Re: [Leica] Pros and Leica sales! was vanc.

[Greg Locke <locke@straylight.ca>]

At 07:15 AM 13/11/98 -0800, Ted Grant wrote:
>
>If they were to use a pro-shooter on a "pro-lecture teaching-promotion"
>circuit, I'm sure their sales would show a marked improvement in the
>professional ranks.

        I have had a 15 year "relationship" with Nikon and am familiar with
the Nikon School...which is a marketing tool directed at amateurs, BUT Nikon
has always had a long tradition of "servicing" the professional market.

They often had new product introduction seminars for professionals.
Their NPS network made sure that pro's got faster service from the "service"
dept and provided a "loaner program" for specialized or technical equipment
to professionals....even loaning you equipment while yours was being serviced.

When Canon took it's run at Nikon a number of years ago they did it head on
in pro market. Along with the EOS series and advanced AF lenses they
introduced a "professional Services" dept.  In less the a year, the colour
of lenses at major news/sports events went from Black to White...so to speak.

Their marketing logic was to first establish itself as the camera of choice
for professionals and then use that to leverage itself into the amateur market.

Only Canon seems to have clued into the fact that professionals are a good
marketing tool. When I am on the street working or at a news event I often
have 3 or 4 bodies with me and its inevitable SOMEONE comes up to me and
wants to talk cameras. Their questions are, "what kink of cameras are they?"
"What film do you use", (here's the best one) "what camera would you
recommend for my kid who is....."

At least twice a week I give out free camera purchasing advice.

Now that my work is less hard news and more documentary I use my Leicas a
lot more and am upgrading my system accordingly.  Imagine my disappointment
when I learned that Leica does not have a dedicated "Professional Services"
dept.

>
>I know of professionals who have an M camera of some sort in their shoulder
>bags for "quiet situation assignments" each one of them is a potential
>customer, as many of them only own one lens & body. 

 This is exactly the situation I was in.  
I've heard it described as "Leica Jewelry"

That said, they are ALL making it harder to be a "loyal" professional user
these days.  Like you, I feel that while Leica will never compete %100 in
the pro news market, it certainly, with a little effort, can up it's market
share significantly in the professional market.

regards,


Greg Locke <locke@straylight.ca>                               
St. John's, Newfoundland.        
<http://www.straylight.ca/locke/>
- ----------------------------------
"I've finally figured out what's wrong with photography. 
It's a one-eyed man looking through a little 'ole. 
Now, how much reality can there be in that?" -- David Hockney