Playback - Spring 2008 - (Page 18)

RETAIL 5 Ways to Survive AND Thrive! todd Skaw • GuitarS etc. • lonGmont, colo. uSE SMAll oPPoRTuNITIES To GET BIG RESulTS IN youR BuSINESS For 15 years, guitars Etc. has enjoyed tremendous growth and manufacturers reps are constantly asking me to what I attribute our success. I believe it’s because I view my customers much like a church views its ministry. By constantly recruiting new ones and helping them to grow (in our case, musically), we build lifelong relationships. Here are five ways you can do the same: 1) Give Your Customer a Great Experience To help our customers feel at home, I set up a complimentary beverage station with tables and chairs near the front window. While waiting during their children’s music lessons, parents can relax, enjoy free Wi-Fi for their laptops or thumb through the variety of magazines we subscribe to for their enjoyment. Recently one mom asked me if I read the local paper, which I do not. “Pity,” she said, and proceeded to tell me she’d written a story about my store: “Treated Like a Queen for a Day.” It turns out she sits on the board of our town’s Chamber of Commerce and writes a monthly newspaper column. I couldn’t have purchased that kind of advertising. I view my customers much like a church views its ministry. By constantly recruiting new customers and helping them to grow (in our case, musically), we build lifelong relationships. –Todd Skaw 2) Creatively Market Your Lesson Program Every employee, repairperson, instructor and member of management in our store is responsible for recruiting students. Working together, we’ve found a number of affordable advertising solutions, including distributing fliers via pizza boxes, sub sandwich delivery bags, at coffee shops, through free Internet postings—you name it. 3) Make Your Store a Destination Our store has a 100-seat venue with a real stage, lighting and PA system. We’ve brought in a variety of notable musicians for clinics concerts and performance workshops, drawing folks from neighboring states to our events and thus creating new relationships. 4) Launch e-mail Campaigns At least once a month I send out e-mails notifying our customers of new products and events in our store. There are a multitude of very effective e-mail campaign services offering low monthly fees (under $50.00). Use them! 5) Say Thank You I write approximately 7,000 cards a year, thanking our customers for their business. I have a callus on my finger from the pen, but the return business is more than worth the deformity. Fender Guitars has two mainstays—Strats and Teles—available in a bazillion different models. In my opinion, that’s what it’s all about: constantly trying new things to see what works. Good luck! 18 PLAYback

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Playback - Spring 2008

Playback - Spring 2008 Contents From the President NAMM Events Music in the News Bringing Recreational Music Making to Iraq Commercial Retail Reps in the Field New Domestic Members International Washington Watch NAMM Foundation Music Notes Resources Viewpoint

Playback - Spring 2008

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