Steve Bryant… is a TV Pro, pitching products on the QVC home shopping channel. Recently, he bought a Voyage Air acoustic guitar, and was so impressed that he did his own video review (honestly, we didn’t know about this). Below are Steve’s comments and video as taken from his YouTube channel – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnClGIKdYfA&– Thanks Steve!
When a product appears on television or in the movies, this greater visibility usually results in increased sales, many times dramatically so, especially from television exposure. So many relatively unknown books became best sellers because Oprah Winfrey mentioned and endorsed them on TV. Is it any wonder that manufacturers fight (and even pay) to have their products featured in movies and on product segments during network shows like Today, Good Morning America and similar programs?
I never bought a product that I saw featured in a movie. I imagine the product placement strategy for a film is more of a visibility factor that a direct sales motivator. When a product is shown on TV, while it is not being used by a movie star, it is most often thoroughly demonstrated. The demo helps to motivate sales.
I’ve bought a few products because I saw them demonstrated on a “regular” TV show. One is the Voyage Air Guitar. I first saw it on the ABC program Shark Tank. The company was looking for some substantial cash to help grow their business. The Sharks offered to give it to them for 51% of the company. Voyage Air declined, wanting to maintain control. I really respected them for that.
I was extremely impressed with the product. It had a patented hinge that allowed it to fold in half at the base of the neck and fit into a small case. The case, also configured to accommodate a laptop computer, was designed to fit into the overhead bin of most commercial airliners. As a lifelong guitarist, I was familiar with the hassles of carrying on a guitar. While most airlines allow you to do it, they will make you check it if the overheads are full, which they usually are these days. And guitars do not usually fare well as checked baggage on a plane. The Voyage Air case conforms perfectly to airline specifications for carry-on luggage.
There are many other travel guitars on the market today. Most are scaled down instruments that are difficult and rather unsatisfying to play. The Voyage Air is a full-sized guitar with a full-sized neck. It sounds great. I learned on the Shark Tank Show that they make models in many different price ranges. The Sharks (and I) were impressed that when you unfold it and fasten the neck with a simple thumbscrew, it is almost back in perfect tune. The Voyage-Air people really knew what they were doing and had truly built a “better mousetrap.”
After the show, I went to their website, as I’m sure many people did. Since I was facing about a year of constant air travel to receive chemo therapy at MD Anderson in Houston, I bought one of their guitars. The first time I “unfolded” it, it was almost back in perfect tune. When I played, I was really pleased with the tone. It sounded as good as, if not better, than the non-folding guitars I own. It fit perfectly into the overhead bin on my flights to Houston. Having it made the 9 ½ hour chemo sessions much more bearable. The chemo saved my life (I remain cancer-free), but my Voyage-Air Guitar helped a great deal, too. I call it a healing instrument. It is still one of the first guitars I reach for to play at home.
The company is thriving, even without help from the people on Shark Tank. I contacted the company and told them my story and also that I would love the opportunity to demonstrate the guitar on television. It is so demonstrable and that makes it a perfect product for television. A guitar is a niche product, but this one is so special I know it would be a great selling product on a regular basis on one of the shopping channels.
comments and video as taken from Steve Bryant’s YouTube channel – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnClGIKdYfA&;- Thanks Steve!
