4. Get Out of Your Store and Get in Front of Your Customers

Donovan Bankhead, Springfield Music, Springfield, Mo.

Bankhead advised retailers to use the power of other people’s marketing. “One of the easiest ways to get new customers in your store is to go where they are instead of trying to get them to come to you,” he said.

Bankhead then offered a list of places and opportunities where you can get in front of potential customers. These have worked for his store.

• Use career day to educate and promote. As a full-line store offering lesson programs, Springfield Music often participates in local career days. This gives Bankhead, his store managers and his teachers an opportunity to connect with young people and students in the community. “It’s amazing how many of the kids enjoy the presentation, come up to us and our store becomes the place they want to go,” he said.

• Sponsor an instrument petting zoo. Provide instruments to schools and get kids involved. Bankhead urged retailers to leverage social media to promote this and to get permission to use photos. School music dealers should ask band directors to share their posts with other band directors, as well.

• Rent a holiday mall cart. Every year, from Black Friday through Christmas, Springfield Music rents a holiday mall cart that’s stocked with small items. The cart is run by temporary staff. During the first year, the company sold more than $30,000 worth of ukuleles to new customers who hadn’t previously heard of Springfield Music, according to Bankhead.

• Establish a presence at a local sporting event or a high school event.

• Provide community music education classes. Springfield Music accepted a paid invitation from a local St. Louis mall to present a music workshop for kids. They received Springfield Music swag, and the store was able to reach new students and families, plus get paid for its efforts.

Bankhead encouraged attendees to find potential customers at all kinds of community events, from car shows to food festivals—anywhere there are lots of people who might fit your demographics. “Get out there,” Bankhead added.