Developing Pool Gear/Tools

Z

zy112

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm starting this thread in search of help from all of you entrepreneurs that have created pool gear and related tools for the billiards industry.

Recently, a friend came up with an idea that we think “has a shot”. I’m not at liberty to discuss his idea, as he asked me not to. We are both engineers so I’m confident the last few details of the design should be worked out fairly easily...hopefully:grin:

So with that said, once we have this great product, what have been the most successful marketing techniques in this industry? How do we get this off the ground? The guy isn’t going to make millions, but he has found a niche that I think could be explored. Just curious if anyone has any advice, feel free to send me a pm if necessary. Thanks in advance!
 
Getting known pros to use your product always helps. Word of mouth is the best advertiser for billiards equipment imo, that being said I think holding a contest of some sort and giving a few away to the winners here on AZ is a excellent way to spread the word. If you have a good product let the product speak for you.
 
Website, YouTube, FaceBook. Get an advertising spot on the forums and in the mags like Inside Pool and Billiards Digest. Then find some respected people to review your product on the forums and if it's solid, everything will take care of itself from there.
 
If you use all the conventional wisdom above , yes , you will sell a few thousand units . F that !
You want to GET RICH !
As was said in The Graduate " I have one word for you :
INFOMERCIAL
and get Vince , if that crazy fool can sell Volkswagen grease rags for $19.95 , he can do anything !

See , if you market to poolplayers , you'll sell to poolplayers .
But if you do a huge mass market properly , you'll sell to poolplayers , as well as to every single person that remotely knows a poolplayer .
Grandma , Uncle Phil , the fiance , co-workers - everyone will want to buy one as a gift to give to the poolplayer they know .
Soon , instead of the one that he needs , the poolplayer will find that he has five in his closest - and he can't even give 'em away , cuz every other poolplayer he knows has five also.
Don't believe me ? Ask Grandma how many Shamwows she got for her birthday !

PS - after you do this and become rich , I will be expecting some greenies as "marketing consultant" - and I don't mean REP points !$!$!$!
 
I dunno, first thing that came to my mind was, good for you guys, hope you do well, but you'd have been much better off thinking of some kind of kitchen utensil.

Market share of the billiard world, even with the greatest product is like a pebble on the beach of the market of something mainstream like a two sided spoon/fork or something. :)

The good thing about billiard related products IMO is that whatever market share there is, a large percentage of them can't help but by anything billiard related, so at least you may get a big chunk of the small chunk so to speak. Good luck on your venture.
 
If you guys don't have a lot of capital start with a website and post your product here on the AZb forums. Start selling more and more via for sale/wanted and the popularity will grow as AZ'ers bring your product to tournaments/pool halls.

If you want, I can promote your product on my site (www.qstix.com). Might be a good trial to gauge the market.
 
I'd say before you start marketing you need to finish development and sort out production. Examine your product and really see what it's potential is, if there are any drawbacks, if improvements can be made, if a patent is needed for it or part of it (is it likely to be copied).If this seems vague to you, think in terms of the Tip Pik. It started great but improved versions came out and not always made by the same company. Now there are many versions and I'm not sure if the original makers collect anything on that or not.:wink:
 
Thanks for the suggestions/comments. The dilemma I have, is this would be targeted to bars/pool halls. It sucks I cant divulge more info, but gotta keep my word.

I think he will make some product, introduce it to some of the local places and go from there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top