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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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| Thinking Outside the Box |
| By Brian Berk |
[March 2009 - Page 1] |
 You’ve probably heard the term, “You need to be different at your store.” Well, in order to do that, you need to have different ideas. So with that in mind, we decided to seek help from a source we have not tapped before: The National Retail Federation (NRF) convention, which took place in New York City in January.
NRF serves retailers of all industries, but exhibitors there wanted to cater to you. And advice could perhaps be used by you.
The convention began on Jan. 11 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, but it really hit its stride on Jan. 12, when NRF CEO Tracy Mullin hoped to encourage the audience at 8:30 a.m. with talk of how Barack Obama inspired others to think of better times ahead. “Retailers too know we need to inspire customers. Think about the many ways retailers have fundamentally altered the middle class by providing items that were once out of reach to nearly everyone….Retailers inspire neighborhoods. Retailers open a new store and suddenly, a troubled neighborhood becomes a cool place to live and it seems to happen overnight. In many ways, the economic crisis has brought out the best in retailers, who found new ways to inspire customers or refined their vision.”
Mullin then brought out an industry heavyweight, Lee Scott, then CEO of Wal-Mart, who gave his last public speech before retirement. It’s certainly safe to say Scott ran a successful business, but he sees tough times ahead. “Fundamentally, I wonder if we’re seeing a change in young people’s spending habits [due to the economy],” said Scott. “Twenty percent of our customers don’t have a checking account and live off of each paycheck…Some people have given up eating out; some have given up movies. But most people have given up something and many feel good about doing so. A lot of young people have learned what it’s like to live on the edge. I think the first half of this year will be extraordinarily challenging. By Christmas, I think if things are better, they will be moderately better. I don’t see anything that will turn things around quickly.”
How can you be successful as a retailer today? “You’d better understand your customer. And you better understand your inventory. People still have money, but [they spend it on] very specific things they want. When you are one-thirty-second of an inch off from what your customer wants, you don’t have any sales. You have to manage your business in a much more detailed manner.”
Now that Scott is retired, Mullin called upon him to provide his greatest key to success. His frank answer can be applied to most, if not all retailers. “You have to hire people who are better than you are and you have to give them credit,” Scott said. “That sounds so easy, but it isn’t for me. For example, the $4 prescription [drug] program we have has been incredible. I want to take credit for that so badly. But I can’t. I had nothing to do with it other than saying, ‘Let’s try it.’ If you give other people credit, it’s extraordinary what can happen.”
Carl Steidtmann of Deloitte Research followed Scott’s speech by stating that 2008 was not an anomaly for retailers. “Times will be tough, even as we come into a recovery,” he said. “It will be different because the recovery will not be driven by increases in consumer spending. It will be driven by increases of companies coming back to the United States. It will be driven by increases in exports and more importantly, increases in government spending. We’re already talking about a $1.2 trillion deficit this year and President Obama has talked about a $1 trillion deficit for years to come. This is a structurally different economic environment. This is also a different demographic era. Most of us have grown up on spending from the Baby Boom era. The ‘90s were so great because Baby Boomers were at their peak earning period. We will now see a dramatic increase in the 60- and 70-year old age group. This is not a group that is traditionally known for its risk taking or high spending.”
Stacy Janiak, also of Deloitte, marveled about how a customer can now take a picture from their iPhone and that item goes straight to a shopping cart. “Take a picture and it’s yours,” she said. “How easy is that? Too bad Match.com doesn’t offer that.”
Janiak continued by referencing a December Wall Street Journal article that said retailers are making it easier for consumers to shop online with their cell phones. “On the corporate side, Infosys Technologies recently launched a platform, Shopping Trip 360, that can collect data through a customer’s cell phone and through heat sensors while that customer is walking in the store. This is just another example of technologies that connect retailers to their customers even more closely.”
Added Janiak: “Technology should be a top consideration for all retailers going forward….The cell phone, or as we like to call it, the S-E-L-L phone, is truly an enabler of purchasing decisions. The balance of power has shifted. Consumers are definitely in command. You need to provide your customers with a multi-channel experience. You must have several ‘touch points’ where consumers can tap your products, services, and most importantly, your brand.”
Janiak stressed that today you must have an Internet Web site for your store. A Deloitte study showed that every dollar spent online influenced as much as $3 in the store. “Retail executives say cross-channel marketing is a highest priority for the years to come. We’re seeing a reinvention in retailing…Consumers today want services and solutions, not just products.”
Exciting Exhibits
It wouldn’t be a convention without exhibitors. We took a scan at the show floor and saw some things you’re probably aware of, such as People Counters from SenSource (www.sensourceinc.com).
You’ve also probably heard of customer exit polling when they leave the store. Cleva Technologies’ Xit Poll devices were displayed throughout the show floor. The easy-to-use device is available for lease or purchase. It costs $1,500 to purchase, as well as $50 to $70 per month that allows you to download data, questions, etc. Check out more at www.xitpollsurvey.com
Now, how about a different idea? How about scent marketing? A company named ScentAir would like you to rent scent canisters, often at a price of about $99 per month, including refills. What is it? ScentAir allows you to pipe in a selection of 1,600 smells into your store. Would the smell of wood appeal to your customers when buying guitars? How about the smell of bubble gum or chocolate? OK, that’s probably a stretch.
The bigger question is, does scent marketing work? Will customers buy more products from you if you own the product? Or is it ridiculous?
Well, a 2007 Economist article called “Subliminal Smells Can Have Powerful Effects” said scents could affect a person’s likeability.
Hmm. Well, as they say, “the nose knows.” Look at www.scentair.com for more information.
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