NAMM U - Marketing

Good branding isn't just about logos — it’s about the stories you tell and how they make people feel. In this NAMM Idea Center session from The 2026 NAMM Show, you'll discover simple frameworks you can use to craft marketing that resonates emotionally and sticks with your audience. Whether you’re a retailer, manufacturer or musician, Erin Kessler of Maple Leaf Strings will ensure that you walk away with practical tools to start telling better brand stories today.

Join acclaimed Instagram expert Jenn Herman to find out everything you need to know to use Instagram Reels for your music business. Whether in retail or manufacturing, Instagram is a powerful marketing tool to connect with your audience and customers — and in today’s landscape, Reels is a critical aspect of that strategy. In this session, Jenn shared tactics and tips to help you get more reach, improve retention time and drive engagement on your Reels. Walk away with helpful tips like good hooks, optimal video length and how to connect quickly with your viewers. This session will

Discover the magic of Instagram storytelling with world-leading Instagram expert Jenn Herman. Gone are the days when having a guitar simply hanging on your showroom wall was enough. Today, it's about crafting a compelling brand narrative — and Instagram is your canvas! Watch as Jenn demonstrated the process of refining your brand identity on Instagram to captivate your audience and attract more customers. Dive into strategic discussions about the power of branding and aesthetics and learn the tactics behind pinned posts, captions that connect and content types to fuel your message

The latest marketing strategy turning heads on TikTok and Instagram isn’t just about what you post — it’s about how you engage. Presented by social media expert Mallory Nees of Reverb, this session showed how brands are using the comments section as a powerful tool to boost visibility, drive engagement and spark viral conversations. Discover how to craft high-impact, on-brand replies that resonate with audiences, leverage social proof to build trust and create a sense of community through authentic interaction. In this session, Mallory explored real-world case studies of viral suc

Influencers aren’t just for big brands anymore — they’re a powerful tool for driving traffic, building trust and boosting sales at the local level. Whether you're an independent retailer or global brand, the right creator partnership can help you stand out in a crowded market. In this session, Bri Gonzales — former YouTube creator and now Yamaha’s manager of social media — shared proven tactics for tapping into the creator economy. Discover how to spot the right influencers, build partnerships that feel authentic and drive real-world results for your store. Find out how to use soc

Want better results on social media? In this NAMM Idea Center session from The 2026 NAMM Show, marketing strategist Tracy Hoeft of Amplify 11 shared the framework he uses to help brands, retailers and creators grow on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Discover how to use AI tools like ChatGPT to spark stronger ideas, sharper hooks and more engaging videos — without losing your authentic voice.

If you’re tired of pouring time and money into events that don’t move the needle, this session is for you! At this NAMM Idea Center session from The 2026 NAMM Show, Phil Mershon, author of Unforgettable: The Art and Science of Creating Memorable Experiences, shared a practical model for transforming digital buzz into real‑world attendance and post‑event loyalty.  Drawing on examples from retailers, manufacturers and creative brands, he showed how to design promotions that engaged audiences before, during and after an event. You’ll uncover the psychology behind why people attend, w

AI isn’t just for big tech companies — music retailers small and large can leverage it, too! This session, presented by author and customer-experience expert Phil Mershon at The 2025 NAMM Show, introduces you to simple, affordable AI tools that can elevate your customer experience and drive more in-store engagement. From automating routine tasks to personalizing shopping journeys, Phil discusses how to put AI to work in ways that are both practical and impactful while providing hands-on examples and immediate steps you can take to start seeing results.

Digital marketing is constantly changing, and staying ahead is essential, especially in the music industry. Digital marketing expert Molly Mahoney of The Prepared Performer guides you through the latest updates for 2025 and shows you how to adapt your strategy to stay ahead of the curve as you grow your music business. She maps out the evolving customer journey and uncovers key opportunities in digital channels and walks you through actionable strategies from organic social to partnerships to AI search optimization.  This session leaves you with clear steps to pivot your marketing

If you’re already familiar with the basics of TikTok, this session will show you how to take your content to the next level. Marketing expert Taran Gray helps you discover how to create videos the algorithm favors to improve your chances of being featured on the For You Page. Gray does a deep dive into hashtag strategy, SEO ranking and trend application. You’ll walk away with a checklist and be confident in your TikTok strategy. Gray is co-founder of SocialPlay Digital, a creative agency focused on TikTok strategy for music and gaming companies. In addition to digital advertising,

Is your social media content no longer attracting new followers? Is it no longer inspiring passion among even your most devoted fans? If you have questions about how to define your brand’s social media voice, craft exciting content, measure your on-platform impact and more, Mallory Nees, Reverb’s social media manager, shows you how to set your business up on a date with destiny in this session from The 2024 NAMM Show. From Threads and Twitter to TikTok and Instagram, Mallory’s insights have helped propel Reverb’s social media platforms, and she’s got the tips and tricks your brand

You can now use artificial intelligence to anticipate your customers’ wants and needs, sometimes before they’re even aware of them. Find out how at this eye-opening session from The 2024 NAMM Show with Paul Farmer of Starfish SEO and Jack Monson of Brand Journalists and Social Geek. They show you how to craft personalized marketing plans to captivate new visitors and upsell existing ones. Plus, you’ll discover how to unlock the power of AI to encourage online reviews and boost your Google ranking. Don't miss this opportunity to revolutionize your customer experience and unleash AI