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THE LAST WORD INMI PRO WAYNE BLANCHARD


Marketing consultant Wayne Blanchard says you've got to think of your customers as more than just single instrumentalists.


I


’m a drummer who also plays guitar. I’ve got drums, several electric guitars, a bass, a wah-wah, amps, a tuner and a ton of tuition books.


Alongside my Harvard Business Review and Marketing magazines are too many issues of Vintage Guitar, Guitar Player, Guitar Buyer, Premier Guitar and any magazine featuring Jeff Beck.


Yes, I’m a drummer, but I’m also into guitars. That makes me a two-in-one customer.


And I’m not the only one spending on gear other than my primary instrument. So what do you as a dealer do with me as a customer?


First, do you even know I’m a two-in- one customer? (I also buy for my multi-





The international monthly magazine for music instrument professional and everyone in the MI business


MI Pro has a monthly circulation of well over 6,000. It is distributed in the UK and internationally to MI retailers, industry professionals and carefully selected pro audio executives and resellers.


Editor Ronnie Dungan ronnie.dungan@intentmedia.co.uk


Associate Editor Lisa Carter


lisa.carter@intentmedia.co.uk


Editor at Large Gary Cooper gary@garycooper.biz


Staff Writer Adam Savage


adam.savage@intentmedia.co.uk


Advertising Manager Darrell Carter


darrell.carter@intentmedia.co.uk


Account Manager Jodie Holdway


jodie.holdway@intentmedia.co.uk Designer


Claire Brocklesby claire.brocklesby@intentmedia.co.uk


Production Executive Florence Beaumont


florence.beaumont@intentmedia.co.uk


Marketing & Circulation Lindsay Banham


mipro.subscriptions@c-cms.com Publisher


Stuart Dinsey stuart.dinsey@intentmedia.co.uk


other players. Thanks to those mags the local shop is bringing in some new guitar gear, and the guitarist in my band has far too many pedals.


So what about us two-in- one customers? Yes, every 100 people entering your store may actually constitute 125 or more customers.


instrumentalist daughter, so make that five-in-one). When I’m in music stores nobody asks what I play, what gear I have, what I’m interested in, or have I seen the latest models. Nobody invites me to demo that new amp, or feel the neck of some new six-string. You may not sell it to me, but – and this is the key bit – you might sell me on it. That one-on-one salesmanship (and marketing research) can be potent, because even if I don’t buy at the time, I’ll pass the word along to my guitarist friends (some of whom play drums), even connect them to gear websites. And I pass my guitar mags along to


So what about us two-in-one customers? Yes, every 100 people entering your store may actually constitute 125 or more customers for your business. Dave Grohl – drums and guitar = two customers; Paul McCartney – bass, keys, guitar, drums = four customers…. You get the picture. Even little Suzie Watkins from the local school – piano, flute, guitar, clarinet….


Dealers need to discover the full potential of their customers. How? Consider customer surveys and contests with ‘What Instruments Do You Play?’ included; post new-product features on your website and see who responds; have special ‘two-in-one


customer’ days for multi-instrumentalists, including workshops to promote the concept (if you play guitar, you can learn bass), and store staff should get to know their customers beyond, 'Oi, Nigel, how’s it going, mate?’ Yes, get to know Nigel better; you may be surprised.


So when I walk through your doorway, don’t sell yourself – or me – short. Pull out that new kick pedal, but also haul out the latest stompbox. After all, you managed to get me into your store, so don’t just introduce me to some thing. Get me into some things. You’ll thank yourself for it.


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© Intent Media 2012 No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior permission of the copyright owners. Printed by The Manson Group, AL3 6PZ


ISSN 1750-4198


Enquiries to: MI Pro, Intent Media, Saxon House 6a St. Andrew Street, Hertford SG14 1JA.


Copyright © 2012 Intent Media Printed by The Manson Group, AL3 6PZ


74 February 2012


Tel: 01992 535646 (Editorial) Tel: 01992 535647 (Advertising) Fax: 01992 535648


NEXT MONTH March


We’ll be condensing all the big news to come out of Anaheim via a NAMM report and we’ll be gearing up for Frankfurt with our annual Musikmesse Preview.


Electronic drums and electric guitars over £700 are the next sector spotlight subjects and we’ll also have all the regular features, such as Mystery Shopper and Retail Profile. For advertising oportunities in this issue, call Jodie Holdway on 01992 535647 or send her an email at jodie.holdway@intentmedia.co.uk. For editorial enquiries, contact Ronnie Dungan on 01992 535646 or email him at


ronnie.dungan@intentmedia.co.uk. www.mi-pro.co.uk


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