Why I Carry a Knife Now

How Tekto turned a non-knife guy into a customer for life.

So weird that I am calling myself a knife guy.

The image that used to come to me was the guy on the street who walked up and asked for your wallet. I always thought THAT was the knife guy. But just like music used to only be on vinyl, perceptions of owning a knife have changed. It’s for everyone, including people like me. Turns out taking your spare change is the last reason to carry one.

So how do guys like Marko at TEKTO get me to carry one?

I sat down with him recently to find out. Disclaimer: I’ve worked with TETKO for years on the advertising side at Rotary, which is how I know them, so the piece below is a founder-to-founder read, not an ad. But its an honest take on why I became a Tekto customer.

The problem Marko has to solve.

It’s challenging. Seems Meta and Google are more worried about the guys looking for your spare change than they are about me. Marko can't advertise his knives on either platform. We appreicate that Meta. But his whole category is restricted. He’s selling a product the biggest platforms on the planet treat like the dude on the streeet carrying one.

Most companies would bitch and moan about this. Marko went ahead and built a company despite it.

“Meta and Google won’t let us advertise. Rather than fight it, we build everything around it.” (Marko)

Here’s how he cuts through the noise. (Be forewarned - plenty of "cuts' in this article)

He removes the fear.

Marko doesn’t sell the knife as a weapon. He sells it as an everyday tool like a set of keys.

Think about all the everyday uses. Box opening. Cutting that stupid plastic tab off your shirt. Getting at the pieces in your IKEA furniture box. Slicing those apples at work to dip in your peanut butter (yum). Cutting that turkey sandwich.

I just riffed for a minute and I’m only skimming the surface.

“We don’t sell fear. We build credibility through military and first responder standards, and then we show the knife in everyday hands. Amazon boxes. Not tactical fantasy.” (Marko)

That’s the whole marketing gig. Nothing more complicated than that.

The handshake is the pitch.

With so many knife brands out there, how do you get someone to buy a TEKTO?

Marko’s mission is just to get you to hold it.

“When a customer balks at the price of a premium brand, we train staff to put a TEKTO in their hand. Premium quality for 25 to 30% less. The decision makes itself.” (Marko)

The physical knife does the actual selling. The way it feels in your hand. That's what got me. Once the knife is in your hand, you understand what you’re paying for. And why his retail relationships are so important. He’s not trying to beat you over the head with marketing. All he needs you to do is pick one up.

The customer Marko built this for.

He’s also very specific about who his buyer is. TEKTO wants the first-time serious buyer.

The person who wants a real knife (like me) but had no idea how to start. The guy who will carry this knife for the next twenty years. Taking the idea of being a problem solver and putting it between your fingers.

“We’re not after the collector or the low-end buyer. We’re after the person who’s decided they want a real knife for the first time. If we earn them, we have them for life.” (Marko)

That’s me. And a lot of guys like me.

The restraint.

Marko doesn't chase volume with constant discounts. Doesn’t need to. He’s not flooding the market with paid acquisition. He is very protective about his 500-plus dealer network. He runs a lifetime warranty that transfers between owners. How cool is that.

“We could drive volume with discounts. We don’t. We have 500-plus dealers depending on us holding our price. Short-term revenue versus long-term brand. We pick the brand every time.” (Marko)

These decisions are not sexy. They are not designed to make a quick buck. They are designed to be here for the long haul.

The quiet payoff.

Clearly it works.

Even with a lifetime warranty that would let you buy one knife and be done forever, one in three TEKTO buyers comes back within a year. Up from one in four.

“That number tells us the product is doing the work.” (Marko)

The math is simple. Lifetime loyalty, trust, and quality adds up to repeat buyers.

Why I carry one now.

So here I am. The first-time serious buyer.

I chose TEKTO because I dig Marko’s approach. He wants to remove the perception that knives are dangerous and reinforce that they are an everyday carry. He gives me every reason to be a customer for life knowing he’ll always take care of me. And he’s made me realize that carrying a knife is not a weapon but as simple as adding a key to your keychain.

I’m now a problem solver. Opening my Amazon box. Slicing my apple. Taking the plastic wrap off my De La Soul vinyl album. I never feel unprepared.

That’s why TEKTO is part of my life’s tool chest.

Take a look at what Marko is building at tektoknives.com.

— Sean