NAMM U - All

The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) new worker classification rule went into effect as of March 11, 2024.  This rule rescinds the 2021 independent contractor rule (ICR) put in place by the prior administration.  This final rule differs from the 2021 ICR and is aligned with the approach taken by federal courts in a number of ways. The 2024 rule: Returns to a totality-of-the-circumstances economic reality test, where no single factor or group of factors is assigned any predetermined weight; Considers six factors (instead of five), including the investments made by the worker

The NAMM Show is a global gathering of influencers — everyone from music retailers and brands to content creators and educators, all united in shaping the future of music making. What does the rise of the influencer mean to our industry going forward? How will it impact business models, strategies for reaching customers and the way people make and learn music? These questions and more were explored at "Industry Insights,” the kickoff to The 2024 NAMM Show. There, NAMM President and CEO John Mlynczak sat down with industry insiders, thought leaders and special guests, for an in-dep

Join author and columnist Bob Popyk for this exclusive NAMM U Online session. He's joined by fellow piano industry experts: Art Olson of Artistic Pianos, Bob Carbone of Piano & Organ Center and website authority Tom Folenta. Together, they discuss how how to find older adult and senior piano customers to grow your business.

Join author and columnist Bob Popyk for this exclusive NAMM U Online session. He's joined by fellow piano industry experts: Art Olson of Artistic Pianos, Bob Carbone of Piano & Organ Center and website authority Tom Folenta. Together, they discuss how how to find older adult and senior piano customers to grow your business.

What were the can't-miss products at The 2024 NAMM Show? Check out "Best in Show," the popular closing NAMM U Breakfast Session. You might even discover your next best-seller. Frank Alkyer, president of Music Inc. and UpBeat Daily magazines, moderated the session, which featured a panel of expert judges. They shared their top picks from NAMM after shopping all corners of the show floor. Here's a roundup of the winners: Best Add-ons or AccessoriesPeterson StroboClip HDCBoss GM-800 Guitar SynthesizerLava CableVox Wah PedalsGravity LED StickStylophone Theremin Gotta Stock ItReed Geek

With inflation, it’s trickier than ever to maintain — and improve — your profitability. Don’t let that stop you from boosting your bottom line! In this fast-moving session from The 2023 NAMM Show, Amanda Rueter, vice president of finance for Ernie Williamson Music, shared her top tips and tricks for identifying the levers in your business that can lead to improved profitability. Find out how all companies in the industry, whether you’re a retailer or brand, can go beyond the standard belt-tightening to start seeing returns from smarter expenses and investments.

Even simple management mistakes can chase away good people. Don’t let this happen at your business! In this session from The 2023 NAMM Show, Tim Pratt, president of Dietze Music, shared an insightful, helpful and entertaining look at the biggest mistakes managers and business owners make and, most of all, how to fix them (and prevent them from happening at all). Dealing with inflation and wage increases is hard enough. Don’t let management blunders complicate matters and leave you in a constant state of rebuilding. Be sure to check out this session, and leave with actionable ideas

In this exclusive NAMM U Online session, author and columnist Bob Popyk sits down with special guests to show you how to better manage your inventory, get old stock out the door and make room for new products. Focusing specifically on piano retail, he speaks with retail financial expert Alan Friedman of Friedman, Kannenberg & Co. and piano industry veteran Tom Folenta. Hear their advice and best practices for getting rid of stock that's seen a birthday (or two), and find out how to maximize your profitability.

The pandemic presented new challenges with the inventory supply chain, from the availability of product to the early commitment of future stock orders to overstocked inventory. This appears to have exasperated the age-old challenge that managing music product inventory isn’t just buying and stocking what you can sell; it’s also managing what you can’t sell. Ever wonder how some retailers seem to master the art of keeping inventory fresh and quickly turning it into cash and profits? If so, check out this session from The 2023 NAMM Show with financial experts Alan Friedman and Danie

Artificial intelligence's growing impact on all facets of the music and entertainment industries is occurring even faster than anticipated. At The 2023 NAMM Show, A3E (Artists + Advanced Applications Exchange) hosted a panel of experts who explored where the new advent of AI, including ChatGPT, divergent AI, generative AI and creative AI, might take us, and how it will impact not only creativity in the music industry, but also the skills leveraged in the creative process. Check out this powerful session from A3E now.

Social media followings mean nothing if prospects aren’t following through on your desired action (i.e., making a purchase). In this session from The 2023 NAMM Show, marketing strategist Kenya Moses shared a simple process to not only raise awareness of your music business but also engage and entice people to buy. She explored how to revamp your social media to drive more engagement, create an integrative (social media, website and email) process to encourage sales, and maintain and nurture your relationship with your audience beyond the sale. Moses, who’s also a professional voca

Author and columnist Bob Popyk reveals strategies for a competitive piano retail website in this exclusive NAMM U Online session. He's joined by experts Robert Estrin of Living Pianos and website expert Tom Folenta, who reveal best practices for making your online business attractive to customers. Discover their new ideas and more in this must-watch session for piano retailers.