 You’re sitting in your store right now thumbing through the pages of this magazine. You’re thinking, If only times were better. I’d love to go to Summer NAMM but our economics are tight.
Invariably, this is a dilemma many of you face. However, there are many reasons to make Summer NAMM a top priority this year. Where else can you see all of your peers in one place? Where else can you learn every great token of advice from the industry’s best? Where else can you see the latest product offerings during the summer? Summer NAMM has a lot to offer. To learn more, we enlisted the help of NAMM.
“Everything’s changed this year and for just about every company out there, ‘business as usual’ is definitely out the window,” said NAMM president and CEO Joe Lamond. “Because of that, it’s more important than ever for NAMM members to gather, see new products, and learn new things that will ensure their success in the third and fourth quarters. For exhibitors, we’ve lowered floor space costs and continued to provide new options for participation including The Club and tabletop booths. For our buyers, we’ve lined up over 30 NAMM U sessions that will directly benefit their business immediately.”
The theme of this year’s show is “Opportunity Rocks.” “That’s what this event is all about—opportunity,” said Scott Robertson, NAMM’s director of marketing and communications. “It’s hard to control what the economy is doing, but in every economic downturn there are companies who emerge stronger and ready to capitalize on the inevitable upswing. And the best way to be one of those companies is not to hide away, but to get out of your four walls and invest in your success. We’ll also be continuing our celebration of the importance of local community music stores throughout the show. We’ll be kicking things off right with our annual Pre-Show Party featuring Weekend Warrior bands from NAMM member companies and enjoying all of the great live music that Nashville has to offer. Take a walk through the city and stop in any of the clubs to hear some great live music. There’s the Country Music Hall of Fame and Musician’s Hall of Fame and you can’t miss the historic Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry. For a complete listing of Nashville attractions, please visit www.visitmusiccity.com.”
As for the education aspect, NAMM University sessions never disappoint. Here’s a look at this year’s schedule. “NAMM U is offering sessions throughout each day that deliver ideas for both coping and growing in this unprecedented economy,” said Robertson. “Unlike business books, articles, and other printed materials that don’t address the current climate, these solutions are presented in real time and relate to members’ needs, with sessions about timely topics including how to generate more ‘recession-proof’ income through lessons, how to get more customers coming through the door and also how to keep your staff motivated during difficult times.”
Some have heard rumors about which manufacturers will be exhibiting at Summer NAMM and which might not be. NAMM, knowing times are tough, has made strides to make it even easier for manufacturers to be in Nashville this year. One such effort is NAMM has trimmed exhibitor space costs by 20 percent this year. Said Kevin Johnstone, NAMM’s director of trade shows: “NAMM’s goal in producing this show is to provide a good venue for the NAMM members who want and need it, so as long as we do that, we’ll consider it successful. With so many local community music stores coming to Nashville for this event, we’re concerned that large manufacturers may miss out on those sales or inadvertently send a message that they don’t care about those dealers. Especially since we’ve worked to reduce our operational expenses and pass that savings onto our exhibitors in terms of lower floor space costs. Also, we are again offering extremely low-cost ways for manufacturers to participate in the show including The Club and tabletop booths. In the end, we want the manufacturers to do what is in their best business interest.”
Last year’s Nashville show earned several rave reviews. Will The Music City become Summer NAMM’s permanent home? “NAMM will always try to listen and do what’s in the best interest of our members,” said Lamond. “And we heard that message loud and clear last year that Nashville should be the home
of Summer NAMM.”
Lack of space has often been mentioned as the biggest con of the Nashville Convention Center. That may remain the case in the near future. However, according to Johnstone, a new convention center has an excellent chance of opening in 2013. Check the Latest Buzz section for more on that topic.
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