NAMM U - Industry

Robin Walenta, president of West Music, has achieved multiple retail breakthroughs at her Coralville, Iowa-based chain operation. During Breakfast of Champions at the 2014 NAMM Show, she sits down with NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond to discuss everything from her company's breakthroughs in strategic planning and market development to her role as a female leader in the music products industry. Highlights from the video: On face time with customers: “I’ve heard that adage about work on your business, not in your business,” Walenta said. “I think you have to do a little of both. B

Daniel Haver, CEO of Native Instruments, oversaw his company’s rise from startup to music software pioneer. Since then, Native Instruments has entered the hardware market, undergone a major growth spurt and even influenced musical styles, including dubstep. During Breakfast of Champions at the 2014 NAMM Show, NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond looks at these breakthroughs with Haver, who comes from the advertising industry. Highlights from the video: On entering the music software market: “This whole digitalization of the whole advertisement-creation process, I was part of this,” H

Jim Odom founded PreSonus in 1995 to solve the problems he’d run into as a recording engineer and gigging musician. Since then, he’s had several product and technology breakthroughs, such as the StudioLive series. NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond speaks with Odom about his unique story, his breakthroughs and the future of gear during Breakfast of Champions at the 2014 NAMM Show. ​“Our products have to continue to be very simple to use,” Odom said. “They have to be smarter to use. They have to help you make great records, teach you how to promote your record, teach you how to make

David Kalt, owner of Chicago Music Exchange, had a viral video hit in 2012 with “100 Riffs (A Brief History of Rock N’ Roll).” Since then, he’s had more breakthroughs in video marketing and also launched Reverb.com, an online marketplace for buying and selling used gear. NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond discusses these initiatives with Kalt, along with his unique music retail strategy, during Breakfast of Champions at the 2014 NAMM Show. ​Highlights from the video: “The strategy was not to build multiple locations or replicate the store that I had acquired; it was to really figur

The last morning of the 2014 NAMM Show began with Best in Show. This session, moderated by Music Inc.’s Frank Alkyer, featured six music retail gear experts from Internet giants and independent powerhouses alike. These judges revealed their picks for the best products and services at the show—gear that’s certain to be a big deal in the year ahead. Watch the entire session.

Summer NAMM 2013 kicked off with the NAMM Retail Summit. The session looked at ways music retailers can supercharge the fourth quarter and holiday season. During his opening remarks, NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond explains the urgency for the session. "Let's face it: The fourth quarter of last year—not so easy. A lot of you said you had a pretty disappointing holiday season. "Bottom line: Music retail has changed, and the dynamics of the four quarter have changed. And you can bet this will affect the way we all do business during the holidays. "So we're going to arm you today w

Summer NAMM 2013 kicked off with the NAMM Retail Summit. The session looked at ways music retailers can supercharge their fourth quarter and holiday season. In this segment, NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond spoke with Gabriel O'Brien of Larry's Music Center and Chris Johnson of Musician's SuperStore. These retailers have successfully competed against national retailers on Black Friday but take opposite approaches. O'Brien's store makes a pre-emptive strike on Black Friday by hosting a sale throughout the month of November. Last year, this resulted in his company's best November t

Summer NAMM 2013 kicked off with the NAMM Retail Summit. The session looked at ways music retailers can supercharge their fourth quarter and holiday season. In this segment, NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond interviews Lauren Haas Amanfoh of Royalton Music Center. During the holidays, Amanfoh decided to forgo guitar pack sales and focus instead on promoting mid-level, individual guitars. The outcome? A 300-percent spike in her individual guitar sales. "We changed up the floor plan in the store," Amanfoh said. "Instead of having three rows [of guitars], we made it more front-faci

Summer NAMM 2013 kicked off with the NAMM Retail Summit. The session looked at ways music retailers can supercharge their fourth quarter and holiday season. In this segment, NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond speaks with three prominent music retailers about creative ways to drive store traffic and maximize sales during the busiest days of the year. Take Advantage of Music Lessons Jeff Mozingo, president of Mozingo Music in St. Louis, uses the holidays as a chance to promote his sizable music lesson program. He hosts daylong holiday student showcases to draw students, families and

Summer NAMM 2013 kicked off with the NAMM Retail Summit. In this segment, NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond interviews Whitney Brown Grisaffi of Ted Brown Music and Ryan West of West Music about boosting store traffic and sales during the slow period after the holidays. Last year, Grisaffi held Black November and ran specials all month long. Customers received a $5 gift card for every purchase they made at Ted Brown Music during this period. "And the more they spent, the more gift cards they got," she said, noting that the gift cards were transferable. The catch: Customers couldn'

Summer NAMM 2013 kicked off with the NAMM Retail Summit. In this segment, retail sales and promotions guru Bob Negen shares one of his all-time favorite holiday promotions, The 12 Days of Christmas, with NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond. This promotion can be an effective way to get people into a store and clear out slow-moving merchandise before the new year. "As everybody here knows, those last 12 days leading up to Christmas are really important," Negen said. "It's when people are spending money. "Every day for 12 days leading up to Christmas, you send one email. And in that e

The last morning of Summer NAMM 2013 began with Best in Show, hosted by Frank Alkyer, publisher of Music Inc. magazine. Six retail gear experts shopped the show to find their favorite products and presented the top picks. Check out the entire session.