After the panelists offered their ideas, the floor was opened up to what dealers in the crowd have done. Ted Eschliman, a partner at Dietze Music, had one of the most fun ideas. “We decided to replace the carpet in our store,” he said. “So before we re-carpeted it, we invited customers to [autograph] the floor. We told them they would become a part of Dietze Music history. Customers still come in and talk about how they signed the floor.”
Liane Rockley, of Rockley Music Center, said she utilized an unused area of her store and converted it into a coffee house and hangout. “Even if they only buy a cup of coffee, they’re buying something,” she said.
But the ideas didn’t end there. Kevin Cranley of Willis Music, Gayle Beacock of Beacock Music, and Rockley presented “Why Didn’t I Think of That,” another idea session in a rapid-fire format. Cranley said he has successfully sold eight products, including guitar stands and gig bags, as “best, better, good.” “Hopefully, customers will want to buy the best products,” he said. “We sell 48 percent in the better or best categories. Thirty percent is a good goal to have.”
 |
Cranley added he successfully implemented an idea utilized by George Hines of George’s Music. “AMSCO traffic counters are great,” he said. “They track traffic day to day, and year to year. You can even learn average traffic per day and traffic per hour.”
Rockley advised getting shopping baskets featuring your logo with handles on them that can be placed throughout the store. “If they can’t carry the product, they don’t buy it,” she said.
Beacock offers free gift wrapping at holiday time. “But the only problem was it was taking salespeople off the floor,” she said. “So I offered the opportunity to a local band program to gift wrap for donations. That has worked out so well I now have a list of band programs lining up to do it.”
[end]
[ pages: 1 - 2 - 3 ]
|
you can download this entire issue here >>
