You can take all of the publisher and CEO titles and forget them when they come to me because I am sticking with the descriptor that is more comfortable for me, and that is stereo salesman. I was good at it back in the day, and I am still pretty effective today, even if I mostly make my money selling advertising and doing high-end search engine optimization (SEO) work for outside clients. One thing that most professional audiophile salespeople all know is the difference between a truly qualified client and a tire-kicker. We have written about what it is like to be an audiophile whale and how it comes with Vegas high-roller perks at times. For those of us who want the “hosted guest” experience (using more Vegas parlance) at their local stereo store, there is an easy way earn some true VIP treatment.
Slapping Leather Means Spending at Least a Little Bit of Money …
When I was a college kid in music and business school while selling uber-high-end Cello components and being mentored by the likes of Joe Cali and Mark Levinson, we offered for sale a fancy paperback Cello book. We charged $20 for it and people were glad to pay, as the Cello Music and Film experience in Los Angeles was a hidden-away audiophile oasis right above the Sunset Strip, with a view from my office into the windows of what was then Geffen Records. It was very rock and roll. When people came over to the Cello showroom, they were in for a true treat. And not everybody bought equipment, as our least expensive system was about $60,000 and that was in 1994! What people did almost always buy was the Cello book, as well as any number of Mark Levinson’s recordings on CD.
These audiophiles/music lovers experienced some of the music that we had for sale in my demo, but the offer to buy some of it was, in effect, a test. If they were like the guy who keeps doing laps around the isle at Costco to get another toaster-cooked, faux-meat chicken nugget, you need to know that as a professional audio salesperson. That isn’t a prospect who you are likely to consider a serious or highly qualified sales lead. Your time in following up with your leads would likely be much better spent focusing on other clients. A guy who showed that they’d buy at least something was instantly a more “qualified buyer” in our eyes.
Spread the Audiophile Love to All of Your Local AV Dealers
There are reviewers on my editorial team who will spend money supporting their local dealer when they might get a significantly better deal if they bought the product direct. This is 3D chess by these reviewers, as their local dealer can be a fantastic resource, a place to get new outlooks on gear and more. Said dealer likely makes more money when they reach certain wholesale sales volumes. So, if this dealer sells an XYZ Audio 123 preamp at dead cost, there is still a benefit, in that the $5,000 dealer cost goes towards the yearly sales volume, which can mean better overall pricing, as well as kickbacks or incentives at the end of the year. The car business dealers have monthly, quarterly and yearly goals. If you meet their gates or goals, perks abound. You might get to keep more of your incoming lease returns. Your dealership might get better (or more volume of) inventory, not to mention how much more money comes with meeting (and exceeding) these sales goals.
If you can buy some cool new toy for your music playback system for the same basic price as, say, from Amazon.com or some online retailer, why not give your local dealer a chance to make the sale? (If you answered, “I would love to buy that locally, but I was going to click on one of your affiliate links,” that could work too!!!:) If they make it difficult on you, or there’s much delay, then at least you tried to help them. If they make it easy to do business, then perhaps you’ve earned a little bit of credibility because you slapped some leather. Everybody wins.
Big Price Benefits Can Be Had When You Are in with Your Local AV Dealer
There was a time, after selling my first group of publications in 2008, that I was able to fly on a private jet from time to time. Now, if you are wondering where all that money from selling AVRev.com went, now you know, even with the costs of flying private back then being a fraction of what they are today. Chartering a jet isn’t as hard or as intimidating as it may seem. If you are clear about what you are looking for in terms of aircraft, schedule flexibility and more – most FBOs will bend over backwards to help you. Nothing gets you the best price in this lofty world like actually booking a plane with your local charter company. When they know you have actually done a trip with their company, the road forward is paved and smooth. There are less insults and/or bullshit pricing. Better planes might get swapped onto your trip at no extra cost (that’s what people love about NetJets, as you can sometimes get a Gulfstream, even when you didn’t even remotely pay for one). There are all sorts of perks, and I miss every single one of them so, so badly. Damn you, credit card debt from starting a new magazine!!!
The audiophile world offers the same kind of pricing and perks for its best clients. If you show your dealer that you care to help them be successful, they are nearly guaranteed to return the favor to you. How will that manifest? That is to be determined, but perhaps the next time you need a loaner product, they make sure you get one from their own inventory? Maybe the next time you are going to trade a product in, they sell it for you and give you the lion’s share of the trade-in towards your next upgrade? Getting invited to special events in-store isn’t unheard-of. There are dealers who have become de facto audiophile ringleaders at some of the better audiophile regional shows. They put together the trip, and the audiophile gang does the show together. Drinks, dinners and general camaraderie follows. A good local dealer can deliver this level of client interaction, but that implies that you slapped your wallet down and showed them that you buy some level of gear from time to time.
Never Tell Your Audiophile Salesperson That You Have to Check with Your Spouse …
While this action isn’t you spending your money (slapping leather), it will get you the same respect. In the golf world, if you ever meet a member from Augusta National, please don’t invite yourself to play with them and stay in the Butler Cabin etc. That’s the fastest way to not get invited to the most sacred grounds in all of golf. The same goes in the audiophile world, which is to never, ever, EVER tell an audiophile salesman that you need to check with your wife before you buy something.
To be clear, there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting approval for your audiophile upgrades and/or purchases from your significant other. Where the mistake comes in is not having these details and budgets worked out before you get serious in the stereo store. If you are just checking out the cool gear with no real intention to buy, that is always cool, but out of respect, don’t use too much of the salesman’s time. If you spend two hours A/B testing gear with the guy and then tell him that you need to check with your wife, you will lose the patient. This is not how to handle your local stereo store. If you are just browsing, tell them that, so that expectations don’t get set incorrectly, as selling you more gear is exactly how these people (us stereo salesmen) feed their families.
Some Final Thoughts on Showing Your Local Dealer Some Love …
Not every audiophile dealer is worthy of your support. However, most audiophile dealers are generally cool folks. They do what they do because they love it, and that makes them generally pretty affable. Some dealers are not as friendly, and by no means should you support somebody when you don’t feel inspired to do so. You get to make that call each and every time.
Keeping your local audiophile dealers financially viable might seem like not really your problem, but when the hobby is healthy, it is simply more fun. There is more money to design gear when audiophile manufacturers are thriving. Technologies come to market faster when there is more consumer demand. More people get exposed to good sound when the doors to a good local audio store are open. Even if the store is run by your best buddies, the audiophile hobby is likely in a better place with that store promoting the hobby than without.
What is your relationship like with your local audiophile dealer or salon? Do you go out of your way to support them, or are you more of a free market guy? Let the best man win? Where do you stand on showing your local dealers that you are a viable client?
I work with a very visible online stereo/LP retailer since their inception 30 years ago (technically I do visit them a few times from year to year). They have shown me huge breaks for my loyalty- 25%+ routinely! Another long-term online retailer works out a frequent flyer discount with trade-ins to makes cable trade-ins very attractive.
How can any local retailer complete with that? They generally can’t and shouldn’t – The f’ing industry needs to change to reflect the savings-based world we live in now. Amazon changed everything. I do need a 30 or 60 day return policy for auditioning purposes. I don’t need help with my purchases whatsoever. Those that do should go to a retailer locally and audition and use their advice accordingly. And pay for those services.
I do use my local dealers on and off for the past 30+ years with each as well. In the case of speakers or certain brands, buying anything but local isn’t smart, nor workable. One I tolerate because of the personality conflict and sales-y attitude. The other is great and truly does value my friendship and business over the years – and is willing to give me break pricing because I am not a well-off retiree or IT professional- and he knows I can go online and get the product elsewhere. He also hooks me up with an audiophile LP or a gift from time to time as well as in-house sponsored events with dinners and drinks. That is very nice and not un-appreciated.
In a world where pricing is high and higher over norms in other industries, I fight back by being savvy as hell. I never showroom- ever. I make up my mind prior and stick to it even if I get hit 5% less in savings by making a slight mistake. It always works to my benefit in general by keeping all the relationships in place.
But most locals are way behind the curve and now the manufacturers are fighting back in the wrong direction by offering no discounts for online retailers. Now AudioQuest, VPI and others are making sure that their local brick and mortar dealers have the same pricing discounts as their online competition- Zero. Strangely, through my main local dealer, my latest AQ purchases for $2k or did accompany large discounts and trade-in bonuses. Totally the opposite expectation, but they did work out a demo price and trade on a very expensive USB cable. The other online retailer did the same for phono IC’s and I am absolutely a won-customer for each of these 4 dealers for life!
While I’ve never worked in audio sales less 2 years in college for a small joint, I do know the industry of yore and today. It helps immensely.
You are brave revealing this because there is an aura of entitlement in suggesting “I’m a HiFi salesman, dammit, I deserve your money” that will drive prospective readers/clients away. I assume the fashion & luxury industries work in a similar manner. This is the antethesis of how most people purchase items, even expensive cars & homes, where negotiations & contracts are the norm not relationships. Stroking the ego of anyone is abhorrent. It was common practice amongst certain professionals (politicians, leaders, management etc), it has always created suspicion of ulterior motives & is now rightly frowned upon.
The goal is enjoyment of music not addiction to a false idea of perfection thru continually upgrading equipment. The best thing a salesman can do for a new client is to advise them to attend a live acoustic concert at a renowned venue as a reality check, before even contemplating the purchase of equipment. How often have you done that?
I appreciate and agree with the opening sentence on elitist titles masking the negatively judged title of “stereo salesman” (salesperson).
Maybe I missed the tongue-in-cheek humor around the significant other (“wife”) check-ins and the 2-hour A/B testing?
But if I’m considering an expensive purchase (a relative concept according to the individual), then I will do my due diligence and may or may not decide to purchase from a given store or salesperson with whom I spent “however much time.”
I don’t feel obligated to purchase from someone just because they spent time with me–and do not consider my time to be any more or less valuable than anyone else’s.
As for the statement: “Technologies come to market faster when there is more consumer demand.”
In service to public safety this may apply to some mass market products, e.g., ABS and traction control in automobiles, yet in other industries there is the perpetuation of technology for the sake of technology, as seen in the ad nauseam marketing of, e.g., “smart” appliances.
Technology in audio can be quantified through Ohm’s Law and Newtonian physics with some non-quantifiables mixed-in for subjective voicing of products per the non-linearities of sound as movement of air: from transducers, through the medium (air and its boundaries), and the primary sense organs (our ears, skin, and nervous system).
While cool materials have provided options, e.g., silicon carbide, synthetic diamond/corundums, gallium nitride–still, there are those who prefer glass and paper.
Financial health applies to all businesses, and I appreciate the efforts you’ve made and continue to make in exploring potential avenues for creating such health within the hi-fi industry.