RETAILER ASK THE MORE INSIGHT FROM THIS YEAR’S RETAIL EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS.
ON SOCIAL MEDIA: “When it comes to cul- tivating a strong social media presence, you have to be consistent. From the very beginning un- til now, we’ve made it a point to always be in our customers’ feeds.”
ON TRAINING: “We’re shifting our focus to make sure our sales teams really know our prod- ucts. To make this happen, we’re updating our training program to work closely with suppliers.” Gabe Dalporto CEO, Guitar Center Westlake Village, California
Shane Kinney Owner, Drum Center of Portsmouth North Hampton, New Hampshire
ON SALES TECHNIQUES: “Our sales engineers [sales associates] are also brand experts. This is extremely important as it’s the ‘sizzle’ that often sells, not the ‘steak,’ and often times that ‘sizzle’ is the brand’s heritage, ethos and people. Sales engineers are equipped to tell those stories in ad- dition to understanding the entire ecosystem around the primary equipment being discussed.” Jeff Ostermann Chief People & Culture Office, Sweetwater Fort Wayne, Indiana
ON PICKING UP THE PHONE: “Social media is important for connecting with our audience, but it’s not the only way we do that. It’s an important part of the equation, but simply picking up the phone and talking to customers also goes a very long way.” Ron Wolf
Owner, ProAudioStar Brooklyn, New York
62 I MUSIC INC. I DECEMBER 2024
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