Fictional Stories

Just a few quick comment to those out there who are sending me emails about how much they enjoy my fictional stories…Thanks! It is an extension to my modeling creativity. For those who don’t care for my stories, oh well. I’ve created a new page on this site to post them so you won’t be subjected to them on the main page.

Changes

As I’ve already mentioned I’ve started to implement a few changes to the Squawkbox. A more prominent link to Hawkeye’s Hobbies, which too will be undergoing a makeover soon. It will become a shopping venue only, to make locating products quicker and easier for our customers. Much of the other information will be shift to pages here on the Squawkbox.

New Gallery Page

A Gallery has been added, the main page of the Gallery will be a place where images of your models can be displayed. Subsequent pages will be used to showcase models finished using my products. I’ll probably create one for my own as well, so you can see them all in one place instead of digging back through the posts. Those currently in the Hawkeye’s Hobbies Gallery will be moved over in the near future.

Luring the Young  Modeler

David thanks for your contribution. You bring up an important topic, in fact it is and continues to be a topic of conversation amongst many of the manufacturers, distributors, retailers and associated organizations. How do we attract younger customers? There are as I see it three barriers that stand in the way.

1. Gender Bias. Craft stores are for Women/Girls and Hobby Shops are for Men/Boys. Women control 80% of the household’s disposable income and they also control what their children are exposed to including crafts and hobbies. If the mom can see the benefits that scale modeling is a positive experience and educational activity, the odds of luring the youth greatly improves. Keep the gender barriers in place and your success is limited and greatly handicapped. There are those in this industry who don’t want women in their stores! Whazz up wit dat? As long as they visit often and purchase goods why should you care if they are male or female.  To quote Beavis…”You’re a Dumbass.”

2. Marketing Philosophies. In an age when electronic media is the principle method to target the tech and gadget savvy youth, the focus and advertising dollars continue to be plugged into dying newspapers. Teenagers typically don’t read the newspapers, nor do most of their somewhat tech savvy parents. As long as the Internet and all it brings to the table is perceived as a curse, the benefits it can reap for the hobby (especially the LHS)  continues to be thwarted.

3. Individualism. “Why would I support something I don’t directly benefit from?”  To quote Mr. Spock, “The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few.” If the group as a whole can work together they can achieve more than working alone. Yet many stand firmly believing that helping others is a waste of their resources and could potentially benefit their competition. Unless you’re an entity that depends on no one for success, then you should understand that without the support of others you’ll fail.

I mean if no one made models kits, airbrushes, compressors would I have a customer for my products? No. I depend on others to provide the subjects, means and apparatus to make my product viable. Therefore, it is in my best interest to support them at being successful as well. If they fail, I fail.

If there were a 4th one it would be MONEY. No one has the spare funding to support a plan even if they could agree on one. Even projects which cost them nothing but a small investment of their time, they didn’t generate much if any response. FREE wasn’t even good enough because they apparently couldn’t or wouldn’t see a direct and immediate benefit. Again a decision influenced by items #2 and #3.

I’ve been outspoken about with my viewpoints and opinions at industry meetings, I say what needs to be said. I don’t speak PC! If someone’s toes got stepped on, I hope it was uncomfortable (the truth usually is) and they took heed of what was being said. This industry can no longer simply focus on keeping existing customers, they must attract new ones. Like the hobby shop, those hobbyists who patronize them are also disappearing. Manufacturers are facing a monumental challenge, finding nontraditional or returning to long forgotten venues to sell their products. If the LHS continues to disappear at the current rate, these manufacturers will do so as well if they don’t take action NOW!

The problems faced with marketing and communications to attract and lure new customers/hobbyist is being hampered by other issues as well. Like most industries we are being bombarded with issues that no single company can shoulder alone. Yet they must do so to protect themselves (see item #3). Any organization needs to work cohesively to pool the limited resources of these companies so they can battle such things as gray ink in government regulations, trademark and copyright laws, consumer product safety, foreign trade, and tariffs are a sample of complicated and costly battles that impede progress. Alleviate these burdens and greater attention and increased resources can be channeled back into promotion, marketing and communications to attract more and younger customers. But when you have to constantly fight the eight hundred pound gorilla in the room, you tend to loose focus on who you depend on the most…the customer.

Something For You!

I thought I would give this gift to you, a desktop calendar that you can download of my little modeling buddy Emma. Emma enjoys curling up in my jacket while I work away at the modeling bench or sometimes she just sits on the stool and watches work. Our calendars will feature photographs from Images by Hawkeye, which are only going to be available starting next month to subscribers and customers, so be sure to sign up!

My Modeling Buddy "Emma."

Pick the size that best fits your desktop!

1024 x 768 February 2010 Screen Saver

1280 x 800 February 2010 Screen Saver

1024 x 1040 February 2010 Screen Saver

1400 x 900 February 2010 Screen Saver

Thanks Again! For visiting Hawkeye’s Squawkbox!