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ConventionTV@NAMM 2011 20
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Music & Sound Awards
INSIDE NAMM 2011
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Table of Contents
Digital Issue Download
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Class is in Session
We feature many of the new, hot companies that exhibited at NAMM in January.
Gibson
Indictments Likely
Gibson Guitar is expected to face charges due to alleged illegal wood imports.
NRF Talks Jobs,
Jobs and More Jobs
The key to retailers' success for 2011 is, you guessed it, jobs. But a lot more was discussed at the 100th NRF Annual Convention.
It’s a Record!
We give you a huge review of last month’s NAMM show. Were retailers and manufacturers optimistic for the rest of this year?
MSR Exclusive Interview
Zildjian and Vic Firth have teamed up to form a percussion powerhouse. We met with Craigie Zildjian and Vic Firth at NAMM to give you all of the details about the merger.Music Group's Master Plan
We get an exclusive look at the future of The Music Group, parent of Behringer, Bugera and more. We get an exclusive look at product launches, as well!Knock it Off With the Knockoffs!
Counterfeit products are killing the MI industry. But one company is fighting back big time. We’ll tell you how badly knockoffs could affect the industry if left unchecked.Music & Sound Award Nominees
We release the full list of nominees for Music & Sound Awards. See if your favorite product, person or company is nominated.
Taylor-Made For Europe
Taylor Guitars will sell all of its products directly to dealers in Europe beginning on Jan. 1. Find out why the big change was made and where Taylor’s European headquarters will be. We interview Brian Swerdfeger about it first.We Cover it All!
For the second time, we honor instruments that get zero or little press...
A ‘Super’ Party on Kent Island
Experience PRS loaded up on celebrities, new products and much more. Get the full scoop...
‘Father of RMM’ Passes
Karl Bruhn, a tireless music industry devotee, mentored many and made awareness of health and wellness together a lifelong initiative.
Don’t ‘Skip’ this Story!
Skip’s Music Celebrates 30th Anniversary of its Special Event
I Just Wanna Bang
on the Drums All Day
Your One-Stop Shop For The Holidays!
Heathcare Provision Could
Be a Nightmare
America the Beautiful
Not Doubting Thomas
Mendello Retires, Thomas Named Fender CEO
Music City Mystery
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-The Latest, Industry, Dealers, People and Product Buzz and Showcases.
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NAMM in Photos
A lot happened at NAMM in January to say the least. We capture plenty of it within our three-page NAMM photo collage.
The Music & Sound
Independent Retailer
We cover the sad passing of two prominent retailers and another named the "Citizen of the Year."
Music & Sound Award
Dealer Winners
Our list of dealer winners for the 25th Music & Sound Awards.
Music & Sound Award Manufacturer Winners
Our list of manufacturer winners. And, this time, we got them to provide comments on the victories.
Five Minutes With
Learn tons about Yamaha with Takuya (Tak) Nakata, president of the company's USA division.
MI Spy
Spy took a long flight from the cold of New York to the less cold, but quite windy, San Francisco.
Appraisal Scene Investigation
Rebecca Apodaca takes another look at the legendary guitar builder R.C. Allen.
Sales Guru
Unfortunately, Gene Fresco couldn't attend NAMM for health reasons. But he does have great information about a topic he hasn't covered before. He will help you get into your own head and make you believe. Believe what? Gene will tell you.
Business & Marketing
Carl Mandelbaum will present tips on how to develop your Web site.
Veddatorial
Dan Vedda did attend NAMM. He has a lot of thoughts to share about the show.
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Sharon Hennessey: Loves our industry, you will find out. She'll also tell you why she ultimately decided to join The Music People! And yes, she will definitely fill you in on her goals as a new NAMM board member.
Carla Alger: Being in the music industry is definitely the most exciting opportunity Carla Alger, chief financial officer at Two Old Hippies, has ever had. Find out why.
Dawn Werk:Dawn Werk, Alpha Books’ director of marketing, heads a group that is responsible for 450 non-fiction books. Now that’s a lot! Music is a small, but very important, part of that catalog.
Sonia Vallis: Sonia Vallis might be an only child, but she grew up with a sibling that has now become like another child to her.-
Catherine Polk
Cyndi Fritz
Janet Deering
Kathy How
Sarah Heil
Sue Avant |
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| Whoa Canada |
| By Brian Berk |
[October 2008 - Page 1] |
 If NAMM is the Michael Phelps of MI trade shows, MIAC is trying its best to become the Ryan Lochte of the industry. As the Olympic Closing Ceremonies were taking place in Beijing, the Music Industries Association of Canada (MIAC) show simultaneously commenced a two-day sprint on Aug. 24 at the Toronto International Centre. Although the performance of the Canadian Olympic team could be considered disappointing (18 medals was a 50 percent improvement over the country’s 2004 Athens Summer Olympic performance, but Canada had 12 fourth-place finishes), MIAC certainly was not.
“We had a great time at the show,” said Sparrow Guitars’ Jordan Espheter. “We had a great chance to reconnect with the dealers. We developed new relationships. Dealers came by and played our guitars and we got to show our new cases. Of course, it’s a smaller show than NAMM, Musikmesse, and London International, but for us, it’s a great chance for a Canadian company to showcase Canadian-made guitars and cases.”
“The show was great,” said Paul Fattahi of the International Music Software Trade Association. “The traffic was excellent on Sunday. It was a bit slow on Monday, but our location was tremendous. [I call it] the ‘corner office’ because our booth is easy to spot when you walk onto the show floor. Al Kowalenko [MIAC’s executive director] and Barbara Cole [MIAC’s trade show and marketing manager] did a great job putting together this show.”
 Most notable at MIAC was there was no talk of the dreaded “R” word: recession. Perhaps, that is due in to the fact that Canada has its oil sands, which have especially buoyed the Alberta economy. “Our economy has been doing reasonably well because we are more resource based,” said Kowalenko. “The resources [such as oil] have propped up the economy quite well. Net-net, the economy is generally doing OK. It’s not quite as depressed as the U.S, although the spill out to Canada is affecting us. We sure hope the U.S. comes out of its economic ‘funk.’ Often, whatever happens in the U.S. happens six months later in Canada. We’re hoping that doesn’t materialize here.”
“Whenever we asked Canadian dealers how they’re doing at their shops, the response has been great,” said Espheter. “And our business has been doing great. Business is up and we’re keeping a positive outlook. The dealers are keeping their chins up. They didn’t talk about the economy. The only concern we heard from Canadian dealers is about the big [chain] moving into the small store’s area.”
Syndicated columnist Bob Popyk brought the recession into his Monday afternoon lunch learning session. “I’ve found the biggest difference between U.S. and Canadian retailers are the Canadian retailers are more upbeat,” he said.
 Popyk added that even when a weak economy lands a huge uppercut to the chin of your business, there’s no use in talking about it. “Success breeds success,” he said.
Popyk threw in several sales tips after providing this caveat: “The function of your business is to create and maintain customers. The goal is to make profits.”
One recommendation Popyk made was to ask customers what music they like to listen to and play that kind of music when demonstrating products for them.
As for closing the sale, he said if you can’t do that well, everything else can be perfect, but you will still fail. “You sell to them, you win. They walk, you lose. You don’t need to have 75 closes you can recite off of the top of your head. But you need to have a few. You can use ‘OK with you?’ Or, ‘Can we put this together?’ You should first try to close at the first sign of a positive [response]. If a customer says, ‘I love that!’ You say, ‘Do you want to get it?’ ‘Should I write it up?’ ‘Would you like to take it with you?’
 “If someone asks, ‘is that the best you can do?’ Your answer is not, ‘Let me check with the manager.’ Your answer is ‘yes.’ Then you wait for them to talk. You’ll be amazed how many people say ‘OK.’
From the Executive
Director to You
“This MIAC is our 37th annual show,” Kowalenko told the Music & Sound Retailer. “It turned out very well. We weren’t quite sure what to expect this year, but our attendance was good, even compared to last year. It was a vibrant show. The buzz was good and the exhibitors were happy. We were pleased with the show.”
 Kowalenko added he’s also happy with the Toronto International Centre as the sight for the show. The convention space is large enough for exhibitors, and many appreciate how close the site is to Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson Airport. The airport to International Centre commute is only about 10 minutes long, with all driving taking place on one street, the aptly named Airport Road. “We certainly should be fine in this location for the next year or so [at least],” said Kowalenko.
MIAC 2009 will take place on Aug. 23 and 24.
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