"Am I taking too long to release my products?" Topic

Am I taking to long to release my products?
Some good people who are involved with me as I work on my various product ranges have commented that they would like to see my work come out ASAP.

I know that these people are just being friends and want me to succeed, but it got to thinking about my releases schedule, being a new little company.
I am working on about 30 15mm sculptures, and well, it takes a while to get everything done.

I want to have my Master Molds chock full so that my Production Cost will go far, and ultimately be far less per product as long as I maximize my assets…fill them molds up…lol.
I think many of you cool regular posters understand this.

I want to be able to start BAP with a decent little product range, rather than just a single troop type or a few monsters. The comments my buddies have made suggest that I simply start the company with a few product codes, and get the BAP ball rolling, so to speak.

All of this leads up to my point here. Would you want a new company to open for business with a few cool items initially, or start with a more expansive range of products?

Is it worth a few months wait for example, for those of you who have been following my little postings, to get Chignauts AND A.I.'s at the same time, or had you rather have one of these items ASAP, and wait to pick up the other in a month or so?

I am wondering about this because I want to do this right, and make people happy, and even earn a reasonable little profit at the end of the day…you know.

If other companies have some pointers in regards to release schedules and the like, and how to maximize production cost at start up, I would be very appreciative of the advice, which would remain between us.
blackautumn09@yahoo.com

Thank you for the positive responses that many of you have given me thus far in my time here. I do value your thoughts…lol…most of the time.

Michael

hmmm – a few or a good range to start off with?

As a customer I like to see more than one or two figures for sale initially.

When I visit a site I usually find other items in addition to the one(s) I see when I click on a link about miniature news etc, so that generates more sales (from me at least).

The best thing to do is what makes you money – if you cant survive as a business, then the number of figures you do or don't have wont matter.

Hi Shelldrake

I have had good respons to the few ideas I have posted publicly, for my new miniatures.
Now I am just wondering if I may need to adjust my release times.
Talking with people about what they would like to see done, is not the same thing as actualey opening your doors with these new products ready to go.

So I figured to at least ask, and guage from the response how best to move forward.

Michael

Wait. Release them in larger groups.

This is a great question and by the time this thread runs its course you will find there is going to be no consensus on how to do this.

I have recently gone through the same process myself.

You will never make everyone happy -- so don't try.

Instead look to things like your own interests, your time, your financial situation, and your personal pride in the project.

Do something you are proud of and would be proud to present to others but . . . don't feel like it has to be a masterpiece.

When I wrote my first book I got badly bogged on all kinds of issues. It wasn't until I met with other writers that knew something about publishing that I came to realize the parameters of the publishing industry and what it took to be successful. Uniformly folks told me not to be a perfectionist. Get the manuscript to the 90% level and publish. If there are problems you can always correct them in the second edition and you will probably get feed back from the purchasers of the first edition that will allow you to better respond to 'popular interests'.

Figures are probably no different. Get a 'reasonable range' before you do your first release. See what sells, what doesn't and listen to your feedback. Maybe you aren't going in the right direction and maybe you are. Better to alter course after a release of 12 or 20 figs and to alter course after an unsuccessful release of 100 different figs.

Best of Luck!

mjc

Personnally i don't buy any figures until there are enough releases to make a complete army..there's nothing worse than buying the first releases and then waiting years in some cases to finish the army…

Cheers Andy

"Too Long" is relative. You need to do it at your pace. Having said that, companies like Rebel and GZG and Splintered Light and WiffWaff's new company have released or are about to release multiple sets in the same time you have talked about multiple projects. In the case of WiffWaff's company it looks like he has completed 4 packs of fuzzy critters which are roughly similar in concept to an idea you had posted about (the Qwa, right?) and collect opinions on. His completed greens looked darned good too.

So, you go at your pace, but you have to accept when other folks release product regularly and have income, and you have ideas you post and brag about and no product to release or show.

Maybe it is not your release schedule as much as the multiple cool projects and ideas you have promised were 'done' or 'almost ready' or being worked on that have not come to be yet are the issue. Maybe you ought to focus on sculpting an army or two and get them released vice talking about and collecting multiple scattered ideas and then indicating to possible customers they are just around the corner.

Every one is going to give opinions on this, and on all your ideas. No one is going to pay for non-existant figures, they will however continue to buy figures from companies which release products. So again, your business, your pace. You need to work hard enough and fast enough and good enough to get what you want out of it. It seems to have been close to four months since you have been posting on various yahoo groups and here on TMP about all the wonderful stuff you are working on. I can only assume you are happy with having 30 15mm sculpts in some stage of completion in that time. Hooah.

I think CPT Jake has a point, I have seen lots and lots of posts from you saying what you are going to do and very little of what you have actually done.

I would say that you need have some product finished and then start shouting about it, something you have done well btw.

Note that by finished i mean finished greens to show not necessarily metals.

Try and bring your efforts into one thing at a time, i have seen you discuss atleast 6 different things you are doing and have only seen one picture of a torso.

Packing the master moulds is the best way to reduce your costs going into production, so go with that plan, but make sure you and the people mithering you understand it takes time.

As for a release plan I have two thoughts. One is you release abit and see if people like your stuff, i.e. are you wasting your time, or the other, where you say dam that i will make this work and release a decent range that i know i can sell (because people are mithering you for it).

Matt Wilson had a good comment on the privateer press forums, "we set out to please ourselves, and my theory is, that because we are a lot like you, then a lot of you are going to be pleased as well".

Matts theory to me goes along with that latter, and if you want a model to follow i would say look at their website and the information they are releasing for the new warmachine range. Typically they announce the rules product, then start dropping out artwork for up coming models, follow by pics of the models and the painted pics, all this can be months ahead of the figures actual release, which i would imagine have already been sculpted/cast to some degree before the initial announcement was even made.

Of course i understand you will not have the capital to throw around for that kind of planning, but if could be scaled down to suit your needs, i.e. do your ideas shouting when you have sculpted the figures, then pull the rabbit out the hat with the models (greens) themselves, closely follow by the miniatures actual release. In this manner people can get frothed up by your ideas and then have the product in short shift 1-4 weeks after the idea.

Few good things to start with.
Capture an audience whilst you can.

People may be looking for a certain something that you are going to do.
If you wait until you have loads to launch in one go those customers may have taken their business elsewhere, release a few things that they like and they may wait for you.

How long is too long depends mostly on how long you can stay in development without a revenue stream.

From a marketing standpoint, I expect a few figures vs. a full line depends on the kind of figure you are producing. If you are in a genre where purchasers have a use for one offs (say the next great thing in non-humanoid starship crew) or you complement some existing line then an early release is not a problem. But if you are doing normal historical armies, well I can't use just one kind of "10mm WWII Red Chinese infantry with captured Japanese machine gun" -- I need the whole kit.

What really strikes me as important after you get started is a steady release schedule so that people can see that there are more toys coming. If I were you I would consider waiting not only until I had a solid line and stock in hand to ship, but also a couple of designs far enough down the path to be releasable in a month or two after the launch.

You don't get a second chance to make a first impression.

Thanks for asking.

Personally, I am interested in the Chigs now.

Not sure if I will want any AI's. If so, probably just a few of those.

Of course, others may differ, and ultimately what you decide will have to work for your customers.

If you want to get cash flow going to support the other products, you might consider releasing the Chigs now, if they are ready. Doing that will permit you to ramp up to fill orders, without feeling overwhelmed as well. Then, you can shoot for releasing new stuff every month, every other month, every three months, etc., as your production schedule permits. That helps to keep you in the news, and will help generate more sales.

You might also consider selling your items in squad and platoon packs, if you have enough of them for that, and offering a discount for the larger platoon packs.

Would love to see some pics of the Chigs, if you have any new ones.

I hope that helps.

Best regards,

Rob

Thank you guys, this helps me out a lot.

Less talk, and more show…I get you.

I was avoiding showing a ton of WIP images, becuase it just seems like a tease.

Should I post WIPs more often, so that people will at least know that these models are coming, or hush and chill back a bit and come out with greens right before things are ready to go.

Thank you again for the comments.

Michael

if your mostly concerned with filling the masters mold to reduce costs. unless your making said mold yourself ask your caster/moldmaker if you can share in a master mold since they are 15MM like mine and take up very little room this could get a few figs into production faster without running up your initial costs.

I'll have 4 rankable new figs to offer the community here on pre-orders sometime in july to help raise the price of the production molds.

Should I post WIPs more often,

WIP should be a part of a marketing plan; show me a pic of a green when you can say "Coming in September…" or some such, and not too far out. And be good and sure you can make the date.

You want to build buzz, and you lose steam if that peaks too soon. Announcements exist to sell the product, not fuel a discussion group.

In regards to lines:

We released N scale WWI vehicles and equipments, knowing that there were other companies doing the figures. We had figured that our customer base either knew that or would buy some of our items to augment their existing armies. Seems that most we have talked to are waiting on us releasing the "figures" before they buy our equipment offerings.

So basics released at the same time is the way to go. Sit on the rest until you can offer the "meat and potatoes" of what your customers need to start playing games with.

Best
Tom Dye
GFI

Should I post WIPs more often, so that people will at least know that these models are coming, or hush and chill back a bit and come out with greens right before things are ready to go.

I personally like WIP photos- shows that work is being done (also gives people a chance to voice some feedback). I agree with some of the others and would try to get a firm release date and get something out the door. Waiting on the greens until you have a release date seems prudent. Once people get to know your quality that will generate more buzz and more orders in the future. Just my take on things.

-Will

Thank you guys!

I think I have enough info now to plan out the future.

I will post some news at BAP Blog about what people can expect from BAP, soon.

I need to do some more math, and planning, but I have it clear in my head now.

Michael

Is it just me or does this BAP chap remind you of another?
Half finished sculpts? Check.
Plenty of talk? Check.
15mm Sci-Fi/Horror? Check.
Back peddling a simple release schedule? Check.
A similar profile? From his website: I draw, paint, sculpt, and write my own novels. What a resume! Can we see any of this so-called work? Anything? Check.

I do not mean to be rude but you kind of stuck your noggin down the cannon barrel with this topic: Am I taking to long to release my products? NO. You have to have products first. Rather than CONSTANTLY TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT DON'T EXIST!

Are we allowed to mention "its" name? Are we allowed to speak the three initials that set TMP ablaze not so long ago with scams, controversy and even theft? B M E? Big Mean Elf? THE Joseph Byrd?

You even say: I will post some news at BAP Blog about what people can expect from BAP, soon.
More news? More talk? No sculpts? CHECK AND MATE. I am all for giving someone a chance but this seems to be a mite laughable. The only thing we haven't seen in your posts is the inevitable BLOOP or BLIP, whatever at the end of every sentence.

Maybe I don't have it "clear in my head now" with what is plain as day? Am I alone? Enough of the pretense. Man up and put some work up JOE.

– Brian

I must admit I thought Brian was being a trifle harsh so I checked out the blog… business plan 06, launched 09, March 09 Images coming soon, May 09 one image of an incomplete sculpt.

On TMP (god bless 'er and all who sail on 'er) there's actually more input from members about this proposed range than there is copy on the OPs blog.

I think the answer to the original question is "Yes, you are taking too long.", and by the looks of things some are getting bored with hearing about it.

Wow, you guys are harsh.

Not sure too many people will want to create new ranges of figs when being subjected to that.

Must be the riches to be made from the wargaming products that keeps people going.

A little encouragement and patience goes a long way.

Wow, you guys are harsh.

A little encouragement and patience goes a long way.

I think we've been there before. Reminds me of this thread:
TMP link

Very cordial, chatty, talking about sculpting everything under the sun. Acts like he is a fan of what everyone else is talking about. TMP'ers were also very nice. And understanding…

– Brian

My advice, FWIW..release some pics now, let folks know the process is slow and that you're a one man band. I think once you do that…the buzz will be more positive.

Top Gun Ace I appreciate the underlying sentiment but not sure how well placed it might be.

Mentioning no names but I know one TMP user who in the same timescale has painted over 300 minis for me, several hundred for a handful of others, launched the first of some new minis and dealt with a sensitive personal event. Number of posts talking about doing any of that? None. Why? He's too busy doing.

I've received evidence that directly links Black Autumn Productions to Big Mean Elf, so have Locked his new account.

Todays the day pictures of finished sculpts had been promised on the blog. Instead the blog has been deleted.

Ewwwwwwwwwwwww! :(

I have a question for the honoured members.

Do you think I am taking too long to get figures out?

Your input and advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

Oh dear, LOL.