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Category: Trends

Follow Your Dreams – They Just May Come True

The Crossroads Guitar & Art - gallery

Several years ago, I wanted to create a cultural arts center in a beautiful, albeit older bank building in our former hometown. The idea was to bring together art, photography, and music under one roof, but the timing wasn’t right, and the concept was set aside. While disappointing, the notion of doing this never left my imagination, and the first week of October will finally … [Read more...]

Get Out and Play!

the brick wall of an old theatre has the words Stage Door painted near an entrance

My last few blog posts have been squarely focused on the current and more recent situation in the musical instrument and pro audio business, much of which called out the challenging times we find ourselves in. Our “aspirational customers” are still sitting it out on the sidelines, there’s way too much fretted instrument inventory in the channel, and uncertainty permeates the … [Read more...]

Hot Fun in the Summertime

a man in sunglasses is using his computer while floating in a swimming pool. He wears a jacket and tie with his swim trunks and sips on a cool drink.

In the past couple of weeks, a record heat wave and series of floods, tornadoes and natural disasters have pummeled much of the country. The temperatures in many areas of the U.S. are punishing, especially for older folks, or those whose occupations require them to work outside. From a business perspective in the Musical Instrument and Professional Audio trade, we are going … [Read more...]

A Tale of Two Trade Shows

a badge with the words Trade Show hanging from a lanyard

This past week the InfoComm show was held in Orlando, and by all accounts was a well-attended, successful event. There appeared to be more traffic in the video end of the hall compared to audio, but without question a large contingent of Commercial A/V Integrators made the journey to the “sunshine state,” and there was a decidedly positive buzz in the air. Something of a … [Read more...]

Back to Basics in a Transition Year

close-up of an old manual typewriter ribbon and type guide that just typed the phrase: Back to Basics

As we move further into 2023, it’s become quite evident that the industry at large continues to shake off a profound “Covid Hangover.” There is a mixed bag of results, with Live Sound posting a rebound, while other categories such as fretted instruments still wading through more inventory on hand than would be desirable at this point. As the consumer slowly comes back to the … [Read more...]

Relationships Still Matter, But Becoming a “Trusted Advisor” is the Ultimate Goal

trust is symbolized by a handshake between people in business suits, with a global map and symbolic networks of people in the background

The past few years have had our collective heads spinning - navigating an unprecedented pandemic, dealing with supply chain issues the likes of which we’ve never seen before, and trying to make sense of the real economic outlook for the musical instrument and professional audio trade. But through all this turmoil, one thing stands out in my mind, and that is the power of … [Read more...]

Making Sense of the Musical Instrument and Pro Audio Business in 2023

two mugs of fancy coffee with designs in the cream on top - one shows a musical note and the other shows 2023 for the new year

In the past couple of weeks, I have engaged numerous suppliers and other industry professionals in a conversation about what this New Year brings us. The most thoughtful among them agree that the current dynamics must improve before we see anything remotely resembling “normalcy,” or what we thought was typical in B.C. (before COVID). Many vendors are looking at 2019 numbers as … [Read more...]

A Lifetime of Memories in the Musical Instrument Trade

a wooden jigsaw puzzle in the shape of a human brain has traditionally shaped puzzle pieces strewn on top

Our family reached a milestone this past month, making the difficult decision to downsize to a smaller home. The kids are all grown, grandchildren have arrived, and after 25 years the enormity of the property we have lived at finally led us to this moment of mixed emotions. A bit stressful as well, with machinations in the mortgage markets causing heartburn, and the sheer task … [Read more...]

Finding Buoyancy in a Sea of Inventory

overhead view of a fully loaded container ship sailing toward you

It wasn’t long ago that the supply of musical instruments, especially acoustic and electric guitars, was seemingly non-existent. COVID had driven everyone indoors and many turned to music, making the best use of the time spent quarantined. This extended to home recording equipment, and anything to do with setting up a live streaming event on Facebook. Meanwhile, the factories … [Read more...]

The Future of Trade Shows in the Musical Instrument and Pro Audio Business

colorful illustration of a tradeshow floor with booths, displays and attendees seen from above

After a two-year hiatus and a subsequent delay in January of 2022, the NAMM Show will once again open its doors in Anaheim in early June. Word is that this will be a smaller event than in previous years, as many vendors have chosen to pass. For my own part, I am not attending due to health reasons, and only a handful of my Reflex Marketing suppliers will have booths. Our … [Read more...]

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Welcome to the show.

Sound Marketing sits at the intersection of music, sales & marketing. We explore how insightful strategy, focused tactics, and organizational change will help manufacturers be heard over all the noise in the musical instrument marketplace.

My name is Doug Nestler, and I’ve spent 40 years—still going strong—in sales & marketing. My resume includes roles in all areas of channel management and distribution, and Sound Marketing is a way to share my expertise with you.

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