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Supercharge your music retail business for the fourth quarter and the holidays! In this NAMM U webinar, held October 19, acclaimed retail expert and business strategist Bob Phibbs, The Retail Doctor, explored how to find success in the holiday season by focusing on five key retail trends in five key areas. He shares new, actionable ideas, including: Creating a plan of must-do’s—and maybe a few must don’ts Getting the most out of marketing opportunities others don’t know about Supporting personalized shopping experiences
 Hiring and training top tips and tricks for not just making

In his recent article, James outlined the basic steps for Building Your Google My Business Profile. Though simply having a completed GMB profile will help your business rank higher in search results, it pales in comparison with what having an optimized Google My Business profile can do for your bottom line. Here are a few simple tricks that can help you maximize engagement for your Google My Business profile and propel your business to even greater success without costing you a dime: Optimize Your Business Data Remember that Google My Business is not only featured in Google’s sea

The pandemic accelerated the next phase of retail events. In the last year, savvy music retailers have found creative, new ways to drive business and keep customers engaged with their brands via livestreaming, video and hybrid events. This has also given businesses an opportunity to connect with local and global audiences alike. What events worked well virtually? What new ideas will continue long after the pandemic is over? Find out at this powerful panel discussion from 2021 Summer NAMM, led by DeDe Heid of Heid Music and featuring George Quinlan of Quinlan & Fabish and Jerem

If you’ve ever searched for a product on Google (and who hasn’t?), you’ve probably noticed that a number of items now appear above the search results. You might see item definitions, ads, video recommendations, common questions and even a section outlining local places that carry the item. This section (previously known as Google Places and now Local Search) appears in both Google Maps and Google search, and it’s critical for your business. Studies show that 46 percent of all Google searches have local intent, meaning those performing the search plan to visit a physical store and

What's the state of the piano industry, and where's it going? In this NAMM U Online video session, author and columnist Bob Popyk weighs in with Art Olson of Artistic Pianos, industry veteran Larry Fresch and website specialist Tom Folenta. They explore trends, current opportunities and post-pandemic realities in acoustics, digitals, lessons and online marketing. Get an update for the fourth quarter and beyond!

Want to optimize your business’ performance and set it up for future growth? This requires a 360-degree approach. In this short and powerful session, Todd Spencer shares a simple framework to help you assess the overall health of your music business. Spencer is a veteran of the entertainment and events industry and also the president of Ventana Capital Investments. Specifically, Spencer will show you how to evaluate your operations, financials, workforce, customers and future. This will provide you with a “succinct and factual story” about the current state of your business, so y

Running a successful remote lesson program isn’t about making things work until we go back to normal; it’s about making the best out of remote music lessons—and finding ways to engage students in the new “next.” Here, Mike and Miriam Risko of Mike Risko Music School show you tricks and tips to get your remote lesson program up and running smoothly. They also reveal how to successfully engage students beyond the lesson. Start transforming your program for the future today! The presentation originally aired during NAMM Believe in Music Week in January 2021.

At heart, we’re social beings, hardwired to interact with others. We form opinions quickly—some people we trust, some we don’t. And with those we trust, we buy everything they say. With others, we find ourselves questioning their every word. So it is with your company’s brand. The more human and trustworthy your brand feels, the more your audience will buy into everything you say and do, literally. In this session, brand consultant and former Focusrite Group Brand Director Giles Orford will take a focused look at the value of developing a brand personality for your business. He’ll

The second day of 2021 Summer NAMM kicked off with "Best in Show," a roundup of the biggest products, services and technologies on the exhibit floor. Frank Alkyer, publisher of Music Inc. and UpBeat Daily magazines, moderated a panel of top music retail judges as they revealed their winning picks. They also weighed in on why they chose particular products, sharing sales tips and potential customers for this gear. The panel included Geoff Metts of Five Star Guitars, Robert Christie of A & G Central Music, Leslie Stirm of Instrumental Music Center and Tim Spicer of Spicer's Musi

Up your virtual lesson game! In this session, you’ll discover how to become a more visually and sonically engaging remote lesson facilitator with a few quick technology and prep tips. Get a blueprint to build your new video production solution from items you already have in your home, such as lamps, bookshelves, plants, signage and music gear. This session is presented by Fernando Jones, the founder of Blues Kids of America and Blues Camp, the Blues Ensemble director at Columbia College Chicago and an international recording artist. The presentation originally aired during NAMM Be

You have students enrolled in virtual lessons. But if they don’t have performance opportunities, you’ll probably start losing them. If you want to keep them for the long haul, remote lesson ensemble programs could be your answer. In this session, music lessons expert Pete Gamber offers critical advice for running virtual ensembles in a post-pandemic world. He covers vital and sometimes lesser-known tips, including rehearsals, choosing the right material, platforms, filming tips and more. Keep your students engaged and your lesson program relevant for the long-term! This session o

Is your business getting found on Google? Are you getting the top search results you want? Search engine optimization is a moving target, and it’s critical to stay up to date on the latest developments. In this session, SEO guru Bill Sebald reveals changes that affect your online visibility and new challenges businesses face in today’s SEO climate. You’ll walk away with a better understanding of how Google’s organic search algorithms work. You’ll also discover new tools that can help you reach better rankings. Most of all, you’ll get actionable tips to improve the visibility of yo