see promotional items like T-shirts and jackets to be free.....and I'm not joking. 

I won't pay to advertise for a manufacturer and can't understand why anyone would.  Although the FOG is more like a club or peer to peer group so not in the same boat.

I have some hats and jackets with my business logo on it....you can pay MSRP for it....?!?!?

 

[Steve R]

Interesting comments.   The poll results seem to be a bit different than the comments.

As a old marketer, I got to say if you think your not paying for the "free give away hat or shirt" or that you would never pay to advertise for a manufacture you are dead wrong. Just look around at what you own. What clothing do you buy that doesn't have its label on it. Do your tennis shoes have logo?  Does the case for your DeWalt say "DeWalt" in big letters?

The difference is that some product pad their cost with marketing charges. Budweiser (not sure of the % today) use to put 1/2 the price of each keg sold back into marketing. Also it has to deal with the cost of the product (beer is 97% water and that is a low cost ingredient) and the number sold/marketshare.

FESTOOL tools are not cheap to engineer, manufacture and they don't have a large market share in the USA yet.

I don't have an issue paying for a FESTOOL branded item, I would just like selection and quality items.

My point is that if more FESTOOL tools are sold in the USA the better we all are in North America as that means better availability and maybe quicker roll out in the USA.

I like the product and I currently promote it and will continue to... I'm just wishing that I had "FESTOOL" branded stuff to help start the conversation.

Now I can dream that if Festool was Swedish made.... that the Festool Swedish bikini team would travel to all the dealers outlets... and they would offer yearly large shop calendars.  Dang, I hate the PC world at times.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Steve R]

Please keep voting. Interesting results.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Steve R]

I had never done a poll before. What I have learned by doing this one is that just voting doesn't make the thread appear that it has activity like a post to the tread does so I'm bumping this up by posting.  Why...you ask... yesterday I did the same thing and got a 33% increase in votes in the last 24 hours... by keeping it active.

Active is good.

Cheers,
Steve