“Build a Better Mousetrap” has been a staple idea among manufacturers, implying that quality alone will have customers banging on your door. And while cream eventually rises to the top, it is a misguided economic principal to think this alone will create a successful business. Over the years, I have worked with companies that concentrate almost solely on product development, … [Read more...]
Circle Gets the Square in Musical Instrument and Pro Audio Sales
Over the years, I have observed that sales occur in cycles, as do many things in our world. While I am not going full-out Lion King on you, there is some semblance of beauty in the “Circle of Sales”. To be most effective, a captive salesperson or rep firm must be planning for success with their vendor management team. You may call this method “Concentric Planning”, which starts … [Read more...]
A NAMM Show Like no Other…
The annual pilgrimage to Anaheim fell prey to COVID this year. For us on the east coast, the promise of balmy weather, a respite from winter and a generally invigorating event is just not in the cards. Instead, the industry is engaging in a variety of ways to communicate the important January messages concerning new products, programs, distribution changes and more. What’s … [Read more...]
Extracting Order from Chaos in Today’s World
I will be the first to admit it, my home office is in shambles, and requires a thorough cleaning. I cannot seem to keep up with the day-to-day activities that consume my time, and clearly have not given this task the attention it deserves. Dwelling on the topic, I have come to realize that the condition of my music studio and workspace is a metaphor for how the rest of my … [Read more...]
Consultative Selling in the Musical Instrument business
Many pundits have thrown around the phrase “value added selling” without specifying what that really means in terms of definitive actions. It has been my contention for many years that if a sales representative is not providing something more than a price list and dealer credit application, they will at some point be unceremoniously cut out of the picture. If you take an even … [Read more...]
Making a sound investment during turbulent times…
Uncertainty drives markets crazy, along with their participants. When there is little sense of continuity in any area of business, personal, political, or professional life, the temptation is there to hold off on investing in a new venture. For some, the idea of plunging head-first into uncharted territory when the world is in turmoil may sound counterintuitive at the very … [Read more...]
Utilizing Data, Observation, and Experience in Decision Making
Many years ago, as a young district sales manager, I attended a sales meeting at the national headquarters of the company I worked for at the time. One of the executives held up a new guitar multi-effects pedal, and proclaimed “gentlemen, I just ordered thousands of these, and you’re going to sell them at $199.” A collective groan was heard from the assembled team, as the … [Read more...]
Selling is Storytelling, Especially with Music Brands
Time tested wisdom I can envision our ancient ancestors, gathered around a primordial campfire, telling stories of the “before times” to sell a concept, idea or specific action. Selling is in fact storytelling, as firing up the imagination of a customer and framing a picture in their mind is the ultimate way to set up a successful conversation about purchasing. Even … [Read more...]
Dealing with Change When Things Keep Changing…
Turn and face the strange… Without question, we are living in turbulent times. Uncertainty abounds, and it appears this may indeed be the much-ballyhooed “new normal”. A world where the ground shifts under your feet daily, and the tectonic plates of our culture violently press against each other, creating massive change. Not sure about you, but in my six decades on this … [Read more...]
Innovation by Music Brands in a Post-Quarantine World…
As the nation starts to slowly reopen, how can manufacturers pitch in? Across the United States, bricks and mortar musical instrument retailers begin the process of reopening their stores to the public, albeit quite differently depending on which state they reside in. The past few months have been particularly difficult times for dealers that do not have a significant … [Read more...]