[RP]

Alistair: Here are just a few thoughts that are clearly open to tweaking. I'd suggest doing customer follow-up, say 30-45 days, after someone has purchased an Emerald. I imagine you keep a database of your customers so follow-up dates could be one of your data fields. When you do a follow-up, you could pose the question as to whether the customer would be willing to allow other potential customers (PC) to see/play their guitar. Agreement, as well location and Emerald type would be accessed through your database and email contact addresses would be exchanged. Contact would be up to the Emerald owner and PC to work out.

So here's a possible scenario. I live in a Charlottesville, VA and own an Emerald X20. Theoretically, I have agreed to show my guitar to PCs. A PC from, let's say, Richmond VA contacts you and shows an interest in a X20 but would like to try one out. Using your database and let's say a 200 mile radius from the PC, you identify that I am within that distance and am both an X20 owner and have agreed to show my guitar to PCs. You then contact me and provide me with the PC's email address. I make contact and work out the specifics. That particular PC does in fact order an Emerald and identifies me as having contacted him. The contact and sale are indicated as part of my data fields. Using the US as a model, you'd theoretically have Emerald owners all over the country who are willing to show their Emeralds. FWIW I showed my X20 to my cousin, and he loved it. Whether he buys one or not is anybody's guess, but after doing some research, he said he'd also like to try an X7 and/or X10.

I think an extra incentive to those who are willing to show off their Emeralds would be a nice perk so perhaps a credit toward one's next Emerald might be earned from any interaction between Emerald owner and PC that results in a sale. Anyhow, just a thought...