RETAIL EVENTS FEATURE
Bring the J
ulius Caesar's proud boast, “I came, I saw, I conquered,” about a short adventure he and his army enjoyed around 47BC embodies a sentiment often heard down the years at manufacturers’ dealer roadshows. There have been times when such events have pulled in customers by the hundred. But is the clinic or the special event what it once was? One of the most recent was a short series of
noise “
roadshows by Taylor Guitars – long associated with pulling out all the stops. Banks Musicroom, in Leeds, was one of a handful of retailers taking part. So how was it for them, we asked Musicroom's sales manager, Sam Galloway? “The Taylor event was very good. Everything
was set up very well. They brought some really interesting stock with them and the
Events are a big part of what we do in-store. Obviously times are slow at the moment and they help generate interest. Sam Galloway, Musicroom
demonstrations and presentations were extremely informative. We had a really good turnout, with about 25 people there and everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. They brought some really interesting guitars with them, too, ranging in price from about £400 to £7,000. “One of the big benefits for us as a retailer is that the information they gave out doubles up as really good product training for the staff. For example, one of the things they brought was a Taylor with the back removed so that you can see exactly how the Expression system works. Most of the guys here already knew that in principle, but they'd never actually looked at one and seen the positioning and wiring, so it was fantastic for staff training as well. I'm really glad we put it on.”
WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK Galloway says Musicroom is a fan of
roadshow-style events and the Leeds shop does them regularly. "In May we have Yamaha coming to do a new CLP launch and we've also got Tanglewood. Sometimes we do events on our own – for example, in February we put on our own home recording event which, again, was very well attended. “Events are a big part of what we do in-store.
Obviously, times are slow at the moment and they help generate interest. We use them as community outreach and we pride ourselves on customer service. “We feel if we're going to compete with
faceless internet warehouses, we have to be able to offer something special to the customers that makes them think we're the place to come –
Musicroom is a huge fan of special in-store events and believes they help build business, particularly during quieter times
and these events really achieve that.” Despite this resolute thumbs-up for shows, not everyone is quite so convinced. Some old hands in the industry feel events have lost the 'wow! factor' they once had. Doug Chandler, for example, with extensive experience as a retailer, a sales director for PRS in the US and now as Guitar XS, the UK distributor for a clutch of luxury brands including Collings guitars and Providence FX, feels the show has peaked. “They did have big benefits for dealers and customers, because they give them the chance to see a broader spread of the manufacturer's product than they would see in any one store at a time. They tend to be more focused than guitar shows, as well, but I don’t think they draw the numbers like they once did.
miPRO JUNE 2011 21
In-store events, especially those organised and sanctioned by suppliers can bring a major boost to footfall, raise the profile of a shop in the local area and bring brands and products to life in front of a willing audience. Retailers seem to love them, so why aren’t there more of them? Gary Cooper asked around…
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