Even though everyone, myself included, loves the weeklong music products frenzy that is the NAMM Show in Anaheim, it’s nevertheless true that Summer NAMM—the big show’s smaller, Nashville-hosted sibling—is the show to which I most look forward and at which I have the best time. The reason is simple: We frequently describe the music products industry as a family, and familial warmth imbues the summer show. It’s a time for friends and colleagues to catch up, swap stories and do some business, all without the NAMM Show time crunch that’s inescapable when the Anaheim Convention Center teems with 6,000 brands.
According to Joe Lamond, NAMM’s President and CEO, “There’s something that’s uniquely special about Summer NAMM. Maybe it’s the more intimate vibe, which is perfect for networking, building relationships with the industry’s best vendors and catching up with old friends. Maybe it’s the location. Nashville’s a fun and comfortable city, and there’s a tremendous music scene to take in. All of this makes Summer NAMM very popular with our community music store members. They seem to feel particularly welcome here.”
Make no mistake, though—Summer NAMM’s not anybody’s backyard barbecue. This year’s show, scheduled for June 23 to 25 at the gorgeous Music City Center, will be jam-packed with hundreds of manufacturers, many returning after a few years’ absence, along with innovative products and dozens of business-boosting education sessions. Indeed, Lamond spoke with evident enthusiasm about Summer NAMM’s prospects, trumpeting that this year’s show, which will attract more than 500 exhibitors that represent 1,600 brands, is trending toward four- to five-percent growth in exhibit space.
The beautiful Music City Center in Nashville TN plays host to Summer NAMM.
Already signed on to attend are a number of Summer NAMM stalwarts: Yamaha, C.F. Martin, Taylor Guitars, Hal Leonard and Casio are just a few. Complementing the long-timers are companies newly attracted to the show following last year’s robust growth: Fender, Ovation, American Music & Sound, Ernie Ball and Davitt & Hanser, just to scratch the surface. “It’s almost like a tipping point,” Lamond stated. “To have the family back together again is really important and I expect it’ll influence a lot of dealers to attend.” There’s already evidence, in fact, to support Lamond’s expectation, as preliminary registration numbers suggest growth in attendance as compared to last year.
All too frequently, people misperceive Summer NAMM as an “acoustic guitar show,” a myth I tried to explode in my July 2014 editorial. Then, as now, the show floor’s composition by category percentage is not very different from the NAMM Show. “The show has a strong and diverse mix of small, medium and large companies across the traditional MI and pro audio categories from across the globe,” Lamond affirmed. He admitted, however, that the show could better incorporate certain categories, citing acoustic pianos and pro lighting in particular. “We’re making efforts to communicate opportunities with those communities,” he added. But rest assured that, no matter what music products your store specializes in, suitable vendors will eagerly await you in Nashville.
As with the NAMM Show, education is central to Summer NAMM’s value to dealers. This year’s offerings include Retail Boot Camp (RBC), NAMM Idea Center sessions and TEC Tracks, each of which approaches critical issues to your business from different angles, thus ensuring you get a 360-degree view. RBC, which has been wildly popular since its inception several years ago, continues to evolve to ensure maximal usefulness. According to Lamond, “New for 2016, RBC will now feature two tracks: one on sales and marketing, and one on financial management for music retailers. This makes the program especially relevant to all levels of a music retail operation, from the seasoned store owner to the new salesperson.” The program is, of course, free, and it’d behoove your entire team to attend.
NAMM Idea Center sessions at Summer NAMM always draw a big crowd.
The Idea Center, meanwhile, is the recognized knowledge hub of the show floor, attracting widely respected presenters who include Walter and Christie Carter (Carter Vintage Guitars), Mike Ross (Sweetwater), Donovan Bankhead (Springfield Music), and Sammy and Ben Ash (Sam Ash Music). Lamond noted that, this year, the melding of brick-and-mortar retail with online retailing will be a hot topic in the Idea Center and beyond, the idea being to equip dealers with the tools necessary to integrate an online component into their already-successful physical storefronts. Boasting sessions led by NAMM retail members for NAMM retail members, the Idea Center will dive headlong into not only topics like online marketing, including how to take advantage of video and social media opportunities, but also topics like sales, retail finance and staff training. As usual, Zach Phillips, NAMM’s Director of Professional Development, curated the highly focused blend of opportunities for education.
Continuing the opportunities to learn and grow, NAMM presents TEC Tracks for the second year, following a debut in 2015 that surprised even Lamond with its success. “Dealers had an even bigger interest than I anticipated,” he declared. “They’re really interested in what’s going on with sound, technology, use of video, installs and the live sound market.” Accordingly, this year promises three days of free master classes, live interviews and panel discussions on the biggest topics about which recording and live sound professionals are talking: recording techniques for the studio and the stage; how to optimize live sound environments; best practices according to VIP producers and engineers; and more.
A recent addition to Summer NAMM, TEC Tracks have drawn great interest.
Even with all that on offer, I can’t forget to plate up Summer NAMM’s much-beloved NAMM U Breakfast Sessions, which combine a warm meal with plenty of hot knowledge. On June 23, the “NAMM Retail Summit” will explore how independent music retailers are carving out opportunities online, whether with e-commerce, Internet marketing or third-party platforms. On June 24, Breakfast Session veteran Jeffrey Hayzlett, a marketing and business-leadership guru, will explore promotion techniques. On June 25, “Best in Show” will pinpoint the products that all attendees must see before leaving the show. Make time to attend them all!
So, your mornings are locked in…but what about your evenings? Summer NAMM nightlife is another compelling reason to attend, as both NAMM itself and several exhibiting companies have rockin’ events planned. On the evening of June 23, NAMM will host an industry networking reception after the show closes; organized in partnership with Two Old Hippies’ Tom Bedell, Lamond described it as “Insight 4.0,” using the name of the highly lauded program that debuted in 2013. A Night of Worship event, catering to the house of worship community, will follow. And, two days later, NAMM will present the 33rd Annual American Eagle Awards, with honorees who include Vince Gill and Emmylou Harris.
On June 24, the NAMM Top 100 Dealer Awards, which have become an anchor of the summer show, will return. Lamond likened it to “the Academy Awards for music retailers” and emphasized that dealers will not only get to celebrate excellence in their ranks, but also leave inspired and invigorated. “It’s well beyond an awards show,” Lamond affirmed. “It’s an opportunity for all dealers to learn proven strategies, best practices and helpful tips across subjects that are critical to music retail, such as marketing, connecting to the community, designing your store, excelling at customer service and helping more people to make music more often.” The Top 100 Awards, incidentally, are also one of the best opportunities for networking throughout the three days of the show.
Last year, Musical Innovations’ Tracy Leenman took home top dealer honors.
Our retailer readers are savvy enough to know that attending any trade show is an investment: not only of money and man-hours, but also of energy. That means the benefits of attending a show must be concrete and compelling. “With so much business success riding on fourth-quarter sales, attending Summer NAMM allows independent community retailers to optimize their product mix,” Lamond remarked. “But it also exposes them to new business ideas, offers opportunities to connect with old friends and make new ones, and delivers inspiration for the year’s final sales push.” With incomparable education and training offerings, Summer NAMM offers a tangible ROI for your three days’ investment.
NAMM’s President/CEO, Joe Lamond, has a fantastic summer show planned.
“Leave your store for a few days to get a fresh perspective,” Lamond exhorted. “We’ll provide you with access to products that’ll keep your customers coming through the door, tangible ideas to improve your business, and some inspiration to power you through the back-to-school season and right into the holidays. We guarantee it’ll be a worthwhile trip!”