Without actually showing us anything it's hard to make any sort of decision. You've promised an electric that cooks better than PBC. Sounds great. I'm sure we would all be interested. That's about as far as the conversation can really go. Now lets see if you can prove it.
I'm not kicking you in the groin with my input. I am looking at it as your business model. You are creating a niche with your idea and it is always good to know what audience to target and why. Beat the direct comp first and then figure out how to go after the other fish. My brother cooks on an electric smoker and we drink a couple of beers and debate what turns out better food - his set up or my stick burners. He gives in to me but says he doesn't have the time or energy to do what I do and his wife doesn't like food to be too smokey. I have friends who have locally made pit barrel type smokers. One loves his, the other has terrible times controlling his temps. I have told him to but a PBC and his issues would go away. I have friends who have various pellet smoker brands and they wouldn't give their units up for anything - other than bigger units.
Right off the bat, the versatility that you describe would sell my brother over in a second. He could have the best of both worlds. When word of mouth spreads, you venture into other competition against other styles. In prototyping, groin kicks are good. They teach you whether you should lead with the left or right and where you left yourself open. By posting here you are sparring prior to going into the marketplace.
The electrics suck, PBC's aint that good. I dont want to get into a dick measuring contest, but I would challenge anyone to a head to head KCBS cook off. The only way to have a fair judging is too have the same guy cooking on both with the same rub. I would like to do the 3rd party as a wood fired
I know most cookers on this site would beat me in a cook-off with a lot of different implements with their eyes closed. I come here to learn from them not because I think I could beat them in a cook-off. Peace.
Well the stick burner would win since gas and electric cookers are not allowed in KCBS competitions. Even if they were allowed I would still put money on someone with a Gateway or Jambo winning. Better yet Noah w/ a PBC.
I have never had a KCBS judge monitor my entire cook. I can take a brisket into a camper and throw it in the oven, boil a slab of ribs or sear my chicken on a gas grill... not that I would do that, but when money is on the line.. the best cheater wins
I really didnt get the input I was looking for as far as price range goes, but I did learn something from what little input I got. People are brand loyal, they will spend alot of money on something that someone else tells them will cook good, a wood fired pit cooks better than any of the backyard bashers, electrics are crap and and this is gonna be an up hill battle for a long time.
If anyone has won Grand Champion on a PBC at a KCBS sanctioned event, please speak up to disprove my point. Would you pay double for something that will BBQ/ grill and fry with as good or better product as a trash can? Double the price and 5x more versatile.
I am going after the pellet smokers next.... Pellet smoker results at 1/3rd the price? Have you ever tried to put that $3,000 pig Treager in the trunk of your car?
I'm investing over $6K on a Shirley smoker just because I want it and it's a stickburner. I have one of those trash can cookers and don't like the charcoal flavor I get from them even when I used wood chunks the charcoal flavor is still there.
So there can be a middle ground between competition cookers and over priced crap that cook good food? I have been to pellet fired "BBQ restaurants" that pass for good BBQ and make good money. I think I can do better than that.
TNT on the runt... or burn in, or seasoning , what ever you want to call it. Did a run on charcoal and chunks last night, tonight was on... wait for it.... wood. Who the hell does that? Temp control for a wood fired this small was surprisingly easy. Part of that is design, part being a pit builder/ pit master/ stick burner for 25 years. I dug out some freezer burnt maple jalapeno cheese summer sausage for dog treats so the run wasnt completely wasted. The dogs are excited
That looks like an awesome unit. Running overnight on wood is fabulous. If you market that the right way you will make money. I am a consumer, not a builder. When you ask for advice about how to market something, I can only give you my advice as a buyer. Here is a story that happened to me the other day and it happens every year.
The Traeger guy was at Costco. I walked down the aisle and he asked me if I like BBQ. I smiled and said yes but I wasn't interested in his product because I was "set up". He persisted. "Come on, what kind of set up could you have that would beat the simplicity of this? Are you familiar with Traeger products?" I told him I was and had great respect for his company and his products, I just was not interested in buying. I wanted so bad to interact about BBQ with him but I knew he is just trying to sell me his product.
"Come on man" he said. "You said you like BBQ and I know I can beat the competition. I can beat them with simplicity. I can beat them by price and I can beat them by convenience. Just hear me out. What have you got?" I took out my cell phone and show him my set up. Immediately he stopped talking. I told him that I loved his product and tried to engage him in BBQ banter. He wanted no part of it. He almost seemed offended. I was in Costco again today and he refused to make eye contact with me.
How does this all relate to you? You have asked for advice in marketing your product. As a consumer I see it's value. I could see myself wanting something that. If you were selling your product in Costco how would you have treated me? Based on your reaction to this thread I think it would have been worse than avoiding eye contact.
Your reaction to this may be "This dude doesn't know shinola. He has never won a BBQ championship so why should I listen to him?" I haven't ever competed. If I did, my friends, neighbors, co-workers and kids would all vote for me in a blind test because it's who I cook for and I cook to their taste buds. The judges would likely eat some and say "Whoever this dude is, he has no idea what competition BBQ is."
In closing - I hope you take my stories in this thread and consider them when you market you product. I believe that it can be successful across a number of venues. However, you have been more than a bit gruff towards folks who post here on a regular basis after you asked for advice. I can sense excitement in what you have come up and it is great. I can also sense your frustration toward this group. Take your excitement and the advice and run with it.
I'm interested from all you've said, sounds like you got an awesome cooker. I hope you find a niche for your market, readily available. Since you're a pit member maybe you could send an early prototype to Max Good for testing. Get a jump on things. Sometimes superior products fall by the wayside. Hopefully you can hit that groove.
I have been following your thread from the beginning with interest and increasing agitation. You originally asked for advice, as I remember, as to how to market your NOT yet finished vision and have noted as shown once again with your most recent post that you seem more interested in knocking your perhaps future competitors rather than simply pointing out the virtues of you planned unproven, untested, unfinished product.
If I was you I would concentrate on the virtues of your vision and sell it's strong points and ignore your perceived weaknesses of your MAYBE future competitors.
Quite frankly you came to us asking for help and advice and then immediately lash out at any (in your mind) perceived slight and have seemed to want to bite the hand that has been trying to so generously help you.
With that said I do wish you luck, but also think you should change your tactic to SELL your product based upon its virtues rather than knocking your perhaps future competition.
Sales is frequently demonstrating the strengths of your product and potential perceived value to the buyer and is best served by showing YOUR strengths rather than pointing out your competitors shortcomings.
Try to take a more positive attitude and enthusiasm for YOUR product and sell upon your product's strengths and versatility only.
See - you just cussed at one of the most respected members of this pit. lschweig is an original member here. I look at him for advice and wisdom. From a post in which you talked about measuring your junk to resorting to cursing you have lost all respect in my camp. I wish you well but hope Huskee or one of the other moderators looks at this from beginning to end and deletes it due to your conduct and language.
John "JR"
Minnesota/ United States of America
******************************************** Grills/Smokers/Fryers Big Green Egg (Large) X3
Blackstone 36" Outdoor Griddle 4-Burner
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Pit Barrel PBX
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Bayou Classic 35K BTU Burner Eggspander Kit X2 Finex Cat Iron Line FireBoard Drive Lots and Lots of Griswold Cast Iron Grill Grates Joule Water Circulator
KBQ Fire Grate Kick Ash Basket (KAB) X4 Lots of Lodge Cast Iron Husky 6 Drawer BBQ Equipment Cabinet Large Vortex Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum Marquette Castings No. 13 (First Run) Smithey No. 12 Smokeware Chimney Cap X 3 Stargazer No.10, 12 ******************************** Fuel FOGO Priemium Lump Charcoal Kingsford Blue and White B&B Charcoal Apple, Cherry & Oak Log splits for the C-60 ************************************************* Cutlery Buck 119 Special
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Look, we are all here to help each other out. There is no need to attack members be because we may disagree. I assure you, that everyone here was just trying to help you out. If you don't care for their advice, perhaps another forum will suit you better.
Otherwise, try to have a civilized, adult conversation.
Scotch: Current favorite- The Arran (anything by them), Glenmorangie 12yr Lasanta, sherry cask finished. The Balvenie Double Wood, also like Oban 18yr, and The Glenlivet Nadurra (Oloroso sherry cask finished) among others. Neat please.
About meReal name: Aaron
Location: Farwell, Michigan - near Clare (dead center of lower peninsula).
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Healthcare- Licensed & Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) at MyMichigan Health, a University of Michigan Health System.
I was out of line and i am sorry about that. I was splitting my time between here and an atv forum that is full of trolls and most people on there are mean and rude. I had 6 of the idiots ganging up on me and I forgot to take my "jerk" hat off when I came in here
Hey, it happens. Who you hang out with affects your 'tude. We're a pretty tolerant bunch here. Speaking as a business guy who's done software development, product management, customer support, tech presales, and upper management, I'll say this. Not everyone involved in a business has the same skills in the various areas it takes to make it work. So, you may want to find yourself a good sales guy who knows how to schmooze, but more importantly, knows how to listen. Lots of ventures fail on that last one. Capitalize on your strengths and find find a colleague or two who complements your weaknesses.
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