Kirk’s Folly Jewelry has returned to QVC. Some “classic hosts” have returned to Evine Live. Sales are down, looks like the channels are trying to recapture the “good old days” when sales were great. Of course, there was little competition from the Internet back in the 1990’s. But the channels were much more fun to watch back then. Today, most hosts come off like empty-headed, cosmetically-enhanced smiling robots. In their defense, that’s that what management wanted, interchangeable hosts. Outside of a few with specialties, most of which were “manufactured” by the networks, there is little difference between all the on-air (lack of) personalities.
I was one of the few males hosts to work with Jennifer Kirk, who is a very nice lady. I did draw the line at wearing a fantasy costume. I would have gone with a slinky negligée, because it made me feel pretty, but they wanted some knights in armor nonsense. I opted for a navy blazer, blue shirt, red tie and khakis. It was kind of fun, Jennifer referred to me as an “outworlder.” The shows did very well. I still got regularly sprinkled with “fairy dust,” which was very difficult to explain at the gym and target range. Hey, the female hosts played dress up, the shows were fun and they made some serious dollars.
The photo in this post is Mouseteban, who I think would be an excellent guest for guitars if the Shopping Channels sold 3” instruments. Esteban sold tens of thousands of guitars on HSN. His black outfit is how he has always dressed when he performs. I think that kind of outfit would be off-putting with today’s more sophisticated customers. But guitars and other musical instruments, as long as they were good quality instruments, would sell very well. Getting the profit margin to work would be difficult but not impossible. I am approached by different guitar importers every year to represent a line of their guitars on TV. So far, they’ve all been crappy and I won’t do it. But if someone had a great, inexpensive guitar or ukulele (and they are out there), I’ll be the first person in line to present it.
The websites for the TV Shopping Channels could be a portal for recorded how-to lessons. I’m proud to say my “Guitar Playing Made Easy” videos sold almost 100,000 copies in a year on the Q. When they went out of print, I put all 6 lessons on YouTube for free. But imagine the goodwill a TV Shopping Channel would create if they sold good guitars and had “free” lessons on their websites. Hey, if you’re going to dream, dream big! Here’s Part 1:
It will be interesting to see all the “old chestnuts” the TV Shopping Channels bring back to help increase sales over the next several months. It will take a lot more than that, but it’s a start.
Steve Bryant - Thoughts on Success, Music and Media 