No computer??

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.

Never in the history of man has an invention become so important to our lives so quickly. There is a definite division between users and not users of PCs (macs too), and that can be further divided into users and those who use effectively. As my father once put it, a computer is a tool, and that tool is only as effective as the person on the other end (he can barely get a computer turned on, yet relies on one for work and family communication since he lives in Indonesia). I think people would be amazed at the wide varitey ways people 'use' their computers. Some concider emailing friends and family 'using' a computer. Others I know would fall to pieces financially if their PC died.

In short, nothing surprises me when comes to computer users EXCEPT those who become so dependant on something they don't understand, and those who buy PCs/Macs without giving much thought as to what they need a computer for, but then again, I see that type of behavior from people buying stereo equipment...it's the "I just gotta have the best so I can brag" mentallity.

And I agree with 4yanx, sounds like you need my help Rives; if you are so behind in your printing, either the people you are sourcing too need to be fired, or you need to invest in some equipment.