Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/11/14

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Pros and Leica sales! was vanc.
From: nbwatson@juno.com (N. B. Watson)
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1998 11:51:10 EST

I agree wholeheartedly.  Pros do not buy because of slick magazine ads. 
We respond to the serviceability of the product and the support of the
manufacturer.  We then become the best free advertising for that product.
  Canon knew that once the pros had an EOS in their hands they would
defect from Nikon in droves, and they knew the fastest way to do that was
to just *put* the cameras in the pro's hands.  I have not been to a major
sporting event (Olympics, Super Bowl etc.) in a decade where there wasn't
a Canon rep on-site with replacement/loaner equipment.  Call Canon pro
services and you can have *anything* they make in your hands *overnight*.
 Nikon had grown so arrogant that, like the Tortoise and the Hare, they
just sat there whilst Canon swept the race.  I've never been the
slightest bit impressed by the Leica fanatics waving their resolution
tests about, but the way Canon treats their pro customers makes me feel a
bit betrayed by Nikon considering I was amongst the few who remained
faithful and am now at the stage in my career where a complete switch
would not make economic sense.  In a few years I'll be just happily
shooting my M's!

Regards,
NIgel


On Sat, 14 Nov 1998 10:07:01 -0300 Greg Locke <locke@straylight.ca>
writes:
>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 
>
>

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