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Partnering with your retailers in the musical instrument and pro audio trade

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Increase conversions through Corroborative Selling Techniques

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Connecting messages

The mind has an uncanny way of connecting text and images; some would say you store everything you’ve ever seen or read in the “file cabinet” of your brain. It stands to reason that during the consideration of an instrument or pro audio purchase, a consumer should be reminded repeatedly of a brand’s high-level values and a product’s unique selling propositions. In many cases, that begins at your website — often the starting point instigated by search queries or a customer’s familiarity with your company. Your website’s messaging accurately reflects what you want buyers to absorb. But does that same messaging extend to your retailer partners? If it doesn’t, sales will suffer.

Collaborate with your dealers

It’s critical to work with stores and websites selling your products. Look, feel and messaging must be consistent. If a buyer sees a product or lifestyle image that they recognize from a previous touchpoint, corroboration occurs, and the “safe buy” mentality is reinforced. The retailer’s site or storefront needs to echo the messages carefully crafted by your product marketing teams. If the opposite occurs, and the experience at retail is inconsistent or, worse, a contradiction, retailers could lose the purchase. Retailers need a style guide to ensure your brand’s look and feel are accurately presented. Providing carefully crafted taglines and product descriptions is important; customers need to “connect the dots” to feel reassured about buying your products.

Retail is detail

Whether you’re a musical instrument or pro audio vendor dealing with brick-and-mortar stores, e-commerce retailers, contractors or systems integrators, the same principle applies. You need to proactively engage your resellers to ensure you’re using Corroborative Selling Techniques. If a customer picks up the phone and speaks to a contact center sales associate, the key selling points must be accurate and boiled down to an “elevator pitch.” Distribution and use of your approved images and messaging can’t be ignored, or the customer journey will be filled with stumbling blocks. Think about your best buying experiences, and chances are many of these guidelines have been part of the process — a seamless transition of brand messages from manufacturer to retailer. You may recall a company jingle, unforgettable tagline or specific image stuck in your head, all of which keep your brand top of mind. Yes, it’s work, and the devil is in the details — but well worth the effort to get sales increases.

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Filed Under: Branding, Featured, Marketing, Partnerships

About Doug Nestler

Sales Consultant | Author | Player
Doug is the author of Sound Marketing: Helping Music Brands Be Heard, and has been involved in the musical instrument and pro audio business for nearly four decades. His expertise is in sales & marketing strategy, key account management, product roll-outs and overall channel management.

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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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