No computer??

Thank you for the comments thus far--particularly Lugnut. Just so you know--we do sell through dealers. Although most of our dealers are CEDIA (Custom Entertainment Design Installers Association) type dealers--not the typical brick and morter shops but certainly not the "internet / mailorder" houses either. We have to have dealers to take the acoustical measurements for us--otherwise we could not offer our services at the prices we do as we would have to travel to do much of the measuring (which we do anyway or our highest level service). Our website, while we can take orders through it, is primarily designed to provide customers or potential customers with information regarding our company, services, and products. The ad did increase the traffic on our website (as expected), but I think you bring out a very true and valid point. It is reaching a segment of the market that does not have or use computers--and there was just more of these people in the audio world than I expected. I also think you are absolutely right in terms of being in the internet stone age--it will be interesting to see where it leads us over the next few years. I like Dave Barry's comment on the subject: "The internet turned out to be a bust--information super highway is more like a high tech CB radio with the primary source of the information, namely humans, usually being wrong." I don't have the exact quote--but that pretty close to what he said.

Let me try a little less tongue in cheek response. Virtually everyone I know in my age range (45-50) uses a PC at home. Either their kids acclimated them to it or they use it at work. My mother-in-law uses it; my own parents do not. There is an age and income distribution around PC ownership. Younger and/or higher income individuals tend to use the PC much more. But, there remain many older (of all income ranges) individuals who don't see the benefits or need to use one and this is true, to a lesser degree, of younger individuals as well.

To answer your question, it does not surprise me that a good number of audiophiles do not use PC's. I believe that virtually all audiophiles who are also technophiles (e.g., have an engineering background or really get into the technical aspects of the hobby) would use a PC. But, many audiophiles are really musicphiles vs. technophiles. That has little to do with age or income (IMO).

I agree with Lugnut that a multi-faceted marketing strategy is the correct approach and you do have one in place. Advertising in Stereophile and hitting the internet are both good tactics. Expanding the referral base is also an excellent idea and that is usually accomplished with happy customers or motivated dealers. One way to motivate dealers is to incent them to cross-sell your services after they sell their wares (not before and not during). A joint mail campaign (signed by both parties with the mail list firmly in control of the dealer and not shared with you) would be a potential way to accomplish this.

I'd be happy to discuss this with you and kick around some ideas. Drop me a note. I spent a couple of decades in marketing and you might get lucky enough to actually get a useful idea or two out of my ramblings ;-)

Don't forget that even though your web site is rich with information, some people, including myself, still like the tangible feel of paper-based literature. I can read it in bed, get a better feel for the look of a product or just touch and dream. I use the Internet extensively, but I miss the tangible aspects of books, magazines, catalogs, etc.

One third of America will Never be online. I need that 33% for my business; the telephone has far more power than any PC. Just my two cents...

...not to mention that you can put a brochure/literature on your table to be much more easily and causally looked and/or shared with someone else at a later moment. In addition, many do not have quality PRINTING capabilities that will allow them to print in color or in an otherwise pleasing format.

A bit of friendly advise is to address the source of the "4 weeks behind in printed material availabilty". That is unacceptable if your are sourcing out the printing.