Playback - Spring 2008 - (Page 34)

VIEWPOINT Overheard at NAMM U Sessions WhEN IT CoMES To PlANNING FoR A PRoSPERouS FuTuRE, NAMM lookS To ITS INDuSTRy leaderS to Share their advice, ideaS and exPerience with memBerS. “There are four questions that really matter when you buy inventory: Is it something that my customer wants? Will I make a profit? How quickly can I sell it? How quickly do I have to pay for it? We’re in an industry of shrinking margins, but you can combat margin depression by moving product quicker. It’s not about the gross sales you make. It’s not about the gross profit percent. It’s about the amount of gross profit dollars that you make.” AlAN FRIEDMAN, CPA, FRIEDMAN, kANNENBERG & CoMPANy, P.C. “With guitar, it may actually take months before the sound you are making is compelling. The kids today have so many great leisure choices. With gaming, you are instantly gratified … you’re having fun from the first level. Music has always had this barrier to overcome. Guitar Hero helps us overcome that hurdle in that they get a guitar-like experience that will lead to people going up in levels, and not just game levels, but eventually to music making. I think it’s the fundamentally best thing that’s happened to the industry, particularly to guitar.” hENRy JuSzkIEWICz, ChAIRMAN AND CEo oF GIBSoN GuITAR “(Store) windows are very important. You should have fun with them and think ‘exposure.’ Most retailers on the High Street will theme events around the calendar. Most shops will do a Valentine’s Day promotion, an Easter promotion, Mother’s Day promotion, Father’s Day one … we very rarely as an industry do things around the calendar, and we could do a lot more to drive traffic.” PAul MCMANuS, PRESIDENT oF MuSIC INDuSTRIES ASSoCIATIoN IN ThE uNITED kINGDoM “There’s always a new opportunity to run into. Like in the ‘90s, we noticed there were baby boomers coming into the store saying, ‘Geez, I used to play music,’ and that was an exciting opportunity that developed into the Weekend Warriors program. There’s always a new challenge to be had and another opportunity walking through your door if you keep your eyes open.” SkIP MAGGIoRA, oWNER oF SkIP’S MuSIC 34 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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