Presentation Transcript

Welcome! And thank you for your interest in Girls Just Wanna Have Drums, the Percussion Marketing Council�s exciting theme for International Drum Month 2007. What is International Drum Month?IDM is an annual public awareness campaign held in November. It is a month-long celebration of all things percussion, and the perfect time to tie-in with percussion-themed promotional and educational opportunities. This year, the focus is on promoting drumming to women and girls. Why women and girls?The female musician market is often an untapped market opportunity that has traditionally been ignored by many music merchants. Consider the fact that 51% of the musicians in American households are female players. They have discovered the fun and many health benefits of drumming in record numbers. The PMC wants to help all music retailers find creative ways to enlarge their customer base by capturing the female market while serving the growing interest they have in drums and drumming. To learn more about how Girls Just Wanna Have Drums can help you attract�and sell to�new customers, click on the arrow icons to advance from slide to slide, or use the menu to skip ahead. HOME THE CAMPAIGN MARKETING TIPS ADVERTISING INVENTORY TIPS FAQ CONTACT US The Girls Just Wanna Have Drums Campaign In past years, the PMC has used International Drum Month as a launching pad for some of its most successful marketing programs, including Play Drums, Developmental Drumming, and Hit Like a Girl. Based on the success of the Hit Like a Girl promotional campaign, the PMC heard the need and request to further develop this market initiative. For 2007, we�re taking Hit Like a Girl up a notch, giving it a new name and adding even more promotional materials, recruiting more spokeswomen, and offering an expanded �media blitz.� The message is simple�drumming is for everyone, and women especially can gain emotional, cultural, physical and even spiritual benefits from getting involved in this music making experience. Women make up a big part of the Recreational Music Making movement (RMM), and retailers can see huge results by taking just little time to learn more about the female demographic. Continue on to the next slide to see how easy it is to make your store more �female friendly.� HOME THE CAMPAIGN MARKETING TIPS ADVERTISING INVENTORY TIPS FAQ CONTACT US Make Your Store More Female Friendly It�s easier than you may think to make your store more female friendly. Try a few of these tips and tricks to get you started: Think Local Play up Good Health The Community Connection Prepare Your Staff Idea Starters Not quite sure how to format that perfect ad? Check out some of these examples: Print Ads HOME THE CAMPAIGN MARKETING TIPS ADVERTISING INVENTORY TIPS FAQ CONTACT US Think Local Retailers are encouraged to use the Girls Just Wanna Have Drums campaign for themselves. Feel free to use the logo, poster and ad designs, and other materials provided with your retailer kit to create personalized advertising pieces for all of your usual venues. Go Non-TraditionalIn addition to your usual advertising efforts, consider reaching out to the female market by advertising in non-traditional venues that are viewed or visited by girls and women. Ideas include: A billboard or other signage placed near a beauty salon or day spa; A cross-promotion with a women-only fitness center; A quarter-page ad in a local parenting, health, or travel magazine; An ad in the Sunday paper�s Lifestyle or Entertainment sections. RETURN TO MARKETING IDEAS Play Up Good Health Americans�especially women�are becoming increasingly health-conscious, and there are ample opportunities to tap into the health craze by using the Girls Just Wanna Have Drums campaign materials. In-Store DisplaysTry creating in-store displays that combine the themes of good health and girl drummers. A �Drum Health Club� display can point out the health benefits of recreational drumming while introducing customers to easy-to-play starter instruments. You may choose to provide information about local African drum-and-fitness classes, or set up a parent-themed display that features both adult and child sizes of the same instruments. (See the PMC�s Developmental Drumming program for ideas and details.) Window DisplaysDon�t neglect the all-important front window! A great window design can bring in new customers from off the street�customers who may have never considered wandering into a music store before. Women in particular are drawn in by window displays, and may be receptive to images of women having fun while playing the drums. Fun FactsClick here to get some great health-related facts about drumming that you can use in your advertising and store displays. RETURN TO MARKETING IDEAS Fun Facts: Health Benefits of Drumming The following facts about the health benefits of drumming can be effective selling points in print ads, radio spots, and in-store displays. Drumming Burns CaloriesSubjects burned up to 270 calories in a scientifically monitored half-hour recreational drumming and fitness protocol, more than cycling, hiking, or weight lifting! Drumming is a Social ActivityIn fact, it�s one of the oldest social music making activities there is. Ask anyone who has joined the groove of a drum circle, and they�re sure to tell you that the communal power of group drumming is intense. Drumming Focuses StudentsMany professional drummers talk about how the discipline of learning to play a marching snare or on a drum kit made them better students overall. Hours of rewarding practice teaches perseverance, and yes, all that counting can improve math skills! Drumming is a Stress-BusterThere is scientific proof that a recreational drum protocol lowers the number of stress hormones in groups studied by RMM pioneer Dr. Barry Bittman. RETURN TO PLAY UP GOOD HEALTH The Community Connection Girls Just Wanna Have Drums offers an unparalleled opportunity for music stores to become integral parts of their communities. Word of mouth is still one of the most effective�and least expensive�ways to market, and nothing will get people talking like your involvement with International Drum Month. To really get a taste of what community involvement can do for your store, try the following: Market to �Centers of Influence�Promote your store with female prospects who are �centers of influence��Girl Scout leaders, soccer and softball coaches, PTA officers, teachers, librarians, etc. If treated well, these marketing mavens will talk up your store, so encourage them to do so by offering small gifts for referrals. Market to SchoolsTie Girls Just Wanna Have Drums into your regular school marketing efforts. Sponsor an assembly demonstration of snare drum technique by girl drummers, or by female participants in a local drum and bugle corps. Organize after-school activities for girls interested in drumming, or entice a local music teacher to start a �Drum Club� you can sponsor. Give BackCreate good community vibes and great press recognition during IDM and after by donating drums to school or after-school music programs. RETURN TO MARKETING IDEAS Prepare Your Staff Your staff should always be properly trained and ready to handle any new promotion�Girls Just Wanna Have Drums is no exception! To get your sales team in tip-top shape, start with these suggestions: Ask you staff to read through this guide and to read any other information you may have on the PMC, IDM, and the female drum market. Teach your sales team how to start rapport-building conversations with female customers that keep them interested and prompt them to ask questions. Prepare your staff for non-traditional customers�people who may have never played an instrument before, who will ask a lot of very basic questions and may need more help than your average customer. Patience may be needed! Spruce up your store in anticipation of new customers! Fix lighting, vacuum and dust, put up new signage (including the Girls Just Wanna Have Drums posters provided), and rethink POS items in anticipation of the holidays�stocking stuffers like drum sticks, shakers, claves and portable practice pads should be front and center. RETURN TO MARKETING IDEAS Idea Starters Need a little more inspiration to get you under way? Use a charity raffle to create a database of highly qualified sales leads. Put this list into the hands of your best salespeople�raffle participants are hot prospects and should be contacted about further promotions tailored to their interests. Offer special coupons or frequent buyer points to women and girls who purchase drums during November. Extend International Drum Month! Use November to �drum� up interest in a Christmas/winter Drum Camp for school-age girls, held at your store during the school winter vacation. Start a parent-friendly promotion that stresses �quiet� drum play. Items to feature include drum and cymbal mutes, silent drum kits, quiet sticks like rutes and brushes, and practice pads. Add Girls Just Wanna Have Drums-related programming to your current list of music classes and activities; for example, an Afro-Cuban drumming class for women or a Girl Rock Jam. Add elements to your store that a �typical� music store might not have, such as coffee and donuts, plants and greenery, or a magazine browsing area. RETURN TO MARKETING IDEAS Print Ads Click on any of the ads below to see a larger version, or to print a copy for your own use. RETURN TO MARKETING IDEAS Get the Word Out! Promoting your store during International Drum Month is as easy as counting to four! Step 1: Plan an EventOne of the best ways to make your store shine is by holding or sponsoring an event. To get a few ideas for planning a Girls Just Wanna Have Drums-themed event, click here. Step 2: Send InvitationsYour next step is to start inviting participants. Invitees can come from your direct mail database, from information cards previous customers have filled out, or from lists of local music teachers and other educators. Click here to see an invitation template you can adapt to your own event. Step 3: Advertise the EventIn addition to invitations, advertise your event to the general public through a newspaper or radio ad, or by posting fliers in area coffee shops, fitness centers, and shopping areas. Step 4: Alert the MediaGetting the media to tell your story is the best, and most cost-effective, option. Click here to learn more about media relations. HOME THE CAMPAIGN MARKETING TIPS ADVERTISING INVENTORY TIPS FAQ CONTACT US Plan an Event Don�t have room in your store to host an event? Many of these ideas can be tailored to fit an off-site event that your store sponsors. Ladies� Night: A ladies-only evening sale complete with refreshments and great savings on recreational drum products. Parent Demo: A drum kit set-up tutorial for parents considering a drum purchase as a holiday gift for their kids. Show them a variety of �silencing� products, and give them stocking stuffer ideas. Mothers & Daughters Drum Club: Consider asking a local female college or high school percussionist to lead a percussion drum camp. Women teaching women always works when the instructor has a passion for percussion and wishes to share this experience. African Drum and Fitness Class: You can cross-promote this event with area fitness clubs and cultural centers. Brownies �Making Music� Badge: Help a local troop earn their Making Music badges, and make the event fun for their moms, too. Girl Rock Jam: Many retailers are promoting RMM by holding teen jams at their stores. Why not holding a girls-only jam for local high schoolers? RETURN TO ADVERTISING Send Invitations You can use this template as a starting point to create your own event invitations. Print invitations on store letterhead or use postcards with your store�s logo printed on them. INVITATION TEMPLATE Ladies,Are you feeling stressed? Need some �me time�? The best balm for a busy life might just be a stress-busting drum circle�for women only�hosted by [Your Store�s Name]. What: A fun, relaxing night for women onlyWho: Facilitated by The Rhythm SistersWhen: [Date and Time]Where: [Store Name and Address]Why: Because recreational drum circles, and drumming in general, have by scientifically proven to help people beat stress, gain stamina, nurture relationships, and just generally feel great. Questions? Contact us at [Store�s Phone and Email Info] RSVP by [Date]. Hurry! Space in the drum circle is limited. We hope to see you there! RETURN TO ADVERTISING Alert the Media Send a Press ReleaseYour first step in getting the local media to cover your event is to send a press release to the newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations in your area. You can send your release via regular US Mail, but you�ll get a faster response�and know that your release has gone to the right person�if you call ahead to ask who your contact person should be. Get an email address or fax number for this person and mark your release to his or her attention. Be sure to do this at least four weeks prior to the event start date. Click here to see a sample press release. Follow UpCall or email several days later to verify your release was received. Ask if they plan to cover your event. Answer any questions they may have and build the conversation around specific interest areas the media contact seems to express interest in. Last-Minute Check InNews markets� needs change constantly. Regardless of what you were told at your initial follow up, it never hurts to check in right before the event is scheduled to take place. Maybe they didn�t have anyone available to cover your event before, but now they do, or perhaps one of their stories has fallen through, and they need a new story to take its place. Timing is everything! RETURN TO ADVERTISING Press Release Template The following press release sample can be adapted to fit your own store�s event. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [Date][Contact Information] The Rhythm Sisters To Host Community Drum Circle at [Store Name] Renowned drum circle facilitators The Rhythm Sisters will host a women-only, stress-busting drum circle at [Store Name] on [Date and Time]. Today, busy lifestyles don�t allow much time for adults to relax, have fun, and simply play. But scientific studies have shown that group drumming has a number of physical and psychological benefits. That�s what The Rhythm Sisters� program is all about�even if you�ve never touched a drum before, as soon as these award-winning drummers start their infections beat, you�ll want to join in! [Store Name] is hosting this event to celebrate International Drum Month and to provide a free and unique community service. The theme of this year�s International Drum Month is �Girls Just Wanna Have Drums!� To learn more about this and other upcoming events at [Store Name] contact [Dealer Name] at [Phone and Email.] # # # RETURN TO ALERT THE MEDIA Stock Up! An essential component in making this campaign successful is having the right products in stock and easily accesible to your customers. We have compiled a list of drums, percussion, and accessories that could be used to stock your store for International Drum Month and the Girls Just Wanna Have Drums campaign. While we�ve offered some choices from a number of PMC member companies, this list is not exhaustive! A complete list of PMC member companies can be found at www.PlayDrums.com. Click here for a list of item ideas. Don�t forget to also have on hand drum-related apparel that will be appealing to girls and women such as hats and fun t-shirts. HOME THE CAMPAIGN MARKETING TIPS ADVERTISING INVENTORY TIPS FAQ CONTACT US Product Ideas Afromart: Djembe line; shekere Gretsch: New Classic gold sparkle drumkit HQ Percussion: RealFeel practice pads; SoundOff drum kit mutes Latin Percussion: LP cajon: Aspire djembes; RMV pandeiro Meinl: Nino Percussion line; Ibo drums; jumbo shekere Pro-Mark: Wearable drum keys; drum set mutes; web brushes Regal Tip: Blasticks; Jeff Hamilton and Alex Van Halen Signature Brushes and Sticks Remo: Ergo-drum tubanito; Modular drum; Rhythm Club line Roland: RhythmCoach; HandSonic 10 Sabian: Cymbal mutes; O-Zone crash Toca: Agogo bells; Synergy doumbek Vic Firth: Rutes and rakes; KidSticks; Vic Firth Gourmet line Whacky Music: Boomwhackers Yamaha: Absolute Maple Nouveau Line; CS-845 heavyweight cymbal stand Zildjian: 12� traditional table top gong; 16� A Zildjian medium light classic orchestra cymbals RETURN TO INVENTORY TIPS FAQ How can I get additional Girls Just Wanna Have Drums advertising and marketing materials? Will one kind of ad work for all segments of the female drum market? What amount of lead time should I plan for a promotion or in-store event? What if reporters don�t show up at my event? Can I still get the media involved? Is there anything I should be sure to do during the in-store event to position my store as a leader in drums and percussion sales? What if I have questions or concerns about International Drum Month or the Girls Just Wanna Have Drums Campaign? HOME THE CAMPAIGN MARKETING TIPS ADVERTISING INVENTORY TIPS FAQ CONTACT US How can I get additional Girls Just Wanna Have Drums advertising and marketing materials? It�s easy! Download the materials at www.PlayDrums.com Or, contact the PMC at: Girls Just Wanna Have Drums CampaignPercussion Marketing CouncilPO Box 33252Cleveland, OH 44133(440) 582-7006Email: KBDustman@aol.com RETURN TO FAQ Will one kind of ad work for all segments of the female drum market? Depending on their age, girls and women will respond to drum advertising for different reasons. Younger girls might be sensitive to the idea that drums are a �boys� instrument� and will need encouragement that this is not so. Teens will respond to drumming�s �cool factor� and will be encouraged to join in if friends are drumming. Women will be more attuned to the social, psychological, and physical benefits of drumming and will drum for health or even spiritual reasons. RETURN TO FAQ What amount of lead time should I plan for a promotion or in-store event? You should expect six weeks of planning time. This will allow for production time, media lead time, mailings, and so forth. Typically, initial planning should be completed from four to six weeks ahead of time; mail invitations and media alerts three to four weeks ahead; and prepare your store (put up signage, place POS items, and train staff) in the final two weeks. RETURN TO FAQ What if reporters don�t come to my event? Can I still get the media involved? A local newspaper may not be able to send a reporter to your event, but they might publish a press release sent afterwards. High-quality photos are a must, not only for the paper, but for your own web site, so be sure to have a camera handy at the event. RETURN TO FAQ Is there anything I should be sure to do during the in-store event to position my store as a leader n drums and percussion sales? Build trust and rapport with brand new female drummers by encouraging and, most importantly, anticipating questions. For instance, during a drum set-up demonstration, don�t simply ask, �Any questions?� at the end. Throughout the demonstration, be sure to ask if anyone needs clarification, and start explanations by saying things like, �You�re probably wondering why�� RETURN TO FAQ What if I have questions or concerns about International Drum Month or the Girls Just Wanna Have Drums Campaign? If you have questions or concerns at any time, please don�t hesitate to let us know! Visit www.PlayDrums.com to download for your free promotional materials or to learn more about the Girls Just Wanna Have Drums Campaign. You can also contact the PMC at: Girls Just Wanna Have Drums CampaignPercussion Marketing CouncilPO Box 33252Cleveland, OH 44133(440) 582-7006Email: KBDustman@aol.com RETURN TO FAQ Contact Us The PMC hopes that your participation in International Drum Month and the Girls Just Wanna Have Drums campaign is a success. Visit www.PlayDrums.com for more information. If you have any questions or concerns not answered by the website, please feel free to contact us by writing to: Girls Just Wanna Have Drums CampaignPercussion Marketing CouncilPO Box 33252Cleveland, OH 44133 Or by calling (440) 582-7006. You can also email KBDustman@aol.com HOME THE CAMPAIGN MARKETING TIPS ADVERTISING INVENTORY TIPS FAQ CONTACT US