The Retail Training Summit Returns to Summer NAMM

-Summer NAMM registration – now open-

The Retail Training Summit returns to Summer NAMM (July 18-20) in Nashville as the premier one-day training opportunity for music retail businesses. Designed for all levels of retail expertise, the Summit will offer four new trainings on retail management, content creation, marketing and the new tax laws impacting business and offer past popular tracks on retail sales and succession.

Industry-leading presenters will offer attendees hands-on, proven ideas and best practices designed to help grow retail business. Presenters include digital marketing pioneer, Larry Bailin; music retail financial experts, Alan Friedman and Daniel Jobe; social media guru, Jenn Herman; and sales and management leader, Thomas Post.

The Retail Training Summit will take place on Wednesday, July 17 before the opening of Summer NAMM. Participants can select one morning and one afternoon session, with lunch provided.

Registration for both Summer NAMM and the Retail Training Summit is required to attend. NAMM members can register for Summer NAMM by visiting: https://ww1.namm.org/summer/2019/badges. Once registered for Summer NAMM, reserve a seat at the Retail Training Summit by visiting: https://ww1.namm.org/summer/2019/educational-sessions/nammu/retail-training-summit

About the Retail Training Summit:

When:            Wednesday, July 17, 2019 
Where:          Nashville's Music City Center, Rooms 201, 202 AB and 202 C.
Cost:              Free for NAMM members. Registration is required.

Schedule:
8:30 am: Doors open, registration, and refreshments
9 am: Morning tracks begin
12 pm: Lunch provided
1 pm: Afternoon tracks begin

MORNING: 9 AM – 12 PM

Track 1: Online Marketing and Social Media

Retail moves fast in our digital world, and in an instant, you can win or lose your next big customer. Digital marketing is no longer one thing—it’s a complete ecosystem of consumer touchpoints for your music store, including search, social media, online content, videos, ads and more. If you want to keep up with the latest best practices and trends, join digital marketing pioneer Larry Bailin for this practical and tactical training for music retailers. Bailin will take you on a deep dive into the digital ecosystem and explore real-world examples of companies maximizing their marketing resources while increasing their returns. Discover their best practices and take your online marketing to new heights.

Track 2: Sales and Customer Experience

Product knowledge is essential in generating sales but by no means the only factor. Engaging customers is, without a doubt, the most critical step in the selling process—and frequently, the most problematic for salespeople. In this high-impact training presented by Thomas Post of The Friedman Group, you’ll find out how to establish trust and rapport long before the product demo. Post will cover how to effectively open a sale, get past customer resistance, create a welcoming environment and inspire customers to open up about their wants and needs. He’ll also look at the key communication tool to turn questioning into trust-building—and what to do when all else fails. This training is designed for everyone from owners and managers to brand-new salespeople.

Track 3: Succession Planning

Do you want to create a succession strategy? Or, are you looking to buy a music store? Either way, you’ll want to attend this deep dive into business succession, presented by music retail financial experts Alan Friedman, CPA, and Daniel Jobe, EA, of Friedman, Kannenberg & Co. This hands-on training will look at the pros and cons of different store transition options, along with the effect each has on cash, control, and taxes. Friedman and Jobe will reveal what does and doesn’t add value to your store, vital tips for starting the succession-planning process and how to calculate the dollar amount of what your business is likely worth. You’ll also hear five real-life case studies of transitioning a music store. This track is designed for everyone from owners and their families to managers and potential successors.

AFTERNOON: 1 PM – 4 PM

Track 4: Video and Online Content Creation

Videos, photos, blogs—they’re all key tools in promoting a music retail business today. And if you want to get up to speed on the latest best practices, join marketing expert Jenn Herman for this hands-on workshop. She’ll look at how to create compelling retail promotional videos, online posts and more for your website and social media, drawing on techniques and hacks she’s discovered with her clients. Herman will also discuss helpful content-creation gear and tools to take your videos to the next level. If you’re too busy to learn all the ins and outs of content creation, this training will be invaluable; if you’re a professional marketer, get ready to up your game!

Track 5: Retail Management

What are the must-knows of managing a successful music retail operation? How do you ensure high performance in a low-performance world? Find out at this special retail-management training, hosted by Thomas Post of The Friedman Group. He’ll cover how to effectively set goals (and why it’s essential), benchmark competence, communicate how you want things done, coach staff and hold them accountable. You’ll also see how your management style can either hurt or help your store. A training for experienced, new or prospective retail managers.

Track 6: Financial Update: Online Sales Tax, New Labor Laws and More

Internet sales tax collection, new labor laws, the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act—the last year has seen unprecedented changes that will likely impact your business. These federal and state laws can be complicated and confusing, and ignorance could put your store in financial peril. Are you prepared? Join leading financial experts Alan Friedman, CPA, and Daniel Jobe, EA, of Friedman, Kannenberg & Co., and find out how these potentially disruptive events can be prevented with a little proactive management. Originally hosted at The 2019 NAMM Show, this exclusive training will expand upon the concepts Friedman and Jobe presented with more information to help you withstand these new financial rigors. Don’t go into the second half of 2019 unprepared!