Honey Bee World

I'm deleting my original post because I think I said it, and continue to say it, better in the diary.

I'm frustrated with the amount of misinformation out there. and the difficulty overcoming it without stepping on everyone's toes.

(And obviously I do care.)

Oh c'mon. Tell us how you really feel.

I get frustrated too. Yesterday the same guy called me 2 times and took at least 45 minutes out of my day. His bees have not come yet and he isn't even purchasing them from me. Yes I was frustrated by the end, but was nice. When his bees die through the winter since his supplier was no help he will probably remember me and become my customer, and I do sell queens.
So much of being a successful business is public relations and word of mouth advertising.

Yeah. Keeping customers happy is more work than keeping bees happy.

karen wrote:So much of being a successful business is public relations and word of mouth advertising.

You're right we catered a branding party on Saturday and barely made our costs, but there were some big time ranchers there and we took 6 bookings. Bonus! Off that one PR event we will make some good money and it gives us a new market in the spring time before our summer season. In a lot of business the value of it is in the built up goodwill, so when you sell out you may get a better price.

A woman went into a butcher shop and ask the butcher, "How much is your hamburger?"

"$5.29/lb" said the butcher.

"$5.29? The guy across the street is charging $4.49!"

"Then why don't you buy it there, then?"

"Because he is out of hamburger right now." said the woman.

"Oh", said the butcher, "When I don't have any, I only charge $4.29."

I want to not care but it doesn't work for me.

When I sell packages to some people I know I am sending bees to their death and I hate it. I want to tell them I am not selling you a package because every year you kill your bees. I can't do that because in the long run it would hurt my business. So I just sell them the bees.

And people do not want to listen.
A lady contacted me yesterday to buy a queen. She got her package about 18 days ago. The queen in her package was dead, she got a new queen which was released and killed. I told her a queen may have come loose in the package, it happens. It could be a virgin but I have also seen nice big golden queens walking around in packages too. She said if it is a she virgin will fly and get bred. I said there are no drones and she should go through the hive on a nice day very carefully checking for a queen. She didn't want to do that she just wants to buy a queen instead of look in the hive. Luckily I do not have any and they are postponed a week so there is no option to get a queen from me. She is checking with another supplier.

I find people will throw money at the problem, in this cast just keep buying queens until you see eggs. (If you know what eggs look like)