customers not knowing how to properly use a call..

[Damen @ MD Calls]

Ok so I would imagine that we all have had this problem, just wanting to know what you guys do in the situation..

Ok someone comes in and is interested in buying a call duck or goose.. They have been hunting for a number of years and think they know how to call(not competition or anything).. So they pick out a call and blow it and you realize that it is going to be almost impossible to get a call to sound right for them.. Their first impression is "wow these calls sound bad"! So what we do is grab any call off the shelf and give it a run.. We can call good enough for hunting but no where near a lot of the people out there that sound amazing.. Our thinking by doing this that they get to hear the call operated correctly.. Most of the time they are like man that thing sounds good let me try that one..(same guts and setup).. So they blow it and sounds like the first one..

My question is what do you guys say to them about how to present air and blow from your diaphragm?
I don't want to offend someone that has been hunting and calling for years and it was the improper way.. We use the LA-Style guts so there is a lot of adjustment but when not used properly it is almost impossible to use any all..

Anyway what's your thoughts?
Damen

[Joe aka COLD @ J. A. Kolter Calls]

I try my best to talk them through the calling process.  They either like your call or they do not.

[dogcatcher]

Some people you cannot please regardless of what is offered.  After awhile you might get a feel for these people, I used to try to deal with them, now I just pass them on to someone else.  Life is too short to deal with them.  I don't try to teach people to how to call, if you offer some will be offended, and you will have lost them anyway, so I prefer to let them walk. 

Marvin

[Prairie Game Calls]

Most of the people you sell to can't call properly in the first place they may currently use a call that they call on and can get to work but without really knowing how to use a call properly and what makes the call sound like it does. The long and short of it is most people won't ever be able to use your call. The reason Echo and the likes of those are sure sellers is that if a person has a heart beat they can blow those calls and make them sound like a duck it's a no brain-er so to speak. But custom calls are a little different monster. Of course they sound better but most require someone with a little more knowledge on how to call. Marvin is right don't try to teach these people short of giving a few pointers cause if the person was really that interested in learning they would listen to you call and then purchase the call and practice until they get it right but most won't. If your a poor caller then you really got your work cut out for you. I went to a show once where a guy was selling turkey trumpets he made. He asked if I could run one and I told he yes. He asked me to try one of his so I did and after a few seconds I figured the right amount of air to use and the trumpet sounded fine. The guy looked at me and said so that's what they are supposed to sound like I never knew that. Now here was a guy that made the calls and couldn't get a note out of them so how do you expect to sell that to a customer. I had another person who was a collector of high end trumpets once tried one of mine and struggled to get it to work. He proceded to tell me how I should make my calls so they will work right. I then took the trumpet from his hand and said "Oh you mean to get it to sound like this" and then I played it for him. He turned beet red and said "oh guess you know how to use it huh" I put it back in the display and said "Yea guess you need to find one that you can play huh?" Needless to say I didn't sell him one and you know I'm glad I didn't. You will be glad these people don't buy one of your calls too.

Larry

[Damen @ MD Calls]

Larry
That's just what I'm talking about.. Sitting at a show and people stop and look and blow a couple and have no business blowing it. Then the people walking about automatically get the impression that they aren't good calls.. Also more then likely a good hunter that knows how to call will know when someone can't call and won't pass judgment.. But people makin a call that doesn't know how to use one I don't understand?? By me saying that I'm not the best duck caller, I mean that I call ducks and use notes that work in hunting situations.. There are a lot better callers out there then me.. A friend of ours that has duck hunted 40+ years can grab our call and just flat out run the thing.. I am a big time believer in that being around good callers makes you a better caller..  I don't offer my 2cents to possible customers unless they ask how I do that or something like that.. Depending on how advanced they are in calling I won't jump all over a call at first because its hard enough to get people to blow a call in public.. I bring the basics and let them try and then get a little more advanced as it goes on just so they can hear what the call can sound like and what it can do.. Also my theory is that people passing by can hear a call that sounds right and not just the bad, to them it looks like your teaching..

This hobby has consumed our lives I can't wait to get off work and try and create something new.. My girlfriend gets mad but I tell her I'm not blowing money at the bar or buying a bunch of high price toys!!

[Brian at DDT Game Calls]

I think a LOT of people are say "brand loyal" you know, GM person only want GM and will not like anything else, and this is in everything including sewing machines(i sell them) I wonder how many get these barrells that have echo insert(which I insert on some and tell most they are echo) and don't like them but have bought them from echo and love echo, people are weird  haha

[Braz]

So, what kind of machines do you sell? I'm somewhat familiar as my wife is a quilter.

[VECtor Calls]

Most of the people you sell to can't call properly in the first place they may currently use a call that they call on and can get to work but without really knowing how to use a call properly and what makes the call sound like it does. The long and short of it is most people won't ever be able to use your call. The reason Echo and the likes of those are sure sellers is that if a person has a heart beat they can blow those calls and make them sound like a duck it's a no brain-er so to speak. But custom calls are a little different monster. Of course they sound better but most require someone with a little more knowledge on how to call. Marvin is right don't try to teach these people short of giving a few pointers cause if the person was really that interested in learning they would listen to you call and then purchase the call and practice until they get it right but most won't. If your a poor caller then you really got your work cut out for you. I went to a show once where a guy was selling turkey trumpets he made. He asked if I could run one and I told he yes. He asked me to try one of his so I did and after a few seconds I figured the right amount of air to use and the trumpet sounded fine. The guy looked at me and said so that's what they are supposed to sound like I never knew that. Now here was a guy that made the calls and couldn't get a note out of them so how do you expect to sell that to a customer. I had another person who was a collector of high end trumpets once tried one of mine and struggled to get it to work. He proceded to tell me how I should make my calls so they will work right. I then took the trumpet from his hand and said "Oh you mean to get it to sound like this" and then I played it for him. He turned beet red and said "oh guess you know how to use it huh" I put it back in the display and said "Yea guess you need to find one that you can play huh?" Needless to say I didn't sell him one and you know I'm glad I didn't. You will be glad these people don't buy one of your calls too.

Larry

Speakin' the truth.  Great writeup Larry.

I have said before, and I think its a good place to say it again.  I like to teach kids how to call (because they listen!) while adults are watching.  I'm not trying to sell a call to the kid or their parents.  I am trying to show everyone watching how easy the call is to use.

Vince

[Brian at DDT Game Calls]

Babylock, I did a couple small quilts, was pretty fun, like putting a model together but it was toooooo repatitious so the ones I did wound up just being wall hangers and just did it just to say I did it

[Brian at DDT Game Calls]

I think my store is the only sewing store that sells duck calls and has a display, pretty good conversation starter 

[Andre's Wood Works aka: TheDecoyDude]

My biggest problem is getting them to blow it from the right end... it seems to be a daunting task for some ~Andre'

[Braz]

My biggest problem is getting them to blow it from the right end... it seems to be a daunting task for some ~Andre'

Especially for us predator call guys. You duck call guys are the ones blowing from the wrong end. 

[Braz]

Babylock, I did a couple small quilts, was pretty fun, like putting a model together but it was toooooo repatitious so the ones I did wound up just being wall hangers and just did it just to say I did it

Good for you. It would definately drive me nuts. Too much detail for me. Margaret uses a Janome and she also has one of the real old Singers in the carry case tht she use to take to reteats. And several others too. Damn, she spends more money on sewing quilts than I do on Materials for turning. and she doesn's sell her quilts either. Darn. She has been featured in a national Quilting magazine as she does some really nice work.

[jayson.g]

This is a great thread. I have also been wondering the same questions. The 10 calls I have sold I have asked my customers what call they use and what style of caller they are and try to build a call to suit them. Ig has worked pretty good but is real daunting and time consuming. I'm thinking I am just going to make 3 different calls and only offer those 3 toneboard styles and just change the physical look of the call.  You guys have offered up a lot of usefull info so  for the insight and thank you Damen for reading my mind and asking this question.

[Chris at Owens Custom Calls]

I've got a buddy who sounds like a dying cow when he blows a call. He stopped by my booth and started blowing away while potential customers were running for cover. Only thing you can do is blow it properly so that people understand it's not the call's fault