Engage Customers with Powerhouse Promotions
Tim Spicer – Spicer ’ s Music
“ We hold as many in-store events and promotions as we can during the year ,” shares Tim Spicer of Spicer ’ s Music in Auburn , AL . Spicer presented a session entitled “ Powerhouse Promotions that Drive Sales & Traffic ” at The NAMM Show 2017 and spoke to how hosting in-store events that engage the community can lead to a surge in traffic , sales , and overall customer loyalty .
One such initiative is Spicer ’ s Music ’ s Open Mic Night – the store ’ s most successful recurring event . “ Hosting an event like this builds customer loyalty and will create fantastic PR ,” Spicer says assuredly . “ We don ’ t charge for this event and it ’ s open to children , college students , and adults .”
Of course , good promotions don ’ t have to take place within your store to be successful in drawing new people to it . Spicer ’ s Music will regularly send staff into local schools to provide free music programs for the students . They ’ ll also present ukulele jams , drum circles , and instrument petting zoos in various public venues . “ Our hope here is that everyone we interact with will go home asking their parents to enroll them in music lessons ,” Spicer reveals . “ We ’ re also future-proofing our store , as 10 or 20 years down the road , these kids will have children of their own and we hope they ’ ll think of us first when it comes to their musical needs .”
A key component to Spicer ’ s Music ’ s various community-focused promotions and events is its team of Street Ambassadors . “ Our Street Ambassadors attend local concerts and shows , college programs , and community events ,” Spicer explains . “ Their
goal is to get new customers into the store . It ’ s then up to our sales staff to make a connection and build lasting relationships to cultivate customer loyalty .”
The Street Ambassadors will pass out gift cards and coupons or free Spicer ’ s Music swag at various events , or maybe just mingle with the crowd and talk about music . “ The mission of the team is to build top-ofmind awareness for the store with everyone they come into contact with ,” Spicer adds .
So where does one find these active , avid music fans willing to go out into the community spreading the word about your store ? Your core customer base is a good start . You ’ ve already built some great relationships , and when it comes to compensating your team , discounts on goods can make for a great win-win partnership .
Bottom line , whether you ’ re hosting your own events or jumping onboard others in the local community , these promotions are all great opportunities to engage with existing and new customers and strengthen their ties to your store .
Elevate Your In-Store Experience
Rejean Lacroix – Musique Gagné
If you ’ re looking to test out cymbals or snare drums at Musique Gagné in Quebec City , a salesperson will lead you into an acousticallytreated , vintage-inspired showroom full of options , hand you a pair of sticks and a pair of gloves , and let you go to town – and that ’ s the same whether you ’ re shopping for a $ 1,500-plus snare or an entry-level crash .
Dubbed La Voûte ( The Vault ), this designated space yields great benefits for customers and store employees alike . Rejean
Lacroix , who heads up the store ’ s drum department , says the idea came to him a few years ago after he had the chance to check out some nice snare and cymbal rooms at specialty drum shops in the U . S . Musique Gagné moved his drum department ’ s warehouse and repurposed that space for La Voûte .
The exposed brick and beams and accent lighting make for a very cool and inviting atmosphere , and there are always two kits set up in the room for testing . “ We wanted to have that vintage vibe to fit with current trends but also celebrate the fact that we ’ re one of the oldest music stores in North America , located in one of the oldest cities in North America ,” comments Lacroix .
Exploring a vast inventory of snares and cymbals with a pair of gloves to handle the product adds to the prestige of the shopping experience , regardless of which price range a customer may be targeting . It also gives them the freedom and time needed to compare products and make a thoroughly informed decision . And it ’ s not just the customers that appreciate the consideration .
“ Having a separate room like this also allows us to serve more customers ,” Lacroix adds . “ While someone is trying out cymbals and making some noise , we ’ re able to serve other customers in the main drum shop without having to shout to be heard .”
The feedback from shoppers has been overwhelmingly positive in the months since La Voûte was formally opened . First-timers seem to get awe-struck while regular customers know they can try out an array of options in a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere . All seem to appreciate the fact that , when they make a purchase , they know the product they ’ re bringing home has been treated with the utmost care in the retail environment .
“ By doing this , we make it clear that we really take care of our gear , but that we still want our customers to be able to get handson and try things out ,” Lacroix shares . “ Even the staff wear gloves to assemble and move the 25 kits we have on the floor at any given time , keeping them ready to be played . We keep it clean and in great shape without any compromises for the customers .”
Andrew King is the Editor-In-Chief of Canadian Music Trade .
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