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IN THE TRENCHES I BY CYPH SHAH HOW STUDENTS, CUSTOMERS ARE ALIKE A s a DJ instructor at Astro AVL in Los Angeles, I’m af- forded the privilege of helping students something to offer them that they can’t get anywhere else.
GET THEM ENGAGED If they’re actively listening, I’m halfway there. But they don’t want to hear more about me, they want to feel engaged. So, I aim to fire up the part of their brain that starts the creative gears turning. As the manager of a DJ shop, I have a good feel for what type of demonstration will generate a genuine reaction. I can impress a novice by showing them the pizzazz of stem separation — isolating the vocals or drums of a track with a click of a but- ton, and layering that stem onto another track in real-time. This works with students, as well as walk-in customers. People who were “just look- ing around” are suddenly giving me their full attention and feel their mind melt just a little bit, which is enough to lubricate the discussion a bit further. CREATE INSPIRATION It’s important to foster an envi- ronment that can turn an ember of inspiration into a flame with foresight and ambition. Connect- ing the dots for them requires staying in the present enough to keep the connection authentic while being able to forecast and communicate how today’s small accomplishments can translate to big achievements next year or
navigate their way through the confusing informational quag- mire that presents itself when learning a new skill. Despite all the YouTube videos available, people still seek the personal- ized approach from field experts for a reason. The art comes in laying a framework for students to feel comfortable taking small bites of that proverbial elephant. It starts with prioritizing sets of skills or certain features that, in turn, lays the foundation for the next tier of learning. That same interaction draws parallels to how we, as retailers, approach our novice customers who are seeking a path to bet- ter understand their goals. For them, their desire to purchase a product is just a byproduct of reaching those achievements and milestones. Here, I’m going to outline five factors that play into this notion. I’ll also explain why these factors are intertwined with buying decisions, and how this roadmap can help you drive sales forward for those meander- ing on the fence of a purchase. ESTABLISH CREDIBILITY Yesterday, I hosted a DJ work- shop for 20 rambunctious high
Cyph Shah, front right, with his DJ workshop participants.
“Prioritizing sets of skills or certain features lay the foundation to the next tier of learning. That same interaction draws parallels to how we approach our novice customers.”
school kids. (See above photo.) If you have experience with teenagers you know this is no small task. Their priorities are not initially in sync with mine. Their perspectives and inter- ests are usually askew from my day-to-day mindset of juggling business logistics and pulling in revenue. I have to remove myself from my world and put myself into theirs. But before I jump
into the trenches with them, I find the best way to kick things off is to establish myself as an authority with tangible, relatable examples. Maybe you’ve seen my videos on TikTok, maybe you recognize some of the artist names or production companies on my roster of clients. What- ever it is, I give them a reason to stay invested in what I’m going to say next because I might have
24 I MUSIC INC. I JUNE 2025
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