Pretty Good for a Girl
Day Three kicked off with a new idea for NAMM. A panel of successful women in the industry joined CPA Alan Friedman and special celebrity guest Lisa Loeb to discuss a woman’s place…no, it’s not in the kitchen, but rather at the forefront of MI’s untapped markets.
The main message of Saturday’s breakfast session was it’s important to focus on sales and communications skills. Whether the customer is male or female, the rest will fall into place. As Antoinette Follett, editor-in-chief of Making Music and International Musician magazines noted, a survey of females said 80 percent want to buy in a local store, not online. What’s more, the women surveyed didn’t care if the salesperson was male or female, leaving it up to the store to make the sale on its own merits. “It’s important to make a connection…treat [your customers] fairly,” regardless of sex, she said.
Lisa Loeb added that salespeople “need to show empathy and compassion. Sometimes they’re too busy hanging out and playing [the instruments themselves]. You’ve got to reach out to the customers who are embarrassed.” To which Tish Ciravolo, founder of Daisy Rock Guitars, said, “Make females part of your community.”
The panel also touched upon qualities inherent in women that make them great employees in this industry. “Women are good listeners. They ask questions and learn,” said Susan Lipp, president of Full Compass, who added she’d be happy to hire an all-female sales force if she could.
As for the future of women in music, Zildjian CEO Craigie Zildjian noted the importance of mentoring in fostering growth among females in MI. “My grandfather always believed a woman could run the business,” she said. “He and my father mentored me…everyone needs mentors, but they’re harder for women to find. We’ve got to reach out to the next generation of women.”
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Vox Anniversary:
Vox kicked off the show with a 50th anniversary celebration. The company took the opportunity to look back on its roots, when Tom Jennings, the founder of an organ company, came together with Dick Denney, an engineer in late-1950s Kent, England. Embracing the technology of its history, the company also looked forward, debuting its new line of handwired amps. Taking center stage was the AC15, part of the Heritage Series, which Vox calls “a virtual tour of Vox history in one amp.” A special anniversary hangtag and a Web site redesign also commemorated the milestone.
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