Samantha,Hi all, my name is Samantha and Ive been working at Cutting Edge Bullets for about 10 years now. We are a small family owned company thats been in business since 2008, and being a small company, I have worn very many hats within the organization over the years. We have always made it a company policy to stay off of forums. There has certainly been some drama in the past, so we feel its best practice to just avoid it all together. However, I do have some burning questions for you, and I dont think it hurts to ask. Ive always enjoyed reading the threads on this forum because the community seems very open and helpful to one another. If i'm way out in left field here, feel free to let me know!
I sent you a PM, but I want to welcome you to LRH publicly; enjoy! My sincere apologies for being the bearer of bad news, but I want to be honest right off the bat, this site is not immune to drama. I hope you will never experience any negativity or uncivilized treatment. Having said that, we still have a lot of good people around.
I have a lot of questions for hunters and shooters alike in regards to the decision making process when it comes to purchasing new equipment/gear. Our goal as a company isn't to cram our product down peoples throats and sell to people who aren't truly our target market. Our goal is to provide hunters and shooters with all of the information needed in order for them to make a good choice. Unfortunately it seems we are not so great at getting our name and product out there, so we really need to figure that part out. Im hoping discussing some items with this community will help me better understand where we need to focus.
I appreciate your goals. A good product will sell itself. I think the word is getting out more than you think, perhaps not the numbers you are shooting for, but I do not know what those numbers are. As you already know, you have had plenty of competition since you started, which is excellent for the end-users. I have nothing against lead-free bullets (I have a pretty good inventory from various manufacturers, including CEB), but it is an option we can choose from. The great thing about America is we still have the freedom of choice and many choices. I do not wish for a mandatory lead-free bullet/ammunition in the US in my lifetime or any lifetime; sorry, CA.
Regardless of the product, I am a sucker for innovation, so what you noted are some of the instruments I have employed in my decision-making process.Here are a few of my questions:
-What influences your decision to try a new product? Is it word of mouth, a google search, an ad, etc??
-What would be an incentive to push you over the edge to try a new product?
-Do you prefer to try new things or stick with tried and true?
I know a lot of these are very open ended and are probably dependent on the item. But any insight is greatly appreciated!
Thank you so much in advance.
-Samantha
I do not have or need the incentive to try new things, but I have things that will shy me away from trying new things, some of which are noted in your company's goals. I love supporting small businesses, esp. from my local economy. At this point, there is only one company that I will never support in my lifetime for many reasons. We all know there is no magic bullet. I know that you know that, and as far as I know, you have stayed true to your company goals. Stay true to yourself/goals, let end-users decide/respect their decisions, avoid the political agenda, and you will be fine.
I am a continuous learner, so keep old and new things. I am looking forward to healthy and civil discussions with you,
Again, welcome to LRH, and enjoy!
Ed